We look at the numbers so far at the WSOP to ask whether we will eclipse the 10,043 record set in 2023.
Last year the $10,000 World Series of Poker Main Event broke its long-standing attendance record, attracting 10,043 players.
Live poker is booming right now so the question is, can it do it again?
The big difference is there was a lot of hype around breaking the record in 2023, there were even promotions around it. This year there has been no talk whatsoever about whether 2024 can smash the record.
We can make an educated guess, however, based on field sizes so far. Below are the fields for all the No Limit events above $1,500 or the ‘Bucket List’ lower buy-in events like the Gladiators or the Seniors. These are events that ran in 2023 and also have taken place so far at this year’s WSOP. I have left out the High Roller events as this is a test of how many recreational players will turn out.
| Event | 2023 Field | 2024 Field | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 8-Handed | 735 | 823 | +12% |
| $300 Gladiators | 23,088 | 20,647 | -11% |
| $1,500 Shootout | 987 | 1,534 | +55% |
| $3,000 6-Handed | 1,241 | 1,230 | -1% |
| $2,500 Freezeout | 1,139 | 1,267 | +11% |
| $1,500 Monster Stack | 8,317 | 8,703 | +5% |
| $1,000 Seniors Championship | 8,180 | 7,954 | -3% |
| $3,000 Freezeout | 1,598 | 1,252 | -22% |
| $5,000 6-Handed | 1,199 | 818 | -32% |
| $1,500 Millionaire Maker | 10,416 | 10,939 | +5% |
| $1,000 Super Seniors | 3,121 | 3,361 | +8% |
As you can see it’s a mixed bag so far. More events have seen an increase than not, and it’s a good omen that the Millionaire Maker, which is perhaps the ‘2nd Main Event’ for amateur players, has seen a sizable increase. A decrease in the Seniors Championship is not good news, as these days most amateur players are middle-aged and the demographic of the Main Event gets older every year.
Sadly, after thinking the record would be broken most of the year, I lean the other way now. There has been no hype around the record in 2024 and I think it was broken in 2023 in part because of a ‘If you build it, they will come’ mood in the poker community.
It will be close though and I would bet it is the 2nd biggest Main Event of all time.
How many runners do you predict this year? Let us know in the comments: