50 Years of The World Series of Poker

50 Years of The World Series of Poker

To celebrate the 50th Annual World Series of Poker, the team at Casino.org decided to put together a complete timeline of its history. Although the WSOP’s official debut was in 1970, the idea behind it all began a couple of decades before with a poker marathon at Binion’s Horseshoe in Las Vegas. Today, Benny Binion is still remembered for creating one of the most prestigious gaming competitions in the world.

Decades

  • image description

    1949

    Poker marathon organized by Benny Binion between Nicholas “Nick the Greek” Dandolos and Johnny Moss. They played for five months straight all in the public view at Binion's Horseshoe casino, which attracted a lot of attention.

  • image description

    1969

    Texas Gamblers Reunion. Tom Moore and Vic Vickrey organized the event in Reno, with top-tier poker players competing in several high-stakes cash games spread over several days. Binion combined this with previous experience of the poker marathon as inspiration to create a new poker tournament.

  • image description

    1970

    First ever World Series of Poker event. Some of the best players in the country competed but Johnny Moss was voted the winner.

  • image description

    1973

    CBS Sports televised WSOP for the first time.

  • image description

    1978

    The Main Event's prize money was divided among the top five finishers for the first time.

  • image description

    1978

    Barbara Freer was the first woman to ever enter the WSOP.

  • image description

    1979

    Hal Fowler was the first amateur player to win.

  • image description

    1982

    The WSOP expanded to 11 preliminary events, including a Ladies World Championship and a $10,000 buy-in Main Event.

  • image description

    1983

    First satellite events to fill the seats of the event with everyday poker players.

  • image description

    1989

    Benny Binion died on Christmas day, leaving his son Jack to continue the acceleration of the WSOP.

  • image description

    1990

    Mansour Matloubi, an Iranian expat living in England, became the first non-American to win the championship.

  • image description

    1991

    The prize hit $1 million for the first time and the main event attracted over 200 players.

  • image description

    1999-2002

    Boycotts of WSOP. Controversies hit the headlines and Jack Binion was excluded after family feuds.

  • image description

    2002

    First use of “sneak peak”, later called the pocket cam or hole cam.

  • image description

    2003

    Chris Moneymaker, an online poker player who earned his seat at the table with PokerStars, won the event, $2.5 million, and forever changed the face of poker - online and offline. The David-and-Goliath story was captured in full detail thanks to increased ESPN coverage that year.

  • image description

    2004

    Binion's Horseshoe was sold out to Harrah's Entertainment, including the rights to the World Series of Poker.

  • image description

    2005

    The WSOP moved to the RIO All-Suites Casino and Hotel. More space meant more tournaments and bigger prize pools.

  • image description

    2005

    First WSOP-themed video game released. WSOP video poker machines appeared at some Harrah's casinos.

  • image description

    2005

    The World Series of Poker Circuit launched, as a build up to the WSOP and offered smaller tournaments outside of Las Vegas.

  • image description

    2007

    The World Series of Poker Europe was created and, for the first time, a WSOP bracelet was awarded outside of Las Vegas.

  • image description

    2015

    Launch of WSOP International Circuit, with events in Europe, Africa, South America and more. The two winners of each WSOP Circuit stop automatically qualified for the season-end championship.