2006 World Series of Poker

The 2006 World Series of Poker season is set up to surpass whatwas achieved in 2005 by Harrah's. With the start of the WSOPCircuit Tournament series on August 11, 2005 and ending with theregular WSOP tournament that will begin on June 26th, Harrah'sput into motion the basis for giving the world top level pokeraction year round. The number of WSOP Circuit Tournament eventswas increased from last year's 5 events to 12, allowingbasically an event each month. Each winner of the Main Eventfrom these WSOP Circuit Tournaments besides winning a nice sumof money and a beautiful ring, received a freeroll entry intothe Tournament of Champions.

For 2006, the World Series of Poker tournament that begins onJune 26th at the Rio in Las Vegas, Nevada, will feature 44separate events verses last years 45. But there will be sizablechanges in Event 38 which is the Main Event. Harrah's is gearingup for 8000 poker players to descend on the tables with thefirst day being split up into four rounds, (Day 1A, 1B, 1C and1D), each round handling 2000 players per session. With theentry fee still at $10,000 per person, the potential prize poolfor the Main Event could reach $80,000,000! This would surpassthe figures for 2005 in which 5,619 entrants and a prize pool of$52,818,610 were the final statistics. Expect a huge portion ofplayers to win their seats from online poker rooms. Beginning onJuly 28th, the Main Event action will continue over a period of13 days ending on August 10th.

Harrah's also plans to host the World Series of Poker Lifestyleshow that will be held during the first week of the Main Eventfrom July 27th to the 31st. It will happen in the Rio's 55,000square foot Pavilion Convention Center, so attending won't keepanyone too far away from the table action. Last year there were100 vendors that featured the biggest online poker rooms, pokermagazines, poker gift shops some with poker jewelry and even abooth hosting Marcel Luske, the Flying Dutchman. 55,000 visitorscame through the aisles in 2005 to learn, see and experienceeverything related to poker.

The only group of people who could have a better perspective onthe poker industry would be the fortunate few who becomechampions. These lucky players have not only received offers ofendorsement, partnership in online poker rooms, but have begunto achieve celebrity status. Book deals, video games, TV shows,freeroll tournament invitations to big money poker tournamentsoverrun these individuals. Why? Sponsors who anxiously want tosink big money into poker related events want these people ontheir side. Joseph Hachem, the 2005 Main Event winner, recentlyannounced his decision to leave Australia to live in BeverlyHills, California because of the earning potential ofopportunities received since becoming champion. This came afterwinning a major victory in Australia's courts that let him keephis $7,500,000 won in the WSOP Main Event -- tax free! He evenhas top level talent agency William Morris helping him to sortout the best offers.

With the allure of money, status and celebrity fame, the WorldSeries of Poker has become one of the premier events on theplanet to follow. And 2006 will be no exception, giving thepublic more of what it has been waiting for.