World Series of Poker

World Series of Poker

Company type	Private
Industry	Gambling, Poker tournaments
Predecessor	Caesars Entertainment (2004–2024)
Founded	1970 (1970)
Founder	Benny Binion
Headquarters	Paradise, Nevada , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Poker tournaments, bracelets
Owner	NSUS Group (since 2024)

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a yearly collection of poker tournaments hosted in Paradise, Nevada. Established in 1970 by Benny Binion, the inaugural event took place at the Horseshoe Casino where seven leading players competed in a single contest decided by a confidential vote. From 2004 until its 2024 acquisition, the WSOP was sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. In 2024, ownership transferred to NSUS Group, the operator of GGPoker, for $500 million.

By the year 2020, the WSOP encompassed 101 tournaments featuring most major poker disciplines, typically scheduled consecutively throughout June and July. The 2024 series was held at both the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, with the Main Event attracting a record-breaking 10,112 participants and distributing prize money exceeding $94 million.

The purchase of the brand by NSUS Group represents a major change in proprietorship while preserving its Las Vegas location.

History

The origins of the World Series of Poker trace back to 1969 with the Texas Gamblers Reunion, an invitational event sponsored by Tom Moore at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno. The first champion was Crandell Addington. The concept for WSOP was created by Las Vegas casino proprietor and poker enthusiast Benny Binion. The initial WSOP in 1970 occurred at Binion's Horseshoe, featuring cash games such as five-card stud, deuce to seven lowball, razz, seven-card stud, and Texas hold 'em. The Main Event format—a freeze-out Texas hold 'em tournament—was introduced in 1971. The winner of the 1970 event, Johnny Moss, was selected as "World Champion of Poker" through a peer vote and received a silver trophy.

Acquisition by Harrah's

In 2004, Harrah's Entertainment purchased Binion's Horseshoe, maintaining ownership of both the Horseshoe and WSOP brands while divesting the hotel and casino operations to MTR Gaming Group. Starting in 2005, WSOP events relocated to Harrah's-owned Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino near the Las Vegas Strip. Since that year, Caesars Entertainment has served as the official sponsor of WSOP. To commemorate Las Vegas’ centennial in 2005, the final two days of that year's Main Event were held downtown at the MTR-managed "Binion's." Additionally, WSOP introduced a $2 million "freeroll" invitational called the Tournament of Champions (TOC), a winner-takes-all competition initially claimed by Annie Duke.

2005 expansion – WSOP Circuit

The year 2005 saw the launch of the World Series of Poker Circuit, a satellite tour hosted at Harrah's-owned venues across the United States. Players who qualified from these $10,000 buy-in tournaments earned entry into a revamped Tournament of Champions (TOC). The 2005 TOC included top qualifiers from each circuit stop, finalists from that year’s Main Event, and multiple bracelet holders such as Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth. Hosted at Caesars Palace, Mike Matusow secured the $1 million grand prize; all finalists were guaranteed at least $25,000.

During a break at the 2005 Main Event final table on July 16, Harrah’s revealed that eleven properties—including new Bally’s and Caesars locations—would host WSOP Circuit events for the 2005–06 season beginning August 11 in Tunica, Mississippi. One scheduled event in Biloxi was canceled due to extensive damage sustained by Grand Casino Biloxi from Hurricane Katrina. The Rio served as host for the 2006 World Series of Poker starting June 25 with satellite competitions and an annual Casino Employee event won by Chris Gros. The Tournament of Champions held on June 25–26 in 2006 was won by Mike Sexton. Various preliminary events led up to the Main Event from July 28 through August 10, where Jamie Gold claimed a first-place prize totaling $12 million.

2007 Expansion – WSOP Europe

The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) represented the first time the World Series of Poker extended beyond its traditional Las Vegas setting. The inaugural WSOPE took place in September 2007 in London, featuring three championship tournaments that awarded official bracelets. The main event, a no-limit hold 'em competition with a £10,000 buy-in, was claimed by Norwegian online phenom Annette Obrestad just before turning 19. This victory made her the youngest player to ever secure a WSOP bracelet—a feat impossible to replicate in Las Vegas due to Nevada's minimum gambling age of 21. The UK’s legal age of 18 facilitated this achievement. WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack indicated plans for further expansion within one to three years, mentioning potential locations such as Egypt and South Africa. South Africa later hosted the World Series of Poker Africa in 2010 as part of the WSOP Circuit but without bracelet awards. The next bracelet-awarding expansion occurred in Australia.

