WSOP 2019 | Big 50 Has $500 Buy-in, $1 Million Prize

The WSOP Big 50 Event is a major change to the early stage of the 2019 World Series of Poker. Over the last several years, the Colossus event has been the biggest No-Limit Texas Hold’em event at the WSOP. Thousands of players entered the field, because of a low entry fee and high prize pool.

The $500 buy-in, WSOP Big 50 event replaces the Colossus event in 2019. Furthermore, the Big 50 event launches the first week of the World Series of Poker.

The Big 50 begins on Thursday, May 30 with the first of four starting flights. These run through Sunday, June 2. The Thursday and Friday starting flights begin at 11am, while the Saturday and Sunday flights begin at 10am Las Vegas time.

Event rules allow for one re-entry per flight, giving players a chance at a do-over if they bust out. The WSOP Big 50 Event has a guaranteed prize pool of $5,000,000. First prize receives $1,000,000. 100% of your original entry fee goes into the prize pool, but re-entry fees are raked as normal.

Payouts for 2019 Big 50 Poker Event

The top 15% of the field receives a payout. That means players make it into the winnings sometime during their 2nd full day of play. Players who enter the Big 50 need to check their Day 2 schedule closely, because the schedule’s a bit complex.

Those in Flight 1A on Thursday return on Friday, May 31 at 2pm to play Day 2A. Players in Flight 1B on Friday return on Saturday, June 1 at 5pm.

WSOP Big 50 Event Schedule

One might expect entries in Flight 1C on Saturday to return on Sunday, but they don’t. Instead, they return Monday, June 3 at 10am for their Day 2. Finally, players in Sunday’s Flight 1D return for their Day 2 at 10am on Tuesday, June 4th.

Day 2 for everyone will have 8 levels. Combined with the 12 levels on Day 1 (at 50 minutes apiece), everyone who gets to Day 3 will have survived 20 levels of play.

Big 50 Event’s Late Stages

Wednesday, June 5th is Day 3 for everyone, as the survivors of all four flights combine into the main field. Day 3 includes 12 levels, while Day 4 should have 12 levels, as well. If circumstances require it, a Day 5 could be added to the tournament on Friday, June 7.

If you are eliminated in one of the first 3 flights, you can buy entry into a later flight. Also, prior to bagging chips on Day 1, players have the option to forfeit their chip stack and buy entry into the next flight with a full chip stack. If they bag their chips, their decision to play on is final. Be certain before bagging your chip stack.

WSOP Big 50 Event Entries

Entrants have four ways to pay. Cash or credit buy entry into the Big 50 Event, of course. Also, Rio casino chips or Rio tournament buy-in credits can be used for the WSOP Big 50 Event entry.

The WSOP Cage in the Rio Convention Center opens at 9am on May 28th for buying entry. WSOP Big 50 Event buy-ins continue 24 hours a day until the event opens. The Rio’s management says the best time to buy entry is 8pm to 8am. The busiest times are between 9am and 6pm.

Cliff Spiller

Cliff Spiller has been an online writer for more than a decade. He worked for Small World Marketing for years, where he covered topics like gaming, sports, movies, and how-to guides. He's covered US and international gambling news on BestOnlineCasinos.com, USPokerSites.com, and LegalUSPokerSites.com since 2014.

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