The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the world’s most prestigious and popular live poker tournament. It was also the first ever world poker tournament, having first been arranged in 1970. In the decades that have followed, it’s evolved from a high-stakes game held in a Las Vegas casino to a huge, televised event with multiple games and huge prizes. For most professional poker players, winning a WSOP bracelet is the greatest possible achievement.
What is the WSOP?
The yearly main event in Las Vegas is what most people think of when they think of the WSOP. But this is just one of many events under the World Series of Poker banner. In addition to the main event, the WSOP in 2019 and 2020 included more than 35 circuit events across the country. Not only that, but there are now WSOP events held all over the world, including Europe, Asia Pacific, and Africa.
The overall number of WSOP events reaches 100 each year. Due to changes in the poker industry and the rise of online poker games, the World Series of Poker has gained popularity and flourished over time. New in-person and online events are regularly added to the tournament, including new game modes and ways to play.
While plenty of new tournaments have been added to the WSOP, the main event in Nevada is still the biggest and most prestigious. With a $10,000 buy-in, anyone can enter, and around 6,000 people try their luck each year. Eventually, there can only be one winner. Poker professionals from all over the world have tried to win this event, and it’s the most sought-after prize in poker, even if the prize money isn’t as high as some other events.
Why is the WSOP So Popular?
The WSOP is the biggest poker tournament in the world, although it’s not the only major event. The World Poker Tour is also popular but has never reached the same level of interest. There are many reasons for this, including marketing and being one of the first big live tournaments. However, the most interesting reason is the Moneymaker effect.
In 2003, the aptly named Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP main event. While this wouldn’t be much of a story in itself, Moneymaker had entered the tournament from an online qualifier. Although the main event as a $10,000 buy-in, talented players can also earn a free or reduced-cost buy-in through online qualifiers. Moneymaker was an unknown before he won his buy-in and subsequently won the biggest prize in the game, setting the poker world on fire.
The fact that anyone could potentially win the biggest prize in the game helped make poker more popular than ever. Chris Moneymaker’s win is often credited with creating a boom in online poker, with loads of other hopeful players trying to follow in his virtual footsteps.
Of course, Moneymaker can’t take all the credit. The WSOP also owes some of its success to televised poker events. When poker was first shown on cable TV back in the seventies, it would help kick start a national love for the game. This was around the same time the WSOP tournament was developed, and it wasn’t long before people were tuning in to watch the best players in the world.
WSOP International Events
Although WSOP started out in the US, it has slowly become more of an international event over time. It makes sense to expand globally and allow anyone to enter, as the ultimate aim is to find the best poker player on the planet. However, it took quite a long time for the tournament to travel outside of the US. The WSOP Europe circuit was first started in 2007, and it was the first time that WSOP championship events were held outside of Las Vegas. The tournament was a big success and soon led to further expansion. Today, the WSOP International Circuit covers multiple countries across six continents and allows the best players in the world to show their skills no matter where they live.
