The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) was the first expansion of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The festival made its debut in 2007 and was held in the United Kingdom, France and Germany before settling on its current home at King's Resort in Rozvadov, Czech Republic.
From three bracelet events in 2007, it has grown to 15 bracelets in 2019. Many famous names have won bracelets on the WSOPE including Daniel Negreanu, Gus Hansen and Chris Ferguson.
Over the course of its history, five venues have hosted the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) since its inception in 2008.
Venue
Country
Years
Empire Casino
London, United Kingdom
2007-10
Le Croisette Casino Barrière
Cannes, France
2011-12
Casino Barrière
Enghien-les-Bains, France
2013
Spielbank Casino
Berlin, Germany
2015
King's Resort
Rozvadov, Czech Republic
2015-present
WSOPE 2007
Having purchased the rights to the WSOP in 2004, Harrah's Casino announced that it would partner with Betfair to bring the World Series of Poker to Europe. This was the very first expansion of the WSOP brand, with the 2007 WSOPE taking place at Empire Casino in London.
Due to the legal gambling age in England being 18, players under the age of 21 were able to compete in the WSOP for the very first time. As a result, Annette Obrestad became the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet at age 18 years, 364 days after winning the 2007 WSOPE Main Event for £1,000,000.
After three bracelets were awarded at the inaugural WSOPE, that was increased to four the following year. The tournament was again hosted by the Empire Casino in London with several big names again in attendance. Phil Ivey final-tabled the £2,500 H.O.R.S.E and 2000 WSOP Main Event winner Chris Ferguson final-tabling the £5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha.
The 2008 WSOPE Main Event was won by John Juanda, beating a final table that included Daniel Negreanu. Ivan Demidov had made the final table of the WSOP Main Event earlier that year, and while waiting for the November Nine to resume later that year he made it to the final table of the 2008 WSOPE Main Event.
Demidov would finish third at the WSOPE, and follow that up for a second-place at the 2008 WSOP Main Event, won by Peter Eastgate.
The 2009 WSOPE Main Event was won by Barry Shulman for £801,603. He defeated Daniel Negreanu heads-up, after 'KidPoker' made it to back-to-back WSOPE Main Event final tables.
One year after Demidov's heroics, his feat of final-tabling both the WSOP and WSOPE Main Event in the same year was matched by not one but two players. Both Antoine Saout and James Akenhead made it to the final table, finishing seventh and ninth respectively.
Barry Shulman vs Daniel Negreanu 2009 WSOP Europe Main Event
WSOPE 2010
Despite being held at the Empire Casino in London, United Kingdom, it took until the fourth iteration of the WSOPE festival for an English player to win a WSOPE bracelet. James Bord accomplished that feat after winning the 2010 WSOPE Main Event.
He was roared on to victory by a partisan rail, with Bord walking away with £830,401.
Other big names to win bracelets at the 2010 WSOPE included Phil Laak, Jeff Lisandro and Gus Hansen.
In 2011, the WSOPE moved to France, being held at Le Croisette Casino Barrière in Cannes, France. The schedule featured seven bracelet events, with the 2011 WSOPE Main Event won by Elio Fox. He defeated 593 players to win €1,400,000 in what was the largest WSOPE Main Event ever.
The WSOPE returned to Cannes in 2012 ahead of by far the biggest WSOPE winner's story in history. Phil Hellmuth won the 2012 WSOPE Main Event for over €1m to take his WSOP bracelet tally to 13. In doing so, he became the first player to win both the WSOP and WSOPE Main Event.
"This is the best tournament I've ever played in my entire life," Hellmuth said after his victory. "I was all in for my tournament life once and that was on Day 1. He had one out."
Away from the Main Event, Antonio Esfandiari won the third bracelet of his career, and the second in the space of three months after winning the inaugural "]€1,000,000 Big One for One Drop.
2012 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion Phil Hellmuth
WSOPE 2013
Eight bracelets were up for grabs at the 2013 WSOPE, held at Enghien-les-Bains, France just outside the capital Paris. Among the early bracelet winners were Roger Hairabedian, who became the first French WSOPE bracelet winner and also became the first player to win two WSOPE bracelets.
