World Series of Poker Recap and Records



A look back at the 49th World Series of Poker, where there was again over 100,000 entries, millions won and several records broken.

49th World Series of Poker Sets Numerous Records

The 49th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) produced another record-breaking year. The 78 event poker series just concluded at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and the 50-day poker festival recorded numerous milestones including attendance and prize pool records.

WSOP recap records broken

For the second consecutive year, the WSOP produced more than 120,000 entries, making the WSOP far and away the biggest annual live festival in gambling.

Some of the records set during the 2018 WSOP:

- Poker players and enthusiasts from 104 different nations competed at the WSOP, and players from 18 different countries won gold bracelets.
- 123,865 entries participated in the WSOP.
- 18,105 players received price money.
- 7,874 entries participated in the Main Event creating a prize pool of $74,015,600; the largest prize pool during the 2018 WSOP.
- 4,571 entries for Flight C of the Mani Event.
- 2,972 entries for the $365 WSOP.com online No Limit Hold ‘em event.
- 5,918 players for the WSOP Seniors Championship.
- Prize money awarded totaled $266,889,193; the most money ever-awarded at a single poker series.
- A total of 10 distinct events paid a 1st place prize of $1 million or more.
- 28 players earned $1 million or more; the most ever at one WSOP.

The average field size of the 78 events was 1,588 entries with an average 1st place prize of $655,337.

The average age of gold bracelet event participants was 42.2 with men accounting for 95.14% of the entries and women 4.86%.

The Main Event (#65) paid $8.8 million to the 1st place winner, and The Big One for One Drop (#78) paid $10 million to the winner, which drew 27 entries with a $1 million entry fee and $80,000 going to the ONE DROP charity.

“The 2018 World Series of Poker was another big success and it’s thanks to the loyal players that make it out to Las Vegas every summer,” said World Series of Poker Executive Director Ty Stewart. “We love seeing the Main Event grow to numbers no one ever thought was possible in 2018 as well as positive reaction to our new events. The team will be hard at work to make sure this remains the premier poker festival in the world.”

Charity remains an integral part of the World Series of Poker, and the poker community via the WSOP has donated more than $23.1 million towards the WSOP’s official charity partner ONE DROP since the partnership began in 2012.

Get up-to-date statistics from the 2018 World Series of Poker.

FairwayJay is a leading national sports writer and is recognized as one of the sports industry's most insightful analysts. Read more great insights from Jay here and follow him on Twitter: @FairwayJay


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