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By Dan Phelps
The World Series of Poker, hosted at the Binion's Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas, is a 38-day event featuring a wide variety of poker games ranging from Seven Card Stud to Omaha Hold'em. The biggest and most popular of the 35 different card games is No Limit Texas Hold'em, the preferred game of professional poker players. In No Limit Texas Hold'em, each player is dealt two cards, called "hole cards," only they can see. Once bets are placed for the first time, the dealer turns over three community cards ("the flop") for everyone's use. Following the second round of betting, the dealer turns over the fourth community card ("the turn" or "fourth street"). Then, after the next round of betting is over, the fifth and final community card ("the river") is laid down. After bets are placed for the fourth and final time, the players show their cards and the winner of the round is decided. The difference between No Limit Texas Hold'em and regular Texas Hold'em is the players can play with as much money as they would like and bet it all as early as they wish. Late casino owner Benny Binion started hosting this event back in 1970. After his passing in 1989, the event has continued to grow in popularity. With approximately 839 entries, the number of participants in this year's WSOP was at an all-time high. This year's total shatters the 2002 record of 631 players, a difference of 208 entries. Not only has the event experienced an increase in the number of participants, but also a strong following of television viewers. This past summer on ESPN, the 2003 WSOP averaged 1,248,000 viewers during an eight-week run. In the same time slot last year (weeknights at 9 p.m. EST), ESPN averaged 408,000 viewers. Even AT&T has realized the event's popularity. In a press release May 7, AT&T announced they would show the final round "live" on May 23 around the world via the Internet. ESPN doesn't start showing their coverage of the WSOP until July. "Unlike most sports on TV, (people) can see themselves participating in this event," says Tom Styer, from Tremonton. "The audience can see what everyone has (in their hand) and strategize at home." A unique stimulus about the WSOP is anyone who is at least 21 can participate in the event, as long as they pay the $10,000 buy-in. But what are the chances of a first-time participant winning it all? Look no further than the last two WSOP tournaments, in which amateurs Robert Varkonyi (2002) and Chris Moneymaker (2003) became enshrined in the Horseshoe's Gallery of Champions. In addition to the admiration from others, the winners also took home grand prizes of over $2 million each. Moneymaker's rise to world's best started by spending $40 in an online poker tournament, which he won. From there, he was automatically entered into the WSOP and won $2.5 million, a larger chunk of change than the money awarded to the winners of the Kentucky Derby, Wimbledon or the Indianapolis 500. Jason Soffe, a poker enthusiast from Logan, has been following the event for five years. "The combination of strategy and human interaction is what sparks interest in this event," Soffe says. "You're not just playing the cards; you're playing the other person." Some feel watching the WSOP is similar to, and better than, reality TV. Aaron Andersen, a native of Logan, says viewing the WSOP is more intense than watching reality TV because "these are not 'pretty' people on my television screen, but normal-looking people, such as myself, using strategy and gambling away their own money." As for the future of this event, Andersen says, "it will only continue to get bigger as the stakes become higher." Benny Binion would've been proud to hear something like this. With an increasingly large amount of viewers, is poker starting to become the hottest new spectator sport/reality TV show in America? You bet. NW
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