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How to Watch World Series of Poker 2019 Online Without Cable
Last updated March 26, 2020
Are you ready to watch the World Series of Poker online? We know you are! Above all, we're excited to see who wins this time and who's going to make a rookie mistake.
The World Series of Poker, also known as WSOP, is a series of poker tournaments that are held annually in Las Vegas. For the past several years, there have been some 74 events featuring most major poker variants. Out of these, most of them have been variants of Texas hold'em though, certainly attracting loads of viewers.
The world's best players come to the World Series of Poker time and time again, trying to win some cash, have some fun, and rank up the notoriety.
The cool thing about the past couple of events is the fact that they've eliminated the November Nine concept and went back to an older format where the winner is crowned after the July main event.
The World Series of Poker bracelets are also handed out to the winners, and they've become somewhat of a bragging point to players, a coveted prize that's not actually made out of cold cash. Nowadays, Phil Hellmuth is the player with the most bracelets - 15 - won across multiple competitions.
In 2019, the World Series of Poker will start on May 28th and will conclude on July 16th. The schedule is pretty stuffy with loads of events taking place within the tournament, including a No-Limit Hold'Em World Championship. You can check the schedule yourself if you're so inclined.
A couple of years ago, the World Series of Poker signed a multi-year broadcasting agreement with ESPN, so for that reason, we're going to head that way as soon as the tournaments kick off.
Since many people have chosen to cut the cord and take all their TV watching online, we're going to discuss all platforms you can watch the events on. We're sure you'd rather know for sure which way to head to.
How to Watch World Series of Poker Without Cable?
There are a number of streaming services out there that do feature ESPN, where you can watch the World Series of Poker, so we're going to discuss them all here.
1. Sling TV
First up, we have Sling TV, which is one of the best platforms we've seen thus far in terms of customization. You get to choose between three different starter bundles - Orange ($15/mo), Blue ($15/mo), and Orange + Blue ($20/mo) - as well as loads of interest-based channel packs you can enjoy. In the Orange and the Orange + Blue bundles you can find ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3. Which bundle you'll get, depends on you entirely and how your wallet feels about the price. The World Series of Poker has been broadcast both on ESPN and ESPN 2 in the past, so you're all covered on Sling TV.
If you want to make sure you see the events even if you're not home, you're going to have to record them up to Cloud DVR, which Sling TV offers. Unfortunately, you won't get any of that space for "free," included with the subscription, but rather by paying $5 per month for 50 hours of space. When it comes to streaming to multiple devices, Sling TV offers one single device with the Orange bundle, so you won't be able to do that. With Orange + Blue, however, you get four simultaneous streams. Make sure to read our Sling TV review for the full story.
2. ESPN+
We also have ESPN+ on the list, which is the network's own streaming service. You can subscribe to it for $5 per month or $50 per year, depending on which type of payment you prefer. You'll get access to loads of ESPN content, as well as original shows, exclusive events, and even news.
Since access is done via the same ESPN app everyone uses, the exclusive content is marked with a golden badge, so you'll have no issues finding it all. Make sure to check out our ESPN+ review to find out more details about the service and all that it has to offer.
3. Hulu
Next, up on the list, we have Hulu's live TV offer, which comes as a third plan to the regular video-on-demand offers it has. There's only one bundle of channels offered by Hulu here, which makes sense since it's not a standalone live TV service, like the aforementioned Sling TV, Nonetheless, it's going to cost you $44.99 to watch any of this. Hulu's bundle includes ESPN, ESPN 2, and several other ESPN channels, like News and ESPN U. There are loads of channels you'll love here, covering all interests, from news to entertainment to sports, and kids' content.
If you're going to miss the event, or simply want to be able to rewatch it, you can always record it to the cloud. Hulu offers 50 hours of DVR storage space with your subscription, but you can expand to 200 hours if you'll pay $14.99 per month for the Enhanced Cloud DVR feature. You can also watch in peace because Hulu allows users to watch on two screens at the same time. If you'll pay $14.99 per month, you'll be able to expand the limit indefinitely. Check out our Hulu review before making a decision.
4. YouTube TV
Coming from tech giant Alphabet Inc., YouTube TV serves a single bundle of channels to its users. Take it or leave it! They have no qualms about whether or not they're doing this the right way, either, because they've changed nothing since the launch about how they present the service. So, if you're looking for more diversity, keep looking. But do stop and take a look at YouTube TV, because there are some great features in there, especially for a service that costs $49.99 per month. The bundle does include several sports channels, including ESPN and ESPN 2, which you'll likely need to watch the World Series of Poker online.
In case you won't be home to watch the events, YouTube TV has you more than covered, allowing you to DVR as many shows as you want since the storage space is unlimited. The recordings do get deleted after nine months, though. Also, you can watch content on up to three devices at once on YouTube TV. Make sure you give our YouTube TV review a read before making a decision.
5. DirecTV Now
We also have DirecTV Now on the list, which is a highly versatile platform with loads of bundles to choose from. Two of these were added recently, namely Plus and Max, while the other five - Entertainment, Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, and Optimo Mas - have been around for a long time, but had a different name and a price that's half than what it is now. If you still want more channels, you can add packs featuring Spanish or international channels, as well as premium networks. ESPN is present in all seven bundles, although in Optimo Mas it does take the shape of ESPN Deportes.
DirecTV Now only offers 20 hours of DVR space in case you want to record the events, or you're not home. Unfortunately, there's no way to expand that limit right now. The platform allows users to stream content to two devices at once, but you can expand to three by paying $5 per month. Make sure to give our DirecTV Now review a read to find out all the details.
6. PlayStation Vue
Finally, we have another fabulous platform - PlayStation Vue, which has actually managed to get the highest score in our reviews. There are four bundles you can get here - Access ($44.99/mo), Core ($49.99/mo), Elite ($59.99/mo), and Ultra ($79.99/mo). In fact, the latter also including access to the likes of HBO and Showtime. If you're looking for ESPN and ESPN 2, you can go ahead and relax because they're both present in all the four bundles. So, your decision on which bundle to get will either hang on what other channels they each have, or the price.
In case you want to record the event, you can do that with the help of PlayStation Vue's cloud DVR feature which comes with a 500-programs limit. The recordings can only be held onto for 28 days, but that doesn't make the limit any less impressive. Also, if you want your family to watch something else, they can do that quite easily since the subscription comes with access to five simultaneous streams. Furthermore, even you can watch something else while watching the World Series of Poker since it comes with split screen capabilities, allowing you to watch three programs at once on your device. Make sure to read our PlayStation Vue review to get all the info you need
We hope we've made it easier for you to watch the World Series of Poker this year and that you'll be able to enjoy all the events, anywhere you go. We'd love to hear what platform you picked in the comments section below, and please share the article online if possible. Come chat with us over on TechNadu Facebook and Twitter pages.
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