Nate Silver [] b. in East Lansing, Michigan as Nathaniel Read Silver 2021 WSOP 10,000 Limit Hold 'Em 2nd place ($151,842). 2023 WSOP Main Event 87th ($92,600). Statistician who founded FiveThirtyEight.com. Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
February 15
Tuan Le [] b. in Paris, France Won 2014 & 2015 $10,000 Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw ($355,324 & $322,756). 2 WPT titles. Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
Gary Berland Wins $1,000 Razz for Second Bracelet Defeats field of 32 for $19,200. Joe Macchiaverna finishes 3rd for $3,200, the 100th prize awarded in WSOP history. At 27, he's the youngest with multiple bracelets.
$1,000 Seven-Card Razz (Event #3, 2 days [4/29 start])
$5,000 Pot-Limit Five-Card Stud With 32-Card Deck Canceled Four years after a 52-card Five-Card Stud tournament was last held at the WSOP, attempt to resurrect the game with a short deck abandoned.
May 12
$1,500 Non-Professional No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #8, 2 days [5/11 start])
Gabe Kaplan Becomes First Celebrity to Play in WSOP Main Event Busts in only four hours after claiming he just learned how to play Hold 'Em.
Barbara Freer Becomes First Woman to Play in WSOP Main Event The El Cajon, California saloon owner survives until late on Day 2, outlasting over half of the field to finish 18th of 42 players.
May 19
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).
$10,000 Main Event - No-Limit Hold 'Em (Event #11, 4 days [5/16 start])
Sid Wyman d. 1978 [age 68] (b. 6/1/1910) 1974 WSOP Main Event 5th place (not paid). High-stakes player who owned the Sands, Riviera, Royal Nevada, and Dunes casinos. Voted "Most Respected Player" at the 1974 WSOP, where he finished 3rd in the $10,000 Seven-Card Stud. Poker Hall of Fame 1979. Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
July 4
Fatima Moreira de Melo [] b. in Rotterdam, Netherlands Dutch field hockey player was Last Celebrity Standing in 2015 WSOP Main Event (286th for $34,157). Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
November 24
Robert Mizrachi [] b. in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Won 2007 $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha ($768,889), 2014 $1,500 Dealer's Choice 6-Max ($147,092), 2015 $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo ($251,022), 2016 $10,000 Seven-Card Stud ($242,662), & 2024 $10,000 Dealers Choice Championship 6-Max ($333,045). Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
December 8
Antonio Esfandiari [] b. in Tehran, Iran as Amir Esfandiari Won 2004 $2,000 Pot-Limit Hold 'Em ($184,860), 2012 Big One for One Drop ($18,346,673; biggest WSOP prize ever), & 2012 WSOP Europe €1,100 No-Limit Hold 'Em ($164,655). Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
December 12
Brandon Adams [] b. in New Orleans, Louisiana as George Brandon Adams Won 2019 Online $3,200 No-Limit Hold 'Em High Roller ($411,561). Published Broke: A Poker Novel in 2008. Numerous television appearances on "High Stakes Poker" and "Poker After Dark". Wikipedia | WSOP.com | Hendon
December 16
"The Gambler" Reaches Number One on Billboard Country Chart Kenny Roger's song would stay there three weeks, cross over to reach #16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and win songwriter Don Schlitz a Grammy for Best Country Song. Rogers would sing the hit live at the 1979 WSOP, with CBS featuring it on its broadcast.