World Series of Poker Comes to the Horseshoe

It's official; the 54th Annual World Series of Poker is coming to the Las Vegas Strip. The event will be at the newly rebranded Bally’s Las Vegas, now known as the Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The news was confirmed by Mr. Jason Gregorec, the Horseshoe Senior Vice President and General Manager, during a ceremony to mark the rebranding initiative. [caption id="attachment_27000" align="aligncenter" width="819"]

Horseshoe Las Vegas[/caption] The renamed Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is an iconic 2,800-room property renowned as a leading gaming brand in Las Vegas. It stands 26 stories high at the center of the Strip surrounded by Flamingo Las Vegas, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. The 640-square-foot suite is one of the largest hotels worldwide.

Bally’s History

Bally’s history dates back to 1973 when it opened its doors in Las Vegas. Back then, it operated as the MGM Grand Hotel. Then, in the 1980s, a historic fire broke out at the hotel, claiming the lives of 87 people. The impact of the fire tragedy resonated nationwide, leading to the establishment of laws demanding the installation and monitoring of fire safety and sprinkler systems in high-rise buildings and hotels. Between 1980 and 1981, the hotel underwent renovations that included adding a second tower with 700 extra rooms. Now, the rebranded hotel brings back memories of Binion’s Horseshoe 36 years after its launch. In 1986, Bally Manufacturing bought the rebranded MGM Grand Hotel. And in 1993, MGM Grand Inc. relocated down the Strip and launched a movie-themed resort called the MGM Grand Las Vegas Resort. The resort comprised 30 floors, 5,000 rooms, and an emerald green exterior. It was the largest hotel complex globally at the time of its launch.

Binion’s Horseshoe Hosted the 1970 World Series of Poker

Binion’s Horseshoe is the hotel and gambling hall where the World Series of Poker kicked off in 1970. Benny Binion, a former Texas gambler, hosted this pioneer invitation-only event at his 366-room Horseshoe hotel. Benny operated the hotel alongside his sons, Jack Binion and Ted Binion. Today, the Binion’s property sits in downtown Las Vegas as Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel. Ted passed on in 1998. His untimely death sparked a murder trial and acquittal involving his live-in girlfriend and her secret lover, and his ex-stripper. After the trial and acquittal in 2004, Harrah’s Entertainment acquired and moved the poker tournament from the Binion's to Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino. In 2005, Harrah’s entertainment added Caesars Entertainment to its property portfolio. In 2020, Harrah’s Entertainment sold off Caesars Entertainment to Eldorado Resorts. The sale included handing over Bally’s Hotel & Casino to the new owners. Eldorado Resorts renamed Caesars Entertainment to Caesars Entertainment Corp in 2021.

Horseshoe Hosts the 54th Annual World Series of Poker

The 54th annual World Series of Poker tournament is scheduled to start this year on May 30th. It’s a 7-week long event that brings together almost 200,000 players. The participants will compete for prizes totaling $350 million. There will also be an 18-table poker room. This is for anyone who enjoys cash games.