Casino games have developed over the years, from playing cards in an old pub corner to enjoying online casino at Paddy Power. The game of Poker is as popular as ever, with people logging in to online casinos to play a few hands. However, some players have gone one step further.
Poker tournaments are popular in the smallest of casinos, but the bigger tournaments around the world have been known to attract huge audiences. The World Series of Poker (WSOP), is one of the biggest Poker tournaments around the globe and due to its enormity, it can offer life-changing prizes. In addition to millions of dollars exchanged, there are also other more valuable prizes for winners and here, we take a look at some of them.
WSOP Player of the Year award
Each year an award is given for the ‘Player of the Year’. The winner is decided from a points-based system. Each tournament entered is worth a certain number of points depending on how many people participated and the difficulty level of the opposition. Depending on where players finish in each tournament determines how many points they receive. Whoever has the most at the end of a season wins.
Although it may seem that only the ‘richest’ players, win this is not always the case. For example, 2017’s winner, Chris Ferguson only made $428,423 in tournament earnings, but in 2012 Greg Merson won with $9,755,180 in earnings.
The award itself is sadly just a title. However, it is also a stepping-stone in the right direction towards making a career from playing Poker. The famous Daniel Negreanu has won the award many times, but most recently in 2013.
WSOP Circuit Ring
The next step up in WSOP success is the circuit ring. The WSOP hosts a US and International circuit each year. These circuits are a series of Poker tournaments played throughout the selected countries.
Each event winner in the circuits will be awarded a Circuit Ring. The rings shine a light on the up-and-coming players, propelling them into fame. The rings have become such a statement for players that WSOP.com now offers a Circuit Ring to the winner of their first online Poker tournament.
Earlier this year Maurice Hawkins won his 13th Circuit Ring, making a new record, he won the $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack event at the Horseshow Tunica Hotel and Casino. The gold and diamond rings are not only large but they’re a statement to all other players at the table that the wearer is a player to beat.
WSOP Bracelets
“First the ring, then the Bracelet” as the famous saying goes. The WSOP Bracelet is the most coveted award a Poker player can win at the WSOP. To win a WSOP Bracelet, players need to win one of the WSOP events at the Las Vegas or European tournaments.
The highly decorated bracelets are made using gold and diamonds, with Poker themed decorations. It is the ultimate prize in the WSOP. Phil Hellmuth is the record holder, currently sitting at an impressive total of 15 bracelets.