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The World Series of Poker overview

The World Series of Poker, held annually in Las Vegas, is the world’s most famous poker event. It’s not just a single tournament, but a collection of many separate poker tournaments, each with its own format. These tournaments culminate in the main event, the No Limit Texas Hold’em Championship. The winner of this event is crowned the World Champion of Poker for that year and receives several million dollars in prize money. This amount varies based on the number of entrants. Additionally, the champion is awarded the coveted gold bracelet, symbolizing poker supremacy.

Multiple tournaments and championships

Gold bracelets and significant prize money are awarded to champions of other events as well. These include separate championships for different poker variations and several smaller buy-in tournaments. In 2011, 58 separate events were scheduled, generally running for three days each.

The buy-ins vary, ranging from $500 for the casino employees championship to $50,000 for the Poker Players Championship, which features eight different poker variations. Most major events have a $10,000 buy-in, including the main event.

Evolution of the World Series of Poker

Interest in the World Series of Poker has grown tremendously over the years. It started over 40 years ago as a modest get-together of a few road gamblers. Today, it is the biggest poker event in the world.

Initially limited to top professional players, the growth of online poker has allowed everyday people to participate. They pursue their ultimate poker fantasy of fame and fortune. Although only pros or wealthy amateurs can afford the $10,000 buy-in for a single tournament, most players win seats through satellite tournaments. For a few dollars or even for free, players can win prize packages that include the buy-in, accommodations, and expenses.

Rise of online poker players

Past winners of the WSOP, like Chris Moneymaker, have become household names. Moneymaker, an online player unknown before the 2003 WSOP, achieved instant fame and became one of the most recognizable players in the world. His victory inspired millions of online poker players to dream big. Many have followed in his footsteps and reached the pinnacle of poker.

Online poker qualifiers now make up a large portion of the main event participants. These include both amateur players and a significant number of online professionals. While many online qualifiers may initially struggle compared to seasoned pros, the best online players successfully transition to live poker and perform well. For instance, Jonathan Duhamel, the main event winner in the previous year, qualified at PokerStars and won almost $9 million.

Main event participation and prizes

The main event has averaged around 7,000 participants in recent years. Although many may not have a realistic shot at the world championship, finishing in the top ten percent of the field offers generous payouts. Making it to the final table typically nets close to a million dollars, with prize money escalating rapidly as each player exits the tournament. This creates a huge amount of excitement for both players and viewers.

Be sure to explore our WSOP history pages; the index is located at the bottom of this page.

Television coverage and popularity

Initially, the only poker shown on television was an annual recap of the WSOP main event. However, interest has increased dramatically over the years, coinciding with the growing popularity of poker and online poker.

In 2010, the WSOP format changed, with the action suspended for several months once the final table was set. This group became known as the November 9. This change allowed for extended coverage leading up to the final table and introduced live coverage. It added to the excitement, as viewers no longer knew the outcome before watching the programming.

Aspiring to be a world champion

The most exciting feature of the World Series of Poker is that everyday people can aspire to be World Champion and have a realistic shot at it. Online poker players may not compete regularly on the World Series of Poker, but they can still reach a high level through online play.

The WSOP offers an opportunity to compete in the biggest game in the world with a modest investment. The WSOP is the world’s most exciting series of poker tournaments. The best part is that anyone can watch, play, and win.

Frequently Asked Questions about the WSOP