This "top heavy" distribution is in stark contrast to last year's main event in which just under 37 percent ($22,019,901 of the $59,784,954) was earmarked for the top nine finishers.
Jerry Yang took home 13.8 percent of the total prize money last year while this year's champion can look forward to bagging 14.2 percent of the total prize pool.
To walk away with $100,000 or more in 2007, you had to finish in 81st place, essentially outlasting 98.7 percent of the field, whereas this year you'd need to outlast over 99 percent of the field and place 63rd or better to score that same hundred grand.
Here is a quick snapshot of the last two years.
2008 Main Event
Champion - $9,119,517
Runner Up - $5,790,024
3rd Place - $4,503,352
4th Place - $3,763,515
5th Place - $3,088,012
6th Place - $2,412,510
7th Place - $1,769,174
8th Place - $1,286,672
9th Place - $900,670
2007 Main Event
Champion - $8,250,000 - Jerry Yang
Runner Up - $4,840,981 - Tuan Lam
3rd Place - $3,048,025 - Raymond Rahme
4th Place - $1,852,721 - Alex Kravchenko
5th Place - $1,255,069 - Jon Kalmar
6th Place - $956,243 - Hevad "Rain" Khan
7th Place - $705,229 - Lee Childs
8th Place - $585,699 - Lee Watkinson
9th Place - $525,934 - Philip Hilm
up against the 
of Alex Outhred.
to give Heimowitz the only pair to double to 585,000. Outhred is back to 1.75 million in chips.
.
and Nguyen was ahead. The turn was a 
, and Wilds was in trouble. But the 
sent him to the payout table to start the paperwork necessary for collecting his prize money.
. 
-- and Brewin needed help. But the 
river meant his day was done.
when he made a set on the 
, the river was the 
and the young Brit hit the rail.
and Gordon's ace king high was good. He doubled up to about 1,700,000 through Losev and eliminated Jens Klaning.
