The 2023 World Series of Poker $10,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event is now officially the largest ever held! With 5,234 entries from the first three starting days and 3,612 as of 1:00 PM on Day 1D, the total field currently sits at 8,846. That number is set to grow even further, as registration will remain open up through the start of level 8 on both day 2ABC and day 2D. That means players can enter up to four hours into play on Saturday, July 8.
The previous record was set 16 years, 11 months, and four days ago on July 31, in the 2006 WSOP main event, which drew 8,773 players creating a prize pool of $82,512,162. Jamie Gold went on to win the championship bracelet that year, capturing what was then the largest prize in main event history: $12,000,000.
With the total number of entries set to grow throughout day 1D and both days 2ABC and 2D, the final prize pool info is likely still days away from being announced, but there seems to be a great chance that Gold’s record top prize will be surpassed this year as well.
With $9,300 from each buy-in going into the prize pool, there is unofficially more than $82.2 million that will be up for grabs currently, with millions more likely to be added in the coming hours and days.
This record-setting turnout is far from a surprise. In fact, event organizer came into this year with the explicit goal of breaking the record that has stood since 2006.
“This is a colossal day not only in the history of the WSOP but for poker itself,” said WSOP Senior Vice President and Executive Director Ty Stewart. “It’s particularly special to make history in our first year at the new Horseshoe Las Vegas. I think today is a huge testament to the passion of the entire poker community who rallies around this event every year. We’re hoping this record is short-lived and we’ll be ready for another monster turnout next summer.”
As a result of the record being broken, one lucky player among the record-setting turnout is set to walk away with a ‘Main Event Seat for Life’. The promotion will see one player, drawn from the list of all entrants shortly after registration officially closes (which will be at roughly 4:40 pm on July 8.
Here is a look at the ten largest WSOP main events of all time (by field):
| Year | Champion | Entries | Prize Pool | Top Payout |
| 2023 | TBD | 8,846 and counting | TBD | TBD |
| 2006 | Jamie Gold | 8,773 | $82,512,162 | $12,000,000 |
| 2022 | Espen Jorstdad | 8,663 | $80,782,475 | $10,000,000 |
| 2019 | Hossein Ensan | 8,569 | $80,548,600 | $10,000,000 |
| 2018 | John Cynn | 7,874 | $74,015,600 | $8,800,000 |
| 2010 | Jonathan Duhamel | 7,319 | $68,798,600 | $8,944,310 |
| 2017 | Scott Blumstein | 7,221 | $67,877,400 | $8,150,000 |
| 2011 | Pius Heinz | 6,865 | $64,531,000 | $8,715,638 |
| 2008 | Peter Eastgate | 6,844 | $64,333,600 | $9,152,416 |
| 2016 | Qui Nguyen | 6,737 | $63,327,800 | $8,005,310 |
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