Betfair Official Blog

Done Up Like The Nines At The WSOP

YOU wait, that's what you do - especially if you're a finalist at the WSOP Main Event.

When the tenth player loses, there will be a 117-day break before the final nine get to play the final table.

Why not 118 days, or 30 days, or a year?

The Poker Anorak has already told you about the delay, needed so that the TV executives at ESPN can broadcast the final "nearly live".

You are, of course, alive or you are not alive, i.e. dead. Only in America can you be nearly live, a truth evidenced in many Los Angles cosmetic surgery salon and celebrity telethons - and by the final nine players who will live in a state of limbo while the hype is cranked up.

It is all about building up buzz, creating excitement which leads to improved ratings and duly earns more money from advertisers, it says here

The danger is, though, that in the hunt for new poker TV viewers, the game will change. How long before players are discouraged from making a bid until the ads have finished? Will every hand finale be preceded by "a world from our sponsors"? Will players be encouraged to be more photogenic?

The full schedule runs like this:

July 3-6: Days 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d of WSOP Main Event
July 7: *Off Day*
July 8-9: Days 2a, 2b
July 10-14: Days 3-7 (down to final nine players)
July 22 - Aug. 26: ESPN airs WSOP prelim events for six weeks
Sep 2 - Oct 28: ESPN airs WSOP Main Event for nine weeks
Nov. 4: ESPN airs a one-hour final table preview show
Nov. 9: Final Table is played, nine players down to final two
Nov. 10: Heads-up play for the WSOP Championship
Nov. 11: ESPN broadcasts the final table at 9:00 pm ET

It's not all bad for the final nine players - The Nines. When the tenth player is shown his cards, The Nines will get some money. Last year, the ninth best player took away $525,934.

They can then become media darlings, perfect their play or blow it all on a facelift before being spirited back to the Rio Las Vegas for the big game...

Or play online...

• Poker