The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest and most prestigious set of poker tournaments in the world. Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the WSOP’s inaugural event was held in 1970. It has been held annually since and has grown in size nearly every year of its existence. It features a series of different poker variations, and multiple winners every year. The ultimate prize of the WSOP is the “Main Event” of Texas Hold ‘Em.

Though the World Series of Poker has been in existence since 1970, it has gained national popularity as poker fans around the world have increased. In the early 2000s, with the showing of the Main Event on ESPN networks, the WSOP became a cultural phenomenon. Since then, prize winnings have multiplied exponentially and tournament sizes have boomed. Celebrities and poker stars alike have sought out WSOP seats in the 2000s.

Though Texas Hold ‘Em is the Main Event of the WSOP poker championship, the event has included as many as 55 different poker variations. With each winner receiving a World Series of Poker bracelet and cash winnings, the smaller events include five-card stud, seven-card stud, Omaha hold ‘em, S.H.O.E., and Chinese poker. Each of these poker tournaments lead up to the Main Event.

The Texas Hold ‘Em tournament that has come to define the World Series of Poker has featured some of poker’s biggest names and some of the WSOP’s most frequent winners. Among players to win the main event have been poker legends Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, and Crandell Addington. With a $10,000 US Dollar (USD) buy-in, the Main Event in 2005 distributed over $52 million USD in 2005 to over 500 players. The winner received over $7.5 million USD.

The WSOP began in 1969 as the brainchild of poker player Benny Binion. The inaugural event was held at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno. The next year it was first held at Binion’s Horseshoe casino in Las Vegas, where it was held until 2004. Harrah’s Entertainment bought the Horseshoe in 2004 and moved the WSOP to the Rio Hotel and Casino, where it has been held since.

Since the mid 2000s, the WSOP has nearly doubled and then tripled in size with the advent of on-line gaming. With the inclusion of non-professionals in the Main Event, amateurs have come to play a large part in the WSOP. The first amateurs to win, in 2003 and 2004, were Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer. The number of entrants to the WSOP Main Event, because of this new evolution, increased from 500 in the year 2000, to over 5,000 in the year 2005. Even WSOP announcers Lon McEachern and Norman Chad have gained a following on ESPN since 2002.