If you’ve been playing poker for a while, you’ve probably heard of an annual tournament called the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and for a good reason. The WSOP is kind of a big deal in the poker universe. It’s considered the most prestigious poker tournament in the world, and it attracts some of the best players from all over.
Beyond its scale and prestige, here are 10 other interesting facts you might like to know about the WSOP.
1) It’s a multi-day, multi-event tournament.
The WSOP comprises not just one but multiple tournaments held over several weeks. Hundreds of poker games are played at the WSOP, with different events happening simultaneously throughout the tournament. Such games include a variety of poker variants, including Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, and Texas Hold Em, which is the format played at the final, main event.
2) It’s open to anyone willing to pay the entry fee.
You don’t have to be a professional poker player or a high roller to compete in the WSOP. As long as you’re of legal gambling age and are willing to pay the entry fee, you can play. Many amateurs have gone on to win some of the WSOP’s biggest tournaments.
3) It started small—really small.
When Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas, first conceived of the WSOP in 1970, it was a much smaller affair than it is today. The city had less than 50 poker tables at the time, and 30 or so poker players crammed inside a space no bigger than a hotel room to watch the first WSOP tournament.
The match that inspired Binion to launch the WSOP was an even smaller affair. In 1969, poker aficionados Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey invited a select group of players to compete at the first and only Texas Gamblers Reunion in Reno. This group included Binion and Johnny Moss and Thomas Austin “Amarillo Slim” Preston, two poker pros who would go on to win the WSOP multiple times.
4) WSOP champions take home a coveted gold bracelet.
Since 1976, the WSOP has awarded a gold bracelet to each tournament winner. These bracelets are now highly coveted prizes in the poker world, symbolizing poker greatness. Many professional players aspire to win one (or multiple) WSOP bracelets in their careers. Some of the best poker players today have several bracelets to their name. These include Phil Hellmuth, who currently has 16 WSOP bracelets, and Phil Ivey and Johnny Chan, who both own 10.
Before 1976, WSOP winners received a silver plate or, in its earlier years, a “corny trophy” to signify their victory.
5) The main event is the highlight of the WSOP.
The main event, a no-limit Texas Hold Em tournament, is the largest and most prestigious tournament of the WSOP. It’s considered the centerpiece of the entire series and attracts many of the best poker players worldwide.
The buy-in for the main event is $10,000, making it one of the most expensive poker tournaments to enter. However, the prize money is also significant. In recent decades, main event players have won as much as $10,000,000 to $12,000,000.
6) It’s held in Las Vegas every year.
The WSOP has been held in Las Vegas annually since 1970. The tournament is now synonymous with the city, becoming a major attraction for poker fans worldwide.
7) It has satellite tournaments.
Due to the WSOP’s popularity, organizers launched the WSOP Circuit, a series of satellite tournaments at different casinos worldwide. These tournaments allow players to win their way into the main event.
The WSOP Circuit was first introduced in 2005. By 2015, it had expanded into the WSOP International Circuit, with tournaments held in Canada, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
8) It also has an online leg.
The focus shifted to online WSOP games and tournaments at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The WSOP Circuit Online runs a series of competitions on the WSOP site and partner poker platforms like {[GGPoker}}, the world’s largest poker room, to give players from around the world a chance to compete in the tournament and win official WSOP prizes.
9) You can win free WSOP chips.
You can win as much as a million free WSOP chips when you download and create an account on the official World Series of Poker app. You can collect more free chips by logging into your account once daily, inviting friends, completing daily missions, and participating in bonus games on the app. If you follow the WSOP’s official social media, you can also score bonus codes that you can use for free chips.
These freebies are a great way to boost your poker bankroll and get you ready for some WSOP action.
10) You can buy directly into the main event.
While most players try to win a seat in the WSOP main event by participating in satellite tournaments or online qualifiers, some choose to buy their way into the $10,000 competition. This is known as direct buy-in, and it’s available to anyone who has the cash on hand.
With the increased popularity of poker in recent years, the WSOP has grown even bigger than it already was. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament thrived with its online variations. It continues to be one of the most highly anticipated events in the poker world and will continue to delight players for many years to come.
We hope this list has given you a better understanding of the WSOP and gotten you excited for the annual tournament. For more information on WSOP games and events, you can sign up for an account on GGPoker. The site has a dedicated page for WSOP news and updates, so you don’t miss a beat.