Situated in the Horseshoe Hotel on Fremont Street in downtown Vegas, Binion's gives a taste of how gambling used to be in the Old West. Opened in 1951 by Benny Binion, a former Texas bootlegger and gambler, the casino evokes the atmosphere of a traditional gambling hall - no shows, no music, just gambling. Minimum stakes are $2 on blackjack and $1 on craps. The poker tables are not for beginners though, as many professional players make their living here.
The World Series of Poker has been held at Binion's since 1970. The first competition had seven players, but now | over 650 players from around the world try their luck. Each May, Becky Binion opens the tournament with a call of "shuffle up 'n deal". The action takes place nonstop for 30 days with a variety of tournaments offering stakes from $1 to no limit. The final is the No Limit Texas Hold 'em Tournament, which lasts four days. Players pay a $10'000 entrance fee and compete for the $1.5 million first prize and the title of world champion. The winner is given celebrity status, gaining a place in the Poker Hall of Fame.
Many players attempt to win their entrance fee by competing | in satellite tournaments. Ten players each stake $1'000 and play a knock-out tournament, with the winner taking all the stakes. There are also super-satellites where players each stake $100 and attempt to win the entry fee from a field of 200 or 300 gamblers.
The World Series of Poker was inspired by a poker marathon which took place in 1949 at Binion's Horseshoe between Nicolas 'Nick the Greek' Dandolos and Johnny Moss. They played poker non-stop for five months, only taking breaks to sleep. Moss won and in 1970 repeated success by becoming the winner of the first World Championship. |
