Your Ultimate Guide to the 2020 WSOP: Dates, Schedule, Structure
Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to the 2020 World Series of Poker. The days are counting down to the start of the 51st edition of the WSOP, and everyone’s favorite poker festival will be here before we know it. For dates, schedule details, frequently asked questions, how to qualify, and more, you’ve come to the right place. Bookmark this page because we’ll be updating it regularly as more announcements are made.
Last update: Monday, April 20, 2020
2020 WSOP Postponed
On Monday, April 20, 2020, WSOP officials announced that the 2020 WSOP is postponed until a later date due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The news targeted a fall edition of the WSOP but that determination and exact dates will be announced at a later time, so stay tuned to PocketFives for ongoing developments.
As it pertains to series’ online tournaments, Ty Stewart, executive director of the WSOP, said in the press release that, “In the interim, official WSOP competitions are expected to be played online this summer, and we will soon announce details of an expanded series of tournaments to be played on WSOP.com and through partnership with international operators, which will allow players to chase WSOP glory from their homes.”
For now, PocketFives’ Ultimate Guide to the 2020 World Series of Poker will remain intact until we receive further details on events, dates, and more regarding the 2020 WSOP.
What’s New for the 2020 WSOP?
- $10,000 buy-in WSOP.com Online No Limit Hold’em
- $1,000 buy-in Freezeout NL to start the WSOP
- “Concerted effort” to hold more freezeout tournaments
- ‘Mystery Bounty’ tournament
- Nine ‘High Roller’ events, including the $250,000 Super High Roller
- 25 events in 18 different game types at the $1,500 buy-in level
When Does the 2020 WSOP Start?
Originally scheduled to start Tuesday, May 26, the 2020 World Series of Poker has been postponed until a later date. Stay tuned for details as they become available.
The first gold bracelet event of the originally scheduled 2020 WSOP was the brand new $1,000 buy-in Freezeout No Limit Hold’em tournament. Offering more freezeout (no reentry) tournaments for the 2020 WSOP is what officials are calling a “concerted effort.”
Where Is the World Series of Poker Played?
The World Series of Poker returns to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in 2020. It will be the 16th year that the WSOP is held at the off-strip Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
Although Caesars Entertainment Corp sold the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in 2019 to New York real estate company Imperial Companies for $516.3 million, Caesars retains a lease on the property and will maintain and operate the Rio for 2020 and 2021, paying a rent of $45 million each year. The WSOP is still owned by Caesars and will once again be held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in 2020.
“The World Series of Poker will be hosted at the Rio in 2020 and Caesars will retain the rights to this event,” an internal company-wide Caesars memo stated when news of the sale was announced. “The site of future WSOP events will be announced at a later date.”
The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is located just off the Las Vegas Strip, with an address of 3700 West Flamingo Road. The large conference area, ballroom space, and available parking benefit the substantial amount of attendance the WSOP attracts.
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What Is the Buy-In for the World Series of Poker?
Buy-ins for the World Series of Poker have ranged from as low as $365 all the way up to $1 million in the past. In 2019, buy-ins ranged from $400 to $100,000. In 2020, the buy-ins ranged from $500 up to $250,000.
The buy-in for the WSOP Main Event is $10,000.
One of the best things about the WSOP is that there truly is a poker tournament available for players at all price points, so the accessibility is incredibly high.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Play the WSOP?
The legal age to enter events at the World Series of Poker is 21. Even if you come from a state, country, or region with a lower legal age for gambling, you must be at least 21 years old to play in WSOP events.
How Much Can I Win at the World Series of Poker?
Prizes can be anywhere from hundreds of dollars to tens of millions of dollars, depending on the tournament and how high a player’s placing is. The WSOP Main Event is known for its life-changing prizes. In 2019, Hossein Ensan won the WSOP Main Event for $10 million.
Can I Win a WSOP Bracelet Online?
Yes, as a matter of fact you can. Players in New Jersey and Nevada can play in WSOP.com online gold bracelet events as part of the 2020 World Series of Poker. For the 2020 WSOP, there are 14 online gold bracelet events scheduled, ranging from $400 up to $10,000. The online gold bracelet schedule is likely to be adjusted given the news of the festival’s postponement. Stay tuned for details as they become available.