In 2011, the WSOPE shifted its venue from London to Cannes, France, transitioning buy-ins and prize payouts from pounds to euros. It relocated again in 2013 to Enghien-les-Bains, a suburb near Paris. From 2013 through 2017, WSOPE was held exclusively in odd-numbered years, alternating with the World Series of Poker Asia Pacific (WSOP APAC) during even years. Since 2017, WSOPE has been conducted annually.

2010 Expansion – WSOP Africa

The year 2010 saw WSOP's international reach extend to Gauteng, South Africa. Although this was incorporated into the WSOP Circuit, victors did not receive gold rings nor did they qualify for the WSOP Circuit National Championship as is customary with other circuit events. This policy was amended in 2012. The WSOPA did not take place in 2011 but resumed activities in 2012.

2013 Expansion – WSOP Asia Pacific

On April 30, 2012, a partnership between WSOP and Crown Melbourne led to the announcement of the World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific (WSOP APAC). The first edition was held at Crown's Melbourne Casino from April 4–15, 2013, featuring five events awarding bracelets.

2015 Expansion – WSOP International Circuit

Introduced in 2015, the WSOP International Circuit organized tournaments across multiple regions including Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. Champions from these events earned the opportunity to compete alongside other WSOP Circuit winners at the WSOP Global Casino Championship. By the 2017/18 season, this International Circuit had grown to encompass thirteen tournaments.

2020 Expansion – WSOP Online

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions on live poker gatherings, WSOP pivoted towards online tournaments, hosting dedicated series throughout 2020 and 2021.

2023 Expansion – WSOP Paradise

In 2023, the World Series of Poker broadened its footprint by launching an event at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas, thereby increasing its presence within the Caribbean market.

