WSOP – World Series Of Poker
The WSOP or World Series Of Poker are the world championships of Poker. They were created in 1970 by Jack Binion and took place for the first time at the Horseshoe Casino. This series of poker tournaments takes place every year in Las Vegas. The latest editions have taken place at the RIO Hotel Casino and Resort in Las Vegas, right next to the famous Strip. The WSOP celebrated their 40th anniversary this year and these world poker championships are always a success! The series of tournaments created in the 70s brings together a little more people every year, in 2009 it was no less than 60,875 players who ended up in Las Vegas. The first WSOP took place at Horseshoe Casino in down town Las Vegas in 1970. They only brought together a few players, the best poker players of the moment. Over the years the number of participants has increased to reach 104 players during the Main Event of 1982. In the 1990s, several hundred players meet each year but it was in 2000 that the tournament hosted for the first time more than 500 players. The real explosion of the World Series Of Poker began in 2003 when Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event by outperforming 838 players. Qualified via an online poker room, this amateur player made the poker world dream and all the players said “why not me?”.
The following year was therefore a huge success as 2,576 players participated in the main tournament! The progression then accelerated with the development of Internet Poker and the main tournament of the world championship of Poker welcomed 5619 players in 2005 and 8773 players in 2006. Things calmed down a bit because of the anti-gambling law of Online money established in the USA and the latest editions of the WSOP Main Events welcome an average of 6,500 players. However the number of players continues to increase, the participants come indeed from all over the world to try to win a WSOP title and win a share of the jackpot. In the last edition, the total amount of prizes won during the tournament series was $ 174 million.
WSOP tournaments and Events
The most famous tournament in the World Series Of Poker is without doubt the Main Event (or Event Principal). It is the flagship tournament of this competition. It is played in No Limit Texas Holdem over several days and participants must pay $ 10,000 to register. Thanks to the thousands of players who play the WSOP Main Event, the winners of recent years have been able to win millions of dollars. But the WSOP is also 1.5 months of poker in Las Vegas. This is The Great Mass of International Poker which brings together poker players from around the world, in 2009 115 nations were represented. Professionals or amateurs come together to compete for long days and all hope to win a famous title of world champion of Poker and the bracelet that goes with it. Currently, the WSOP offers more than 45 tournaments per year in all the different variants and styles of Poker: Omaha, HORSE, Razz, Texas Holdem in No Limit, Pot Limit, Limit with tournaments in Heads Up, Six Handed, Full Ring format , Rebuy, Freezout … In short, all disciplines are represented. And to satisfy all budgets, you can find tournaments ranging from $ 1,000 or $ 1,500 in entrance fees, through $ 2,500, $ 5,000, $ 10,000 and up to $ 50,000 for the HORSE tournament bringing together all the pros of the planet. With the advent of Internet Poker, anyone can qualify for the WSOP directly from home by playing at Everest Poker or PokerStars for example.
WSOP winners
Today winning several times a tournament of several thousand players seems impossible … The world champion therefore changes every year and this one benefits from media coverage and numerous sponsorship contracts which allow him to live easily from Poker.
♠️ 2019 Hossein Ensan $10,000,000
♠️ 2018 John Cynn $8,800,000
♠️ 2017 Scott Blumstein $8,150,000
♠️ 2016 Qui Nguyen $8,005,310
♠️ 2015 Joseph McKeehen $7,683,346
♠️ 2014 Martin Jacobson $10,000,000
♠️ 2013 Ryan Riess $8,361,570
♠️ 2012 Greg Merson $8,527,982
♠️ 2011 Pius Heinz $8,711,956
♠️ 2010 Jonathan Duhamel $8,944,138
