WORLD SERIES OF POKER MAIN EVENT STARTS

(188) (30-jul-06)

8,000 or more entrants and a possibly $12 million winner's cheque make this the big one in world poker

The $10 000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em main event in this year's 37th World Series of Poker started Friday afternoon in Vegas at the Amazon Convention Center at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino with a giant prize pool reported to be in excess of $72 million.
 
Up to 8 000 entrants - a new record - have either ponied up the $10 000 entry fee or are being sponsored by numerous online poker companies that have been running satellite tournaments over the past few months with WSOP seats as prizes. In the cavernous convention centre hall hundreds of tables have been set up to accommodate the thousands of players, every one of them hoping to win the massive $10 to $12 million main prize, or at least finish "in the money".
 
In this truly massive uber-tournament which started on June 25 there are 45 events in which some 36 000 (another new record) players from around the globe have participated or will join the action before the end of the series, looking for a share in the estimated total prize pool for all events of well over $120 million.  The individual event final tables have made $100 000 paychecks commonplace and $600 000 + winner's prizes unremarkable.
 
38 of the planned 45 events have already been completed, paying out a total so far of $73 million in prize money with 7 events still to be played.
 
With squads of international and US journalists present and scores of television cameras covering the events, the World Series of Poker games, and none more so than the final, are received extensive media coverage all around the world, creating instant millionaires and poker stars alike.
 
In the Main Event now underway, up to 2 000 players a day will play until 800 remain after each session. On Tuesday and Wednesday next week, the 3 200 surviving players will compete until the field has been whittled down to 1 400.  There will then be a one-day break before the remaining 1 400 competitors play on a daily basis beginning August 4 until 9 survivors are left for the final table on August 10. Each of those final nine players will walk away from the final table at least a dollar millionaire.