Career earnings

Figures as of June 19, 2025

Year	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
Events	1 (cash)	5	2	8	6	5	8	13	11	12
Year	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989
Events	12	13	14	14	14	14	12	12	12	14
Year	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Events	15	18	20	21	22	24	24	21	21	16
2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Events	25	26	35	36	33	43	45	55 (+3 Europe)	55 (+4 Europe)	57 (+4 Europe)
2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Events	57 (+5 Europe)	58 (+7 Europe)	61 (+7 Europe)	62 (+8 Europe) (+5 Asia Pac)	65 (+10 Asia Pac)	67 live 1 online (+10 Europe)	68 live 1 online	71 live 3 online (+11 Europe)	74 live 4 online (+10 Europe)	81 live 9 online (+15 Europe)
Events	1 (+85 Online)	88 live 11 online (+74 Online) (+15 Europe)	89 live 29 online (+78 Online) (+15 Europe)	95 live 34 online (+65 Online) (+15 Europe) (+15 Paradise)	99 live 37 online (+78 Online) (+15 Europe) (+15 Paradise)	} Format Winners of each WSOP event are awarded a World Series of Poker bracelet along with a monetary prize that depends on the number of participants and the buy-in fees. Over time, the series has grown substantially in both the variety of events and the number of players, culminating each year in the $10,000 no-limit hold'em "Main Event." Since 2004, this flagship tournament has drawn thousands of entrants annually. The champion of the Main Event receives a multi-million dollar payout and the esteemed bracelet, widely regarded as poker’s highest honor. This victor is recognized as the World Champion of Poker. All WSOP competitions have been structured as tournaments with cash rewards since their inception in 1971. The first new event added after the original lineup was a five-card stud tournament introduced in 1973. Throughout the years, events have been periodically added or discontinued. Starting in 1976, winners began receiving bracelets; those who won prior to this were later retroactively granted them. The tournament steadily expanded, reaching 52 players by 1982. The introduction of satellite tournaments in the early 1980s allowed more players to qualify for events. By 1987, total attendance surpassed 2,100 participants. In 2006, the series featured 45 events encompassing most poker variants, with Main Event participation peaking at 8,773 competitors. From 2000 through 2006, entries increased annually but experienced a decline in 2007 due to restrictions from online gambling laws that limited satellite qualifiers; participation rebounded in 2008. Across all events, entrants grew from 4,780 in 2000 to over 23,000 in 2005. The Main Event itself expanded from 839 players in 2003 to its highest point of 8,773 in 2006 and has since stabilized between approximately 6,300 and 7,200 participants each year. Leading bracelet winners include Phil Hellmuth with 17 titles and Phil Ivey holding 11. Multiple-time Main Event champions encompass Johnny Moss, Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, and Johnny Chan. Noteworthy bracelet recipients from other fields include entertainer Patrick Bruel (actor/singer), former soccer player Jan Vang Sørensen, actress Jennifer Tilly, and musician/producer Steve Albini. The series has also featured non-bracelet competitions such as the "World Series of Rock Paper Scissors." Currently contested games consist of Texas hold 'em, Omaha hold 'em, Seven-card stud, along with their respective lowball versions. H.O.R.S.E. made a return to the schedule in 2006; S.H.O.E. followed suit in 2007. Previous games such as Chinese poker and Five card stud have appeared as well. Casinos retain an entry fee ranging from six to ten percent of buy-ins to finance prize pools that grow proportionally with player turnout. In 2024, buy-ins vary from $300 up to $250,000 for the Super High Roller event; the Main Event buy-in remains fixed at $10,000. During the 2005 Main Event, a total of $52.8 million was distributed among 560 finishers with $7.5 million awarded to first place. The following year set new records when Jamie Gold took home $12 million—the largest prize and highest number of entrants recorded at that time. In 2010, first place earned just under $9 million. Both the 2023 and 2024 Main Events established fresh benchmarks for participation and prize money. On June 2, 2011, WSOP collaborated with Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté to launch the Big One for One Drop, a charity tournament with a $1 million buy-in debuting in July 2012. Eleven percent of every buy-in was allocated to Laliberté's One Drop Foundation while WSOP waived its standard rake fees. Early registrants included prominent figures like Johnny Chan and Daniel Negreanu. The event sold out all 48 seats and awarded an $18.3 million first prize to Antonio Esfandiari, who also received a distinctive platinum bracelet. The Millionaire Maker, established in 2018 with a $1,500 buy-in, guarantees at least $1 million for first place; its most recent iteration boasted a prize pool totaling $14.6 million. In 2023, WSOP unveiled Gladiators of Poker, a no-limit hold 'em bracelet event featuring a $300 buy-in—the lowest entry cost offered by WSOP—guaranteeing a $3 million prize pool and attracting over 23,000 participants during its inaugural