Players don’t have to be residents of New Jersey or Nevada to play. Players simply must be located within NJ and NV state boundaries and of age to be eligible to play in the WSOP.com online gold bracelet events.
When Is the 2020 WSOP Main Event?
The 2020 WSOP Main Event was scheduled to take place starting Wednesday, July 1, with three starting flights – Wednesday, July 1, Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3. The originally scheduled end date was Tuesday, July 14. With news of the postponement shifting things to a targeted date in the fall, new dates for the 2020 WSOP Main Event will need to be announced.
How Many Entries in the WSOP Main Event?
The field size for the WSOP Main Event varies from year to year. The 2006 WSOP Main Event currently holds the record for largest field size in the event’s storied history. In 2006, the WSOP Main Event had 8,773 entries. The 2019 WSOP Main Event came just 204 entries short of that record with 8,569 entries. The 2019 WSOP Main Event field size was the second largest ever for the tournament. The 2019 WSOP Main Event was also the fourth consecutive year-over-year increase in field size for the event.
Although we can’t know for sure how big the 2020 WSOP Main Event will be, we can confidently estimate that it will draw a field of 8,000-9,000 entries.
2020 WSOP Main Event Schedule
| DATE | EVENT DAY |
|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 1) | Day 1a |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Thursday, July 2) | Day 1b |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Friday, July 3) | Day 1c |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Saturday, July 4) | Day 2a and 2b |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Sunday, July 5) | Day 2c |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Monday, July 6) | Day 3 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 7) | Day 4 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 8) | Day 5 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Thursday, July 9) | Day 6 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Friday, July 10) | Day 7 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Saturday, July 11) | Off Day |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Sunday, July 12) | Day 8 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Monday, July 13) | Day 9 |
| TBD (originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 14) | Day 10 |
Key Events
The 2020 WSOP schedule will be full of a wide variety of tournaments and there are great events to choose from everyday, but some stand out a little more than others. Other than the WSOP Main Event, here are the key events for the 2020 World Series of Poker.
Big 50 –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for May 28) | $500 | 50,000 | 50 minutes |
The first open event of the 2020 WSOP is the WSOP Big 50, and it’s going to be just that… big. After a record field of 28,371 entries turned up to play the event in 2019, another massive turnout is expected and it’s a great opportunity to turn a $500 buy-in into a life-changing payday.
A $500 buy-in gets you 50,000 in starting chips and levels are 50-minutes in length. There are multiple starting flights for the event, running over the course of May 28-31, and players can reenter once per flight during the registration period if they bust out.
The 2019 WSOP Big 50 attracted a field of 28,371 entries to create the largest live poker tournament in history. It had a prize pool of $13.509 million. Femi Fashakin won the event for $1.147 million.
Millionaire Maker –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for June 5) | $1,500 | 25,000 | 60 minutes |
The WSOP Millionaire Maker is always a popular tournament. Ever since it was added to the WSOP schedule in 2013, players from all over the world have flocked to this $1,500 buy-in event with the hopes at being crowned a million-dollar winner. As the name suggest, the WSOP Millionaire Maker tournament guarantees $1 million to first place.
The $1,500 buy-in Millionaire Maker starts on Friday, June 5, and players begin with 25,000 in chips and play 60-minute levels. There is a second starting flight scheduled for Saturday, June 6, and players can reenter once per flight during the registration period if they bust out.
The 2019 WSOP Millionaire Maker attracted 8,809 entries and created a prize pool of $11.892 million. John Gorsuch took home the gold bracelet and $1.344 million prize.
Ladies Championship –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for June 17) | $1,000* | 20,000 | 60 minutes |
The WSOP Ladies Championship is another special event on the schedule year after year. The event has a $1,000 buy-in for women and starts Wednesday, June 17. Players begin with 20,000 in starting chips and play 60-minute levels. There is one reentry allowed during the registration period.
