World Poker Tour

History and Ownership

The World Poker Tour was founded in the United States in 2002 by attorney and television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as the initial CEO of WPT Enterprises, Inc. The brand's early growth coincided with the poker boom, establishing its televised final tables as a staple for fans. In November 2009, the online gaming company PartyGaming acquired the WPT for $12.3 million. Following a merger, the tour became part of bwin.Party Digital Entertainment before being sold to Ourgame International Holdings Ltd. for $35 million in cash in June 2015. A significant ownership change occurred in 2021 when the World Poker Tour was sold to Element Partners for $105 million.

In July 2006, seven poker professionals sued WPT Enterprises alleging violations of antitrust laws and intentional interference with contract. The professionals were Chris Ferguson, Andy Bloch, Annie Duke, Joe Hachem, Phil Gordon, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer. The players contended that standard WPT release forms, which claimed perpetual rights to players' likenesses and restricted host casinos from other poker events, were anti-competitive. Hachem and Raymer dropped out of the lawsuit before its settlement in April 2008. The remaining five players reached an agreement with WPTE, which Chris Ferguson stated was fair and resulted in a new, clearer release form for all future participants.

Television Broadcast and On-Air Team

The WPT television show has been a key part of the brand since its first season aired on the Travel Channel in the spring of 2003. The show made a network debut on NBC on February 1, 2004, with a special "Battle of Champions" tournament. Over its history, the broadcast has moved through several networks, including GSN for its sixth season and Fox Sports Regional Networks for its seventh. A significant five-year deal was announced with Fox Sports in August 2016, which has since transitioned to the FanDuel Sports Network, where the 24th season airs in 2026. The production is a global enterprise, with additional series produced under the PartyPoker brand focusing on European stops.

The current core broadcast team for the primary WPT series consists of commentators Tony Dunst and Vince Van Patten, with Lynn Gilmartin serving as anchor. Dunst joined the WPT as host of the Raw Deal segment in Season 9 after winning an open casting competition. He moved into the main commentary booth following the retirement of Mike Sexton after 15 years. Lynn Gilmartin assumed the anchor role for Season 12, responsible for hosting, interviews, and sideline reporting. The broadcast uses hole card cameras to show viewers the players' face-down cards, though commentators record their specific card analysis after the event due to gaming regulations prohibiting a live feed on set.

• Seasons 1 to 3: Shana Hiatt (host and sideline reporter).
• Season 4: Courtney Friel (host).
• Season 5: Sabina Gadecki (host).
• Seasons 6, 9 to 11: Kimberly Lansing (host).
• Season 7: Amanda Leatherman (host).
• Season 12-present: Lynn Gilmartin (anchor).

Tour Structure and Player Recognition

The World Poker Tour operates multiple tournament series, with the WPT Main Tour being the most prominent. Main Tour events focus on a buy-in range of $3,500 to $25,000. Winners of these official events are awarded membership to the WPT Champions Club and receive the WPT Champions Cup, a trophy with the champion's name engraved. While the first six seasons' champions did not initially receive bracelets, they were awarded Tiffany and Company-crafted titanium and diamond bracelets at a special ceremony at the Bellagio in Las Vegas on April 21, 2008. The tour also determines a seasonal WPT Player of the Year based on a points system to recognize consistent high finishes.

The points system for Player of the Year has evolved. For the first eight seasons, only the final table of six players and the seventh-place finisher earned points. Starting with Season 9, the system was adjusted to award points to all players finishing in the money, typically the top 10 percent of the field. The points awarded to winners are now scaled to the prize pool size, ranging from 600 points for events under $500,000 to 1,400 points for events over $4,000,000. The season-ending WPT World Championship awards a minimum of 1,400 points to the winner regardless of the prize pool, and all in-the-money finishers receive a minimum of 50 points. Through Season 9, no player had simultaneously won the Player of the Year title and the season-ending WPT Championship.

• Winner: 1,000 points.
• Runner-up: 700 points.
• 3rd place: 600 points.
• 4th place: 500 points.
• 5th place: 400 points.
• 6th place: 300 points.
• 7th place (final table bubble): 200 points.

Flagship Events and Prize Records

Each WPT season culminates in the WPT World Championship, originally called the WPT Championship before Season 9. This event has seen various formats and buy-ins over the years, responding to market conditions. Following a decline in entries after the poker boom, the buy-in was lowered to $15,000 from 2014 and the event was briefly renamed the WPT Tournament of Champions. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the championship was rebranded as a $10,000 buy-in open tournament in 2022 and 2023, hosted at Wynn Las Vegas. These editions set records for field size and prize pool guarantees, with the 2023 event featuring a poker industry record $40 million guarantee and a top prize over $5 million.

