The $10 000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em main event in this year's
37th World Series of Poker started Friday afternoon in Vegas at the
Amazon Convention Center at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino with
a giant prize pool reported to be in excess of $72 million.
Up to 8 000 entrants - a new record - have either ponied up the $10
000 entry fee or are being sponsored by numerous online poker companies
that have been running satellite tournaments over the past few months
with WSOP seats as prizes. In the cavernous convention center hall
hundreds of tables have been set up to accommodate the thousands of
players, every one of them hoping to win the massive $10 to $12 million
main prize, or at least finish "in the money".
In this truly massive uber-tournament which started on June 25 there
are 45 events in which some 36 000 (another new record) players from
around the globe have participated or will join the action before
the end of the series, looking for a share in the estimated total
prize pool for all events of well over $120 million. The individual
event final tables have made $100 000 paychecks commonplace and $600
000 + winner's prizes unremarkable.
38 of the planned 45 events have already been completed, paying out
a total so far of $73 million in prize money with 7 events still to
be played.
With squads of international and US journalists present and scores
of television cameras covering the events, the World Series of Poker
games, and none more so than the final, are received extensive media
coverage all around the world, creating instant millionaires and poker
stars alike.
In the Main Event now underway, up to 2 000 players a day will play
until 800 remain after each session. On Tuesday and Wednesday next
week, the 3 200 surviving players will compete until the field has
been whittled down to 1 400. There will then be a one-day break before
the remaining 1 400 competitors play on a daily basis beginning August
4 until 9 survivors are left for the final table on August 10. Each
of those final nine players will walk away from the final table at
least a dollar millionaire.