year. Main Event Since its inception in 1972, the WSOP Main Event has been a $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold 'em (NLHE) tournament (the 1971 event had a $5,000 buy-in, and the very first 1970 competition was by invitation only). Champions earn the largest cash prize, a prestigious gold bracelet, and their portrait displayed in Binion's Gallery of Champions. The victor of the Main Event is commonly recognized as the World Champion, although some contend that no-limit hold 'em may not fully identify the best player. In 2002, Daniel Negreanu proposed replacing it with pot-limit hold 'em to provide a more thorough assessment of skill but conceded that such a modification was improbable. The introduction of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E./Poker Players Championship has altered perceptions; many professionals now regard this event as the ultimate test of poker prowess due to its substantial buy-in and mixed-game structure. The inaugural $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. tournament was claimed by Chip Reese in 2006. In 2010, this competition expanded into an "8-game" format incorporating no-limit hold 'em and pot-limit Omaha and was renamed The Poker Players Championship, with Michael Mizrachi winning its first edition. Following Reese's passing in 2007, winners receive the David 'Chip' Reese Memorial Trophy in addition to the bracelet and prize money. Memorable Main Event highlights include Jack Straus's remarkable 1982 victory after returning with only a single $500 chip and the 1988 final round featured in the movie Rounders. Both Chris Moneymaker (2003) and Greg Raymer (2004) earned their spots through online satellite tournaments hosted by PokerStars. Jerry Yang (2007) triumphed after just two years of playing poker, having qualified via a $225 satellite at Pechanga Resort & Casino. The 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) limited online platforms from directly purchasing entries for participants. The 2023 Main Event broke records for both number of entrants and first-place prize since 2006. The following year’s 2024 WSOP Main Event further surpassed entry records with a total of 10,112 participants. WSOP Main Event winners ... [Table continues with similar formatting for each year] ... Year Entrants Winner Winning hand First place prize Runner-up Losing hand 1970 7 Johnny Moss cash game 1971 6 Johnny Moss (2) Template:N/A $30,000 Jack Straus Template:N/A 1972 8 Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston, Jr. Template:Cards $80,000 Walter "Puggy" Pearson 6 6 1973 13 Walter "Puggy" Pearson Template:Cards $130,000 Johnny Moss Template:Cards 1974 16 Johnny Moss (3) Template:Cards $160,000 Crandell Addington Template:Cards 1975 21 Brian "Sailor" Roberts Template:Cards $210,000 Bob Hooks Template:Cards 1976 22 Doyle Brunson Template:Cards $220,000 Jesse Alto Template:Cards 1977 34 Doyle Brunson (2) Template:Cards $340,000 Gary Berland Template:Cards 2023 10,043 Daniel Weinman Template:Cards $12,100,000 Steven Jones Template:Cards 2024 10,112 Jonathan Tamayo Template:Cards $10,000,000 Jordan Griff Template:Cards 2025 9,735 Michael Mizrachi Template:Cards $10,000,000 John Wasnock Template:Cards WSOP Main Event Records The following achievements pertain exclusively to the WSOP Main Event and do not include results from the WSOP Europe or Asia Pacific Main Events. Players with the most Main Event titles: Johnny Moss (3), Stu Ungar (3) Highest number of Main Event final table appearances: Jesse Alto (7) Greatest number of cash finishes in the Main Event: Berry Johnston (10) Most consecutive years winning the Main Event: Doyle Brunson (2), Johnny Chan (2), Johnny Moss (2), Stu Ungar (2) Longest streak of consecutive Main Event final tables: Bob Hooks (4, from 1973 to 1976), Johnny Moss (4, from 1971 to 1974) Most consecutive years finishing in the money at the Main Event: Ronnie Bardah (5, from 2010 through 2014) Top Main Event earnings: Daniel Weinman ($12,100,000) Youngest player to win the Main Event: Joe Cada (21 years old in 2009) Oldest champion of the Main Event: Johnny Moss (66 years old in 1974) Player with the most Main Event entries: Howard Andrew (45 appearances between 1974 and 2018) Oldest participant in the Main Event: Eugene Calden (100 years old in 2023) WSOP Europe Main Event Champions 2024 768 Simone Andrian 10♥10♣ €1,300,000 Urmo Velvelt A♥10♠ Year Number of Entrants Champion Winning Hand First Prize Runner-Up Runner-Up's Hand 2007 362 Annette Obrestad £1,000,000 John Tabatabai 2008 362 John Juanda £868,800 Stanislav Alekhin 2009 334 Barry Shulman £801,603 Daniel Negreanu 2010 346 James Bord £830,401 Fabrizio Baldassari 2011 593 Elio Fox €1,400,000 Chris Moorman 2012 420 Phil Hellmuth (2) €1,058,403 Sergii Baranov 2013 375 Adrián Mateos €1,000,000 Fabrice Soulier 2015 313 Kevin MacPhee €883,000 David Lopez 2017 529 Marti Roca de Torres €1,115,207 Gianluca Speranza 2018 534 Jack Sinclair €1,122,239 Laszlo Bujtas 2019 541 Alexandros Kolonias €1,133,678 Claas Segebrecht 2021 688 Josef Gulas €1,276,712 Johan Guilbert 2022 763 Omar Eljach €1,380,129 Jonathan Pastore 2023 817 Max Neugebauer €1,500,000 Eric Tsai WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event Champions 2013 405 Daniel NegreanuTemplate:Cards