Date / Time:2005-07-14 16:37:00 Title:Binions: The Final Chapter Log:The 36th annual World Series of Poker shattered all sorts of records. With a record prize pool and number of players for the event, this year’s event lived up to all expectations.

Moving from the massive airplane hangar size poker room at the Rio, accurately titled the Amazon room for its vast expanse of tables, back down to the close confines of Benny’s Bullpen at Binion’s Horseshoe, the World Series situates itself back to its roots.

In 1970, Binion hosted the first World Series of Poker, then a small tournament of truly elite players. Times have dramatically changed since Johnny Moss was crowned the first champ by a vote of his peers. To give you an example of how the size and scope of the World Series has evolved, when Doyle Brunson won back to back championships nearly 30 years ago, the combined field was only 56 players! This year 5,619 players entered the main event and when Greg Raymer took down the championship and $5 million last year, the event attracted 2,576 players. What was once a small convention of backroom gambles is now the richest sporting event in the world and, with poker white hot, it looks like the number of World Series participants will continue to climb.

Sadly, this will be the last year any part of the World Series of Poker will be held at Binion’s Horseshoe. Harrah’s Entertainment, which own or manage 26 casinos across the United States, purchased the rights to the World Series brand last year and has indicated it is sayonara to the famous gambling den next year. The entire event would have been held at the Rio. However, a bit of political influence by the mayor of Las Vegas, Oscar Goodman, helped broker a deal that kept the final event at Binion’s one last year.








Well that sucks. I think they should keep the foramt as is, with the final 3 tables at the Shoe each year.

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or just the final