The 47th edition of the World Series of Poker has created new records over its seven-week run and 69 tournaments, which are now drawing to a close as the main event nears its final table.
The organisers have released some impressive statistics that include:
* 107,833 entries (up 4.2 percent), just the second time the event has ever attracted over 100,000 entries;
* Poker enthusiasts from 107 different nations travelled to Las Vegas to compete, and a record 15,767 players received prize money this year – more than the number of entries the WSOP had in any of its first 35 years. This marked the first year the WSOP increased the pay-out field to 15 percent, from 10 percent;
* The buy-ins generated prize pools totalling $221,211,336 – the third most in history;
* The average field size in the 69-event bracelet schedule was 1,563 entries, the highest average in the WSOP’s 47-year history, surpassing last year’s 1,522 average;
* The Main Event in 2016 had 6,737 entries, a 5 percent increase, creating the largest prize pool of the 2016 WSOP at $63,327,800. The winner will receive $8,000,000;
* In the 47-year history of the WSOP, the series has now awarded $2,501,743,327 in prize money. This year’s total prize pool increased 5.1 percent from last year’s $210,379,285;
* The two featured charity-linked tournaments, the Little One for ONE DROP (Event #69) and the ONE DROP High Roller (Event #67), plus the 1 percent for One Drop campaign, where players can donate 1 percent of their winnings to the cause, raised a combined $1,206,478. ONE DROP uses donations to directly implement water access projects, where an average of $100 can transform someone’s life forever. The poker community via the World Series of Poker has donated more than $14,700,000 since the partnership began in 2012 – enough to directly impact the lives of over 147,000 people;
* Among the notable non-poker playing names competing during this year’s WSOP included: rapper Hoodie Allen, former MLB pitcher Brad Lidge, Brazilian soccer star Neymar, Movie director Nick Cassavetes (Notebook), actor and comedian Brad Garrett, actress Cheryl Hines, actor and comedian Kevin Pollak, professional soccer player John Arne Riise, actor and comedian Ray Romano, NFL defensive star and Super Bowl champion Richard Seymour, former NFL star Antoine Winfield, actress Jennifer Tilly, cricket superstar Shane Warne, NASCAR driver Jason White, German soccer player Max Kruse and actor James Woods;
* The oldest player to participate in this year’s Main Event was 95-year-old William Wachter of Mahopac, New York, who played Day 1-C but was eliminated late on Day 1. Jack Ury, at the young age of 97, still holds the WSOP record as oldest participant;
* The $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship (main event) paid out a record 1,011 places this year;
* Throughout this year’s series there were 15,767 cashes, and the average first place prize reached $555,475;
* The average age for participants was 41.12 (male average: 40.91; female average: 44.71);
* The ratio of males to females playing was males 94.87 percent (102,311 entries) and females 5.12 percent (5,522 entries);
* Players came from 107 different countries. The USA led with 84,027 entries, followed by Canada (4,586), Britain (4,388), France (1,293). Russia (1,280), Germany (1,169), Brazil (970), Australia (955), Austria (667) and Italy (658).
*Three players – Jason Mercier, Benny Glaser and Ian Johns – won two bracelets apiece during the series;
* The Day 1C starting flight for the main event this year set a new record at 4,240 entries;
* Event 12 – a Pot Limit Omaha competition – turned out to be the largest non Hold’em contest ever with 2,483 entries;
* The Seniors Championship also attracted the largest field ever at 4,499;
* The Online Bracelet Event attracted 1,247 – 38 percent more players than last year’s inaugural roll out of the competition;
* The $111,111 One Drop High Roller No-Limit Hold’em had 183 entries, the most-ever at a buy-in at this level or higher;
* The $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller event drew 184 entries, the most ever at this buy-in level in this form of poker;
* The Colossus II winner collected $1,000,000, the largest prize awarded in poker to a winner of an event at this buy-in level;
* The Colossus II also paid a record 3,245 places, the most people ever to be paid out in any one poker tournament in history;
* This year there were more $1 million first prizes than ever before with 7 such competitions. Additionally, a record three events made multiple millionaires from the same event;
* A record 7 events had field sizes of 4,000 entries or more, a new record;
* A record 5 events each surpassed 6,000 entries, the most in one WSOP;
* Tony Cousineau scored the most cashes (74) without a win – he cashed four times this year;
* Roland Israelashvili cashed 13 times at this year’s summer series;
* Phil Hellmuth added to his record as the individual all-time leader in cashes (118) with his three cashes in 2016. With one final table appearance this year, Hellmuth has now final tabled an incredible 53 of the 118 events he has cashed in. Of the 53 final table appearances, Hellmuth has either won or come runner-up in 24 of them. Hellmuth also leads the category for most 4-9th place finishes, with 32;