To say the World Series of Poker (WSOP) has come a long way since it's 1970 beginning is a considerable understatement. What began as a curiosity with a comparative handful of players evolved into its present state, a poker extravaganza involving thousands of players, the best of whom have become poker superstars due to unprecedented media and internet coverage.
The current 2006 WSOP tournament is an excellent example of how far this event has come. The tournament began on June 26th at Harrah's Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and as of this writing more than 8,000 participants have entered with the requisite $10,000 buy-in. Contestants will play down until nine players remain. These players will compete at the final table on August 10th for the WSOP championship, the gold and diamond encrusted bracelet, poker immortality, world-wide fame, and last, but certainly far from least, millions of dollars in prize money. For example, last year's WSOP champion, an Australian, Joseph Hachem collected $7.5 million, and this year's champion is expected to take home more than $12 million.
Additionally, side games and tournaments within tournaments, such as HORSE, as well as satellite tournaments with world-wide participation, and daily lesser tournaments with lower buy-ins continue throughout the World Series of Poker event.
All participants must be at least 21 years of age and have the requisite buy-in funds
Casino employees are not exempt from the WSOP tourney, and a special casino employee no-limit event requiring a $500 buy-in was held on June 26th. The 1,232 entrants nearly doubled last year's 662 players. After eight hours of play, The number one spot among the nine finalists was Chris Gos. Who was awarded the grand prize of $127,496.
The June 27th WSOP no-limit hold 'em tournament ($1,500 buy-in) attracted 2,776 entrants, and concluded June 29th. Brandon Cantu topped the remaining nine players, taking home $757,839.
On June 28th, the WSOP featured a pot-limit hold 'em with a $1,500 buy-in, and 1,102 entrants vied for a chance at a WSOP bracelet. The top ninety-nine players would receive payouts. By the third and final day, nine players remained. Rafe Furst won his first World Series of Poker bracelet with the highest two pair, and took home a neat $345,984.
World Series of Poker Event #4 featured a no-limit hold 'em game requiring a $1,500 buy-in, and began with 1,068 players, as some of the largest crowds, and most numerous entrants in WSOP history contributed to the continuing excitement.
After three days of intensive play, an Iranian-born student from Los Angeles won first place with two pair, and earned $335,289.
The World Series of Poker continues to generate unprecedented interest, with the best players besieged by well-heeled sponsors eager to cash in on the WSOP phenomenon, the world-wide interest in poker, and poker tournaments. As an example, midway through the WSOP tournament Baywatch beauty Pamela Anderson appeared to promote the July 21st launching of her new Internet poker site, pamelapoker.com.
And the circus continues!
The most publicized event in the history of gambling has to be the World Series of Poker, (WSOP). This is an event that has brought fame and fortune to many poker players. The WSOP is televised world-wide and has propelled poker, particularly Texas Hold 'Em, into the nation's most popular card game.
And it all started, not so humbly, back in 1949. Benny Binion, a true to life Texas cowboy and professional gambler, owned a casino called "Binion's Horseshoe" on Fremont Street, in what is now known as downtown Las Vegas. A friend of Benny's, who just happened to be the legendary gambler Nicholas "Nick The Greek" Dandolos, suggested that he could play Johnny Moss, another veteran gambler, in a high stakes poker marathon, with Binion's Horseshoe as the hosting venue. Nick thought the game would generate public interest and provide an invaluable public relations vehicle for the Horseshoe. He was right!
Binion liked the idea, and the game was on. And what a game! Playing in full public view, Nick and Johnny battled it out in the longest poker marathon in history.The men played every form of poker imaginable, and the marathon lasted a full five months with breaks only for sleep. Moss eventually won, and pocketed a cool two million in 1949 dollars.
Binion was impressed by the crowds that attended the game daily, and the continuous newspaper coverage of the marathon, which was priceless publicity for the casino, which saw a dramatic increase in patronage by the locals, and a must-see attraction for tourists.
All of this inspired Benny to start similar events centered around poker, which was slowly but surely turning Binion's Horseshoe into a Las Vegas landmark.
However, the first official World Series of Poker event wasn't held until 1970, and the winner was, guess who? Johnny Moss. Moss won again the following year, followed by another poker legend, Amarillo Slim, who won the WSOP in 1972, and by this time the WSOP was being noticed outside of Las Vegas by people other than gamblers. The games had spawned a new phenomenon ? poker fans! In fact,some of the WSOP participants had achieved celebrity status and were invited on the Johnny Carson show.
Well, Benny finally died of heart failure on Christmas Day, 1989, but he had achieved his goals. Binion's Horseshoe was a Las Vegas landmark, and the World Series of Poker had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
When you look at the numbers, you can realize how far this event has come. The first WSOP tournament had only six players in the game. This year, (2006), the number may reach eight thousand, representing some eighty million dollars. No doubt this represents a pool of money unprecedented in any sporting event.
Binion's no longer hosts the WSOP. Now owned by the Harrah's Entertainment Group, the Horseshoe hosted it's last WSOP games in 2005, with the finals being held at Harrah's Rio Casino just off the Strip, on Flamingo Road. This year, the entire tournament from start to finish will be held at the Rio. Vegas is not a town bound by sentimentality, and the number of participants have grown too large to fit into the smaller Binion's available casino space.
Kenneth Bateman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Recreation and Sports, Entertainment Guide and Recreation and Sports. Kenneth Bateman writes numerous articles on the subject of poker and its players. To read more player profiles, .. Kenneth Bateman's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.