Over the years the tournament has grown, both in the number of events and the number of participants. It started with only six players in 1970 and, now, has turned into a grand spectacle, with more than 70,000 entrants competing for more than $180,000,000 in prize money in front of ESPN cameras.
The 2011 WSOP, 42nd annual event, started on May 31 and run through July 19,2011. It is a collection of now 58 distinct tournaments in all variations of poker, with buy-ins ranging from $500 to $50,000 per event. An astounding 380 poker tables are set up in 100,000 square feet of ballroom space at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas where poker players from more than 115 different nations converge in the annual "Woodstock for Poker."
The company that owns the event is Caesars Entertainment, the same company that operates many of Las Vegas' premier hotel resorts. As such, the entire Caesars Entertainment team (formerly Harrah's Entertainment) works together to offer poker players great rates and special accommodations for those playing in the WSOP.
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