The 2013 WSOPE Main Event was won by 19-year-old Spanish player Adrian Mateos. He defeated home favorite Fabrice Soulier after a heads-up match lasting five hours.
After two years in France, the WSOPE then moved to Spielbank Casino, located in the heart of the German capital Berlin. The festival featured ten bracelet events for the first time, with 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel winning his third WSOP bracelet in the €25,600 High Roller after picking up his second in Las Vegas four months earlier.
The 2015 WSOPE Main Event was won by Kevin MacPhee. With only 313 players, this is the smallest WSOPE Main Event in history, with MacPhee winning €883,000 in prize money.
"I have really bought into Leon [Tsoukernik]’s vision for creating a poker-first destination in Central Europe,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart at the time. "With King’s backing large guarantees and media coverage, we believe we have found a long term home for WSOPE to replicate the scale we enjoy in Las Vegas."
The 2018 WSOPE Main Event was won by Jack Sinclair. Former WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess made it to the final table, but was eliminated in fourth place.
The 2019 WSOPE featured 15 bracelets, the most awarded at a WSOPE in history. The schedule featured a short deck event and a €100,000 High Roller for the very first time.
Australian Kahle Burns became the first player to win two WSOPE bracelets at the same festival, matching compatriot and eventual WSOP Player of the Year winner Robert Campbell who accomplished the feat at the 2019 WSOP.
Meanwhile, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier won the second bracelet of his career in the €550 Colossus.
The 2019 WSOPE Main Event was won by Alexandros Kolonias, defeating 541 players - the second-largest WSOPE Main Event in history.
2019 WSOP Europe Main Event Champion Alexandros Kolonias
WSOPE 2020
The 2020 WSOPE was one of the many live poker festivals that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSOPE 2021
The 2021 WSOPE retured to King's Resort, Rozvadov with 15 bracelets scheduled from Nov. 19 to Dec. 8. Nearly €12m was guaranteed across the festival with buy-ins ranging from €350 to €50,000.
Among the big winners were Andriy Lyubovetskiy, who took down the €25,000 Platinum High Roller for €518,430, Romain Le Dantec, winner of the €10,000 NLH 6-Max for €207,267, and Josef Gulas Jr, the 2021 WSOPE Main Event champion and recipient of a cool €1,276,712.
The WSOPE 2022 took place at King's Resort, Rozvadov, between October 26 and November 16, and it was another huge success. Andriy Lyubovetski captured his second bracelet, doing so in the 15th and final event of the series, taking down the €1,000 NLHE Turbo Freezeout.
Paul Phua clinched the €25,000 Platinum High Roller bracelet and €482,433, while Turkish star Orpen Kisacikoglu denied Sam Grafton in the €50,000 Diamond High Roller, and scooped €748,106.
The 2021 WSOPE Main Event saw 73 entrants and a €7,248,500 prize pool created, far more than the advertised €5,000,000 guarantee. Sweden's Omar Eljach came out on top, banking €1,380,129, leaving fellow finalists Shaun Deeb (3rd - €607,531), Vladas Tamasauskas (4th - €438,978), Barny Boatman (7th - €180,867), Alexandre Reard (8th - €138,702), and Timothy Adams (9th - €108,024) in his wake.
The WSOPE 2023 took place at King's Resort, Rozvadov, between October 25 and November 14. Big names were out in force with Daniel Dvoress winning his first live bracelet in the €25,000 GGMillion€ and 2022 WSOPE Main Event champion Omar Eljach winning his second bracelet in the €550 Pot Limit Omaha.
The WSOPE Main Event was the largest in history and was won by former pro basketball player Max Neugebauer who beat a field of 817 players to win €1,500,000.
“It means a lot. I mean, the bracelet itself means a lot. And then it’s actually the WSOP Main Event means even a bit more,” he told PokerNews. "What means most to me, honestly, is my friends being here and cheering me on. It was really wonderful. I don’t know what the experience would’ve been without them."
