Every poker player's dream is to win the World Series of Poker. For a time, the idea of winning the main event of the World Series of Poker was only the province of poker professionals, people who lived in places like Las Vegas or Los Angeles and spent every day at the tables. Recent years have shown that any poker player has a shot at the big prize and the money and celebrity that comes with it. But what does it really mean to win at the  World Series of Poker ?

World Series of Poker brings a lot of added value

It is said that winning the main event of the World Series of Poker proves that you are the best poker player in the world, at least for that year. This has become increasingly less true with the enormous fields and the ability of even the weakest amateurs to participate through satellites. Points races such as Cardplayer's Player of the Year, or the WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event, or an accounting of number of final tables reached in the season are all considered much better indicators of overall  poker  skill.

Still, winning the main event has its privileges. In addition to the money, which now ranges in the millions of dollars, most winners can expect to be offered a sponsorship by an online poker site. These deals can be extremely lucrative. They will also probably be asked to make public appearances and appear in celebrity tournaments, for which they will often also be compensated.

Life after the big victory

Will their fame last? Many of the World Series of Poker champions from the pre poker boom era have been forgotten. Champions such as Brad Daugherty, Hamid Dastmalchi and Russ Hamilton are much more likely to elicit confused stares than expressions of awe at their poker prowess. Even those who are remembered must continue to prove their mettle.  Chris Moneymaker 's place in history of the World Series of Poker is assured, but due to his failure to follow up on his win in any significant way, few poker enthusiasts currently think of him as a champion.

Still, all World Series of Poker main event champions today report the victory as a life changing experience. Your name is inexorably linked with poker, and no one can ever take your championship away from you (although it is conceivable you may misplace the bracelet). Whatever challenges come with being the  WSOP  champion, they are the kind of challenges that any true poker player would love to take on.

  Back to Articles