The 2019 WSOP Ladies Championship drew a field of 968 entries and generated a prize pool of $871,200. Jiyoung Kim won first place and $167,308 in prize money.
*Due to state regulations, this event features a buy-in of $10,000 that is discounted to $1,000 for women.
Seniors Championship –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for June 18) | $1,000 | 20,000 | 60 minutes |
Every year, the WSOP Seniors Championship is a wall-bursting competition, with players ages 50 years old and above packing the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino for a shot at poker’s ultimate glory. The 2020 edition of this event has a start date of Thursday, June 18, and features a $1,000 buy-in for 20,000 in chips. Levels are 60 minutes long and there is one reentry allowed during the registration period.
In 2019, Howard Mash, topped the 5,916-entry field to win his first career bracelet and the $662,594. The prize pool was $5.324 million.
Mystery Bounty –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for June 28) | $1,500 | 50,000 | 30 minutes |
New for the 2020 WSOP is the ‘Mystery Bounty’ tournament. This tournament will play like a typical bounty tournament in that every time you bust a player, you’ll receive a prize. But, there’s a twist. Throughout the field, there will be 100 players with mystery bounties on their heads that range from anywhere between $2,500 and $250,000. That’s right. Knocking out a player would earn you up to a quarter of a million dollars.
The mystery bounties are guaranteed at $1 million. Included in the mystery bounties in addition to the $250,000 one are three worth $100,000 each and six worth $25,000 each.
$10,000 WSOP.com Online NL –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for July 2) | $10,000 | 30,000 | 20 minutes |
Having WSOP gold bracelets event that play out online at WSOP.com is nothing new, but the addition of a $10,000 buy-in online gold bracelet event definitely is. The $10,000 buy-in WSOP.com Online No Limit Hold’em is the first online bracelet event with a buy-in of at least $10,000. The previous high was the $3,200 WSOP.com NL High Roller.
The $10,000 WSOP.com Online NL starts Thursday, July 2, at 12 p.m. PT and is a freezeout tournament. This should be one heck of an event and we’re very much looking forward to it.
The Closer –
| START DATE | BUY-IN | STARTING CHIPS | LEVEL TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (originally scheduled for July 10) | $1,500 | 25,000 | 30 minutes |
If you’re looking to close out your summer of poker with a bang, the WSOP Closer is your ticket to try and do so. The $1,500 buy-in event has starting flights on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11. Players start with 25,000 in chips, play 30-minute levels, and are allowed one reentry per starting flight during the registration period.
The 2019 WSOP Closer had a field of 2,800 entries. That generated a prize pool of $3.78 million. Abhinav Iyer earned the lion’s share of the prize pool by winning the event and taking home $565,346.
Schedule for All 2020 WSOP Bracelet Events
Below is the original list of events planned for 2020 WSOP. Due to the postponement, new dates will need to be announced and there may be further changes to the schedule. As information becomes available, PocketFives will update the schedule.
