| When you hear the term, the World Series | | | | the 6 eventually won a World Series |
| of Poker, most people today think about | | | | title). And again, Johnny Moss was |
| ESPN coverage and thousands of people | | | | victorious. |
| all laying down $10,000 to become the | | | | Through the years men became relatively |
| next poker millionaire. The top players | | | | famous by winning the title. Amarillo |
| are cult icons and have turned their | | | | Slim Preston won in 1972. Doyle Brunson |
| fame into small fortunes, hocking chip | | | | won in 1976 and 1977. Stu Ungar won in |
| sets, instructional videos, books, video | | | | 1980, 1981, and later in 1997. And |
| games, and websites. But it hasn't | | | | Johnny Chan won back to back in 1987 and |
| always been that way. | | | | 1988. Chan was later immortalized in the |
| The idea for the World Series began in | | | | movie Rounders. |
| the summer of 1949 when Nicholas "Nick | | | | The size of the tournament changed |
| the Greek" Dandolos approached Binion's | | | | dramatically a couple of times. One |
| Horseshoe owner Benny Binion to set up a | | | | addition that Binion created was a |
| match between Dandolos and the legendary | | | | satellite tournament. These were |
| Texas road gambler, Johnny Moss. Binion | | | | tournaments set up so that players who |
| did so with the stipulation that the | | | | didn't want to put down the full $10,000 |
| game would be played in public view. | | | | buy in, could put up $1000 and play with |
| Crowds gathered at Binion's Horseshoe to | | | | a smaller tournament with 9 other |
| watch this marathon contest that lasted | | | | players with the winner gaining an entry |
| five months with breaks only for sleep. | | | | into the Main Event. This satellite |
| Moss ultimately won an estimated $2 | | | | concept quickly spawned many more |
| million. When "The Greek" lost his last | | | | entrants and other similar ideas (such |
| pot, he arose from his chair, bowed | | | | as larger satellites with an even |
| slightly, and uttered the now-famous | | | | smaller buy in) grew around them. |
| words, "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go." | | | | In 2003, the World Series of Poker took |
| Binion, always a promoter at heart, | | | | a turn. The World Poker Tour had |
| noted that the public had gathered | | | | exploded and ESPN decided to televise |
| outside the casino each day to watch the | | | | the entire main event with hole card |
| game with the fervor of dedicated sports | | | | cams to give the viewers a look into the |
| fans, and he was amazed at the attention | | | | mind of the great players. And an |
| the event had attracted. | | | | unknown with a perfect name came out on |
| However, it wasn't until 1970 that | | | | top. Chris Moneymaker turned the poker |
| Binion decided to re-create this | | | | world upside down with his victory over |
| excitement and stage a battle of poker | | | | the greats of the game. And the poker |
| giants - dubbed the "World Series of | | | | phenomenon was born. |
| Poker" - to determine who would be | | | | In the last few years, many of these |
| worthy of the title "World Champion." He | | | | satellites have begun to take place |
| sent word out to find the best poker | | | | online. The boom of this online |
| players in the country and 38 top pros | | | | satellite system has been a key driver |
| showed up. They played for several days | | | | in the expansion of the WSOP and other |
| mixing different games. In the end, the | | | | poker events. Combined with the |
| decision was democratic in that the | | | | Moneymaker win, the size of the main |
| champion was decided by popular vote. | | | | event has gone from 613 in 2002 to 5619 |
| After the first vote when each gambler | | | | in 2005. |
| voted for himself, Binion changed the | | | | Today, the legacy Benny Binion left the |
| rules so that no man could vote for | | | | poker community ranks as the oldest, |
| himself. Naturally Johnny Moss came out | | | | largest, and most prestigious gambling |
| on top. Thus the WSOP was born. | | | | competition in the world. In 2005, with |
| It wasn't until 1971 that the tournament | | | | 5619 entrants, $7.5 million for first, |
| structure was born. Binion created the | | | | and players from around the world, the |
| freeze out structure where everyone | | | | WSOP has grown from a small gambling |
| would play until one man had all the | | | | convention to an international sporting |
| chips after each put up $10,000. Only 6 | | | | event. |
| men would put up that much money (5 of | | | | |