WSOP Main Event Breaks Entry Record Again, Flattens Payouts To Guarantee Nine Millionaires

For 17 years, the World Series of Poker Main Event attendance record of 8,773 players stood, before it was finally broken in 2023 by a field of 10,043 entrants.

That record set in 2023 lasted all of one year before getting toppled.

Registration for the 2024 $10,000 buy-in Main Event officially closed Monday afternoon in Las Vegas, with 10,112 poker players creating a record $94,041,600 prize pool.

The eventual tournament winner, however — to be crowned next Wednesday, July 17 — will not collect a record-setting amount of money. After the WSOP faced backlash in 2023 for making first place worth $12.1 million, a move designed for publicity’s sake to surpass the $12 million Jamie Gold won in 2006 back when a smaller percentage of the field cashed, the WSOP brass has flattened final table payouts in 2024 as follows:

• 1st place: $10,000,000
• 2nd: $6,000,000
• 3rd: $4,000,000
• 4th: $3,000,000
• 5th: $2,500,000
• 6th: $2,000,000
• 7th: $1,500,000
• 8th: $1,250,000
• 9th: $1,000,000

Everyone who reaches the final TV table of nine will receive at least $1 million (before taxes), which was not the case last year.

For 15%, at least $15K

Other payout numbers of note: The 10th and 11th place finishers will each win $800,000, followed by $600,000 for 12th and 13th; reaching the top 125 guarantees at least $100,000; and in all 1,517 players (15% of the field) will cash for at least $15,000.

Not only has the total field size set a record, but Day 1D also set the record for most entrants in a single starting flight, at 5,014.

Heading into Tuesday’s Day 3 play — the first day with the entire remaining field competing at the same time — 3,262 players remained. More than half of those players will go home empty-handed.

Anthony Marsico of Bloomingdale, Illinois, enters Day 3 as the chip leader with 797,000, equal to almost 320 big blinds. Notable players high in the chip counts at this still-early stage of the tournament include Adam Friedman in 17th place (581,000 chips), Loni Hui (nee Loni Harwood) in 26th (544,000), John Hennigan in 69th (461,500), and Brian Hastings in 90th (438,500). Defending champion Daniel Weinman is still in the mix with 229,500 in chips.

The crown jewel

At the outset of the day Monday (Day 2D), Jack Binion, the 87-year-old son of Horseshoe Casino founder Benny Binion, unveiled this year’s gold bracelet that goes to the winner in addition to the $10 million paycheck.

The Main Event bracelet, made by Jostens, contains approximately 445 grams of 10-karat yellow gold with 1,948 round diamonds, 230 black onyx stones, and 75 red rubies. In the center of the bracelet sits a removable golden face plate that the champion can use as a card protector if they want to really show off.

“The Main Event bracelet is known as the most expensive trophy in sports, but the reason it’s priceless in the minds of players is because of Jack Binion,” WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart said in a press release. “With another field around 10,000 in Las Vegas we’re proud to share with him just how far his vision has come.”