No more sleeps 'til the Main Event! With action well and truly underway on Day 1a, now's the last chance to make some predictions on what's gonna go down.
Following on from yesterday's collection, here are a few more thoughts on what could happen at this year's Big Dance.
Michael Acevedo - 'It's the most prestigious brand'
What do you think numbers will be like for the Main Event?
I think the Main Event is likely to continue to grow. The WSOP has consistently grown each year since the 1970s, it's the most prestigious brand, and now GGPoker is hosting satellites and making things more accessible with new things like the WSOP+ app.
Any advice for Day 1?
Just take every hand as it comes. Don't try to force getting deep or making it to the next day. Play each hand to the best of your ability with the information you have, that's the best you can do.
Matt Salsberg - 'My performance will be one for the history books'
What do you think numbers will be like for the Main Event?
I think the numbers are going to be identical to last year. Based on my data, 127 people died who played last year but there were 46 sweepstakes and charity winners so far, plus 55 kids turned 21 and 28 misclicked on the app.
Who do you think will be the big story?
I’m pretty sure I'm going to draw the most headlines. My dominating performance will be one they write about in the history books. To have a 38-1 chip lead and then lose 26 all-ins in a row is such a statistical anomaly that some of the world's top mystics may need to get involved.
David Lappin - 'I think Dara O’Kearney will finally cash the event'
What do you think numbers will be like for the Main Event?
The numbers have been slightly better than I thought they would be at this stage, but I still think the Main Event will be down 2-4% on last year.
Any predictions?
I think Dara O’Kearney will finally cash the event and also make a deep run. I think there will be an Irish player in the last 18.
Any advice?
Get 6-7 hours sleep every night. Edge-pass and take lower variance lines if you can afford to until the end of the day. If you have a stack, get after it around the bubble as many players will just surrender equity and you can pick up 200,000 chips quite easily.
Move up through the gears on Day 4. If you do make it to dinner on Day 5, realize that you are in a different tournament which has substantially thickened up and you are going to have to battle with a lot of good players.
Christina Gollins - 'There will be at least one female on the final table'
What do you think numbers will be like for the Main Event?
I think it will be a smaller field than last year. I predict 9,200 players.
Any predictions?
There will be at least one female on the final table. I think that females are going to make a run for it this year - I think it's our year!
Daniel Lowery - 'Embrace the suck!'
What do you think numbers will be like for the Main Event?
I hope we see more players this year in the Main Event, but I’m going to make the prediction that we see less than we have the last couple of years.
Breaking 10,000 player fields and having a $100M prize pool the last two years definitely keeps things interesting!
Any predictions?
I’m hoping there will be new Cinderella stories emerging throughout the Main from some unknowns, and I’d love to see a woman make the final table and possibly win it this year. I’m tired of seeing the headlines around poker being over some controversy.
Any advice?
The only advice I can give players playing the Main for the first time is to go out and enjoy the moment. Don’t take for granted the opportunity we have to play an event as beautiful as this!
When things go bad, just roll with it. As we used to say in one of my past lives, 'Embrace the suck!'
Additional image courtesy of Danny Maxwell/Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd
