History of the World Series Of Poker
Changes Of The World Series Of Poker – WSOP Through The Years
The official history of the World Series of Poker or WSOP began at the Binion's Horseshoe Casino in the year of 1970. The original beginning of the poker tournament however can be traced as far back as the year of 1949. The casino owner named Benny Binion put the first unofficial event together. There were several different cash games that were played in that first game by such players as “Nick the Greek” Dandolos and Johnny Moss. These two went head to head in a variety of games that led the event to extend over a 5-month period. “Nick the Greek” was finally overtaken by Moss, and it is claimed that he took home the winnings of two million dollars.
Even though there wasn't exactly an event that you could call a main event that was held, the idea for the WSOP was put in motion in 1969 when Tom Moore held “The Texas Gamblers Reunion” which was basically a get together amongst the who's who of the gamers in the gambling world. This reunion was held in Reno at the Holiday Hotel that Moore had bought. There were well-known names that attended such as Jack and Benny Binion, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Moss, Amarillo Slim Preston, Treetop Straus, Aubrey Day, “Corky” McCorquodale , Minnesota Fats, and several others.
Binion finally decided to open up a poker room in his casino in May of 1970, and he spread the news of its opening. It didn't take any time at all before you began to see all the top names in poker beginning showing up. Among the guests were the well-known Titanic Thompson and Minnesota Fats. This night didn't quite seem to catch the interest of the general public however.
After a Los Angeles Times feature writer suggested a few changes to the new event in progress of the World Series of Poker, in 1971 the interest of the event was spiked up a notch to include some real challenge among the players to get some real action going. Action is exactly what took place, along with some excitement to get the blood pumping! There were 6 players who forked over their $5,000 to buy in, securing their spot to take home the pot. In the end, Johnny Moss would earn his spot in history, ultimately becoming the 1971 World Series of Poker titleholder and the winner of $30,000.
When 1980 came around, the prize pool for first place had grown to a whopping $385,000.
On Christmas day of 1989, Benny Binion passed away. Harrah's Entertainment then bought Binion's Horseshoe Casino when it was shut down in 2004, and renamed it Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel. This would be the final year that the World Series of Poker would be held in its originating birthplace that it had been played in for the past several years.
To date, the World Series of Poker is held in different locations owned by Harrah's throughout the United States , and enjoyed by millions. .