The World Series of Poker

In 1969, two gambling aficionados, Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey, invited some of the games brightest minds to Reno in what was called the ‘Texas Gamblers Reunion.’ 

Some of the  players who took part in the high stakes cash action were Jimmy ‘The Greek’ Snyder, Doyle ‘Texas Dolly’ Brunson, ‘Amarillo Slim’ Preston, Johnny Moss, Puggy Pearson and Benny Binnion.

That day must have made a lasting impression on Binnion, because the following year he invited them all to his Horseshoe Casino to mirror what was achieved in Reno the year before.

Binnion called the event The World Series of Poker, and 44-years later the event is the biggest, most prestigious and historical poker event in the world.

In 1970, there were only 70-poker tables in the state of Nevada and Benny Binnion's Horseshoe casino didn’t even have a poker room! According to Betfair, the first WSOP Main Event was handed to Johnny Moss without a single card being dealt. Instead, he was nominated as the champion through a vote.      

Moss would go on to win the event twice more in the next five years  - this time playing cards! The event has rarely taken a step backwards as it has moved from the initial field of just seven players to a 2006 peak of 8,773 entrants, that saw Jamie Gold win $12,000,000 – the largest WSOP Main Event prize ever handed out. 

In 2012, the Cirque Du Soleil owner, Guy Laliberte, teamed up with the WSOP to create the first-ever $1 million buy-in event called the Big One for One Drop. Antonio Esfandiari made history by claiming the largest amount ever won at the WSOP when he took $18,346,673 after beating the British pro Sam Trickett heads up.

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