1. The 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event: Chris Moneymaker, an amateur player, won the tournament and ignited the “poker boom” by qualifying through an online satellite.
2. “The Hat Trick”: Stu Ungar emerged as the winner in the Main Event for three times (1980, 1981, 1997), cementing his legacy as one of the greatest poker players.
3. The 1989 World Series of Poker Main Event: This tournament featured a legendary final table known as “The Johnny Chan vs. Phil Hellmuth” showdown, where Chan barely missed his third consecutive Main Event title, losing to Hellmuth.
4. The “Chip Reese Memorial Trophy”: Introduced in 2008, this trophy is awarded to the winner of the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E event and honors the late Chip Reese, a poker legend.
5. The “Moneymaker Effect”: The 2003 Main Event marked the beginning of a new era for poker, as it witnessed a remarkable increase in poker’s popularity worldwide due to Moneymaker’s win.
6. The “Big One for One Drop”: In 2012, the biggest buy-in poker tournament in history took place, with a $1 million buy-in. Antonio Esfandiari emerged as the winner, taking home over $18 million.
7. The 1972 World Series of Poker Main Event: Thomas “Amarillo Slim” Preston won the Main Event, becoming one of the first poker players to bring the game to the mainstream media.
8. Female Dominance: Barbara Enright became the first woman to reach the Main Event final table in 1995, Jennifer Harman became the first woman to win two WSOP bracelets, and in 2004, Annie Duke finished 10th in the Main Event, which at the time was the highest finish by a woman.
9. The “November Nine” Concept: In 2008, the WSOP introduced the concept of the “November Nine,” where the final table of the Main Event paused and played out months later to build anticipation and increase viewership.
10. The “Poker Brat”: Phil Hellmuth holds the record for winning the most WSOP bracelets (15 as of 2021) and is known for his flamboyant and sometimes controversial behavior, earning him the nickname “Poker Brat.”