World Series of Poker Pot Still a Big One

Updated 17h 26m agoCanadian Jonathan Duhamel celebrates after winning the 2010 World Series of Poker Final Table against American John Racener, in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 8, 2010. Duhamel takes home the $8.94 million winner's pot.

CAPTIONBy Robyn Beck, AFP/Getty ImagesAmid a tough economy and legal turmoil in online poker, there were questions this year about whether the 2011 World Series of Poker would take a significant hit in participation. But the players have ante-ed up.

This year's Main Event, last and biggest of 58 events in the WSOP, has drawn 6,865 entries. That's down from last year (7,319), but it is still the third largest field ever for the $10,000 buy-in event at the Rio hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The winner will earn about $8.77 million. Total prize money is about $64.5.

For 58 events overall, the WSOP reports a record 75,672 entries. That surpasses the previous record of 72,966 for 57 events a year ago. Total prize money this year of about $192 million also is a record.

"We've met our own expectations and crushed everybody else's," says Ty Stewart, executive director of the WSOP. "So I think it's been an expose on just how global poker has become. We're very proud because people have been labeling poker or the World Series of Poker as a fad … for the better part of a decade now. And we continue year after year to set records and see the event get bigger and bigger and represented by more countries around the world."

In April, federal authorities indicted 11 owners and founders of the three largest online poker firms doing business in the USA. Many players have been unable so far to withdraw money they had on deposit in online poker accounts. That fueled speculation attendance could be down this summer at the World Series.

The Main Event began with four starting flights last Thursday through Sunday. With 897 entries on Day 1A and 978 on Day 1B, that decline looked at first glance like a possibility. But the last two starting days typically are the biggest. This year amplified that trend.