On the Cheap: Getting into the WSOP for Under $2

Harrah's is making plans to accommodate 8,000 players at this year's World Series of Poker main event, and a majority of those will have gotten into the $10,000-buy-in event for much less than that.

Everyone knows the story of Chris Moneymaker, who in 2003 turned a $40 satellite win at PokerStars.com into more money than he could carry at one time. Greg Raymer did the same thing in 2004, but that cost him $160.

There's a chance that this year's winner will have gotten into the main event for as little as $1.10. The following is an alphabetical list of online poker rooms that are giving their players ways into the big one for less than what a fast-food meal costs.

AbsolutePoker

This poker site isn't giving away a big package to the main event. Instead, winners of qualifiers at AbsolutePoker.com will receive a $5,000 prize that can be used to enter any WSOP event they wish. The rest of the money goes toward the player's trip and expenses.

The prize package is given away in a $108 tournament that takes place every two weeks. Multi-table daily qualifiers to this tourney start for as little as $1.10. They also have ones that run for $2.20. The winners of each of these will advance to another level, in which entry into the $108 satellite is awarded.

Single-table qualifiers into the $108 biweekly event cost $13. A $39 single-table qualifier also runs in which the top three finishers advance.

Action Poker

ActionPoker.com is running the cheapest cash qualifiers into the WSOP. Players can win its WSOP tournament package for as little as a nickel. Five cents will buy entry into in a five person sit 'n go. The winner wins entry into a six player, $.20 sit 'n go. Come in first or second, and it's off to a 10-player $.96 sit 'n go to win an entry into an $8 sit 'n go.

With the $8 tourney, and it's off to face eight other players in a $63 sit 'n go. The winner of that can enter a $503 six-person sit 'n go. That winner advances to a $2,760, six-player sit 'n go where WSOP seat is awarded.

BetFred

This site is holding five $315 supersatellite tourneys in the next several months in which $12,000 WSOP prize packages will be won. The dates are March 31, May 5, May 26, June 30, and July 21.

Players can get into these tourneys for as little as $2.30. Win that table to get a buy-in to a daily $23 multi-table tourney in which a seat to one of the $315 satellites will be awarded for every 15 players.

Single-table tourneys to the $315 satellite cost $34.50 for 10-player tables, and $57.50 for six-player tables. The winners at these tables advance.

Bodog

Bodog.com's main event package is worth $12,500, and players can win it for as little as $1.10. That's the cheapest way to climb a ladder of single-table tournaments Bodog.com has built to send as many people as possible to the WSOP.

Win the $1.10 tourney, and advance to Stage Two, a $8.80 table. Come in second, and repeat the level. Win that, and it's on to Stage Three, in which the top two finishers advance to Stage Four.

The top two players advance to Stage Five, the winner of which receives the $12,500 package. The runner-up receives entry back into the final stage, which is worth $1,500.

Players can qualify for the WSOP prize package through multi-table tourneys, too.

Bodog.com's Cheap Seats qualifier costs $1.50. For every 20 players who enter, a player will receive a seat to the $5.50 qualifier. For every six players who enter that multi-table tourney, a player will be sent to the quarterfinal, which costs $29 to enter.

For every 10 players who enter the quarterfinal, a player will advance to the $270 final. For every 50 players playing in that tourney, an event prize package will be given away.

In addition to the main event, players can use the tournament dollars earned in the multi-table qualifiers to play for WSOP seats into the $1,500, $2,000, and $2,500 events.

The tournaments will run until June.

DoylesRoom

Every day at Doylesroom.com, players are trying to get into the WSOP for $3.15, playing in a multi-table tourney that gives as many seats to a $207.90 rebuy tourney held every Saturday as possible. This is where WSOP packages worth $12,500 are awarded.

Players can also get into this by playing in sit 'n goes that cost $25.41.

Players are also trying to get into a $217.80 tourney that will be held March 25, in which WSOP packages will be given away. Daily multi-table qualifiers are taking place for $3.15. Players can also get into this tournament by winning a $26.62 single-table tourney.

FullTiltPoker

Each week until July 13, FullTiltPoker.com will hold at least two $216 multi-table tournaments that will give at least one WSOP main event package in each. Although some players will buy directly into it, most will take the harder - but cheaper - path.

Qualifying tournaments for the weekly WSOP multi-tables start at $6.60. For every 36 players who enter, one will advance to the $216 event.