A$1,038,825 Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Daniel Marton Template:Cards 2014 329 Scott Davies Template:Cards A$850,136 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Jack Salter Template:Cards Year Entrants Champion Winning Hand First Prize Runner-up Losing Hand WSOP Online Main Event Champions Year Entrants Champion Winning Hand First Prize Runner-up Losing Hand 2020 5,802 Template:Country data BULTemplate:Namespace detect showall Stoyan Madanzhiev Template:Cards $3,904,686 Template:Country data CHNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Wenling Gao Template:Cards 2021 4,092 Template:Country data RUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Aleksei Vandyshev Template:Cards $2,543,073 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Edson Tsutsumi Template:Cards 2022 4,984 Template:Country data SWETemplate:Namespace detect showall Simon Eric Mattsson Template:Cards $2,793,574 Template:Country data THATemplate:Namespace detect showall Kannapong Thanarattrakul Template:Cards 2023 5,742 Template:Country data BELTemplate:Namespace detect showall Bert Stevens Template:Cards $2,783,433 Template:Country data CHNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Yagen Li Template:Cards 2024 6,146 Moritz Dietrich Template:Cards $4,021,012 Template:Country data RUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Evgenii Akimov Template:Cards WSOP Paradise Main Event Champions 2023 3,010 Stanislav Zegal Template:Cards $2,000,000 Template:Country data CZETemplate:Namespace detect showall Michael Sklenicka Template:Cards Year Entrants Champion Winning Hand First Prize Runner-up Losing Hand WSOP Paradise Super Main Event Champions 2024 1,978 Template:Country data CHNTemplate:Namespace detect showall Yinan Zhou Template:Cards $6,000,000 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Marcelo Aziz Template:Cards Year Entrants Champion Winning Hand First Prize Runner-up Losing Hand Players Poker Hall of Fame Since its inception in 1979, the WSOP Poker Hall of Fame has inducted a total of 42 individuals. Player candidates must have demonstrated consistent success against elite competition at high stakes and earned the respect of their peers. Non-player inductees are acknowledged for their significant roles in advancing and promoting the game of poker. Player of the Year Established in 2004, the Player of the Year (POY) award honors the competitor who accumulates the highest points across WSOP events annually. Up to 2025, nineteen different players have claimed this award twenty-four times combined. Notably, Daniel Negreanu and Shaun Deeb are the only players to receive it multiple times. Points contributing to POY rankings are earned exclusively in open events available to all participants; exclusions include Seniors, Ladies, and Casino Employee tournaments. Between 2006 and 2008, the influence of the Main Event and the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event on POY standings varied. From 2009 onward, all open events—including the Main Event—are incorporated into POY calculations. Initially confined to Las Vegas WSOP results, since 2011 the award also factors in World Series of Poker Europe tournaments and from 2013 onwards includes World Series of Poker Asia Pacific events. The scoring methodology introduced by Bluff Magazine in 2011 remains in use today; it accounts for field sizes and buy-in levels. 2004 Daniel Negreanu 1 5 6 $346,280 Ted Forrest 2 2005 Allen Cunningham 1 4 5 $1,007,115 Mark Seif 2 2006 Jeff Madsen 2 4 4 $1,467,852 Phil Hellmuth 1 2007 Tom Schneider 2 3 3 $416,829 Michael Binger 0 2008 Erick Lindgren 1 3 5 $1,348,528 Barry Greenstein 1 2009 Jeff Lisandro 3 4 6 $807,521 Ville Wahlbeck 1 2010 Frank Kassela 2 3 6 $1,255,314 Michael Mizrachi 1 2011 Ben Lamb 1 4 5 $5,352,970 Phil Hellmuth 0 2012 Greg Merson 2 2 5 $9,785,354 Phil Hellmuth 1 2013 Daniel Negreanu (2) 2 4 10 $1,954,054 Matthew Ashton 1 2014 George Danzer 3 5 10 $878,933 Brandon Shack-Harris 1 2015 Mike Gorodinsky 1 3 8 $1,766,487 Jonathan Duhamel 2 2016 Jason Mercier 2 4 11 $960,424 Paul Volpe (poker player) 1 2017 Chris Ferguson 1 3 23 $428,423 John Racener 1 2018 Shaun Deeb 2 4 20 $2,545,623 Ben Yu 1 2019 Robert Campbell (poker player) 2 5 13 $750,844 Shaun Deeb 0 2020 colspan=7 align=center not awarded 2021 Josh Arieh 2 5 11 $1,194,061 Phil Hellmuth 1 2022 Daniel Zack 2 4 18 $1,439,932 Daniel Weinman 1 2023 Ian Matakis 1 3 22 $881,052 Shaun Deeb 1 2024 Scott Seiver 3 2025 Shaun Deeb (2) 1 Benny Glaser 3 Year Winner Bracelets Won Final Tables Reached Cash Finishes WSOP Earnings Runner-up Bracelets Won by Runner-up Since 2016 the WSOP has expanded payout structures to reward approximately 15% of entrants rather than the previous standard of about 10%. Bracelets Bracelets Competitor Main Event titles 17 Phil Hellmuth 2 11 Phil Ivey 0 10 Doyle Brunson 2 Johnny Chan 2 Erik Seidel 0 9 Johnny Moss 3 8 Template:Country data GBRTemplate:Namespace detect showall Benny Glaser 0 Michael Mizrachi 1 7 Billy Baxter 0 Shaun Deeb 0 John Hennigan 0 Daniel Negreanu 1 Template:Country data VIETemplate:Namespace detect showall Men Nguyen 0 Brian Rast 0 Nick Schulman 0 Scott Seiver 0 Notes Money finishes Information current as of December 23, 2023 Money finishes Player Bracelets

