Tournament Director Jack Effel hopped on the mic to get today's participants fired up.
"This is the most exciting day of the year," he said before handing things over to 2018 WSOP Main Event champ John Cynn.
The reigning champ reflected on his past year as champ, gave today's field some encouragement, and then uttered the famous words to officially kick things off.
"With that, I just want to say good luck to everybody and shuffle up and deal!"
The most hopeful day on the poker calendar has arrived!
Today, the first of three starting flights in the 2019 World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event will get underway at 12 noon local time. Players from around the world will compete for the most coveted title in the game, that of World Champion. Anyone with the $10,000 buy-in and a dream could potentially win the life-changing fame and fortune that this truly unique event guarantees every year.
All four tournament rooms – the Amazon, Brasilia, Miranda, and Pavilion – will soon be packed with thousands of people, from fans to dealers, including amateurs, poker pros and everyone inbetween. First timers will compete against legends like Daniel Negreanu, Phil Ivey, Phil Hellmuth, and reigning champion John Cynn.
This year is particularly special as it’s the 50th Annual WSOP, and there is a buzz in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino about just how many players will enter across the entire Day 1. Will we see records broken? Time will tell.
While today marks the first opportunity for players to jump into the action, there will be more over the coming days. Days 1b and 1c will take place at 12 noon on Thursday and Friday respectively, while players also have the option of late registering as long as signed up before the start of either Day 2 flight (11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.)
Last year, the 49th Annual WSOP Main Event was the culmination of a record 78 bracelet events. The Main Event attracted 7,874 players, which made it the second-largest turnout in tournament history behind 2006’s 8,773 players. John Cynn ultimately came out on top after the longest heads-up battle in WSOP history to capture an $8.8 million first-place prize.
More than 7,000 players are expected to participate in the Main Event, while some experts believe it could even cross the 8,000-mark. Early numbers from the 2019 WSOP indicate that it’s possible we see something truly spectacular. Through 66 events, this year's WSOP shattered attendance records as 147,334 entrants have played in WSOP gold bracelet events. In fact, through 66 events, this year’s participation exceeded the first 36 years of the WSOP combined; 147,334 entries versus 602 events from 1970-2005 totaling 125,628 entries.
With 90 events in total, poker has never been bigger at the World Series of Poker and the Main Event is the jewel in the crown of this legendary festival. PokerNews will bring you the drama, excitement, controversy, twists and turns that are associated with this magical event from start to finish as we spend the next fortnight finding out who the 2019 World Champion will be.
In addition to following the action here on PokerNews – which will include feature articles and videos straight from the tournament floor – poker fans can also watch on their TV or tablet.
As part of an ongoing partnership between ESPN and Poker Central, ESPN will telecast at least 40 hours of live WSOP coverage, plus an additional 90 hours of originally produced episodes. Poker Central’s direct-to-consumer service PokerGO will offer exclusive WSOP Main Event coverage that is not broadcast during ESPN windows. Check out PokerGO.com's Live Events page for details about their livestreaming offering.
Once again Lon McEachern and Norman Chad will call the action while Kara Scott returns as a sideline reporter and break desk host.
The planned broadcast schedule of the WSOP Main Event on ESPN/ESPN2 is as follows:
| Date | Air Time (ET) | Network | Event Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, July 3 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1a |
| Thursday, July 4 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1b |
| Friday, July 5 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1c |
| Saturday, July 6 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 2ab |
| Sunday, July 7 | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 2c |
| Monday, July 8 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 3 |
| Tuesday, July 9 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 4 |
| Wednesday, July 10 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 5 |
| 11:30 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 6 | |
| Friday, July 12 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 7 |
| 11:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Day 8 | |
| Sunday, July 14 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN2 | 2019 World Series of Poker Final Table Day 9 |
| Monday, July 15 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Final Table Day 10 |
| Tuesday, July 16 | 9:00 p.m. | ESPN | 2019 World Series of Poker Final Table Day 11 |
* The scheduling including dates, times, and specific events is subject to change. All events will be streamed on a 30-minute delay with hole cards shown per gaming regulations.
