One event that was scheduled for Biloxi, Mississippi, was canceled after the Grand Casino Biloxi, which was scheduled to host the event, suffered major damage from Hurricane Katrina. ĭuring a break in the final table of the 2005 Main Event on July 16, Harrah's announced that eleven properties - including the recently added Bally's and Caesar's properties - would host 2005–06 WSOP Circuit events that started on August 11 in Tunica, Mississippi. Mike Matusow won the first prize of $1 million (US), and all the players at the final table were guaranteed a minimum of $25,000 for the eighth and ninth-place finishers. The 2005 TOC, made up of the top twenty qualifying players at each circuit event, along with the final table from the 2005 Main Event and the winners of nine or more bracelets (Johnny Chan, Doyle Brunson, and Phil Hellmuth) would participate in the revamped TOC at Caesars Palace. In addition to the $10,000 buy-in tournament at each site, qualifying players became eligible for a revamped Tournament of Champions. Starting in 2005, the WSOP began the World Series of Poker Circuit, a satellite series held at Harrah's-owned properties in the United States. Main article: World Series of Poker Circuit The WSOP added a made-for-television $2 million 'freeroll' invitational Tournament of Champions (TOC) event first won by Annie Duke as a 'winner-take-all' event. The final two days of the 2005 WSOP Main Event were held downtown at what is now the MTR-operated 'Binion's' in celebration of the centennial of the founding of Las Vegas. Since 2004 the official sponsor of the World Series of Poker has been the Caesars Entertainment Corporation. In 2004, Harrah's Entertainment (now Caesars Entertainment) purchased Binion's Horseshoe, retained the rights to the Horseshoe and World Series of Poker brands, sold the hotel and casino to MTR Gaming Group, and announced that the 2005 Series events would be held at the Harrah's-owned Rio Hotel and Casino, located just off the Las Vegas Strip. The winner in 1970, Johnny Moss, was elected by his peers as the first 'World Champion of Poker' and received a silver cup as a prize. The format for the Main Event as a freeze-out Texas hold 'em game came the next year. In 1970, the first WSOP at Binion's Horseshoe took place as a series of cash games that included five-card stud, deuce to seven low-ball draw, razz, seven-card stud, and Texas hold 'em. The set of tournaments that the World Series of Poker (WSOP) would evolve into was the brainchild of Las Vegas casino owner and poker player Benny Binion. This inaugural event was won by Crandell Addington. It was an invitational event sponsored by Tom Moore of Castle Hills, Texas, and held at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno. The idea of a World Series of Poker began in 1969 with an event called the Texas Gamblers Reunion. History Johnny Moss, Becky Binion, and Puggy Pearson at the 1974 World Series of Poker. After adopting a hybrid online format in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Series of Poker announced a return to in-person play for the next series in September 2021, in Paradise, Nevada. As of May 2017, the World Series of Poker has done away with the November Nine concept and instead gone back to the old format of crowning the Main Event winner in July. The 20 Main Event final tables commenced in October because of the United States presidential election. However, starting in 2008, the Main Event final table was delayed until November.

Events traditionally take place during one day or over several consecutive days during the series in June and July. However, in recent years, over half of the events have been variants of Texas hold 'em. Īs of 2020, the WSOP consists of 101 events, with most major poker variants featured. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament, with a set start and stop time, and a winner determined by a secret ballot of the seven players. The World Series of Poker ( WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada and, since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. World Series of Poker Current season, competition or edition:

For the video game, see World Series of Poker (video game).

Main event pricing