As we hurtle towards the summer months, many of the biggest sporting events on the US calendar are now behind us. Of course, like every year, we started 2023 with a bang as the Kansas City Chiefs pipped the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
In the weeks and months that followed that spectacular February Sunday, fans of sport in the US have enjoyed a plethora of sporting events. In early March, the country went bonkers for basketball as March Madness took hold followed shortly after by the Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
The men’s and women’s Water Polo World Cups have also been gripping for fans of aquatic sports, though they’re set to run until July and June respectively. Early May saw the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, while fans of racing on four wheels instead of four legs got to enjoy the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500.
There’s even been action away from the field, as the NFL held its annual draft. This yearly ritual grabs the attention of all football fans as they pay close attention to what new talent will be putting on their team’s jersey in the coming seasons. This year was no exception as millions watched on TV and thousands more in person to see Bryce Young take the honour of first overall pick in 2023.
As so much action has already taken place, you could be excused for feeling concerned that it’s all downhill from here. But, fear not, because there are plenty of exciting sporting events still to be played in 2023. Here are some of the highlights to look out for.
World Series of Poker
Poker is one of the oldest sports that’s still played today, with a history that can be traced back several hundred years. However, it has enjoyed two big boosts to its popularity over the last five decades.
The most recent of these came in the form of the poker boom when online card rooms allowed players to enjoy the game from home rather than having to visit a casino. Today, leading sites like PokerStars continue to innovate and expand their offering, adding features like online tournaments, home games, and mobile functionality.
Before the rise of online poker, the sport enjoyed a boon to its popularity from the World Series of Poker, an annual tournament that began in Las Vegas during the 1970s. While it started out as a modest affair, it has grown into a major sporting spectacular that’s watched by millions around the world.
2023’s WSOP runs from the end of May to the middle of July, so there’s still plenty of time to catch the action. The headline Main Event will begin on July 3 and end on July 9 and will feature some of the most talented poker players on the planet, so it’ll be one you won’t want to miss.
NBA Finals
While the WSOP is going on, the NBA Finals also gets underway. With a June 1 start date, this event runs for just over two weeks, bringing the basketball season to a close. The action is already well underway following the play-in tournament that took place in mid-April.
The Boston Celtics are currently the favourites to win this year, though there is still a lot to play for before then as the Nuggets, Lakers and Heat are all looking strong.
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Formula 1 has gone from having one Grand Prix in the USA to having three in as many years. Joining the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas and the Miami Grand Prix at the Hard Rock Stadium, the F1 circus will head to Nevada this November for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The race is being touted as a unique and spectacular event as it will be the first night race to take place in North America and it’ll use an adjusted schedule to account for the difference in time zones.
Unlike the lacklustre 1980s Caesars Palace Grand Prix which was essentially a glorified parking lot, the 2023 Las Vegas event will take place on the city’s famous strip and has been designed to promote close racing and exciting action.
