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From six players in the first World Series of Poker main event, the number of entrants jumped to 108 for the 1983 WSOP championship. A number of factors contributed to this. One was the implementation of a structured payout system. Instead of being winner take all, all of the top finishers would make money, creating more incentive to plunk down $10,000 for your shot at fame. Another was the populist nature of the event. In 1979, poker amateur Hal Fowler won the big one, proving with a little luck, anyone could be poker's annual king. But perhaps the most important innovation to date was the satellite tournament.

More on the WSOP:

WSOP Satellites
New 2008 WSOP Events
2008 WSOP Schedule
WSOP Player Profiles
WSOP History
WSOP Winners
H.O.R.S.E.: The Player's Championship

The Satellite Was Born

Eric Drache, the manager of the World Series of Poker for years, noticed that the World Series attracted many, many poker players, but that most of them did not feel they could spring for a seat at the main event. Hoping to drum up business, Drache observed the poker room, and noticed that in some games, there was $10,000 or more sitting out on the table. He suggested that one of these games play a winner take all freezeout, with the winner using his winnings to play in the main event. Thus, the satellite was born.

Satellite tournaments allow those without enough money for the tournament entry fee to use their skills to win their way into the event. In a single table satellite for a main event such as the one at the World Series of Poker, each player puts up $1,000 (plus the house fee), with the winner earning a seat to the main event. Super satellites allow multiple tables and multiple seats to the main event, for every group of entry fees that adds up to $10,000, one seat is awarded. There are also step satellites where winning one satellite gets you a seat to a more expensive satellite which can get you a seat in the main event. In the modern era, the vast majority of World Series of Poker main event seats are earned through satellite play.

Wild Card Players

In 1983 though, the satellite was a relatively new concept. Like a wild card team in football, you had an exciting opportunity to participate in the playoffs, but were never expected to go all the way. The 1983 Oakland Raiders would go on to have a Super Bowl championship season. In 1980, that team distinguished itself by being the first team to win the Super Bowl having gotten into the playoffs as a wild card. That feat was about to be duplicated at the 1983 World Series of Poker.

Pocket Queens for McEvoy

Both of the final players, Tom McEvoy and Rod Peate, had won their way into the WSOP main event through satellites, meaning for the first time ever, a player was about to win the World Series of Poker and over half a million dollars without putting up the $10,000 buy in. It was just a matter of which one it would be.

The answer came after seven hours of heads up play when Peate raised into McEvoy's pocket queens. McEvoy came over the top all in and in what was a questionable move, Peate called with KJ suited. Although a jack came on the turn, Peate got no more help. McEvoy became the 1983 World Series of Poker champion and its first satellite champion. He went on to write many best selling books on poker, often with tournament poker legend T.J. Cloutier.

1983 WSOP Tournaments and Winners

Event	Winner	Prize	Entrants
$10,000 Championship Event	Tom McEvoy	$540,000	108
$1,000 Razz	John Lucas	$43,000	N/A
$1,500 No-Limit Hold'em	David Baxter	$145,500	N/A
$2,500 A-5 Draw	David Angel	$46,250	N/A
$1,000 Limit 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo	Artie Cobb	$52,000	N/A
$800 Mixed Doubles	Jim Doman/Donna Doman	$10,000	N/A
$1,000 Limit 7-Card Stud	Ken Flaton	$62,000	N/A
$500 Women's Limit 7-Card Stud	Carolyn Gardner	$16,000	N/A
$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em	Buster Jackson	$124,000	N/A
$2,500 Match Play	Berry Johnston	$40,000	N/A
$1,000 Limit Hold'em	Tom McEvoy	$117,000	N/A
$1,000 Limit Omaha	David Sklansky	$25,500	N/A
$1,000 A-5 Draw	D Todd	$49,500	N/A
$5,000 Limit 7-Card Stud	Stu Ungar	$110,000	N/A

WSOP Year By Year

2000's	1990's	1980's	1970's
2007 WSOP	1999 WSOP	1989 WSOP	1979 WSOP
2006 WSOP	1998 WSOP	1988 WSOP	1978 WSOP
2005 WSOP	1997 WSOP	1987 WSOP	1977 WSOP
2004 WSOP	1996 WSOP	1986 WSOP	1976 WSOP
2003 WSOP	1995 WSOP	1985 WSOP	1975 WSOP
2002 WSOP	1994 WSOP	1984 WSOP	1974 WSOP
2001 WSOP	1993 WSOP	1983 WSOP	1973 WSOP
2000 WSOP	1992 WSOP	1982 WSOP	1972 WSOP
	1991 WSOP	1981 WSOP	1971 WSOP
	1990 WSOP	1980 WSOP	1970 WSOP