Poker Info Source

Last year marked the first time in the past four years that the number of players in the WSOP no-limit hold‘em main event had decreased, with attendance dropping more than 2300 players, a decline of over 25%. Yet, it was still had “the richest payout in all of sports,” with a total prize pool of almost $60 million and first prize being worth $8.25 million. Despite the drop in attendance, the main event still garnered 6, 358 players, which is quite impressive when compared to the 839 entrants of the first widely televised WSOP in 2003. It is widely known that poker has exploded in popularity recently, but why is it that this event in particular has done so well? Principally, victories by amateurs Robert Varkonyi in 2002 and Chris Moneymaker (beating Sam Farha in a thriller heads up!) in 2003 showed people that anyone who paid an entry fee to the main event had a chance of capturing the championship. Even a “weaker” player like Jamie Gold proved he could win big, again motivating newcomers to the game!

Big poker tournaments have been broadcast for years but were not highly publicized until millions of people tuned in to watch the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event. Earlier tournaments did not employ the ‘card cam’, a small camera implanted in the table that allows the viewer to see a player’s cards during a hand. This change completely revolutionized televised poker, as commentators no longer had to blindly guess as to what hands the players were holding. At the same time that the ‘card cam’ technology was implemented, the two players mentioned above won back-to-back tournaments, inspiring thousands to take up the game and buy their way into the WSOP.

Yet, the no limit hold’em main event has a buy-in of $10,000, making it one of the more expensive events to enter. Even though all of the tournaments have grown in popularity, none have expanded as much as the main event. Why don’t amateurs enter into the smaller events, where the buy-in is smaller and the chance of winning greater? It’s because the main event is the pinnacle of poker competition, even if it is in name alone. The winner is named ‘World Champion’ for a year and gets his/her name emblazoned alongside past greats who have won the event. Imagine being able to buy yourself a spot in the Super Bowl and have a chance to make the winning kick at the end of the game; this is what it is like to play in the World Series of Poker Main Event, where the player really does have a chance to win it all. Although the immense swell of poker players has recently subsided, the game will retain its newfound increased popularity as long as amateurs continue to compete – and win – in the biggest tournament in the world.