At noon, players start with 60,000 in chips. Levels are 120 minutes long throughout with five levels on the schedule for Day 1a. After every level, players have a 20-minute break. The dinner break, 75 minutes long, takes place 85 minutes into Level 2, around 3:45 p.m. to accommodate the live broadcast.
Late registration for this event is open until the start of play on Day 2. Day 1a is expected to wrap up fifteen minutes past midnight.
| Level | Estimated Start | Duration | Small Blind | Big Blind | Big Blind Ante |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12:00 p.m. | 120 minutes | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| 2:00 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 2 | 2:20 p.m. | 85 minutes | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| 3:45 p.m. | 75-minute dinner break | ||||
| 5:00 p.m. | 35 minutes | 200 | 300 | 300 | |
| 3 | 5:35 p.m. | 120 minutes | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| 7:35 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 4 | 7:55 p.m. | 120 minutes | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| 9:55 p.m. | 20-minute break | ||||
| 5 | 10:15 p.m. | 120 minutes | 300 | 600 | 600 |
Players to survive today return to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino Saturday, July 6, 2018, to play another five levels on Day 2ab PokerNews will be there the entire day with live updates from around the convention center of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
While the World Series of Poker Main Event is just about to get underway, a plethora of events are already in the books.
The 2019 World Series of Poker kicked off May 29 with the $500 Employees Event and the poker circus won't leave town before July 16 with the crowning of a winner in Event #89: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em. There are actually 90, and not 89, events this year. Event #90, a $50,000 High Roller, was added to the schedule when the WSOP was already underway and will be played July 8 through 10.
So far, 72 events have started with the majority already in the books. Robert Campbell is the only two-time winner so far this year. He won $144,027 in the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw defeating a field of 467 players, and yesterday added $385,763 and another gold bracelet triumphing over 150 others in the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship.
Femi Fashakin had to overcome the biggest field to win his bracelet so far this summer. He beat a field of 28,371 players to take home $1,147,449 in the BIG 50, a $500 no-limit hold'em event; the biggest live tournament in the history of the game. Phillip Hui took home a comparably sized $1,099,311, but he "only" had to defeat 73 others to take home the gold. He, however, had to wager $50,000 and take on some of the best players in the world as his bracelet cam in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
67 bracelets have been rewarded so far. Seven of them became instant millionaires. Nicholas Haynes ($62,248 for winning the $500 Employees event), Yuval Bronshtein ($96,278 for winning the $1,500 2-7), and Eli Elezra ($93,766 for winning the $1,500 Stud) are the only ones taking home a five-figure score for their win, all the other events boasted six-figure first-place prizes.
Millions in prize money have been rewarded, hundreds of thousands of hands have been dealt. Take a look at all the results up until now. You can click on the year for PokerNews Live Reporting of the event. Clicking the winner's name leads you to the PokerNews (final table) recap of the event.
The World Series of Poker began as an idea hatched in Texas gambler Benny Binion’s mind to promote his casino.
In 1970, a small group of Texas rounders gathered at Binion’s for ten days playing for high stakes in games like five-card draw, 2-7 lowball, seven-card stud, razz, and no-limit hold’em. Players voted on the winner at the end of the gathering; Texan and future Poker Hall of Fame member Johnny Moss was honored as the best.
By 1972, no-limit hold’em became the premier game and the $10,000 buy-in tournament that players now know as the WSOP Main Event was introduced.
The World Series of Poker has grown to enormous proportions with numerous preliminary events. The championship bracelet, introduced by Binion in 1976, has become the ultimate trophy in poker. Owning one or more has become the litmus test for poker greatness. The series has even expanded beyond Las Vegas with numerous circuit and bracelet events around the country and the world.
For an indepth look at the WSOP's history, check out this five-part series by Martin Harris:
Binion surely couldn’t have imagined the reach that the game would get since his showcase began in 1970. The World Series of Poker is the largest, richest, and most prestigious gaming event in the world.
