Las Vegas Weekly

July 9, 2010 · 2:28 PM

WSOP Main Event winner will walk away with nearly $9 million

By Robin Leach

Joe Cada celebrates after winning the 2009 World Series of Poker at The Rio.

Photo: WSOP/Harrah's

Experts feared that the slowing global economy, weakened overseas currencies and the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act would severely affect this year’s Main Event at the 41st Annual World Series of Poker at The Rio.

In fact, it’s the second-largest field ever, with 7,319 players taking part, and that results in a prize pool of $68,798,600. The ultimate winner of the $10,000 No Limit Hold’ Em World Championship receives $8,944,138. It may be the only sport in the world that’s recession proof!

Participants were so numerous that the first four days were counted as Day 1 and the next two days counted as Day Two. Next week, the six days of play will result in seating the Final Nine players by Thursday. Then they return Nov. 7 to Caesars Palace for three days of play, with the winner being crowned Nov. 10.

Among the stars spotted at the tables yesterday were Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Tobey Maguire, Hank Azaria, Jerome Bettis, Robert Iler, Jennifer Tilly, Shannon Elizabeth, Shanna Moakler and Trishelle Cannatella, as well as pro poker princes Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth.

The 41st Annual WSOP set new records, with poker enthusiasts from 117 nations who traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the game’s grandest spectacle. While most live poker tournaments this year posted anemic results, WSOP reported a record 72,966 entries in 57 events, creating the largest prize pool in WSOP history: $187,109,850.

The new all-time high in entrants is a 20 percent increase over last year’s record of 60,875. This year’s record prize pool also eclipsed the previous high of $180,774,427, set in 2008, by 3.5 percent. For the third consecutive year, WSOP generated a total prize pool in excess of $100 million and attracted players from more than 100 nations. There were 115 countries represented last year.

During the 41-year history of WSOP, the prestigious tournament has awarded a mind-blowing $1.2 billion in prize money, $1,228,375,121 to be exact.

The youngest player in this year’s WSOP is John May, who played Day 1D of the Main Event a day after his 21st birthday. The oldest player to participate in this year’s WSOP -- or in any WSOP -- is 97-year-old Jack Ury, who also played Day 1D.

“By every measure, this was the most successful World Series of Poker in the event’s illustrious 41-year history,” said WSOP Vice President Ty Stewart. “From the lowest buy-in events to the highest, we saw enormous player demand translate into lengthy registration lists and massive prize pools. As the WSOP Main Event progresses, we’re looking forward to creating several new multimillionaires.”

The 2010 WSOP has hosted nine of the 17 largest tournaments in live poker history.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

Share This