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In a sign that poker may be coming back in a big way, organizers at this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event have proclaimed it to be the 3rd largest in history.
On Monday, 4,262 players took to the felt for Day 1C, the third and final starting day of this year’s Main Event. That brought the total number of entrants up to 7,221. It is the largest since 2010.
The biggest Main Event took place in 2006 prior to regulatory efforts in the US to try and quash Internet poker. Many US-facing online poker sites closed shop as a result while others stopped offering free satellites to the Main Event.
“It’s amazing on all fronts, the third-largest Main Event ever,” tournament director Jack Effel said after announcing the prizepool and payouts. Players seem to agree. “It’s such a great tournament, and I’m really happy to see the number so high,” said bracelet winner Eric Baldwin. “It’s a great field, all the characters really show up for this one, and it’s a fun atmosphere.”
When a winner is determined in just under two weeks, the newly crowned champion will earn $8,150,000. All nine players who make the official final table will take home at least $1,000,000, and the top 1,084 players will make the money. The 1,084 players cashing is also a WSOP Main Event record.
- Ace King, Gambling911.com
