Caesars moves WSOP to Bally's and Paris Las Vegas in 2022, first time on the Strip

The 2022 edition of the World Series of Poker will be moving to the Vegas Strip: it will be the first to be held at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The news has been confirmed by operator Caesars Entertainment, following the closure on Wednesday of the Main Event of the 52nd annual edition of the renowned poker competition.

The 53rd edition of the WSOP will be held from May 31 - July 19, returning to its usual Summer dates. Actor, comedian and card player Vince Vaughn has been named as the event’s official celebrity Master of Ceremonies.

Following a 17-year run at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the WSOP will continue its legacy at the all-new Bally’s and Paris venue. The full 2022 tournament schedule is expected to be published in January.

"We are absolutely thrilled with this year's turnout, both domestically and internationally,” said the World Series of Poker Senior Vice President, Ty Stewart, who further declared the Main Event exceeded expectations. “As we close out this chapter at the Rio, we are excited to have the iconic Vince Vaughn usher in a new era of WSOP at Bally's and Paris next summer."

Vince Vaughn, who made a special appearance at the WSOP Main Event, took the stage to announce his upcoming role in the 2022 edition. The “Wedding Crashers” and “Swingers” is a long-time avid poker player, and kicked off day one of the Final Table with a surprise Shuffle Up and Deal moment.

"I have such a strong connection to Las Vegas and am honored to be selected as the Master of Ceremonies for what is set to be the most anticipated World Series of Poker tournament ever," said Vaughn upon his role announcement. "Poker has long been one of my favorite sports, so to be a part of something as historic as the WSOP finally moving to the Strip is an absolute dream"

On Wednesday, Germany’s Koray Aldemir was crowned the 2021 World Series of Poker Main Event winner, cementing his place in poker history with his first-ever Main Event gold bracelet after an exciting final table showdown.

Aldemir was officially announced as the 52nd WSOP World Champion following 12 days of poker action. The night boasted $8 million in prize winnings, and the champion also took home the highly coveted Main Event bracelet, a 10k yellow and white gold bracelet encrusted with 2,230 rubies, and white and black diamonds.

This year, the World Series of Poker returned as a live, in-person to Las Vegas for its 52nd annual event after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Caesars Entertainment-hosted event required all players, spectators, vendors and media to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.