The 45th Annual World Series of Poker® explodes into action in Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, located at 3700 West Flamingo Road, on May 27, 2014. The purse is set at $200 million with action-packed events from the get-go. On opening day, the first open bracelet play of the year begins with a $25,000 buy-in Mixed Max No-Limit Hold’em event starting at 4:00 p.m. and lasting for four days. Starting with 9-handed play on day one and ending with Head’s-Up matches with the crowning of poker’s best No-Limit Hold’em player at the end, this sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting season for the WSOP 2014 schedule. Included in the line-up is the return of the Millionaire Maker that had 6,343 entrants with an $8.5 Million prize pool in 2013. This year more players are expected for a top prize of $1 million, which is 666 times the buy-in of $1500. The buy-in for the Dealer’s Choice bracelet and other major events is $10,000.

This spectacle began in 1970 and has been televised on ESPN for the past 10 years. The tournament lasts until July 14, culminating with the main event when the winner will walk away with a $10 million first place prize, which commemorates the Rio’s decade of involvement with WSOP. This year the bar for prize money is definitely being raised at the Rio from the $194 million in 2013. Aside from the big events, many side tournaments and other events are held and a list of events is available from WSOP for 2014.

The events will be played in the Brasilia, Pavilion and Amazon rooms at the Rio Convention Center. To enter, a player must be 21 years of age on the day of the event and at least 50 to participate in the Seniors Event. The WSOP office is located in the Amazon ballroom. Players can pre-register online at least 2 weeks before their anticipated event. Bring a photo ID and sign the registration papers at the Rio. Registration is also open 24-hours a day at the Rio cage, if you would rather do it in person. While you can register in person, capacity is limited and pre-registering online guarantees that you be able to play in a specific event. Third-party registration is not accepted and payment must be made at the casino when you formally register with ID, even when pre-registered.

Guests can watch the action free of charge, but they must be 21-years-old to enter. There is 24-hour valet service from the parking area for convenience and security. In order to claim winnings, players must show proof of identity and provide a social security number or the winnings will be subject to a 28 percent withholding tax.