Last year’s WSOP main event winner Peter Eastgate - won more than $9m

  PICTURE: Everest Poker  

Recession? Not at the World Series in Vegas

IN a world of economic uncertainty, it is perhaps surprising to witness the relentless growth and popularity of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

This summer, tens of thousands of players will make a pilgrimage to the betting capital of the world, in a bid for fame, glory and not a little cash at one of 57 championship events that have led to the series being dubbed by some as the Olympics of poker.

Boom town: the Vegas skyline

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Now in its 40th year, the WSOP is the longest-running, largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world. The 2009 series kicked off in May and, by the close in mid-July, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino will have hosted events over 50 consecutive days with prize-money awarded to the tune of $180 million.

In 2008, it attracted more than 58,000 participants from 124 countries - all competing for the game's most coveted prize, a WSOP bracelet. The marathon series now features an eye-popping range of tournaments in every major poker variation, culminating in July with the $10,000 no-limit hold'em world championship.

Poker tours now criss-cross the globe, with new millionaires created in every exotic location imaginable - but still nothing can compete with the original challenge.

In 1970, casino owner Benny Binnion set up the first World Series event, which was finally decided when legendary gambler Johnny Moss was voted champion by his peers. The following year, on the back of a $5,000 buy-in, he fought off a handful of rivals to scoop $30,000.

Subsequent events made starsof the likes of Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Chris ‘Jesus' Ferguson and Phil Ivey, and established Texas hold'em as the principal poker format worldwide.

The key to the continuing growth of the World Series is online qualification, which offers amateur players the chance to compete with the very best.

Accountant Chris Moneymaker was the catalyst in 2003 when he entered a $39 satellite tournament and secured a seat at the main event - his first live game.Moneymaker saw off 838 rivals to scoop the $2.5 million prize.

Buy-ins this year range from $1,000 to $50,000 - but qualifiers can win packages that will take them to Vegas for a fraction of the price. Official sponsor Everest Poker will give its main event qualifiers a share of up to $1m, fly out a friend to Vegas and lay on VIP treatment, including limos, backstage access and penthouse parties.

Last year's winner Peter Eastgate had to see off nearly 7,000 entrants to write his name in poker history, but the prizemoney has risen in line with the number of entrants, and Eastgate collected more than $9m.

Winners and even runners-up can now find themselves scooping prize funds and sponsorship deals that would be the envy of traditional sports stars.

Britain has already enjoyed its own share of success this year. John-Paul Kelly won the$1,500 pot limit hold'em worth $194,434, Roland de Wolfe landed $246,616 in event 27, the $5,000 pot limit

Omaha high-low split, and John Kabbaj took $633,335 in the $10,000 pot limit hold'em (event 45).

There have been near-misses too. Jeff Kimber finished runner-up and Ross Boatman was fourth in the $2,500 pot limit Omaha (event 30), picking up $145,656 and $66,936. There has also been a notable performance from former EastEnders actor Michael Greco, who took $248,855 for his third place in the $1,500 no limit hold'em.

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