1978 World Series of Poker
The 1978 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was a series of poker tournaments held in May 1978 at Binion's Horseshoe. [1] and was the first WSOP that was not a winner-take-all prize. Instead the tournament had a progressive prize structure, as follows 50 percent for the Winner then 20 for second, 15 for third, 10 for fourth and 5 percent for fifth place.[2]
Preliminary events
| Event | Winner | Prize | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 Deuce to Seven Draw | Billy Baxter | $90,000 | Unknown |
| $1,000 Seven Card Razz | Gary Berland | $19,200 | Unknown |
| $500 Seven Card Stud | Gary Berland | $17,100 | Unknown |
| $5,000 Seven Card Stud | Doyle Brunson | $68,000 | Unknown |
| $1,000 No Limit Hold'em | Aubrey Day | $42,600 | Unknown |
| $200 Ladies' Seven Card Stud | Terry King | $10,080 | Unknown |
| $5,000 Draw High | Lakewood Louie | $21,000 | Unknown |
| $1,500 No Limit Hold'em | Hans "Tuna" Lund | $46,800 | Unknown |
| $1,000 Seven Card Stud Split | David "Chip" Reese | $22,200 | Unknown |
| $1,000 Ace to Five Draw | Henry Young | $19,200 | Gary Berland |
Main Event
There were 42 entrants to the main event. Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament. This was the first time that the main event paid a prize to any players other than the winner.
Final table
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bobby Baldwin | $210,000 |
| 2nd | Crandell Addington | $84,000 |
| 3rd | Louis Hunsucker | $63,000 |
| 4th | Buck Buchanan | $42,000 |
| 5th | Jesse Alto | $21,000 |
| 6th | Ken Smith | None |
Performance of past champions
- Day one: Johnny Moss, Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston, Walter "Puggy" Pearson, Brian "Sailor" Roberts, Doyle Brunson [2]
Other notable players
- Gabe Kaplan and Barbara Freer (the first woman player).[2]