WSOP Breaks Multiple Records as 2018 Stats are Revealed

The numbers are in and this year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) was a record-breaker in more ways than one.

Employee Event #1 PlayersScenes from the 2017 WSOP have been surpassed according to this year’s statistical round-up. (Image: blog.caesars.com)

As the last of the tables were cleared from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino’s conference rooms on July 17, the WSOP’s statisticians were busy reviewing the final figures. Taking into account everything from the overall attendance and prize money to the number of nations represented, the 2018 WSOP raised the bar multiple times.

Numbers Up Across the Board

The headline figures coming out of the organization’s July 23 round-up were the total entries and prizepool. For the sixth consecutive year, the former showed an improvement with the 123,865 buy-ins representing a 2.4 percent year-on-year increase.

In line with more players anteing up, the total amount of money given away topped $266,889,193. As well as being 15.1 percent higher than last year’s figure, the latest prizepool has broken the record for the most money given away at a single poker series.

One stat we already knew before the recent overview was that the WSOP Main Event became the second largest in history thanks to an 9 percent upswing in attendance. However, that wasn’t the only tournament that saw players sign-up on mass.

Fortunes Up for All

The $1 million Big One for One Drop continued to attract a healthy field with 27 players paying a seven-figure sum to play. Between this event and the Little One for One Drop, the WSOP raised $2,709,008 for Guy Laliberte’s One Drop foundation.

Finally, as ever, the US was the best represented country with 89,533 entrants, while Canada, the UK and France were also among the 104 nations filling the hallways of the Rio this summer.

Overall, the WSOP is in a positive place. Following a stagnate period in the wake of Black Friday, the tournament series has recovered and gone beyond many people’s expectations.

Although the Main Event’s 2012 high is yet to be surpassed, the latest stats suggest it won’t be long before that happens. In the meantime, poker players can look forward to more years of action at the WSOP.