Total career earnings	Player	Bracelets won

Records

Since the tournament's beginning, only two players—Stu Ungar and Johnny Moss—have captured the Main Event title three times. Moss’s initial win was distinctive because he was selected by a player vote during a timed competition. The group of players who have secured back-to-back Main Event victories includes Moss, Ungar, Doyle Brunson, and Johnny Chan. Notably, Chan’s 1988 triumph was dramatized in the 1998 motion picture Rounders.

Phil Hellmuth holds several WSOP milestones such as the highest number of bracelets earned, final table appearances, and cash finishes. He is uniquely distinguished as the sole player to claim both the WSOP and WSOP Europe Main Event championships.

In recent years, the prize pools for the WSOP Main Event have expanded substantially, placing champions among the top earners in poker tournament history. Prior to July 2012, the seven leading figures on the all-time WSOP earnings leaderboard were all Main Event winners from 2005 through 2011. This group was headed by Jamie Gold, who secured the largest first-place prize in poker history during his 2006 Main Event victory. Nevertheless, professional player Daniel Negreanu, despite not winning a Las Vegas Main Event title, currently leads in overall earnings; he did capture the inaugural WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event in 2013. Following him are pros like Antonio Esfandiari and Daniel Colman, who also lack Las Vegas Main Event wins.

The table below reflects combined results from both the World Series of Poker Europe and the World Series of Poker Asia Pacific, omitting data from WSOP Circuit events and other non-bracelet competitions. The statistics are current through the 2014 WSOP APAC.

Overall Records

Achievement Holder Record

|- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- |- Most bracelets won || Phil Hellmuth || 17 |- Most final table appearances || Phil Hellmuth || 71 |- Most cash finishes || Daniel Negreanu || 244 |- Highest career earnings || Antonio Esfandiari || $21,917,460 |- Largest single-event payout || Antonio Esfandiari || $18,346,673 (2012 Big One for One Drop) |- Youngest bracelet recipient || Template:Country data NORTemplate:Namespace detect showall Annette Obrestad || Template:Age in years and days (2007 WSOPE Main Event) |- Oldest bracelet winner || Johnny Moss || Template:Age in years and days (1988 $1,500 Limit Ace to Five Draw) |- Most bracelets won within a single year || Puggy Pearson (1973)
Phil Hellmuth (1993)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Ted Forrest (1993)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Phil Ivey (2002)
{{flagicon{AUS}}}Jeff Lisandro (2009)
{{flagicon{GER}}}George Danzer (2014)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Scott Seiver (2024)
{{flagicon{GBR}}}Benny Glaser (2025) || 3 |- Longest interval between bracelet wins || {{flagicon{USA}}}Jim Bechtel (1993–2019) || 26 years |- Most final tables reached in one year || {{flagicon{USA}}}Phil Hellmuth (2021)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Jeremy Ausmus (2024) || 7 |- Highest number of cash finishes within a year || {{flagicon{USA}}}Chris Ferguson (2017) || 23 |- Most consecutive years with at least one bracelet || {{flagicon{USA}}}Bill Boyd (poker player) (1971–1974)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Doyle Brunson (1976–1979)
{{flagicon{USA}}}Loren Klein (2016–2019) || 4 years |- Longest streak of consecutive years with at least one cash finish || {{flagicon{USA}}}Mike Sexton (1988–2019) || 32 years |- Most Player of the Year honors since 2004 || {{flagicon{CAN}}}Daniel Negreanu (2004, 2013) || 2 awards |- Oldest participant in a WSOP event || {{flagicon{USA}}} Eugene Calden (2023) || 100 years |}

Women in the WSOP

Women make up approximately 5% of the total participants across all WSOP tournaments. Prominent female competitors include Vanessa Selbst, Barbara Enright, and Nani Dollison, each having secured three WSOP bracelets. Leading the group is Kristen Bicknell, who has claimed five bracelets.

Last Woman Standing

In 2015, Kelly Minkin earned the distinction of "Last Woman Standing" by finishing 29th in the Main Event. Maria Ho similarly achieved this status in the 2007 Championship Event, finishing 38th out of a field of 6,358 players and taking home $237,865. She repeated this accomplishment in 2014 with a 77th-place finish and holds the unique record of being "Last Woman Standing" four times across both WSOP and WSOPE Main Events, including a notable sixth-place final table appearance in 2017.

Barbara Enright remains the only woman to have reached the WSOP Main Event Final Table, placing fifth in 1995. She also cashed in 2005 and has several pioneering achievements: first woman to win two and then three WSOP bracelets, first female winner of an open event, and the first woman inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, Women in Poker Hall of Fame, and Senior Poker Hall of Fame—making her the sole player honored by all three institutions.

