WSOP First Two Events

Today, you would be hard-pressed to find a sports fan who doesn’t know about the World Series of Poker. With the growing popularity of Texas Hold’em over the past decade, many more people are interested in poker. The ensuing popularity has helped the WSOP to transcend into the mainstream, with its events being broadcasted on ESPN. Hundreds of celebrities and athletes converge on its main event, adding to its popularity.

It all started with a few men meeting at the Holiday Hotel and Casino in Reno for the first and only “Texas Gamblers’ Reunion.” Two men can be given credit for the event – Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey. Moore, a Texan, was part-owner of the Holiday Casino, and Vickrey was a gambling insider who had the vision and ambition to plant the seeds for what would become one of the biggest gambling events in the world.

The event took place in 1969. Participants were invited by Moore and Vickrey. Participants included Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Rudy “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone, Benny Binion, Doyle Brunson, “Amarillo Slim” Preston, Johnny Moss, and Puggy Pearson. All the players got to play in high-stakes cash games spread out over many days.

The following year, Moore and Vickrey decided not to have a poker gathering. One of the participants from the Gambler’s Reunion, Benny Binnion, thought the idea wasn’t worth giving up on. In 1970, Binion’s Horseshoe (Binion’s casino) played host to the inaugural World Series of Poker. The event was similar in structure to the Texas Gamblers Reunion, with a group of gamblers gathering for high-stakes poker over a several-day period.

In 1970, there were just 50 poker tables in Las Vegas and 70 tables in all of Nevada. Binion’s Horseshoe, which played host to the first World Series of Poker, did not even have a poker table. There were approximately 30 gamblers who crammed into the small room. The event received little press coverage and no interest outside of Las Vegas. The players would have never imagined they were playing an important part of poker history.

Followers of the World Series of Poker are undoubtedly familiar with the Main Event. Since 1972, the Main Event of the WSOP has been the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold’em tournament. The tournament offers the biggest prize and the winner is generally recognized as poker’s world champion.

The Main Event has been the major draw of the World Series of Poker. In 1970, however, no main event was held. Participants in the first World Series of Poker played in a series of cash games that included five-card stud, deuce to seven low-ball draw, razz, seven-card stud, and Texas hold 'em. The winner of the event, Johnny Moss, did not win a single tournament. He was elected by his peers as the top performer for the event.

Forty years later, poker’s popularity has skyrocketed. As a result, people’s interest in the top poker players has intensified to the same degree. The event is now held in the much more cavernous RIO All-Suites Casino and Hotel. From humble beginnings, the event has turned into a money machine. There are 45 tournaments in all, combining to give out over $100 million in prize money. This makes the WSOP the richest of all sporting events.