| DATE | TBD | START TIME (PT) | BUY-IN |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | Freezeout No Limit Hold’em | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Casino Employees Event | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | ‘Big 50’ | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Omaha Hi-Lo | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | High Roller NL 8-Max | TBD | $25,000 |
| TBD | Dealer’s Choice 6-Handed | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL | TBD | $400 |
| TBD | Heads-Up NL | TBD | $25,000 |
| TBD | NL Deepstack | TBD | $600 |
| TBD | Mixed Triple Draw | TBD | $2,500 |
| TBD | Super Turbo Bounty NL | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Seven Card Stud | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | 6-Handed NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Freezeout NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | H.O.R.S.E. | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Millionaire Maker | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | High Roller NL 8-Max | TBD | $50,000 |
| TBD | Mixed Omaha | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Seven Card Stud | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Forty Stack No Limit Hold’em | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | H.O.R.S.E. | TBD | $3,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online PLO | TBD | $777 |
| TBD | PLO Deepstack | TBD | $600 |
| TBD | Short Deck | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Super Turbo Bounty NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | H.O.R.S.E. | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online Freezeout NL | TBD | $800 |
| TBD | PLO 8-Handed | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | NL 2-7 Lowball | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Freezeout NL | TBD | $2,500 |
| TBD | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Monster Stack | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Super Turbo Bounty NL | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Limit 2-7 Triple Draw | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Dealer’s Choice 6-Handed | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | NL Deepstack | TBD | $800 |
| TBD | PLO 8-Handed | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL Turbo Deepstack | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Freezeout No Limit Hold’em | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | No Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | 8-Handed Mixed NL/PLO Deepstack | TBD | $600 |
| TBD | Razz | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Ladies Championship | TBD | $10,000/$1,000 |
| TBD | NL Shootout | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | High Roller PLO 8-Max | TBD | $25,000 |
| TBD | Seniors (50+) Championship | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Freezeout NL | TBD | $3,000 |
| TBD | Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Double Stack NL | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | 9-Game Mix 6-Max | TBD | $2,500 |
| TBD | Pot Limit Omaha | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | 8-Handed NL Deepstack | TBD | $800 |
| TBD | Freezeout NL | TBD | $5,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online Freezeout NL | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Super Seniors (60+) | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Tag Team | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Poker Players Championship | TBD | $50,000 |
| TBD | Deepstack Championship | TBD | $600 |
| TBD | PLO Hi-Lo 8-Handed | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Colossus | TBD | $400 |
| TBD | Razz | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | NL 6-Handed | TBD | $5,000 |
| TBD | Crazy Eights NL | TBD | $888 |
| TBD | Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | Super High Roller NL | TBD | $250,000 |
| TBD | Limit Hold’em | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Mystery Bounty NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8-or-Better | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online Championship | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Mini Main Event | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | 6-Handed No Limit Hold’em | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | ‘Final 500’ Salute To Warriors | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Limit Hold’em | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online High Roller NL | TBD | $3,200 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online Super High Roller NL | TBD | $10,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL | TBD | $400 |
| TBD | Little One for One Drop | TBD | $1,111 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL Turbo Deepstack | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Limit Hold’em 6-Handed | TBD | $3,000 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online NL 6-Handed | TBD | $600 |
| TBD | Mixed NL/PLO 8-Max | TBD | $5,000 |
| TBD | Bounty NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | High Roller PLO | TBD | $50,000 |
| TBD | Bounty PLO | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | NL 6-Handed | TBD | $3,000 |
| TBD | Fifty Stack NL | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | Mixed NL/PLO | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | High Roller NL 8-Max | TBD | $50,000 |
| TBD | The Closer | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | PLO 6-Handed | TBD | $3,000 |
| TBD | High Roller NL 8-Max | TBD | $100,000 |
| TBD | NL Deepstack | TBD | $800 |
| TBD | 8-Game Mix 6-Handed | TBD | $1,500 |
| TBD | WSOP.com Online Summer Saver NL | TBD | $500 |
| TBD | Super Turbo NL | TBD | $1,000 |
| TBD | Mixed Big Bet | TBD | $2,500 |
| TBD | NL 8-Handed | TBD | $5,000 |
New events that jump off the page for the 2020 WSOP include the $1,500 buy-in ‘Mystery Bounty’ tournament, the $250,000 Super High Roller, and the $50,000 High Roller PLO.
The Mystery Bounty is a tournament with a unique bounty format in that there are 100 “mystery bounties” worth anywhere from $2,500 to $250,000, with a total value of the mystery bounties coming to $1 million.
There is a heads-up bracelet tournament that comes with a big buy-in of $25,000. This event will be capped at 64 players. Tthe $250,000 Super High Roller is going to be one exciting tournament with some truly elite talent and big names on display. Same with the $50,000 High Roller PLO. These three events are some of the nine ‘High Roller’ events on the 2020 WSOP schedule.
How To Qualify for the 2020 WSOP
Qualify in the US on WSOP.com –
Players in US regulated online poker markets can already start qualifying for the 2020 World Series of Poker on WSOP.com.