The progression of the largest single payout in WPT history reflects these changes. The current record is the $5,282,954 won by Daniel Sepiol for taking the Season 21 WPT Championship. Prior to the recent resurgence, the highest payout had not increased since an event in 2007, and the top prize at the championship had been under $500,000 since the 2016 edition. The 2026 WPT World Championship festival is scheduled for November 27 to December 21 at Wynn Las Vegas, promising a month of tournament action. The festival includes the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship with a mystery bounty and a $1,100 buy-in WPT Prime World Championship with a $5,000,000 guarantee.

Additional Tours and Platforms

Beyond the Main Tour, the World Poker Tour has launched several subsidiary products and series over its history. The Professional Poker Tour was a spin-off series that began filming in 2004 but was suspended after one season when a television home for a second season could not be found. In 2008, the WPT launched ClubWPT, a subscription-based online club where members pay a monthly fee for access to tournaments awarding over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month. ClubWPT Gold has since offered major tournaments, including one in 2026 with a 5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and a 1,000,000 first-place prize, free to enter for players.

In 2016, the WPT expanded into the social casino space with PlayWPT, a platform offering poker and slot games. PlayWPT Poker allows players to participate in ring games, tournaments, and sit-n-gos using avatars and animated emojis, available on both desktop and mobile devices. The tour also briefly operated a WPT Ladies series, announced in January 2008, with five events in its first season and buy-ins from $300 to $1,500. Nancy Todd won the inaugural Ladies Championship, with Vanessa Selbst finishing second, though no WPT Ladies events are currently scheduled.

Honours and Canadian Connections

The WPT has established formal honours to recognize contributions to poker. The WPT Walk of Fame, inaugurated to honour players and promoters who spread the game through film, television, and literature, inducted its first members in 2003: Doyle Brunson, Gus Hansen, and actor James Garner. A second induction ceremony was held in February 2004 at the Commerce Casino, but no new members have been added since. The WPT Honors Award, launched in early 2017, is the tour's highest honour for exceptional contributions to the WPT and poker community.

Recipients are determined by CEO Adam Pliska and the WPT. Canadian players and hosts have been part of the WPT story. Canadian-born poker player and reporter Kara Scott has served as host for a number of the PartyPoker-branded telecasts of European WPT events. For Canadian residents, live tournament opportunities include WPT stops like WPT Montreal, historically held at the Playground Poker Club in Kahnawake, Quebec. The 2024 WPT 500 Montreal featured a buy-in of CAD $590.

Questions about World Poker Tour

What is the World Poker Tour?

The World Poker Tour is an internationally televised brand that operates a series of high-stakes poker tournaments around the world. Founded in 2002, it broadcasts final table action from its events to over 150 countries and territories. Its most prominent circuit is the WPT Main Tour, featuring buy-ins from $3,500 to $25,000. The season culminates with the WPT World Championship, a major festival in Las Vegas.

How can I watch the World Poker Tour on TV?

In the United States, the WPT television show airs on the FanDuel Sports Network, broadcasting its 24th season in 2026. The show has previously aired on networks including the Travel Channel, GSN, and Fox Sports Regional Networks. Internationally, deals with broadcasters like BT Sport in the UK and Ireland and TV Azteca in Latin America provide coverage. The current commentary team features Tony Dunst and Vince Van Patten, with Lynn Gilmartin as anchor.

What is the schedule for the 2026 WPT World Championship?

The 2026 WPT World Championship festival is scheduled from November 27 to December 21 at Wynn Las Vegas. It serves as the culmination of the WPT's 24th season. The festival includes the $10,400 buy-in WPT World Championship event and the $1,100 buy-in WPT Prime World Championship, which has a $5,000,000 guarantee. The schedule also features a special Meet-Up Game on December 2 and the televised final table for the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship on December 15.

What is ClubWPT?

ClubWPT is a subscription-based online poker club launched by the World Poker Tour in 2008. Members pay a monthly fee to participate in tournaments that award over $100,000 in cash and prizes each month. The club also runs special events, such as a 2026 tournament with a 5,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and a 1,000,000 first-place prize, which is free to enter for ClubWPT Gold members. It provides a legal pathway for eligible adults to play for prizes online in many jurisdictions.

Who owns the World Poker Tour?

The World Poker Tour has had several owners since its founding. It was started by Steven Lipscomb in 2002. In 2009, it was acquired by PartyGaming for $12.3 million, later becoming part of bwin.Party. In 2015, it was sold to Ourgame International Holdings Ltd. for $35 million. The most recent major sale was in 2021, when the WPT was purchased by private equity firm Element Partners for $105 million. Adam Pliska serves as the CEO.

Sources and further reading

• World Poker Tour (Wikipedia)
• World Poker Tour (worldpokertour.com)
• Las Vegas Poker Room | Poker Tournaments & Cash Games (wynnlasvegas.com)
• WPT 2026: The Ultimate Player Guide (pokerfuse.com)
• World Series of Poker Circuit (turningstone.com)
• World Poker Tour (worldpokertour.com)
• ClubWPT, Play Poker Online To Win Cash & Prizes (clubwpt.com)

Checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-11-10.