WSOP Survival Guide: It's Like Summer Camp for Poker Players

^{2026 will be my second year covering the World Series of Poker, and I’m still just as excited to this day. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – The World Series of Poker starts today at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas casinos. The start of the event means different things to different people, but to me and most of the poker community that congregates in Vegas from late May to July, it’s the start of our Summer Camp.

Our Summer Camp is not one with horses or bonfires, but instead with poker, chips, cards, and hoodies as far as the eye can see. My first time at the WSOP was as a visitor at the Rio before it moved to the Horseshoe and Paris casinos. I had no idea what to expect, but I ended up getting an autograph from Doyle Brunson, the Godfather of Poker, and watching Daniel Negreanu play a hand from only a few feet away. 

My first year working the event, I had no idea what to bring. As the years have passed, I’ve figured out what I needed to survive working the series, like learning to brace for the heat. When walking from your car in the parking garage or valet, expect to be hit with a wave of heat so intense you’ll press any cold beverage you’re holding to your neck, elbow, or face. But when you’re inside the event center at the back of the Horseshoe, it’s as cold as a meat locker, so you need to prepare for heat and blistering cold.

What to Eat

If possible, bring snacks from home or from outside the Strip. That $1 banana might cost you triple that at the series. Fruit is a rare and precious commodity inside the Event Center. I bring at least one meal and potential snacks when I go. At the very least, it gives me options I can depend on.

If you eat at the Horseshoe or the Paris, be prepared to spend an uncomfortable amount of money on food. There used to be a wider selection of food at the WSOP Café in the Horseshoe on the way to the Event Center, but last year’s options were few and often included a banana and a hot dog, which could cost $14. It might be different this year, just be prepared.

There’s a LavAzza coffee shop when you enter the Horseshoe from the valet entrance, but again, be prepared to spend more for a muffin than you ever have. I personally have spent that money on a muffin there, and it was worth every penny at that moment. 

There are many restaurants in both hotels, so there are options, but you’re not going to want to leave to eat if you’re at the table. There are dinner breaks, but thousands of people are competing with you to eat and use the bathroom during them.

Altoids or gum are also worth throwing in the bag. After having your fourth coffee or smoothie or drink from the cocktail servers are on hand during the tournament, you’re going to want that fresh breath. 

Keep hydrated, this is the desert after all. Water is paramount, and you'll drink more than you think.

What to Wear and Bring

If you’re playing, I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes. I wore flip-flops for the first few years working the series, never again. Wear shoes you don't mind walking in, since you'll probably do more of it than you expect (and usually in a hurry.)

Bring a hoodie. You’ll need that sweatshirt not only to stay warm, but to comfort you through your bad beats. The WSOP has a store on the Paris side of the series where you can buy a hoodie if needed. I love buying one each year as a time stamp of that year’s series, but you’ll most likely be glad you brought one.

Deodorant. You will be spending hours around others, and you will want this in your arsenal during potentially 12-hour days.

Backpacks. This is the most important thing to bring along with a hoodie. It’ll keep your gum, deodorant, wallet, or lucky card protector in one place. 

Keep Your Selfie Game Tight

There will be multiple areas where you can take photos for Instagram, your family and friends back home, or just for yourself to commemorate that you were there. There are huge WSOP signs at both locations that are perfect for taking selfies at.

And, you have the possibility of meeting some of your all-time favorite poker players in person roaming the halls. That’s how I got my first photo with Phil Hellmuth. 

My first photo with Phil Hellmuth in 2017. (Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)

If You’re Visiting …

If you’re visiting, you don’t need to be quite as vigilant with snacks or meals, as you can drift in and out of the Series as needed. Hoodies and comfortable shoes are still a good idea, though.

The WSOP is a unique experience in that you can actually watch in person for free. Seeing the titans of poker play in a close setting is an opportunity that many other sports don’t offer. You can enter either casino and watch during the entirety of the series until the Main Event final table has been secured.

WSOP’s 2025 stage where dreams came true for a few lucky poker players.(Photo: Christina Bradfield / Casinos.com)

This year, there will be a new main stage which promises to be bigger and better. In the past, visitors, other poker players, tourists, friends and family could sit in stadium-style seating to watch the action at the feature tables.

Summer Camp is the opportunity to meet new people or see your poker village, potentially your idols, and maybe even the chance at winning a gold bracelet in one of the 100 events.