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WORLD SERIES OF POKERFrom One Table to the World Stage

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1970
The Birth of the WSOP
The Birth of the WSOP - 1970 1970 Main Event
Johnny Moss (left) posing with Jack Binion (right) following his win in the inaugural 1970 Main Event.
Poker Legacy Begins

In the late 1960’s, casino magnate Benny Binion aspired to hold an event pitting the best poker players in the world against each other at the poker table. Inspired by similar “invite-only” events that ran at the time, Binion began laying the groundwork for what would eventually become the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Johnny Moss, Chill Willis, Amarillo Slim, Jack Binion, and Puggy Pearson.
(From left to right) Johnny Moss, Chill Willis, Amarillo Slim, Jack Binion, and Puggy Pearson.
The Inaugural WSOP Event

Inviting Johnny Moss, "Amarillo Slim" Preston, Sailor Roberts, Doyle Brunson, Puggy Pearson, Crandell Addington, and Carl Cannon to compete in the inaugural event in 1970, the seven participants played in a no-limit hold’em cash game, and afterwards were tasked with voting on who they thought was the best player.

Famously, the first round of voting resulted in each player voting for themselves. Once requested to vote on who they thought was the second best player in the event, Johnny Moss was selected as the very first WSOP Main Event champion.

The following year, the WSOP Main Event adopted the structure that is still used today, a no-limit hold’em freeze out tournament, and expanded to offer additional events.

1976
The Birth of the Bracelet
first WSOP
The founding partners and players of the first WSOP.
The WSOP’s First Trophy Era

Prior to the introduction of gold bracelets, WSOP event winners received grey trophies for their accomplishment.

since 1976 WSOP event winners
Widely coveted, many poker players will go their whole careers with the sole goal of winning a WSOP bracelet.
The Bracelet Era Begins

In 1976, the WSOP would begin awarding tournament winners gold bracelets, considered by many to be the most prized trophies in all of poker.

2003
Legendary Moments
2003 WSOP Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker.
2003 WSOP Main Event winner Chris Moneymaker.
Chris Moneymaker’s Victory

A recreational poker player who won his $10,000 buy-in through a $86 online satellite tournament, Moneymaker’s Main Event win inspired people around the world to take up the game of poker, triggering the Poker Boom of the early 2000’s.

The next year, Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesar’s Entertainment) would purchase Binion’s Horseshoe, retaining rights to the Horseshoe and the WSOP.

WSOP’s Stage Through the Years
Binion’s Horseshoe1970
Binion’s Horseshoe
The Birthplace of WSOP

The iconic Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas hosted the very first WSOP in 1970. Known for its rich history and vibrant poker culture, this casino laid the foundation for what would become the World Series of Poker, bringing together legendary players and setting the stage for decades of poker excellence.

The Rio2005
The Rio
The Rio, former host property of the WSOP

Moving the WSOP to the Rio Hotel and Casino just off the Las Vegas Strip, the yearly event would take place at the property until 2022, transitioning to the current host properties: Paris and Horseshoe.

During the WSOP’s tenure at the Rio, the event would continue rising in global prominence during an era referred to as the Poker Boom. With record turnouts and the airing of events on ESPN, the WSOP became a fixture in gambling culture that reached players around the world.

Horseshoe & Paris2022
Horseshoe & Paris
The Horseshoe on the Las Vegas Strip

The iconic Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas hosted the very first WSOP in 1970. Known for its rich history and vibrant poker culture, this casino laid the foundation for what would become the World Series of Poker, bringing together legendary players and setting the stage for decades of poker excellence.

During the very first WSOP Main Event in 1970, Benny Binion famously told Doyle Brunson “You know, Doyle, someday we may have a hundred people in this tournament”. Nearly 53 years later, the largest WSOP Main Event in history took place during the second WSOP held at the Horseshoe and Paris in 2023. Surpassing 10,000 total entrants generating a $94 million prize pool, the historic milestone not only reflected what the founders of the WSOP helped create, but how their legacy continues to live on decades later.

2024
A New Chapter for the WSOP
A New Era Begins
A New Era Begins

In 2024, Caesars Entertainment sold the World Series of Poker to GGPoker operator NSUS Group for $500 million.

Helping give rise to the likes of Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, and Phil Hellmuth, the WSOP continues to celebrate the poker players that have contributed to its long legacy, and helps up-in-coming stars build their own every year.