In 2006, a document 8,773 gamers competed in World Collection of Poker’s Foremost Occasion, a high-water mark in poker historical past that was nearly washed away final yr, however fell solely 110 gamers quick.
Espen Jorstad will probably be there to defend his Foremost Occasion title, which is able to nearly actually be larger than final yr. (Picture: WSOP)
That’s 1%, famous Ty Stewart, the WSOP’s Govt Director at yesterday’s on-line press convention, which additionally featured VP of WSOP Jack Effel and Chris Moneymaker, who will rejoice the twentieth anniversary of his inconceivable Foremost Occasion victory tomorrow.
“Final yr, we had been so shut — 110 entries quick, 1% away — so this yr we put plans in place to ensure we received much more progress than 1%,” Stewart stated.
The WSOP brass had been assured a brand new document will probably be set at this yr’s Foremost Occasion, which begins July 3.
Credit score goes to Chris
The entry document was set solely three years after Moneymaker confirmed the world that an newbie who received his approach in on-line for $86 might compete with the best-of-the-best — and win. It triggered the Moneymaker “poker increase,” and with the assistance of ESPN, launched the sport of poker and the WSOP-brand into a standing.
In 2003, the Foremost Occasion introduced in 839. In solely three years, the watermark was set as gamers found on-line poker and its satellites, filling the Rio to the brim. Stewart positioned the credit score straight at Moneymaker’s toes:
“There’ll by no means be one other story, one other second when the unknown newbie from Tennessee waltzed into Vegas with no concern and stared down the most important sharks on the earth in an occasion, on the time, was extra of a ‘members invitational’ and beat them at their very own recreation.
It instantly modified the whole lot and impressed a technology. Chris, after all, had the highlight thrust upon him, and very like Doyle (Brunson), at all times been a gracious gentleman sacrificing his privateness and his time to journey the world selling poker, hoping the sport and its occasion will probably be larger and higher sooner or later.
Subsequently, it’s going to be additional candy once we tally-up entry-number 8,774 this summer time, one thing that’s going to occur this yr, 20 years after Chris lit the match and blew up the trade.”
And the way are they hope to do it? With satellites, after all.
Foremost Occasion ‘Maynia’
For this primary time, the WSOP coordinated a stay satellite tv for pc weekend. Marketed as Main Event Maynia, this weekend could have gamers in 15 casinos attempt to win their approach into the $10,000 Foremost Occasion for as little as $140.
Collaborating casinos within the US:
Let’s get into this @WSOP MAIN EVENT MAYNIA!
♠️Might twenty first Mega Satellite tv for pc | 5pm
$1,175 Purchase-In 1 in 10 win $10k seat & $1,000 money.♥️ Now via Might twentieth $140 step satellites obtainable .
LET’S GO! pic.twitter.com/OoYkMDWsqE
— Harrah’s Pompano Seashore (@HarrahsPompano) May 17, 2023
Worldwide casinos:
On-line companion stepping up
Additionally internationally, WSOP’s companion GGPoker has promised to ship at the least 600 gamers to the Foremost Occasion by way of satellites.
In it’s three home markets of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey/Nevada, Stewart stated near 400 Foremost Occasion packages will probably be received via WSOP.com. He stated 111 will probably be received in simply the “two weeks previous to the event.”
“Our focus has been attempting to get gamers extra entry to qualify from house. Our companion, GGPoker, is properly on its strategy to crushing is dedication to qualify 600 gamers to the Foremost Occasion, regardless of the overlay.”
Take a look at the native shoppers for the schedule, which continuously evolves.
Large bonus if document is damaged
With all these satellites in place, it positive looks like that 1% will probably be stuffed and the entry document will probably be damaged. If it does, Foremost Occasion individuals have the possibility to win a really juicy bonus prize.
If greater than 8,773 payers play within the Foremost Occasion, the WSOP will give one of many gamers entry into the Foremost Occasion for the subsequent 30 years by way of a drawing.
“We speak in regards to the WSOP being ‘The place Goals are Dealt,’” Stewart stated. “In case your dream is to win the World Collection of Poker, there’s a on line casino internet hosting a satellite tv for pc event inside a manageable drive, or a web based website providing assured seats satellites for a lot of the world’s inhabitants, and that’s fairly thrilling as we sit right here lower than two weeks approach from the beginning of the WSOP.”
The WSOP begins its summer poker festival May 30 with the $500 on line casino worker and the $25,000 Excessive Curler six-handed occasions. The Foremost Occasion begins July, and is scheduled to complete July 17.
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