The World Series of Poker by the Jersey Shore is back. Caesars Entertainment announced this week that the WSOP Circuit is returning to Harrah’s Atlantic City from Aug. 14-25.
The city hasn’t hosted a WSOP Circuit event since 2020 after being the very first stop when the tour launched in 2005. Caesars officials were pleased to see action returning to what had been an East Coast poker mecca.
“We are thrilled to welcome back the prestigious World Series of Poker Circuit to Harrah’s Resort and the unmatched energy, excitement, and talent it brings,” Harrah’s senior vice president and general manager Gregg Klein said. “Hosting this iconic event reinforces our commitment to delivering premier gaming experiences and positions us as a top destination for esteemed players and poker fans alike.”
New Jersey was one of the strictest states during COVID, and casinos were slow to reopen, let alone bring back large-scale tournament series. Before the pandemic, Atlantic City had five poker rooms: Harrah’s, Borgata, Tropicana, Golden Nugget, and Caesars. But the Golden Nugget and Caesars never reopened their rooms.
The Borgata has been the leader in the Atlantic City market, but it took a few years before it started hosting tournaments again. The property didn’t host a multi-week tournament series until January 2023, with the Borgata Winter Poker Open reboot.
However, even after the staff brought the tournament series back to the property, they were held at a reduced frequency. Before the pandemic, Borgata held tournament stops quarterly. Now, those tournament series happen much less frequently.
This year, the Winter Poker Open attracted 932 entries in the main event. But there isn’t another Borgata Poker Open on the schedule for the rest of the year.
Atlantic City casinos have experienced year-over-year revenue declines in recent months. That trend could continue as nearby metropolitan areas expand gambling options.
Philadelphia and Maryland have established casino industries, and New York City is expected to have casinos in the next few years. Poker tournament series could be one of the easiest methods to generate repeat customers at the Garden State’s casinos.
The return of the WSOP Circuit to Atlantic City comes right after the traditional WSOP in Las Vegas in the summer. The last Atlantic City Circuit stop was in early March 2020 and was canceled before completion. The main event never kicked off, and Florida’s Jeffrey Trudeau won the final event, a $400 Omaha hi-lo for $6,562.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