Enright’s proximity to another Final Table appearance nearly occurred in 2011 when Gaelle Baumann and Elisabeth Hille finished just outside it at 10th and 11th place respectively. In 2025, Leo Margets became the first woman in three decades to reach the Final Table; she had previously been "Last Woman Standing" in 2009 with a 27th-place finish.

WSOP Ladies Championship Events

The inaugural ladies-only tournament was introduced in 1977 as a $100 buy-in Seven-Card Stud event, with Jackie McDaniels winning $5,580. By 2007, the prize pool for the Ladies Event exceeded $1 million for the first time. After two decades featuring seven-card stud, the tournament transitioned to Texas hold 'em starting in 2001.

1970s

The earliest recorded WSOP broadcast was a special filmed in 1973 by Binion's Horseshoe, narrated by Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder. CBS began airing WSOP coverage during the late 1970s.

1980s

During the early 1980s, WSOP was presented as televised specials until ESPN assumed broadcasting duties toward the decade’s end. Initially, coverage consisted of a single one-hour taped broadcast focusing on the Main Event.

1990s

Many broadcasts from the mid-1990s now air on ESPN Classic. Due to absence of "pocket cams," few hole cards were visible during this period. Coverage often featured poker-playing celebrities such as Dick Van Patten and Vince Van Patten alongside tournament officials or pros like Phil Hellmuth. Unlike current productions, there were no pre-recorded player interviews or profiles; commentators typically reported live from inside the casino.

Early 2000s

Between 1999 and 2001, The Discovery Channel aired hour-long summaries of the World Series of Poker rather than live or play-by-play coverage. ESPN resumed broadcasting in 2002, expanding final table coverage into two separate one-hour episodes and introducing what was initially called a "sneak peek," later known as the pocket cam or hole cam.

2003 expansion

In 2003, Fred Christenson secured comprehensive rights for ESPN that greatly broadened WSOP coverage to encompass entire tournaments. This included a "Featured Table" that displayed players’ hole cards and strategic decisions via tape delay. It marked ESPN’s first year covering action prior to the final table stage. The network now broadcasts numerous preliminary events—particularly Texas Hold ’Em—with daily hour-long programs dedicated to the main event. Early circuit event broadcasts were discontinued. Much of this expansion has been driven by Executive Producer Matt Maranz, formerly associated with ESPN football and NBC Olympics coverage.

2004–2020

During 2004 and 2005, ESPN expanded its broadcast scope to cover WSOP preliminary tournaments in addition to the Main Event. The 2006 WSOP introduced comprehensive final table coverage through pay-per-view. In 2008, ESPN launched the delayed final table format, which boosted sponsorship opportunities and audience interaction; this approach was maintained in 2009. To enhance fairness, the WSOP discontinued rebuy events in 2009, featuring 57 bracelet competitions that year and increasing to 58 by 2011.

The 2011 series provided nearly live broadcasts with minimal delay to comply with Nevada Gaming Commission guidelines. Caesars Entertainment streamed all bracelet final tables on a five-minute delay without showing players’ hole cards, while ESPN broadcasted 36 hours of Main Event coverage with a 30-minute delay and final table segments delayed by 15 minutes. The programming was distributed across ESPN2, ESPN, ESPN3, and WSOP.com. ESPN continued its WSOP broadcasts through the 2012 season.

Since 2008, POKER PROductions has been responsible for producing the World Series of Poker Europe, and from 2011 onward, the WSOP itself. Under the leadership of former professional player turned executive producer Mori Eskandani, POKER PROductions developed the live broadcast style that has been standard at WSOP events since 2011. They record WSOP bracelet final tables and Main Events for PokerGO, a subscription-based video-on-demand platform holding exclusive broadcast rights for the WSOP since 2017, with select tournaments also featured on PokerGO.

2021–present

Beginning in 2021, CBS Sports Network assumed the role of official television partner for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) through a multi-year contract with PokerGO. This agreement included a commitment to air 15 hours of Main Event coverage alongside an additional 36 hours from selected gold bracelet tournaments. PokerGO President Mori Eskandani confirmed that veteran WSOP commentators Lon McEachern and Norman Chad would return, supported by Ali Nejad, David Tuchman, and Jeff Platt.

Live streaming for the 2021 WSOP was exclusively available on PokerGO starting October 4, featuring 36 consecutive days of live coverage encompassing over 20 events during the tournament’s 52nd edition. For the first time in history, the entire WSOP Main Event was broadcast live from beginning to end on PokerGO’s platform.