Qualify Outside the US with 888poker –
Players outside of the US have the chance to qualify for the 2020 WSOP Main Event and more with 888poker, where available. Deemed the ‘888poker WSOP 2020 Mega Package,’ players who win a package will receive entry into the 2020 WSOP Main Event and a buy-in to the $888 Crazy Eights NL gold bracelet event.
Below is what’s included in the $15,000 package:
- $10,000 buy-in to the 2020 WSOP Main Event
- $888 buy-in to the Crazy Eights gold bracelet event
- $1,000 in cash for travel, food, and additional expenses
- 12-night stay at the Vdara Hotel (June 26-July 8)
- Transportation to and from the Rio
- 888poker welcome session at the Vdara
- 888poker LIVE kit, including branded merchandise
The 888poker Mega Package is one of the best ways to win a trip to play in the WSOP, and you can do so for as little as $0.01. Check out the ‘Tournaments’ tab in the 888poker client, then go to the ‘Live Events’ section. In that lobby, you’ll see that 888poker is offering ‘Step Satellites’ that allow players the chance to work their way up the ladder and eventually play for the chance to win one of the $15,000 packages.
Players can start at the lowest level and buy-in for just $0.01, hop right into the $1,050 WSOP 2020 Mega Package qualifier, or find something in between. All of the satellites are geared towards helping players win packages to the 2020 WSOP.
MORE: Win Your Way to the 2020 WSOP Main Event with 888poker
How To Watch the 2020 WSOP
Can you watch the WSOP on TV? You bet you can.
Once again, the World Series of Poker will be broadcast on ESPN. For 2020, it was announced by the WSOP, Poker Central, and ESPN that live footage of the WSOP Main Event will be available, although dates of the broadcast will be determined at a later date. ESPN and Poker Central will air 40 hours of live WSOP coverage, plus an additional 90 hours of originally produced episodes.
Below is the current schedule for 2020 WSOP broadcasts:
| DATE | EVENT | NETWORK | AIR TIME (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 1a | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 1b | ESPN | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 1b | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 1c | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 2ab | ESPN | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 2c | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 3 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 4 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 5 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 6 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 7 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 8 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 9 | ESPN2 | TBD |
| TBD | WSOP Main Event Day 10 | ESPN | TBD |
WSOP All-Time Bracelet Winners
Thousands of players have won WSOP gold bracelets. Here’s a look at the top players with the most gold bracelets entering the 2020 World Series of Poker, led by Phil Hellmuth with an astounding 15 gold bracelets.
| RANK | PLAYER | BRACELETS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Phil Hellmuth | 15 |
| T2. | Phil Ivey | 10 |
| T2. | Johnny Chan | 10 |
| T2. | Doyle Brunson | 10 |
| 5. | Johnny Moss | 9 |
| 6. | Erik Seidel | 8 |
| T7. | Men Nguyen | 7 |
| T7. | Billy Baxter | 7 |
| T9. | Daniel Negreanu | 6 |
| T9. | Chris Ferguson | 6 |
| T9. | John Hennigan | 6 |
| T9. | TJ Cloutier | 6 |
| T9. | Jeff Lisandro | 6 |
| T9. | Layne Flack | 6 |
| T9. | Ted Forrest | 6 |
| T9. | Jay Heimowitz | 6 |
Behind the group with six bracelets each, there are 10 players with five bracelets each and then 23 players with four bracelets each.
There are also a lot of highly regarded players who have yet to win WSOP gold. You can read about some of those players on PocketFives, including Patrik Antonius, Dan Smith, Shannon Shorr, and Jason Koon.
WSOP All-Time Money Earners
There are hundreds of millions of dollars to be won every year at the World Series of Poker. Here is a look at the top 10 players based on money earned at the WSOP entering the 2020, with Antonio Esfandiari leading the way.
| RANK | PLAYER | WSOP EARNINGS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Antonio Esfandiari | $22,365,691 |
| 2. | Daniel Negreanu | $19,355,619 |
| 3. | Dan Colman | $17,413,782 |
| 4. | Phil Hellmuth | $15,032,052 |
| 5. | Jonathan Duhamel | $14,666,297 |
| 6. | Justin Bonomo | $14,292,554 |
| 7. | Joe Cada | $13,610,088 |
| 8. | Jamie Gold | $12,343,698 |
| 9. | Martin Jacobson | $12,143,293 |
| 10. | Fedor Holz | $11,915,808 |
Sitting just outside the top 10, Joe McKeehen, Hossein Ensan, and Greg Merson have all won more than $10 million at the World Series of Poker.
