The first of 55 events will kick off May 30th, but you'll have to wait a little longer than usual to find out who conquered the Main Event final table. Recent changes have created a nearly four month break in action after the final table bubble has busted. This will allow ESPN to run its regular WSOP coverage after the series has wrapped, but follow that programming up by crowning a Main Event champion November 11th on ESPN, just hours after the last pot was scooped.

The WSOP is unequalled by any other poker event in the world today and it is considered by all to be the ultimate achievement in any poker players career, to gain that coveted title of World Champion. Last year, Jerry Yang from Temecula, CA, United States, defeated 6.358 players, including the second place finisher Tuan Lam from Kitchener, ON, Canada, to win the main event at the 2007 World
Series of Poker.

Brief World Series of Poker History

The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the largest set of poker tournaments in the world. It is held annually in Las Vegas, and since 2007 has consisted of 55 events, of which all but the "Main Event" are finished in just over a month. The winner of each event wins a World Series of Poker bracelet and a prize based on the number of entrants.

The Main Event of the WSOP has been the $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold 'Em (TXHE) tournament since 1972. (In 1971, the buy-in was $5,000.) Winners of the event not only get the largest prize of the tournament and a gold bracelet, but additionally their picture is placed into the Gallery of Champions at Binion's.

In 1970, the first World Series of Poker was held at Binion's Horseshoe as a series of cash games and Johnny Moss, the first champion, was awarded a silver cup. Games such as Five-card stud, Deuce to seven low-ball draw, Razz, Seven-card stud, and Texas Hold'em had been played. Cash prizes were awarded from the second championship held in 1971.

Freeze-out Texas Hold 'em was the game used as the format for the main event in 1971 and in 1973, Five-card stud was introduced too. Omaha Hold 'em and Seven-card stud and their variants, Horse and shoe are also played currently. In 1972 there were just 2 events and currently about 55 events
are scheduled to be held in 2008.

Players also covet the golden bracelet awarded to winners along with the cash prize that is usually given to them in cardboard boxes. Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan are remembered as having won 10 bracelets each, with Phil Hellmuth going one better and winning 11.