New York Sees First-Ever WSOP Qualifiers in the State

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is holding a series of qualifying events in New York for the first time in its history. Turning Stone Resort & Casino, an Oneida Indian Nation property, is hosting satellite rounds and preliminary rounds in its poker room. It is the largest state-operated poker room, and more will be added in the winter-spring of 2022. Monday, November 1 was the first.

New York In On the WSOP Action

The highlight will be a WSOP Circuit Event, which will take place March 17-28. The tournament will be played at Turning Stone’s Event Center, and players can qualify for the final round of the WSOP 2022 “Tournament of Champions” in Las Vegas.

Ray Halbritter, CEO of Oneida Nation Enterprises, added in a statement that the casino is “thrilled to serve as New York’s first-ever satellite host for the World Series of Poker, and provide this incredible opportunity to our guests.” He added, “We are proud of the fact that we are considered New York’s best poker destination, and being a satellite host for the WSOP promises to only build onto that reputation.”

Qualifiers Give Local Communities a Boost

Turning Stone events are expected to create buzz and attract players and their families, who will spend money at hotels, restaurants, and other venues. Joel Barkin, Oneida Nation’s vice-president for communications, stated that poker players will travel from across the country to take part in the tournament and will make use of all the amenities available in the region. “So, we see many benefits to being a WSOP host,” he added.

There are also opportunities for visitors to view the action. The Poker Room will have a limited number of events, but Circuit Event at Event Center in March is expected to draw larger and more boisterous crowds.

Barkin stated that poker has been a key part of Turning Stone’s gaming program. This includes table games, sports betting and slots. The casino’s 32-table poker room, which is the largest in the state, occupies a prominent spot. It hosts tournaments and events throughout the year.

Barkin stated that the WSOP chose to host events at Turning Stone because of the quality and size of its facilities, as well as its central location in the state.

It was also helped, in part, by Caesar’s Entertainment’s affiliation with Oneidas, which is a partner at Turning Stone’s sportsbooks and at the tribe’s other casinos, Point Place (Bridgeport) and Yellow Brick Road (Chittenango). Turning Stone is among three new venues for the WSOP Circuit events. Other new venues this year include the Isle of Pompano in Pompano Beach, FL, and Deerfoot Inn in Calgary, Canada.