Poker is one of the world’s most captivating games. When it comes to gambling rare are those games that can stand toe to toe with it. We’re assured that everyone agrees with us on this. How else would you explain its massive popularity?
You couldn’t! It is a game with high stakes; massive waves of excitement; solid nerves; and the biggest disappointments in the world of sports gambling. Its pinnacle is without a doubt the World Series of Poker.
The regular game at your favorite casinos is cool and great on its terms. But this is something else. This is why we’ll take a stroll down memory lane and remind both ourselves and you, our dear readers about the 9 unforgettable highlights from the world series of poker.
Check out these mind-blowing moments that will show you why poker is one of the most popular card games you’ll ever encounter.
Back-to-back by Johnny Chan
Johnny Chan made a name for himself in the world of poker some time ago. To this day he remains a legend whose name is still regularly mentioned in the gambling circles. He has two big achievements that most people say in one breath.
We are talking about his 1988 back-to-back win at the WSOP, with the first one coming in 1897. To this day he managed to win ten bracelets in all. The second achievement we mentioned is his appearance in the 1998 Hollywood hit – Rounders.
Youngest ME Winner
After Johnny Chan’s back-to-back antics, we had another big surprise just the next year. Poker never stops exciting both the players and the fans, and Phil Hellmuth is proof of this. Back in 1989, he became the youngest-ever winner of the Main Event and the World Series of Poker aged only 24 back then.
Today, he’s part of poker history, and there were younger winners after him, but in the early 90s, he was the show’s star.
One Man Show
When 1971 came around Bill Boyd wasn’t a big name in the poker industry. He only entered the 1971 tournament at the base level with a $1 thousand entry and won it all after 10 competitors. In 1972 he entered the 5-card stud event with a $10 thousand entry limit. He won it once again. What happened in 1973 made him famed across the poker universe.
The entry level was the same, but he was the only contestant. In the history of the WSOP, there wasn’t a smaller event. He entered with the same amount and exited none the richer nor poorer. Due to his antics, the named event was canceled and the legend was born. If you want to make a name for yourself in this industry here’s a good place to start https://www.tightpoker.com/wsop/.
Jamie Gold Strikes Gold
Jamie Gold managed what was unseen until that one destined day in 2006. Gold was a participant in a main event that had almost 9 thousand players. The total prize was set at $82,512,162. The entry fee per player was $10 thousand. When it was all said and done, at the end of the tournament one man was standing last. His name? Jamie Gold. His prize – is $12 million.
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Stu Ungar’s Triplet
Before Mr. Johnny Chan became famous for his back-to-back antics in the late 80s, Stu Ungar was making rounds in the early 80s. He was the poster child for the WSOP in ’81 and ’82 when he won his back-to-back titles. After that, his life went spiraling downsides and he failed to have success up until the late 90s.
The return to the throne came in 1997 when he won another WSOP and got the title – The Comeback Kid. While it would be nice that his story had a happy ending that wasn’t the case. He died the following year at only 45 years of age.
Young Lady at The Top
As time passed on Phi Hellmuth had his record broken quite a few times. The same can’t be said of Annette Obrestad. She was only 19 when she lifted the 2008 WSOPE ME in London. This win made her the youngest winner ever.
Considering that some of the rules changed over time and that you can’t participate in the Las Vegas main event until you’re 21 years of age, Annette will see her record stand for a long time. It’s already been more than a decade and no one came close.
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Phil Hellmuth – The Rant Master
Having his youngest winner-ever record broken multiple times did nothing to Phil. He remained one of the most recognizable names in the industry during his long tenure at the top of the world of poker. Hellmuth wasn’t one to hold back during his games. In addition to being one amazing poker player, he was also a big-mouthed provocateur.
One of the biggest step-ups he had during a game was when during the 2008 World Series of Poker stated that his opponents do not even know how to spell poker. It was a funny notion, but it certainly wasn’t something his opponents appreciated too much. Also, calling his opponent who won that hand didn’t help his case too much.
Johnny Moss and First WSOP
Johnny Moss will always be remembered as the man who won the first-ever World Series of Poker. His name was a household one in the world of poker long before WSOP was a thing. In 1970 a freezeout model of the competition wasn’t yet adopted. So, the players had to play the long games, which involved a lot of cash and a lot of match-ups.
Interestingly, the format was inspired by Johnny Moss and his head-on duel against Nick Dandalos in the 40s. In the end, the winner was decided by player voting and Moss took the win. He repeated the feat the following year when the freezeout model was installed too.
WSOP Goes Online
2003 was a monumental year for poker all around. Online games became popular, and television took another step with programs such as Late Night Poker. It was a real boom and WPT broadcasts were taken to another level. Online players were allowed to qualify, and it was the first time that an online amateur not only participated but won the whole thing. Chris Moneymaker was the man on that day.
Conclusion
World Series of Poker is the biggest event in the world of gambling. It has a long history and as you can see quite a storied one. If you’re a fan of the game we bet that you can’t wait for the next edition of the big game for more historic moments that will be remembered in the years to come.
