World Series of Poker (WSOP)
World Series of Poker (WSOP) is already several decades old. It is undoubtedly the most prestigious competition in the world of professional poker. Many poker enthusiasts believe that participation in a WSOP event, whether the main event or any other, would be the culmination of their poker career. Over the years, the most notable figures of the professional poker community took part and won the WSOP. Some of them are still very visible due to their undying devotion to poker, while others have preferred to step out of the spotlight. However, no matter who you ask, most of them would tell you that the WSOP is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, where does the idea of a World Championship of Poker, as sometimes the WSOP is referred to, come from? Who was the genius to think of it first?
It was 1969. An ardent poker fan from San Antonio, Texas, by the name Tom Moore purchased the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno and organized an invitational poker event, dubbed "The Texas Gamblers Reunion." Indeed, he invited the then-elite of poker, including such notable names as Benny Binion, Amarillo Slim Preston, Johnny Moss and Doyle Brunson. The first place prize, the amount of which is not mentioned in any of the WSOP history resources we combed before writing this article, was landed by gifted poker genius Crandall Addington.
Nevertheless, the actual idea of a set of tournaments held as we know it today belongs to Las Vegas gaming venue operator and poker player Benny Binion. Although Binion was very enthusiastic about the idea of arranging a poker event, his family questioned the profitability of such an investment. Prior to the 1970s, poker was not a very popular activity mainly because it was very difficult to control cheaters. Despite his family's disapproval, in 1970, Binion opened a card room in his casino the Horseshoe and let the word circulate. Excited by the prospect of competing against each other, all the top players visited Binion's poker room. That same year, the first WSOP took place as a series of games that included Texas Hold 'em, Deuce to Seven low-ball draw, Razz and 7-Card Stud. Johny Moss was elected the official winner and was awarded a silver cup. However, despite all the excitement, there was something missing for Binion's idea to trap the public's attention. Binion was certain of only one thing- that 'something' had to be grandiose.
Binion eventually came up with the idea that the best solution to the general public's lack of attention was player elimination. And, in 1971 a new game format was introduced featuring a freeze-out Texas Hold 'em game. Six players invested as much as $5,000 for a dreamy chance to collect the entire jackpot of $30,000. After literally kicking out of the game his five opponents, Johny Moss successfully revalidated his winner title from the previous year. Starting 1971 and on, all WSOP winners were awarded cash prizes.
Throughout the 1970's the competition grew in popularity. In 1973, the WSOP saw the introduction of a new event, the 5-Card Stud. Since then many other poker variants have been added and removed from the competition. The late 1980's witnessed the creation of new legends, Johny Chan and Phil Hellmuth Jr. among them. The number of participants in the WSOP has grown immensely since the original event. In 2000, there were as many as 4,780 entrants and, in 2005, there were already more than 23,000 players in the various poker events.
In 2004, major U.S. casino company Harrah's Entertainment purchased the right to the WSOP from the Binion family. Since then, Harrah's managers have turned the WSOP into the most prestigious event in the world. In 2005, the main event was moved from Horeshoe to the Rio. Operated by Hararh's, the WSOP achieved new levels of popularity. Today, in addition to prize money, event winners are also awarded amazing gold bracelets.
Benny Binion, who died in 1989, would have been proud of the legacy he left poker players around the world. With the invention of the World Series of Poker circuit, the WSOP related events are organized all year long at gaming venues across the U.S. Additionally, the World Series of Poker show aired on ESPN is one of the globe's most viewed sports telecasts. The introduction of online poker gambling, which made the game available to everybody with a PC, has only contributed to the exploding phenomenon which is poker!