The first week of this year’s World Series of Poker has been both exciting and eventful. So far, 8 different bracelets have been awarded, with 6 of them being awarded to residents of the United States and the other two going to Brits from across the pond.
This year’s WSOP really has been an international affair. While the United States has won a majority of the bracelets, players from all over the world are playing. Players from over a dozen different countries have walked away with cash. Event 8: 1k NLH featured players from an astounding fifty different countries!
Numbers overall are up this year, too. Due to the events on Black Friday, most of the poker world expected the Rio to be a ghost town this June and July. However, throughout this first week, the opposite is the case. According to @WSOPRGUY, overall entrants are up 2.5% and prize pools are up 5.6% thus far. While it is still early, this is a good sign with 6 weeks still to go.
While, on paper, this year’s WSOP appears a success, many sources at the Rio have all commented on the same thing: the atmosphere. Most years, players are excited and hungry for yet another opportunity at poker stardom. This year, there is no excitement in the air. All of the players seem bitter and resentful, and understandably so. All are out here trying to get a big break, to take one last chance at making poker a career. Sadly, there can only be so many winners.
Good luck to everyone. Make a run, go deep, and take it down.