If you’re a poker player then chances are that you’ve dreamed of one day entering the World Series of Poker. After all, the WSOP offers lots of different multi-million dollar tournaments and a person can become rich and famous overnight just by winning one of these tourneys. 

However, dreaming of entering the WSOP and actually doing it are very different from each other since there are multiple things you must know when signing up for a tournament. So whether you plan on just entering a $1,000 side tournament or playing in the $10,000 Main Event, here are some things you need to know when playing in the WSOP for the first time.

It goes without saying that those thinking of playing in the WSOP are going to know a little about the actual poker tournaments. However, you must also take into account that the World Series of Poker is an evolving event that commonly drops and adds tournaments to the schedule. Seeing as how this is the case, you can’t just rely on last year’s schedule to plan out what tournament you’re going to make a WSOP debut in.

This is why it’s important to wait until early spring when the WSOP schedule is released and then make your plans accordingly. There are tournaments for everyone since the buy-ins range from $50,000 all the way down to $1,000. Plus there are currently 57 events in the WSOP which makes it easy for players who specialize in certain poker variations to find what they want. Just make sure you look for the new WSOP schedule when it’s released so you have plenty of time to make plans.

The WSOP has grown to the point where it draws over 50,000 competitors each year. And the majority of these players don’t live within driving distance of Las Vegas so flying is usually the method of choice for travelers. Obviously you’ll want to book flights to Las Vegas as soon as possible so that you get a cheaper ticket. 

And most WSOP tournaments start at noon, or 5 pm at the latest, so it’s definitely a good idea to show up the day before your tournament will start. As for what day you will be heading home, always plan on booking a flight when the last day of the tourney is over in case you make it to the final table.

Why go all the way to Las Vegas only to get shut out of the tournament you hoped to enter? To avoid this situation you’ll definitely need to be prepared by registering for the right tournament ahead of time. This can be done by either registering at the Rio (where the WSOP is currently held) or through pre-registration. 

If you plan on registering in person then there are a few things you should take into account when doing so. Most events won’t require you to show up more than 24 hours in advance to sign up so don’t worry about making it to Vegas three days early just to register. But do show up as early as possible for the low buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournaments since these tend to draw big lines. 

For those who want to pre-register for an event, which is the preferred choice of many players, you can just visit the WSOP website and print out a form from there. The forms are actually quite easy to fill out and, once the form is done, simply send it to the address provided along with a check if you choose not to wire the buy-in. Just make sure to pre-register two weeks in advance because doing so afterwards is too late.

One other measure of business you should take care of prior to the WSOP is deciding where you will stay during the event. Rooms at the Rio aren’t unreasonably priced during the WSOP, but you’ll want to book them quickly or there might not be any left. Even if you decide to stay somewhere else, you can find plenty of hotels near the Rio that will have available rooms. If you plan on visiting a lot of other places during your stay you’ll need to take that into account too when booking a hotel.