May 19
Deaths
News
- 1978: Bobby Baldwin Wins 1978 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 42, including Crandell Addington heads up, for $210,000 and third bracelet as he becomes youngest Main Event champion at age 28. Tournament is first WSOP bracelet event to pay five places at CBS's request (the television network wanted to prevent secret deals).
- 1981: Vera Richmond Leads WSOP Main Event at End of Day 1
Her 50,250 chips make her the first woman to lead at the end of any day. Amarillo Slim Preston famously promises, "I'll cut my throat" if she holds on to win the Main Event, but she busts late on Day Two without cashing.
- 1982: WSOP Passes $10,000,000 in Total Prizes Awarded
Jim Doman defeats field of 912 to collect half of the $192,000 purse in $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em.
- 1983: Donnacha O'Dea Becomes First Foreigner to Reach Final Table of WSOP Main Event
Irishman begins 9-player final table sixth in chips and exits in the same place for $43,200.
- 1985: Red Hodges Inducted Into Poker Hall of Fame
Hodges was a Seven-Card Stud and Deuce-to-Seven expert who played in big games throughout the country.
- 1985: WSOP Surpasses 10,000 Entries and $20,000,000 in Total Prizes Awarded
304 players and $152,000 first prize in $1,000 No-Limit Hold 'Em top the milestones as Rick Hamil wins his first bracelet.
- 1988: Johnny Chan Wins 1988 WSOP Main Event to Defend Title
Defeats field of 167, including Erik Seidel heads up, for $700,000 and third bracelet. Chan becomes the leading money winner in WSOP history ($1,554,000), leaping past several players including Doyle Brunson and Jack Keller.
- 1989: Phil Hellmuth Wins 1989 WSOP Main Event
Defeats field of 178, including double defending title holder and Last Champ Standing Johnny Chan heads up, for $755,000 to become the youngest Main Event champion at 24. For the first and only time in WSOP history, no tournament winner in 1989 had previously won a bracelet.
{ Data is current through January 1, 2023. }
