A Fairly Short History of Poker Tournaments
Solitaire is undoubtedly a brilliant game, why else would you be at Solitaire.ca if you didn’t think so! But – there’s another card game that preceded it – poker. This game is an entry point into the world of card gaming for many new players, including those who go on to love solitaire. So, let’s take a look at how we got from the tournaments of yesteryear to the poker tournaments we know today.
The first time ‘poker’ was played was in 10th-century China. The first-time poker – as we know it today – was played, was sometime between 1810 and 1820, likely in New Orleans. Yet, the first poker tournaments weren’t held until the latter half of the 20th century. Sure, seems like an awful long time. Since then, poker tournaments have soared in popularity, but why?
You’re in luck! We’re going to take a look at the happenings that shaped the enthusiasm for poker tournaments. After all, there are endless online tournaments. The Canadian online casino called Bodog hosts regular poker tournaments, with cash prizes of varying sizes. You’ll even find free-to-enter tournaments (free rolls) and some seriously huge in-person poker showdowns.
The First Texas Hold’em Tournament
The first recorded Texas Hold’em tournament took place in 1969 at the Dune casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a high-stakes event with a $5,000 buy-in, attracting top poker players from around the world, signaling the start of serious competitive poker.
The First World Series of Poker
In 1970, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) was born at Binion’s Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. Johnny Moss became the first World Champion of Poker, winning a silver cup. In the following years, the prize pool expanded, attracting global attention.
The WSOP’s First Decade
From 1971 to 1981, the WSOP’s prize money skyrocketed from $30,000 to $375,000. As the prize grew, so did participation—from 7 players in 1970 to nearly 3,000 by 1982. Poker tournaments had officially become mainstream.
Hole Card Cameras
One of the next big swings to happen for poker tournaments came in the form of hole card cameras. These were launched in 2003 and helped to propel poker on TV to new heights.
Unsurprisingly, the WSOP immediately invested in this technology, generating even more interest in their huge competition. Off the back of this, the World Poker Tour followed suit. These two bold investments further solidified the poker tournament’s place in the mainstream.
The Chris Moneymaker Effect
Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP victory had a lasting impact. After winning his seat in a $100 satellite event, Moneymaker went on to win $2.5 million, igniting an online poker boom and inspiring a new generation of poker players.
The World Poker Tour
Launched in 2004, the World Poker Tour (WPT) brought poker tournaments to a global audience through televised events. The WPT’s 15 Texas Hold’em tournaments, 12 of which are broadcast worldwide, further cemented poker's place in mainstream entertainment.
The World Series of Poker Today
Today, the WSOP remains the premier poker tournament, awarding 55 gold bracelets annually and huge cash prizes. In 2023, Daniel Weinman won the Main Event and took home $23 million. The series has also embraced online tournaments, offering multimillion-dollar prize pools in recent years.
