Hey! I'm Kyle and I'm most definitely not a poker player. Up until last week I really didn't know what the rules of poker were. I knew people wore sunglasses and tried to bluff, but that's pretty much it.
So when the team at The World Series of Poker invited me to take a look at the fierce competition in Las Vegas, you know I had to check it out. Spanning over several weeks, and thousands of players, I really didn't know what to expect. But here are just some of the shocking things I learned:
1. Over 200,000 people play in the series every year. Everyday people show up to register and play in daily tournaments that happen throughout the eight-week series, leading up to the "Main Event" where the big money is awarded.
2. First place cash prizes can range from more than $75,000 for some of the smaller tournaments to $10 million for first place in the Main Event. In total, there are 99 events where over $400,000 in prize money is awarded. That's a lot of moola!
3. You can "buy-in" for as low as $300 which amazed me. That means regular Joe Schmo could show up, register with $300, and walk away with a life changing amount of money. IF you know how to play poker, of course. Most of the tournaments have a buy-in of $500 while the Main Event will cost you $10,000.
4. It's uncomfortably quiet. When I first entered the venue at Paris Las Vegas I was amazed at the thousands of people sitting down and playing – in complete silence. Sure, there's a bit of chatter here and there, but the loudest thing you'll probably hear is the sound of chips being played with.
5. It's the largest and longest convention in the world. It takes place in large conference rooms at Paris Las Vegas and The Horseshoe Las Vegas dead centre strip and can last up to eight weeks!
6. People sit at the poker tables for so long they have roaming massage therapists who are ready to jump into action on that knot in your lower back at a moment's notice. Just make sure you leave a nice little tip.
7. Just because you enter one of the tournaments doesn't mean you actually have a chance to win money. It can take you several days to progress through one of the tournaments and be "in the money". Once you cross that threshold, only then do you have a chance to win money – if you play well.
8. It's complete and utter chaos, but also amazingly organized. For the amount of people that come in and out of those doors, and the amount of money that is traded between the house and players – it's shockingly well run. If I knew how to play poker, I'd be happy doing it here.
9. That being said when a bathroom break is called, it can get a little bit hairy. The entire hall empties out in a matter of seconds, and while I didn't personally take part, I can only assume the plumbing takes a beating.
10. The $10 hot dog stand is the most popular attraction in terms of food and literally "prints money" for the casino and the tournament. Why? Because breaks are short, and you need to eat pretty quickly and efficiently.
11. In most casinos, playing card games and drinking alcohol go hand in hand 🤝 but not at the World Series of Poker. Most players like to have their full wits about them while competing for that cold hard cash, so they spend most of their time drinking coffee, tea, and Red Bull. They are also not allowed to smoke on the floor, which is not normal in most Vegas casinos.
12. Not only is money and bragging rights up for grabs, so are bracelets! Each tournament winner takes home a "small" WSOP gold bracelet worth thousands, while the winner of the Main Event takes home this monstrosity worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. It contains more than 1,900 diamonds, and more than 2,250 precious gemstones including onyx and ruby.
13. The tournament can be a hotbed for celebrities. Previous players have included Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Ray Romano, Edward Norton, and Toby Maguire.
Share This Article
Comments