Lower buy-ins help boost record-setting World Series of Poker

The 2011 World Series of Poker shattered all-time participation and prize pool records as the 42nd annual poker extravaganza was helped along by lower buy-in events which spurred a nearly 4 percent jump in players from a year ago.

Participation in the World Series of Poker's $10,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em World Championship, often referred to as the Main Event, reached 6,865 participants, the third largest field in the tournament's history.

The 58 World Series of Poker events at the Rio drew a record field of 75,672 participants, exceeding last year's field of 72,966 players. The total prize pool of $191.9 million, the largest in the tournament's history, topped last year's prize pool of $187.1 million. The tournament began at the end of May.

The Main Event, which began Thursday, has a total prize pool of $64.5 million. The winner will receive more than $8.71 million. Participation in the Main Event, which crowns the poker world's annual champion, has averaged 6,753 players over the past five years.

"This summer underscores the appeal of the game and the power of this event," World Series of Poker Executive Director Ty Stewart said in a statement. "We're so thankful for all those who came from around the world to demonstrate that poker continues to grow."

The World Series of Poker's 58 events included more $1,000 and $1,500 buy-ins than ever before, to go along with the $5,000 and $10,000 buy-in events. The $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship had a 12-player increase in its field over last year.

Participation in the four-day Main Event opening round began slowly, with 897 players competing on Thursday and 978 players taking part in Friday's action.

On Saturday, 2,171 players competed in the third Day 1 group while Sunday's field was 2,809 participants.

A total of 693 players will cash in the Main Event, with $19,359 going to the 693rd player. Eight of the final table of nine players will win in excess of $1 million. Ninth place will receive $782,115; 8th place wins $1 million; 7th place earns $1.3 million, 6th place wins $1.7 million, while 5th place takes home $2.2 million.

The Main Event's 4th place finisher will win $3.01 million, 3rd place takes home $4.01 million and the runner-up wins $5.4 million.

The largest World Series of Poker Main Event field took place in 2006 when Los Angeles entertainment executive Jamie Gold captured a record $12 million. Last year's field of 7,319 was the second largest in tournament history. Champion Jonathan Duhamel from Canada won $8.94 million.

Among the players joining the field for the fourth Day 1 action Sunday were former World Series of Poker champions Gold, Joe Hachem (2005), and Huck Seed (1996).

Hachem, who earned $7.5 million in 2005, the last year the tournament's final table took place at Binion's, said he's never really considered the ramification of the different starting days.

"It was really all about my scheduling," said Hachem, who was the first Australian to win the Main Event. "It doesn't really matter which day I begin. It's just a matter of getting to Day 2."

A handful of past Main Event final table participants took part in the action Sunday.

Today, qualifiers from the Thursday and Saturday opening rounds will return to the Rio to compete in the first Day 2 group. Friday and Sunday qualifiers were to play in the second Day 2 group on Tuesday.

After Wednesday's off day, players will compete until July 19, when the field will be cut to the final table of nine. The players will return to the Rio in November to play for the championship.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz @reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.