The 2016 World Series of Poker (WSOP) has officially become the biggest of all time, attracting a record 107,833 entrants across its 69-event schedule.
Players from 107 different nations descended upon Las Vegas’ Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, with 15,767 players receiving prize money after the WSOP expanded payouts to 15% of the field in most events.
The average field size this year was 1,563 – up from 1,522 in 2015 – creating a total combined prize pool of US$221,211,336. Notably, the WSOP Main Event attracted the third biggest field of all time with 6,737 players taking their shot at the US$8 million first prize. The nine remaining players will return for the final table on 30 October to play down to a winner.
“It’s bittersweet to close up poker’s version of the Olympics after such a successful and rewarding summer,” said WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart after the Main Event went on its fourmonth hiatus on 19 July. “We will get to work planning a bigger and better World Series of Poker in 2017 and on behalf of the entire WSOP team, thank all the players for making the 2016 version of this event the smoothest in our history.”
For the 12th consecutive year, the WSOP generated a total prize pool well in excess of US$100 million and for just the fourth time in its history, topped the US$200 million mark.
In the 47-year history of the WSOP, the game’s most prestigious tournament series has awarded over US$2.5 billion in prize money.