Players who want to put up $26 to try for an entry can do it through either single-table sit-and-gos or multi-table tournaments that are held throughout the day.

Besides the two weekly WSOP package tournaments, FullTiltPoker.com is gearing up for its big one on July 16, in which a minimum of 100 people will win WSOP packages. Direct buy-in for this event is $535, but you can bet a majority of the participants will get in on the cheap.

Players can win their way directly into this event for as little as $8.80 in multi-table tourneys that run daily. Players can also increase their chances and win their way directly into the guaranteed event by playing in a $26 multi-table qualifier, or by winning a $26 sit-and-go that gives them entry into a $75 sit-and-go, in which the winner advances to July's tourney.

If the winner of the WSOP main event qualified for the tourney at FullTiltPoker.com, the site will give the player a $10 million bonus.

InterPoker

At $15,500, this site has the biggest prize package available. And players can win one for as little as $1.20. InterPoker.com holds a $1.20 multi-table tourney in which for every 750 people registered, they are entered into the $750 buy-in tourney that awards the prize package each Saturday.

Players can also get into the big tourney daily by entering $10 or $18.70 single-table qualifiers into an $81 daily multi-table tourney that award seats to the weekly $750 event. InterPoker.com also holds $109 and $170 single-table tourneys into the big one.

Paradise Poker

Multi-table qualifying tourneys at ParadisePoker.com are taking place throughout the day for as little as $15. For every 33 people, one player advances to a $500 satellite in which at least one $12,500 WSOP package is awarded.

PartyPoker

Players at PartyPoker.com can win a seat into the main event for as little as $2. That will buy players into a multi-table qualifier that awards seats to a $55 multi-table qualifier. The winner is awarded a seat into a daily $215 tournament in which at least one WSOP main event package worth $11,000 is won.

Players can also win their way into the daily event by playing in multi-table tourneys for $6, $11, $22 and $55. PartyPoker.com is also offering sit-and-gos into the $215 daily event for $27, $33, and $55. Players can qualify for the $33 and $55 sit-and-gos through an $11 single-table qualifier (for the $33 tourneys) or a $2 multi-table qualifier ($55).

PartyPoker.com's "Steps" tourneys is also a way to get into the main event cheaply. Players can enter Step One for $11. Win that to advance to Step Two. Make it to the fifth table, and a WSOP package is up for grabs.

But players don't have to win five in a row. Each step is different, but players who finish in the top four get a freeroll in the same step or a step lower. It's a good structure for people who like to try, try again.

PokerStars

Two out of the last three WSOP champs qualified at PokerStars.com. Last year, 1,116 main event participants qualified at PokerStars.com. Qualifying satellites for this year's main event start Saturday.

Players can win a $12,000 WSOP package for as little as $2 in multi-table turbo/rebuy qualifiers that sends as many people into the site's daily $33 rebuy satellite, where WSOP prize packages are given away. Turbo/rebuy shootout qualifiers that cost $5.50 send as many players as possible into the site's daily $155 shootout satellites.

Each week, PokerStars.com will hold its $650 multi-table satellite, and players can get into this for as little as $3 in multi-table rebuy tourneys. Players can also play in $11 multi-table rebuys, $16 double shootouts, $27 (with or without rebuys) multi-table qualifiers and $80 qualifiers to get into $650 weekly event.

Titan Poker

Online single and multi-table qualifiers are taking place daily at TitanPoker.com, and players can enter for as little as $2.50. Players play in these to try to get into the $23 tourney where seats to TitanPoker.com's weekly, $300 tourney are awarded. The $300 tourney is where WSOP packages worth $12,000 are awarded to as many players as possible.

TitanPoker.com also holds satellites specifically to send women to the $1,000 Ladies Event. Multi-table satellites where the $2,000 Ladies prize package is awarded cost $6 and $11 and run throughout the week.

UltimateBet

Players at UltimateBet.com can win a $12,000 WSOP main event prize package for as little as $3.30 (plus rebuys) in multi-table tourneys that award as many seats as possible to the site's $215 tournaments, in which the prize packages are won.

Satellites for other tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $320 to $1,000 are running around the clock. They also start at $3.30 with rebuys. For players who don't like rebuy tourneys, they might win their way in by playing $27.50 or $55 multi-table tourneys into tourneys in which WSOP packages are offered.

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