Here's a look at all the winners since the tournament's inception: Clicking the year will lead you to PokerNews Live Reporting of the event, clicking the winner's name takes you to the PokerNews final table recap of the event.
| Year | Entries | Champion | Country | Winning Hand | Prize | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7 | Johnny Moss | United States | - | - | |
| 1971 | 6 | Johnny Moss | United States | - | $30,000 | |
| 1972 | 8 | Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston | United States |   | $80,000 | |
| 1973 | 13 | Walter "Puggy" Pearson | United States |   | $130,000 | |
| 1974 | 16 | Johnny Moss | United States |   | $160,000 | |
| 1975 | 21 | Brian "Sailor" Roberts | United States |   | $210,000 | |
| 1976 | 22 | Doyle Brunson | United States |   | $220,000 | |
| 1977 | 34 | Doyle Brunson | United States |  | $340,000 | |
| 1978 | 42 | Bobby Baldwin | United States |   | $210,000 | |
| 1979 | 54 | Hal Fowler | United States |  | $270,000 | |
| 1980 | 73 | Stu Ungar | United States |   | $385,000 | |
| 1981 | 75 | Stu Ungar | United States |   | $375,000 | |
| 1982 | 104 | Jack Straus | United States | | $520,000 | |
| 1983 | 108 | Tom McEvoy | United States |  | $540,000 | |
| 1984 | 132 | Jack Keller | United States |  | $660,000 | |
| 1985 | 140 | Bill Smith | United States | | $700,000 | |
| 1986 | 141 | Berry Johnston | United States | | $570,000 | |
| 1987 | 152 | Johnny Chan | United States | (born in China) |  | $625,000 |
| 1988 | 167 | Johnny Chan | United States | (born in China) |  | $700,000 |
| 1989 | 178 | Phil Hellmuth | United States |  | $755,000 | |
| 1990 | 194 | Mansour Matloubi | Iran |   | $895,000 | |
| 1991 | 215 | Brad Daugherty | United States |  | $1,000,000 | |
| 1992 | 201 | Hamid Dastmalchi | Iran |   | $1,000,000 | |
| 1993 | 220 | Jim Bechtel | United States | | $1,000,000 | |
| 1994 | 268 | Russ Hamilton | United States | | $1,000,000 | |
| 1995 | 273 | Dan Harrington | United States |   | $1,000,000 | |
| 1996 | 295 | Huck Seed | United States | | $1,000,000 | |
| 1997 | 312 | Stu Ungar | United States | | $1,000,000 | |
| 1998 | 350 | Scotty Nguyen | United States | (born in Vietnam) | | $1,000,000 |
| 1999 | 393 | Noel Furlong | Ireland |   | $1,000,000 | |
| 2000 | 512 | Chris Ferguson | United States | | $1,500,000 | |
| 2001 | 613 | Carlos Mortensen | Spain | (born in Ecuador) |  | $1,500,000 |
| 2002 | 631 | Robert Varkonyi | United States | | $2,000,000 | |
| 2003 | 839 | Chris Moneymaker | United States | | $2,500,000 | |
| 2004 | 2,576 | Greg Raymer | United States |  | $5,000,000 | |
| 2005 | 5,619 | Joe Hachem | Australia |  | $7,500,000 | |
| 2006 | 8,773 | Jamie Gold | United States | | $12,000,000 | |
| 2007 | 6,358 | Jerry Yang | United States | (born in Laos) |  | $8,250,000 |
| 2008 | 6,844 | Peter Eastgate | Denmark |  | $9,152,416 | |
| 2009 | 6,494 | Joe Cada | United States | | $8,547,042 | |
| 2010 | 7,319 | Jonathan Duhamel | Canada | | $8,944,310 | |
| 2011 | 6,865 | Pius Heinz | Germany | | $8,715,638 | |
| 2012 | 6,598 | Greg Merson | United States |  | $8,531,853 | |
| 2013 | 6,352 | Ryan Riess | United States | | $8,361,570 | |
| 2014 | 6,683 | Martin Jacobson | Sweden |  | $10,000,000 | |
| 2015 | 6,420 | Joe McKeehen | United States | | $7,683,346 | |
| 2016 | 6,737 | Qui Nguyen | United States | (born in Vietnam) |  | $8,005,310 |
| 2017 | 7,221 | Scott Blumstein | United States |  | $8,150,000 | |
| 2018 | 7,874 | John Cynn | United States | | $8,800,000 |
* Lead image courtesy of Wikimedia Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Event #73: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship
Day 1a Started
