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Even the most casual gambling enthusiast knows that the world of high stakes
poker has been growing by leaps and bounds, and ever since its inception the
World Series of Poker has attracted some of the biggest names in the world of
poker. Every year seems to get bigger and better, and the 2006 World Series of
Poker looks poised to surpass even the high level set by the 2005 event.
The World Series of Poker circuit tournament began back on August 11, 2005,
and it will end with the World Series of Poker tournament starting on June 26.
This years WSOP tournament season features more than twice the number of
events, up from 5 lat year to 12 this year, and providing plenty of excitement
for the world’s best poker players.
The rewards of winning each Main Event on the World Series of Poker tournament
are many, including excellent cash prizes, a beautiful winner’s ring and a
free roll entry in the poker Tournament of Champions. It is no wonder that so
many world class poker players are vying for these prizes.
The World Series of Poker tournament itself will start on June 26 and take
place at the Rio hotel and casino in the gambling Mecca of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The tournament features some 44 separate events, as opposed to the 45 events
held last year.
This year also sees major changes to Event 38, better known as the Main Event.
Harrah’s casino is already gearing up for the 8,000 poker players who are
expected to descend upon its poker tables during the event. The first day of
the Main Event will be split into four different rounds, known as Day 1A, Day
1B, Day 1C and Day 1D. Each of those four rounds will feature 2,000 players.
With an established entry fee of $10,000 for the tournament, the prize pool
for the Main Event could potentially reach a staggering $80,000,000. This
prize pool is even larger than the $52,818,610 reached in the 2005 Main Event.
The Main Event will take place over a period of 13 days, with the final
showdown taking place on August 10.
The first week of play at the Main Event coincides with the World Series of
Poker Lifestyle show, which takes place from July 27 through July 31. The
World Series of Poker Lifestyle show will take place in the 55,000 square foot
Pavilion Convention Center at the Rio, so those attending the show will be
mere steps from the hot poker action taking place under the same roof. Last
year’s show featured some 100 vendors selling all manner of poker magazines,
poker supplies, poker related gifts, and even poker jewelry. In addition, some
of the largest and most well known online poker rooms were in attendance,
giving attendees a look at an exciting alternative to live play.
While many players will attend the 2006 World Series of Poker, and many others
will watch the live action unfold during the weeks of the tournament, only a
fortune few will become champions. These days of course, the rewards of
winning a big name poker tournament can go far beyond the money won at the
tables. These days big name poker players can look forward to product
endorsement deals, lucrative tours, book deals, video game tie-ins,
invitations to future free roll tournaments and many other trappings once
reserved only for sports stars and movie celebrities. Many of the best known
poker players also go on to lucrative partnerships with online poker rooms and
virtual casinos, so the rewards of winning a tournament like the World Series
of Poker can go far beyond the huge bankroll of the tournament.
One recent example of the lucrative nature of the World Series of Poker is the
2005 winner of the Main Event, Joseph Hachem. Mr. Hachem recently announced he
was leaving Australia to move to Beverly Hills, California. The move was in
part sparked by the awesome earning potential of the tournament. As a matter
of fact Joseph Hachem has received so many competing offers he is said to have
retained the William Morris talent agency to help him sort out the best
offers.
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