How do the people on World Series of Poker get on the show?

Question

How do the people on World Series of Poker get on the show?

Answer 1

Either by plopping down the $10,000 entry fee or by getting a seat in a cheaper manner (contest drawing, winning a series of satellite tournament, etc.)

Answer 2

Players enter the tournament and if the happen to be on a featured table then they are.  But they are not in control of being on tv or not.  And it isn't a show, it's a real poker tournament for millions of dollars.

Answer 3

It's not really a show, more a broadcast of a real event that happens in Las Vegas each year.

It is a series of poker tournaments (this year there are 55 tournaments).

The most famous on is the Main Event, although the HORSE event is getting a lot of publicity these days too.

The Main Event, which has been going since 1970 is a $10,000 buy in tournament.  Which means you either need to pay $10,000 to enter the tournament, or you can play mini tournament known as a satellite to get in (for example 10 people put up $1,000 and play together, the winner gets the $10,000 entry fee).

In the last few years the event has averaged over 4,000 entries.  Everyone starts with the same number of chips (last year it was $20,000 in tournament chips) and they keep playing until one player wins them all.  Last year the prize for winning was $8.25m in cash.  The actual prize depends on the number of people who choose to pay.

If you can't afford to buy in they have all kinds of ways to qualify online.  But for the most part, you have to be very good at poker to get in, or have money to burn.

Then the only way to guarantee to get on TV is to do something weird, amass a bunch of chips, or make the final or featured tables.

Answer 4

They enter the WSOP.  If you're in a televised event, and ESPN thinks your table (or you specifically) will make good, ratings-grabbing TV, you're on.