H O L D ’ E M H I S T O R Y
O F
Phil Hellmuth still holds the record for most amount of WSOP bracelet wins – 13
For the first time viewers at home could see how the pros played and it sparked a surge of interest in the game
The popularity of no-limit hold’em grew as TV coverage of the WSOP was introduced in the 80s and 90s. But the game would probably have remained a minority interest if it weren’t for the introduction of hole-card cameras in a British TV show called Late Night Poker in the late 90s. For the first time viewers at home could see how the pros played and it sparked a surge of interest in the game. While TV viewers had previously had to guess at whether a particular player had the nuts or was pulling an audacious bluff, they now had the information right in front of them. It allowed those watching to learn from professionals, giving them an opportunity to work out players’ thought processes when making certain situationdependant moves.
Moneymaker effect
The show was broadcast in the US on PBS and the concept was taken on board by the producers of the World Poker Tour TV show, which became a huge TV hit in the US. The WPT began in 2002, with its first season offering a $25,000 buy-in
1997
Ungar becomes ‘The Comeback Kid’ by winning a third Main Event
www.EverestPoker.com
1999
Late Night Poker introduces the revolutionary hole-card cams
world championship finale and ten lead-up events with buy-ins ranging from $500 (with rebuys) to $10,000. A roaring success, the WPT is now in its eighth season, playing host to 15 side events as well as the established $25,000 WPT Championship event. Alongside all this was the rise of online poker, which began in 1999 to little general interest. By 2001, though, it was a booming business with thousands of players taking to the game of no-limit hold’em and tournaments in particular. And the internet sites were quick to capitalise on the success of the WPT in the US, advertising on the show and seeing players flock online as a result. The game everyone wanted to play was the adrenaline fuelled no-limit hold’em game. The true turning point for the game came in 2003, when the aptly named Chris Moneymaker, a previously unknown player, won a $39 satellite qualifier for a $10,000 seat at the WSOP Main Event. He promptly went on to shock everyone by winning the big one for a $2.5m payday. The widely-televised story of an everyday guy turning the kind of cash most people carry around in their wallet, into millions of dollars, through a simple game of cards captured the imagination of millions of players. Online poker sites exploded with sign-ups, as the ‘Moneymaker effect’ kicked in.
Strength to strength
Lightning struck twice in 2004 when another internet qualifier, Greg Raymer, defeated David Williams to take down the Main Event for $5m. Raymer had also qualified online, having won his seat in a $160 satellite. Following this an unprecedented number of new players signed up online and tried their hand at not only making a little money as a hobby, but also chasing the dream realised by the likes of Moneymaker and Raymer. WSOP field sizes – both for the Main Event and side events – ballooned with the peak in 2006, when a staggering 8,773 entrants took part in the Main Event, contributing to a record-breaking $82.5m prize pool. Jamie Gold took down the biggest tournament in World Series history for an eye-watering $12m. Numbers have fallen since, but the drop-off has largely been attributed to law changes in the US that prevented large amounts of players
2003
Chris Moneymaker wins the Main Event and the online boom begins