For the third straight year, the World Series of Poker is setting up shop at the King’s Casino in Rozvadov, the Czech Republic for their post-summer bracelet series in Europe.

For the better part of 23 days, starting on October 13, poker players will be battling in 15 gold bracelet events with a select few making a run at becoming the 2019 World Series of Poker Player of the Year.

The stakes are high and the rewards will be huge giving the WSOPE nearly everything one could want in a destination poker trip. Except, maybe, one thing.

It’s in Rozvadov.

Looking for sun and sand?
Looking for exciting nightlife?
Looking for…a Big Mac?
You’re going to have to look outside of Rozvadov.

No offense to Rozvadov, or its population of just over 800, but 23 days in a small resort centered village is a long time. No one is questioning the action that takes place at Leon Tsoukernik’s massive European poker room and the 24-hour buffet is likely delicious but after three years, perhaps its time for the WSOP to give players a new destination for their post-summer series bracelet events … maybe not even in Europe.

Barcelona, Spain

There’s no doubt about it, Barcelona continues to be a hot commodity market in poker. The enthusiasm for poker in Barcelona continues to grow and the World Series of Poker can certainly piggyback off the success shown by PokerStars most recent EPT Barcelona stop where, with the ability to re-enter, their €5,300 Main Event topped out at 1,988 runners.

In addition to having plenty of local support for poker, the city has an amazing amount of gifts to offer players who find themselves prematurely on the rail from any given tournament. The seaside city offers top-notch options for dining and day-trips. By all accounts, a poker trip to Barcelona certainly won’t leave players bored.

Montreal, Canada

When it comes to poker, Montreal has one of the nicest rooms in the world when it comes to the Playground Poker Club. Playground knows how to handle huge events as they routinely host the likes of the World Poker Tour and partypoker, so they would know how to make poker players feel right at home when battling for a bracelet. With 75 poker tables on the floor, Playground likely has the capacity to serve all of the WSOP’s needs.

Outside of the card room, Montreal is a world-class city. A destination for foodies, Montreal competes with the best cities in the world when it comes to culinary experiences. Additionally, the city’s architecture and sights, like the view from Mont-Royal, is what keeps tourists returning to the Canadian city time and time again.

Macau

Macau’s poker credentials are already legendary. Some of the top names in the game of poker seemingly have evaporated from the U.S. scene to get their grind on in the biggest games in the world – many of which take place in the “Las Vegas of Asia.” The thirst for poker is there and should the WSOP wish to plant a flag in the high roller game, perhaps a post-summer series in Macau is a good place to start.

The WSOP recently added a €250,000 buy-in Super High Roller to their schedule in Rozvadov with the hopes of luring the nosebleed players into making the trip. By many accounts, the appetite for those stakes already exist in Macau. Plus, a high profile WSOP series could help expand poker in Macau, where admittedly there may not currently be enough active tables to host an event like a Mini Main Event. It could also pull back the curtain a little bit on the mystery of Macau poker and give fans a glimpse into it’s growing scene.

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Brazil has it all: beaches, nightlife and a rabid fanbase for the game of poker. Just take a look at the PocketFives Total PLB rankings – Brazil blasts every other country out of the water nearly doubling the total of the next closest country, the UK. Brazilian’s love their poker and they have produced some of the best players in the world including bracelet winners Andre Akkari and former #1-ranked PocketFiver Yuri Dzivielevski.

As a city, Rio is considered one of the most beautiful in the world surrounded by both the massive mountains and the golden sand beaches. It’s close to nature on every front and allows for tourists to be encompassed by beauty wherever they go. It’s been called a ‘laid-back’ city with a beach vibe, something that poker players who don’t particularly like adhering to a schedule can easily embrace.

While it may be hard to find the same amount of space as the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, one thing for sure is that at this Rio the food is going to be better than the standard fare in the poker kitchen.

Hollywood, Florida, USA

Perhaps you think we’re reaching here, as Hollywood, Florida is not only not an exotic city it’s not even outside of the U.S. Here’s the idea: push back the timeline on the additional bracelet events to January and have a WSOP Winter Series.

Florida may not have everything you are looking for in terms of classic architecture, world-class restaurants and bucket-list sights but in January the weather is amazing. That alone could get players hopping flights to The Sunshine State if for no other reason than to escape their own winter conditions.

Plus, the Seminole Hard Rock has plenty of space for players to grind with an even larger expanded second bracelet series. The Florida poker scene is noted for being a vibrant, enthusiastic community for tournament players and it seems like a slam dunk for secondary WSOP bracelet success.