CHRIS MONEYMAKER KICKS OFF RECORD-SETTING WORLD SERIES OF POKER MAIN EVENT® FLIGHT D Moneymaker returns to the felt for the largest Main Event field in WSOP history
LAS VEGAS (July 6, 2023) – Earlier today, poker legend Chris Moneymaker kicked off the third day of the 54th annual World Series of Poker® (WSOP®) Main Event with a special “Shuffle Up and Deal” moments before the WSOP broke the record for the largest Main Event field in history. A household name, Moneymaker set the poker world ablaze 20 years ago after winning the Main Event through an online qualifier. In just a matter of days, Moneymaker proved to the world that victory was possible for everyone, not just the pros. Now, the poker legend is returning to the felt to try his hand at cementing himself as the greatest player of all time, beating out the largest Main Event field ever.
The energy inside the Horseshoe Events Center was palpable as the excitement reached a fever pitch. Fans and players alike surrounded the Main Event table as WSOP Vice President Jack Effel introduced Moneymaker to the stage. Following remarks, Moneymaker surprised the crowd, bringing out a special guest – Gene Calden, who became the oldest entrant to ever play the WSOP Main Event at 100 years old. After beating him in a tournament earlier this year, Moneymaker’s team flew Calden to Vegas, sponsoring his 2023 Main Event run.
“I met this guy in West Palm Beach, Florida, and he beat me over and over and over again,” said Moneymaker. I don’t generally like to lose someone who’s over 100 years old, but we knew we had to bring Gene to play the WSOP Main Event. Born in 1923, he will officially be the oldest person to ever play the Main Event. This is proving to be a historical day all around.”
Moneymaker then handed Calden the microphone, who delivered the iconic “Shuffle Up and Deal!” to the crowd.
The WSOP Main Event has four total flights 1A – 1D, spanning Monday, July 3 – Saturday, July 15 will feature surprise celebrity cameos and much more. The full 2023 WSOP schedule can be found on WSOP.com. Players can follow @WSOP on Twitter or IG or check WSOP.com for event news and updates.
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About World Series of Poker:
Part of Caesars Entertainment’s Caesars Digital operations, the World Series of Poker® is the largest, richest and most prestigious gaming event in the world, having awarded more than $3.63 billion in prize money and the prestigious gold bracelet, globally recognized as the sport’s top prize. Featuring a comprehensive slate of tournaments in every major poker variation, the WSOP is poker’s longest-running tournament in the world, dating back to 1970. In 2022, the event attracted 197,626 entrants from over 100 different countries to the Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas and awarded more than $347 million in prize money. In addition, the WSOP has formed groundbreaking alliances in broadcasting, digital media and corporate sponsorships, while successfully expanding the brand internationally with the advent of WSOP Europe in 2007 and the WSOP Asia-Pacific in 2013 and the WSOP International Circuit Series in 2015. All WSOP events are subject to the then-current and applicable WSOP tournament rules. For more information, please visit www.wsop.com.