WSOP broadcasters

• 1973 (special) – Jimmy Snyder
• 1978 (CBS) – Brent Musburger and Jimmy Snyder
• 1979 (CBS) – Frank Glieber and Jimmy Snyder
• 1981 (special) – Curt Gowdy
• 1983 (special) – Curt Gowdy
• 1987 (special) – Ted Robinson
• 1988–1992 (ESPN) – Chris Marlowe
• 1993–1995 (ESPN) – Dick Van Patten and Jim Albrecht
• 1996 – No televised coverage
• 1997 (ESPN) – Gabe Kaplan and Jim Albrecht
• 1998 (ESPN) – Vince Van Patten and Jim Albrecht
• 1999–2001 (The Discovery Channel)
• 2002 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern and Gabe Kaplan; ESPN Latin America – Gabriela Hill
• 2003–2005 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern and Norman Chad; ESPN Latin America – Gabriela Hill and Andrés Agulla
• 2006–2007 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad, Phil Gordon, Ali Nejad; ESPN Latin America – Gabriela Hill, Andrés Agulla, Fernando Álvarez
• 2008–2010 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern and Norman Chad; ESPN3 & ESPN Deportes – James Hartigan, Phil Hellmuth, Georgina Ruiz Sandoval, Fernando Álvarez
• 2011 (ESPN/ESPN2 & 3 LIVE) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad, Kara Scott, David Tuchman
• 2012–2016 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad, Antonio Esfandiari, Kara Scott, Phil Laak, Phil Hellmuth
• 2017 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad, Antonio Esfandiari, Joe Stapleton, Phil Hellmuth, David Tuchman, Kara Scott
• 2018–2019 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad; joined by Jamie Kerstetter and Kara Scott in 2019
• 2020 (ESPN) – Lon McEachern, Jamie Kerstetter, Jeff Platt
• 2021–present (PokerGO/CBS Sports) – Lon McEachern, Norman Chad; with Maria Ho, Jamie Kerstetter, Ali Nejad, Jeff Platt in 2021; Jamie Kerstetter in 2022; primary commentators for 2023 and 2024 are McEachern and Chad

Marketing

The WSOP collaborates with corporate sponsors and licensed product manufacturers who pay for the privilege to promote themselves as official partners or licensees, utilizing the WSOP logo and engaging in mutual event promotion. Beyond the hosting casino and ESPN, prominent sponsors have included brands such as Jack Links Beef Jerky, Miller Brewing's Milwaukee's Best beer, Pepsi's SoBe Adrenaline Rush energy drink, Helene Curtis's Degree deodorant, United States Playing Card Company's Bicycle Pro Cards, Bluff Magazine, GlaxoSmithKline/Bayer's Levitra erectile dysfunction treatment, and The Hershey Company.

Among the licensees are Glu Mobile and Activision, which have released WSOP-branded video games on platforms including Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC, featuring poker professionals like Chris Ferguson. Other licensed merchandise encompasses chip sets, playing cards, handheld games, and apparel. Copag Cards supplies the official playing cards, while Excalibur Electronics, Inc., headquartered in Miami, Florida, has been the principal chip licensee since 2005.

DVD releases

ESPN launched DVD collections of the WSOP Main Event for the years 2003 and 2004.

Video games

The World Series of Poker video game debuted in 2005 across various consoles and PC. It was followed by a sequel in 2006 titled World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champions, with World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets released in 2007. Additionally, WSOP-themed video poker machines featuring a bonus Texas Hold 'em mode are available at select Harrah's casino locations.

WSOP Poker Academy

Introduced by Harrah's in 2007, the World Series of Poker Academy provides poker instruction designed to prepare players for competing for WSOP bracelets. The faculty includes distinguished professionals such as Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer, Scott Fischman, Mark Kroon, Mark Seif, Alex Outhred, along with former FBI interrogator Joe Navarro. Initial academy sites were established in Tunica, Mississippi; Indiana; and Las Vegas.

WSOP online

In September 2009, Harrah's formed a partnership with Dragonfish—the business-to-business division of 888 Holdings—to offer its online gaming services. This platform launched in the United Kingdom later that year, allowing UK players to participate with real money. Within the United States, real-money online poker is currently permitted only in Delaware, Nevada, and New Jersey.

See also

• Poker After Dark
• National Heads-Up Poker Championship
• High Stakes Poker

External links

• An in-depth history of the WSOP