Tournament: WSOP boasts $1 billion in payouts

While the final figure on 2009 WSOP payouts is not yet available, what is known is that this year's winnings will push the World Series of Poker's 40 years of payouts over the $1,000,000,000 mark.

It's no secret that the series has been growing steadily throughout its history and that it has experienced explosive growth in the last few years. Last year's prize pool set a record with over $180,000,000 awarded and, despite the weak world economy, this year's series was just as popular with several events selling out.

Amateur poker players wondering about the future of the game do not need to worry. A significant majority of the $1,000,000,000 paid out by the WSOP was distributed in just the last four years with the 2006-2009 tournaments averaging well over $150 million each. No other competition offers such amazing prizes; with their prize money combined, the most prestigious professional horse racing, tennis, PGA, and NASCAR events don't even come close. When you consider that the WSOP event buy-ins are open to virtually everyone, it's easy to see how this six-week series can be life changing for new and returning contenders alike.

This year's World Series of Poker is winding down with just the Texas Holdem Main Event tables left standing, but Gambling Planet readers now have a whole new year to start qualifying for the 2010 series.

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