The World Series of Poker Event is the leading competition of its kind. The tournament is broadcast on TV and mentioned in video games and movies. Each year it seems to take leaps and bounds to grow more than anyone ever predicted. Despite the major exposure that the tournament receives, there is still an air of mystery surrounding it. There are a few tournament facts that not too many people are aware of. Here are five random facts that you probably didn’t know about the World Series of Poker.
1. World Series Used to Be Won Through Ballot
If you are a poker expert or just poker-savvy, then you may know that the very first WSOP event occurred in 1970 and was dominated by Johnny Moss. It was quite a different experience than the WSOP of today and was won through completion of a series of cash games. These included Low-Ball Draw, Razz, Texas Hold’em, Stud, and more. What you likely don’t know is that Moss did not win the WSOP that year because he acquired the most money from playing these games or was the last one eliminated. No, instead, all poker competitors turned a ballot in that had their vote of the best player on it. This means that Moss only won because his competitors deemed him the champion. The traditional golden bracelet was not the prize back then either. Moss received a silver cup instead.
2. The World Series of Poker Bracelets
The WSOP Bracelet is the most sought-after non-monetary prize that a player can win. A bracelet has been handed out to a winner of each event of WSOP since 1976. Jason of Beverly Hills, the jeweler of sports and entertainment stars alike, custom designs these bracelets. He also created the world championship rings for the Lakers and has made custom jewelry for such celebrities as Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry. The WSOP Main Event bracelet features handpicked diamonds, black diamonds, and rubies and is made of 14 karats of gold.
3. The WSOP is Big on Charity
The WSOP has turned into a lot more than just traditional poker event. They’ve expanded into many different poker formats, which don’t necessarily reward bracelets. Many of these alternative events are for charities like the “Ante Up For Africa”. This event hosts a range of celebrity poker players to raise money for Darfur charities. WSOP also hosts an annual World Series of Rock Paper Scissors charity competition, which is hosted by poker champion Phil Gordon.
4. First Non-Professional Player to Win the Main Event
Hal Fowler was the first non-professional poker player to win the Main Event and did so back in 1979. It is said that Fowler could not afford the entry fee, and so Benny Binnion loaned him a portion of the fee so that he could play. Many people think that Fowler’s WSOP win is still the biggest upset in the history of the tournament.
5. It Took 20 Years For a Person Outside the US to Win
It had taken 20 years before a non-American managed to win the WSOP Main Event. Mansour Matloubi from Iran finally broke the American streak in 1990. However, since that time the tournament has become flooded with international champions. In fact, the top 13 players back in the 2011’s Main Event were from ten varying countries. This is the most in the series history to date. Due to its major increase in international interest, WSOP has expanded outside of the US. There are now WSOP Asia, Africa, and Europe events that are regularly held.