Total Prize Pool and Number of Entrants Surpassed Another summer of poker,
more milestones reached.

The 2008 World Series of Poker was the largest poker series in world history, breaking last year’s total entrant high watermark by
4,432, with 52,720 entries collected.

It also beat last year’s total prize pool
by $20,880,030, with $180,676,248 won (or soon to be won via the main event) by players in the Series' 55 events.

The main event has both the second-largest prize-pool and the second-largest
playing field in history. Its $64,333,600 prize pool and 6,844 entrants only
fall behind the 2006 main event, which boasted a prize pool of $82,512,162
generated by 8,773 entrants.

Another significant milestone was the number of entrants who live outside the United States.

This year, 118 different countries were represented, up from 87 last year, 54
in 2006, 41 in 2005, and 24 in 2004. Players from nearly 60 countries cashed.

Also, players from every US state and Canadian province cashed in events.

The second event this summer, a $1,500 no-limit hold’em event, attracted 3,929
entrants, the most entrants of any live poker tournament in history, excluding WSOP main events.