Jump straight to the main content
This holiday weekend marks the commencement of the grandest poker event of the year.
The commencement of the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event is scheduled for Sunday, July 3.
Over the years, Michigan has undeniably had a significant association with the grandest prize in poker. As online poker gains momentum in the state, the interest of Michiganders in WSOP events continues to escalate.
Before the latest edition of the Main Event begins play, let’s delve into its history and background.
What is the WSOP Main Event?
Anyone in the world can participate in the World Series of Poker Main Event, a tournament of No-Limit Texas Hold ’em.
Anyone who can afford the $10,000 entry fee is eligible to participate.
The WSOP Main Event, which commenced in 1970 with a modest group of only seven players, has experienced exponential growth in participants since the early 2000s.
The venue for this year’s event is Bally’s Las Vegas where numerous players will gather to compete for the ultimate prize of millions of dollars and the coveted Main Event bracelet.
In previous years, the Main Event has been scheduled in various formats. However, for this year, the Main Event is set to take place from July 3rd to July 16th.
Live streaming of the WSOP Main Event will be provided by PokerGO.
Michigan’s connection to the WSOP Main Event
Three champions of the WSOP Main Event have emerged from the state of Michigan.
Tom McEvoy, known as “Grand Rapids Tom,” emerged as the initial victor among the trio of winners in 1983. He triumphed in the WSOP Main Event, prevailing over a field of 108 players and securing a notable $540,000 as his first prize.
In 1983, Grand Rapids Tom emerged victorious in the Main Event, securing his win with a final hand consisting of the Queen of Diamonds and Queen of Spades. He outplayed Rod Peate in the ultimate showdown, ultimately claiming victory. Tom McEvoy’s exceptional performance led to his induction into the esteemed Poker Hall of Fame in 2013.
At the age of 21 years and 357 days, Joe Cada achieved the title of the youngest Main Event winner in 2009. Hailing from Shelby Township, Cada emerged victorious among a pool of 6,494 participants, securing a remarkable prize of more than $8.57 million.
Cada emerged victorious by holding a 9 of Diamonds and 9 of Clubs, ultimately besting Darvin Moon in the final matchup. In the following year, Cada came astonishingly close to reclaiming the Main Event title, securing an impressive fifth-place finish in 2018.
Michigan’s third Main Event Winner was Ryan Riess in 2013. Under the moniker “Riess the Beast,” he emerged victorious from a pool of 6,352 participants, taking home a staggering prize of more than $8.35 million.
Riess, hailing from Clarkston, emerged victorious in the final showdown against Jay Farber with a winning hand consisting of the Ace and King of Hearts.
WSOP Main Event facts & figures
The following information provides historical statistics regarding the World Series of Poker Main Event.
- The highest number of participants was recorded in 2006 with a total of 8,773 entrants.
- The lowest number of participants in 1971 was 6.
- In 2006, the highest prize amount was $12 million.
- The minimum prize amount in 1971 was $30,000.
- Johnny Moss, aged 66 years and 358 days, became the oldest winner of the main event in 1974.
- Joe Cada became the youngest winner of a main event at the age of 21 years and 357 days in the year 2009.
- Defending Champion: Koray Aldemir
- Johnny Moss and Stu Unger have both achieved the impressive feat of winning the Main Event three times each.
- Jesse Alto holds the record for the highest number of Main Event Final Tables, with a remarkable total of 7 appearances.
- Berry Johnston holds the record for the most main event money finishes, with an impressive total of 10.
- Howard Andrew holds the record for the most participations in main events, with a total of 41.
- Jack Ury, aged 97 in 2010, holds the title for being the oldest participant in a main event.
- The consecutive winners of the main event in the following years were: Johnny Moss (1970-71), Doyle Brunson (1976-77), Stu Ungar (1980-81), and Johnny Chan (1987-88).
- Ronnie Bardah achieved the most consecutive Main Event money finishes, with a remarkable streak of five from 2010 to 2014.
The winning hands that are dealt
Throughout its history, the Main Event has witnessed the closure of 34 unique hand pairings, without specifying their suits.
The majority of NLH players commonly consider pocket aces as the optimal starting hand. However, it is quite astonishing that this hand has never emerged victorious in the final moments of a Main Event. Unexpectedly, it has only been dealt to the second-place finisher in both 1979 and 2001.
Out of all the possible combinations, the winning hand of the final pairing has been King-Jack more frequently than any other. This remarkable occurrence took place in the years 1972, 1991, 2018, and 2020.
The combination of Ace-10 has emerged victorious on three occasions, whereas eleven other pairings have achieved victory twice.
Surprisingly, in both 1995 and 1996, the victorious player’s final hand consisted of the 9 of Diamonds and 8 of Diamonds.
In the Main Event, a dealt pair has emerged as the winning hand on 14 separate instances. The lowest pair to achieve this feat was a pair of 3s, which took place in both 1974 and 1985.
