What does WPT stand for in poker?

WPT stands for the World Poker Tour. It is a series of international poker tournaments and an associated television show that broadcasts the final tables of each event.

How is the WPT different from the WSOP?

The WPT is a year-round tour with stops in different locations globally, where winners get their names on the WPT Champions Cup. The WSOP (World Series of Poker) is an annual series of events held primarily in Las Vegas over the summer, where winners are awarded prestigious gold bracelets.

What is the WPT Champions Cup?

The WPT Champions Cup is the official trophy of the World Poker Tour. The name of each WPT Main Tour champion is engraved on the trophy, making it one of the most coveted prizes in professional poker.

Can anyone play in a WPT event?

Yes, WPT events are generally open to anyone who is of legal gambling age in the host jurisdiction and can afford the tournament buy-in. Players can also win their way into events through smaller satellite tournaments.

WPT

Tournament Poker

Bence MitykóAuthor

Reviewed by Adam Biro

Updated: 2026.03.30

The World Poker Tour (WPT) stands as one of the most recognized names in professional poker. It's not just a single event but a globally televised series of high-stakes poker tournaments. Launched in the early 2000s, the WPT revolutionized how audiences experienced the game by introducing hole-card cameras, allowing viewers to see the players' hands and follow the strategy in real-time. This innovation, combined with expert analysis, turned poker from a niche card game into a mainstream spectator sport.

The Dawn of Televised Poker: WPT's Origins

The World Poker Tour (WPT) first aired in 2003, building on an idea by attorney and television producer Steven Lipscomb. Alongside casino magnate Lyle Berman, the WPT was created to present poker as a compelling spectator sport. While the UK's Late Night Poker was technically the first to use the hole-card camera, the WPT perfected and popularized this innovation for a massive audience. Revealing a player's face-down cards to the television viewers changed everything.

Suddenly, viewers were no longer just watching people sit at a table; they were part of the action. They could see the bluffs, understand the incredible laydowns, and feel the tension of an all-in call. Paired with the legendary commentary of Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten, the WPT created a narrative for each final table, turning poker players into sports stars and making the game accessible and exciting for millions.

Understanding the WPT Tournament Structure

The WPT is not a single championship but a series of tournaments held at prestigious casinos and card rooms around the globe. Each season consists of multiple stops, each with its own schedule of preliminary events and a flagship WPT Main Event.

The Prestigious WPT Main Tour

The Main Tour is the premier tier of the World Poker Tour. These events typically feature buy-ins ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 and attract a mix of top-tier professionals and ambitious amateurs. The winner of a Main Tour event not only receives a massive cash prize, often exceeding a million dollars, but also secures a place in poker history.

The Iconic Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup

Perhaps the most coveted prize on the tour is the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup (officially renamed in 2020 to honor the late poker icon). Every winner of an open Main Tour event has their name permanently engraved on this massive silver trophy. It's a symbol of excellence and a poker player's ticket to immortality. Joining the likes of legends like Doyle Brunson , Gus Hansen , and Daniel Negreanu on the cup is a career-defining achievement.

"May all your cards be live and all your pots be monsters." – The late, great Mike Sexton, a co-founder and long-time commentator for the WPT.

Major Poker Tour Comparison

While the WPT is a titan in the poker world, it's helpful to see how it compares to other major tours like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the European Poker Tour (EPT) .

Feature	World Poker Tour (WPT)	World Series of Poker (WSOP)	European Poker Tour (EPT)
Format	Year-round international tour	Annual series in Las Vegas	Seasonal tour primarily in Europe
Founded	2002	1970	2004
Main Prize	Mike Sexton Champions Cup	Gold Bracelet	EPT Trophy
Broadcast Style	Focus on one televised final table per event	Broadcasts multiple events and features	Live-streamed with extensive coverage

The World Poker Tour in the Modern Era

The WPT has continued to evolve since its inception. It has adapted to the changing poker landscape by expanding its offerings. The tour now includes the WPT Prime (formerly WPTDeepStacks), which offers tournaments with more accessible buy-ins.

The tour remains a major force in the poker industry, hosting marquee events at destinations like the Wynn in Las Vegas and running a successful global circuit. Its legacy is secure as the brand that took poker out of the backrooms and put it on television screens worldwide, inspiring a generation of players and creating the poker boom that shaped the game we know today.

To experience the prestigious WPT structure from the comfort of your home, players can transition to their official digital platform. WPT Global brings the brand's premium tournament experience online, offering exclusive qualifiers and massive guarantees. Our comprehensive WPT Global review covers everything from software features to the latest welcome bonuses, providing a clear breakdown of what the platform has to offer.

Pros	Cons
The WPT's televised format with hole-card cameras made poker an exciting spectator sport, contributing significantly to the poker boom of the 2000s.	The flagship WPT Main Tour events have buy-ins that are prohibitively expensive for most recreational players, making them largely the domain of professionals and well-backed amateurs.
Winning a WPT Main Event title and having your name on the Champions Cup is one of the most prestigious achievements in poker, accompanied by life-changing prize money.	WPT events attract the best poker players in the world, making the fields incredibly difficult to navigate for less experienced players.
As a true international tour, the WPT holds events in numerous countries, allowing players from all over the world to compete at a high level.