Home / Poker News May 2009 / World Series of Poker: Past, Present, and Future
World Series of Poker: Past, Present, and Future
Posted by: James Carter. - Sun, 2009-05-10 15:51
It was a year, and then it was just months, and now it's hardly even weeks until the WSOP begins. In its 40th year, let's see what this landmark event is all about.
The World Series of Poker was born in 1970 and its hometown has always been Las Vegas. Back in that first WSOP it was very different to what we know today – in fact it consisted of just 6 players who convened at the invite of Benny Binion at the Horseshoe Casino. These six players played for a set time at the end of which a secret ballot was drawn to determine the winner; in this case it was Johnny Moss. In 1971 the freeze-out format cash prize finish we know today was established. Still, it took time for the numbers to grow and in fact it wasn't until the 1980s and the introduction of satellite tournaments that the Word Series of Poker started to become a possibility for the masses.
The WSOP in the 2000s is a far cry from those early beginnings; 2005 saw over 23,000 participate and since 2007 there have been 55 events making up the series. 2008 saw a further innovation when the Main Event final table was delayed until November, a format that will be seen again this year.
Some names and events to be remembered from the first 40 years of the World Series of Poker include Stu Ungar, the only three time winner of the Main Event; Phil Hellmuth who has won the most bracelets, had the most cash finishes and appeared at the most final tables; and Crandell Addington who has come in the top 10 of the Main Event eight times over! With mere days left until the 40th year of the WSOP, it will be interesting to see if there'll be any new names to add to the WSOP hall of fame.
