WSOP Rolls Out Cash Incentives for Dealer Rating System

^{Jeff Platt dons the vestments of a WSOP dealer to promote the new Dealer Rating System on WSOP Live. (Image: WSOP)}

LAS VEGAS – The World Series of Poker recently introduced their new Dealer Rating System on the WSOP Live app. And it’s now becoming a littler clearer how this controversial relationship between players, dealers and management could work. 

The new Dealer Rating System that the WSOP introduced last week gives players the opportunity to rate their dealers on a five-star system similar to Uber or Amazon. 

At the time, WSOP emcee Jeff Platt said they were wanting to reward dealers with “bonuses perhaps” as a graphic image of $100 bills rained down the screen.

After half the poker internet declared impending disaster, and half called the idea the greatest thing since chopped pots, the WSOP revealed on Wednesday a plan to reward the top three highest-rated dealers in each bracelet event with cash prizes.

First place will be awarded $500, second $300 and third $200 – for a total of $1,000 for each event. 

This equals to $100,000 total being awarding across the 100 bracelet events scheduled for this summer. Not a bad overlay. 

To combat the feeling that arose after last week’s announcement that “what if one tilted player gives a bad rating after a bad beat” the WSOP clarified that “ratings will refresh for each event.”

Ongoing Controversy

Heated reactions were swift on X, with immediate concern from David Lappin, a poker player and podcast host, who predicted this would turn the summer into “the World Series of Dealers being incentivized to beg.”

Matt Stout, founder and president of the Charity Series of Poker, however, contends that this new incentive answered any questions from last week’s controversy with a succinct,  “Way to shut people up on this. 👏”

And Vegas Sparky agreed even more vehemently. “W after W this year for the @WSOP!! You got player of the year being a million dollars, You got @ESPN back in the mix, daily free live streams of all the events and now top dealers being rewarded!”

Popularity Contest?

Others worried about potential issues arising where voting for your favorite dealer could sway outcomes into that of a popularity contest. Imtheworstyep commented “So get all your friends to give your favorite dealer a top rating.”

The WSOP has already given the poker community a lot to talk about less than two weeks before it starts. With ESPN’s lauded return to the series, the addition of Omaha Productions working the Main Event, a “new stage, new store and new merch” teased by Platt, it’s already making waves. 

It’s also answered the million-dollar $100,000 question of what Platt would look like in a dealer’s uniform.