WSOP Main Event Winners
| YEAR | WINNER | ENTRIES | FIRST PRIZE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Johnny Moss | 7 | n/a |
| 1971 | Johnny Moss | 6 | $30,000 |
| 1972 | Thomas ‘Amarillo Slim’ Preston | 8 | $80,000 |
| 1973 | Walter ‘Puggy’ Pearson | 13 | $130,000 |
| 1974 | Johnny Moss | 16 | $160,000 |
| 1975 | Brian ‘Sailor’ Roberts | 21 | $210,000 |
| 1976 | Doyle Brunson | 22 | $220,000 |
| 1977 | Doyle Brunson | 34 | $340,000 |
| 1978 | Bobby Baldwin | 42 | $210,000 |
| 1979 | Hal Fowler | 54 | $270,000 |
| 1980 | Stu Ungar | 73 | $385,000 |
| 1981 | Stu Ungar | 75 | $375,000 |
| 1982 | Jack Strauss | 104 | $520,000 |
| 1983 | Tom McEvoy | 108 | $540,000 |
| 1984 | Jack Keller | 132 | $660,000 |
| 1985 | Bill Smith | 140 | $700,000 |
| 1986 | Berry Johnston | 141 | $570,000 |
| 1987 | Johnny Chan | 152 | $625,000 |
| 1988 | Johnny Chan | 167 | $700,000 |
| 1989 | Phil Hellmuth | 178 | $755,000 |
| 1990 | Mansour Matloubi | 194 | $895,000 |
| 1991 | Brad Daugherty | 215 | $1,000,000 |
| 1992 | Hamid Dastmalchi | 201 | $1,000,000 |
| 1993 | Jim Bechtel | 220 | $1,000,000 |
| 1994 | Russ Hamilton | 268 | $1,000,000 |
| 1995 | Dan Harrington | 273 | $1,000,000 |
| 1996 | Huck Seed | 295 | $1,000,000 |
| 1997 | Stu Ungar | 312 | $1,000,000 |
| 1998 | Scotty Nguyen | 350 | $1,000,000 |
| 1999 | Noel Furlong | 393 | $1,000,000 |
| 2000 | Chris Ferguson | 512 | $1,500,000 |
| 2001 | Carlos Mortensen | 613 | $1,500,000 |
| 2002 | Robert Varkonyi | 631 | $2,000,000 |
| 2003 | Chris Moneymaker | 839 | $2,500,000 |
| 2004 | Greg Raymer | 2,576 | $5,000,000 |
| 2005 | Joe Hachem | 5,619 | $7,500,000 |
| 2006 | Jamie Gold | 8,773 | $12,000,000 |
| 2007 | Jerry Yang | 6,358 | $8,250,000 |
| 2008 | Peter Eastgate | 6,844 | $9,152,416 |
| 2009 | Joe Cada | 6,494 | $8,574,649 |
| 2010 | Jonathan Duhamel | 7,319 | $8,944,138 |
| 2011 | Pius Heinz | 6,865 | $8,715,638 |
| 2012 | Greg Merson | 6,598 | $8,531,853 |
| 2013 | Ryan Riess | 6,352 | $8,359,531 |
| 2014 | Martin Jacobson | 6,683 | $10,000,000 |
| 2015 | Joe McKeehen | 6,420 | $7,683,346 |
| 2016 | Qui Nguyen | 6,737 | $8,005,310 |
| 2017 | Scott Blumstein | 7,221 | $8,150,000 |
| 2018 | John Cynn | 7,874 | $8,800,000 |
| 2019 | Hossein Ensan | 8,569 | $10,000,000 |