Players Start Arriving For 2012 World Series Of Poker In Las Vegas
The stage has been built and the gaming capital of the US is about to get an influx of thousands of professional and amateur poker players. Las Vegas is the setting for the 2012 World Series of Poker, which will begin this Sunday.
"I have been coming for the past five years," said Nelson Grant. "I plan on playing in three events each year, and then depending on how I do in those events, I may stay for a few more. I took an entire month off to come out here and play and watch all the action."
Grant is not alone. Outside of the tens of thousands of players that will be coming through Sin City over the next month and a half, thousands of poker enthusiasts will also fill the Rio, where the WSOP is held. It is an atmosphere that is somewhat hard to describe.
"It's just a full on adrenaline rush," said Walter Bendon. "You see all the people, and all the tables, and the adrenaline just starts to escalate. I made it deep into a tournament last year, and it was the most amazing feeling I've ever had playing poker."
Nevada is in need of the increase in tourists. Casinos in the state have been struggling since the economic recession of 2008, but have started to recover in recent months. The thousands of poker players coming in starting this week is expected to give a boost not only to the casinos, but local businesses as well.
"I run a tattoo parlor, and every year I get a big jump in business during the WSOP," says Harold Klein. "I'd say that a good portion of my business for the summer comes from people attending the WSOP, and that is great for me and my family."
This year, the WSOP is bigger than ever. There are 60 events scheduled to take place between Sunday and July 7th, the start date for the main event. One of the biggest draws this year will be a new $1 million buy-in tournament, with only a couple of dozen players participating. The stakes have been raised each year, and that also is helping bring increased enthusiasm.
"I can't believe they finally understood that people want to play high-stakes poker," said Louisse Nettles. "If they continue to raise the stakes, people will continue to come. That is what draws gamblers, the thought of winning millions of dollars in a small period of time. It should be a lot of fun to watch this year."
May 24, 2012
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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