World Series of Poker History

Though the World Series of Poker made its official debut in 1970, the idea of the Horseshoe's annual tournament was actually conceived more than two decades earlier.

As legend has it, the idea for the World Series of Poker has its genesis in a 1949 high-stakes poker tournament between Nicholas 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos and Johnny Moss. Nicholas "Nick the Greek" Dandolos approached Benny Binion with an unusual request - to challenge the best in a high-stakes poker marathon. Binion agreed to set up a match between Dandolos and the legendary Johnny Moss, with the stipulation that the game would be played in public view.

The tournament was held before a public audience and lasted five months with breaks only for sleep. The two men played every form of poker imaginable. Moss ultimately won "the biggest game in town" and an estimated $2 million.

After the final hand, the Greek stood up, bowed down and uttered the now-famous words; "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go." Then went upstairs to his room to retire.

Though significant in its own way as a chapter in poker history, the five-month marathon took on added importance to Benny Binion. He noted that the public had gathered outside the casino each day to watch the game with the fervor of dedicated sports fans, and he was amazed at the attention the event had attracted.

But it wasn't until 1970 that Binion decided to re-create this excitement and stage a battle of poker giants - dubbed the "World Series Of Poker" - to determine who would be worthy of the title "World Champion." Some of the best players in the country were assembled, and Johnny Moss came out on top. The decision was democratic in that the champion was decided by popular vote.

The next year, 1971, the World Series of Poker was changed to an elimination format. The player left standing at the end with all of the chips was Johnny Moss, again World Champion. In 1972, Thomas 'Amarillo Slim' Preston won the tournament.

It was only a year later that Binion participated in the Oral History Project at the University of Nevada-Reno and discussed the World Series with interviewer Mary Ellen Glass.

"This poker game here gets us a lot of attention," he told Glass. "We had seven players last year, and this year we had 13. I look to have better than 20 next year. It's even liable to get up to be 50, might get up to be more than that." Binion then paused, and as if gazing into the future, prophesied, "It will eventually."

In the early 1980s, with the introduction of preliminary satellite competitions with lower buy-ins, Binion's prophesy came to fruition and the popularity of the World Series of Poker soared. But even Benny Binion, who passed away on Christmas Day of 1989, would have had difficulty foreseeing the enormous growth the Horseshoe's annual tournament has experienced in the past decade or so.

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