Although the World Series of Poker has been around for nearly 60 years, it didn’t hit mainstream popularity until around 2003, with the WSOP Main Event victory of Chris Moneymaker.
His win sparked interest due to a belief rooted in a sense of accessibility. If Chris Moneymaker could turn a modest bankroll into millions of dollars, so could anyone else.
Fast forward to 2025, and the World Series of Poker’s popularity has taken off. Where Moneymaker earned $2.5 million for his victory in 2003, the winner of this year’s Main Event took home a cool $10 million.