WSOP Announces Updated POY Formula

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Apr 13, 2018 3 min read

The World Series of Poker Player of the Year (POY) race and the formula to determine the winner, is always the topic of debate.

Last year, the debate fired up at the World Series of Poker as the organizer had taken the formula into its own hands after Bluff and the GPI handled the formula before. Especially Daniel Negreanu, always a vocal player in such matters, was involved, claiming the formula was profoundly flawed.

This year, the WSOP has altered their formula, loosely basing it on the WSOP Circuit points system. The most significant change between the 2017 and 2018 formula, is the ratio of points awarded for a win versus the points awarded for a min cash. Last year, this ratio could be as small as 3.25-1, or as big as 8.16-1. In 2018, a press release by the WSOP states, the ratio is always roughly 20-1.

2018 WSOP Player of the Year Points Calculator and Example

The WSOP has a Points Calculator online for players to calculate the number of points winable in specific events. They also published the following example comparison between the 2017 and 2018 formula:

The Same 2017 Player of the Year

The overall winner from 2017, Chris Ferguson, would have remained unchanged. Ferguson's point total would have been 3,309 points from 23 cashes, including 1 bracelet (1st in the €1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better for €39,289 at the WSOPE), one runner-up finish (2nd in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship for $151,700 at the WSOP), and one additional final table (4th in the $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo - Championship for $150,929 at the WSOP).

2018 WSOP POY Key Information

The 2018 Player of the Year race will include the World Series of Poker at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas running May 29 through July 17, and the World Series of Poker Europe at King's Casino in Rozvadov running October 11 through November 2.

Cashing in The Giant and the PLO Giant nets players POY points, but those points won't be displayed on the website till the final flight of these multi-flight events has taken place since the total amount of entries is a factor in the formula.

For multi-flight events where players can cash and bust in a starting flight and reeenter, making it possible for players to cash multiple times in the same tournament, players can only earn points once per event. On the official list of results on WSOP.com, all players advancing to Day 2 will be listed in the order in which they are eliminated on Days 2, 3, and 4. Players who make the money but who do not advance to Day 2, will be listed in the order of total payout amount received, which will be the place the POY points are awarded.

When playing the Heads-Up event or one of the shootout events, players eliminated in the same round (thus with the same payout) will receive the same amount of points. The points rewarded to these players will be the average of the points those places would have earned in a regular event.

The following events are excluded from the 2018 WSOP POY race:

• Event #1: $565 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold’em
• Event #32: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold’em
• Event #36: Super Seniors No-Limit Hold’em
• Event #55: $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold’em
• Event #57: $1,000/$10,000 Ladies Event
• Event #78: $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop

There's no (physical) prize for winning the WSOP 2018 Player of the Year race. A banner with the photo of the winner will go up the next year.

World Series of Poker Player of the Year Since 2004

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