The 2008 World Series of Poker was the 39th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). Held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, the 2008 series began on May 30 and featured 55 poker championships in several variants. All events but the $10,000 World Championship No Limit Texas hold 'em Main Event, the most prestigious of the WSOP events, ended by July 15. The final table, known as the November Nine, of the Main Event was suspended until November, to allow for better television coverage.[1] As a WSOP custom since 1976, each of the event winners received a championship bracelet in addition to that event's prize money ranging from US$87,929 for the $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em to US$9,119,517 for the Main Event.
Most of the tournaments played at the WSOP are variants of Texas Hold 'em. Hold 'em is a community card game where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and the player's own two hole cards to make a poker hand, in contrast to poker variants such as stud or draw in which each player holds a separate individual hand. Between 2000 and 2009, hold'em has surpassed seven-card stud as the most common game in U.S. casinos, almost totally eclipsing the once popular game.[2] Seven-card stud is a poker variant wherein each player is dealt two hole card, followed by four face up cards, and then another hidden card, with betting after each round. Another poker variant played is Omaha. Omaha is a version of poker wherein each player is dealt four hole cards and must use two of them in conjunction with three community cards to make the best possible five card hand. Other games played at the 2008 tournament included Razz, HORSE, and Deuce-to-Seven.
Within each of these poker variants a myriad of options exist. For example, depending on the betting structure, a tournament might be described as no limit, limit or pot-limit. Games may also include other variations on the rules governing the execution of the specific game such as shootout, eight or better, or heads up.
Highlights of the 2008 series include the selection of Erick Lindgren as the Player of the Year. Before the 2008 WSOP, Lindgren, who won a bracelet and made three final tables, was widely considered to be the "best player to never win a WSOP bracelet”.[3]Phil Hellmuth, a Poker Hall of Famer, set new records for the most WSOP career cashes (68) and most WSOP career final tables (41).[4] Nikolay Evdakov led all players with a record 10 money finishes.[5] The Main Event, which began with 6,844 participants (a level exceeded only by the number of participants at the 2006 event), was suspended once the event was down to the nine players needed for the final table; the Main Event was resumed on November 9 and concluded with the heads-up final between Peter Eastgate and Ivan Demidov the next day. This year was the first in which the Main Event was suspended in this fashion, a change introduced at ESPN's request to allow the television network to do a same-day Main Event broadcast.[6]
This denotes a bracelet winner. The first number is the number of bracelets won in the 2008 WSOP. The second number is the total number of bracelets won. Both numbers represent totals as of that point during the tournament.
Place
What place each player at the final table finished
Name
The player who made it to the final table
Prize (US$)
The amount of money awarded for each finish at the event's final table
Results
Event 1: $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em
Medic after winning the $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em World Championship
3-Day Event: Friday May 30, 2008 to Sunday June 1, 2008
Note: This event comprised eight poker variants played on a rotating format with one-hour long levels. Every eight hands the game alternated in the following order: Limit Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, Limit Hold'em, Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, Seven-Card Stud-8 or Better, No-Limit Hold'em, Pot-Limit Omaha.
Event 9: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em (Six-Handed)
Porter after winning the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed
3-Day Event: Thursday June 5, 2008 to Saturday June 7, 2008
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 2, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Pot-Limit Hold'em (Event 3)". World Series of Poker. Harrah’s Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 4, Mixed Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 5, No-Limit Hold'em w/re-buys". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 6, Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight-or-Better". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^"So Long From Event 6!". Official Live Update at Pokernews.com. Poker News. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 7, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 8, World Championship Mixed Event". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 9, No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 11, No-Limit Hold'em Shootout". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 12, Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 13, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 16, Omaha Hi-Lo Split Eight-or-Better". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 17, No-Limit Hold'em Shootout". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 18, No-Limit 2-7 Triple-Draw w/re-buys". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 19, Pot-Limit Omaha". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "2Event 20, Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 21, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 22, H.O.R.S.E."Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 23, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 24, Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 26, Seven-Card Razz". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 27, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 28, Pot-Limit Omaha w/re-buys". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 29, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 30, World Championship Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 31, No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 32, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 34, Pot-Limit Omaha w/re-buys". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 35, Seven-Card Stud". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 36, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 38, Pot-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 39, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 40, 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit)". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 41, Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit)". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 45, $50,000 H.O.R.S.E."Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 46, No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 47, Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo Eight-or-Better". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 48, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^"Event #48 is History!". Official Live Update at Pokernews.com. Poker News. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 49, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 50, World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 51, H.O.R.S.E."Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Event 52, No-Limit Hold'em". Pokerlisting.com. Poker Listing. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Limit Hold'em Shootout (Event 53)". World Series of Poker. Harrah’s Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "World Championship No-Limit Texas Hold'em (Event 54)". World Series of Poker. Harrah’s Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
^The results from the 2008 WSOP can be found on numerous websites. The ones used in compiling this list are: "Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (Event 55)". World Series of Poker. Harrah’s Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-01-25.