PokerStars Qualifiers - World Series History

Ever since PokerStars began sending players to the WSOP*, our qualifiers have had a phenomenal rate of success, making many final table appearances and winning millions in prize money. Both the 2003 and 2004 Champions qualified via PokerStars satellites. Chris Moneymaker won $2,500,000 after winning a $39 satellite, while Greg Raymer earned a massive $5,000,000 after winning his seat in a $150+$10 shootout tournament.

The following is a round-up of how our qualifiers have fared at the Main Event each year.

2008

Ylon Schwartz The 2008 Main Event saw PokerStars provide our biggest number of competitors with 1,063 qualifiers helping to make up a field of 6,844. A grand total of 130 cashed and our qualifiers scooped more than $8,000,000 in prize money. Six PokerStars qualifiers and players made up the November Nine who came back to contest the final table after a 117-day break, with Ylon Schwartz (4th for $3,794,974), Darus Suharto (6th for $2,418,562) and David Rheem (7th for $1,772,650) all qualifying online. There were also top 30 finishes for Chris Klodnicki, Tim Loecke and Cristian Dragomir – making the tournament a huge success for PokerStars qualifiers.

2007

A staggering 6,358 players entered the event in 2007. A total of 615 qualified on PokerStars, making up 9.67% of the entire field. There were cashes for 93 players, including 13 top fifty finishes. David Tran and Bob Slezak came 14th and 15th respectively, both picking up $429,114. John Armburst, Scott Freeman, Jason Welch, Roy Winston and Jeff Bryan also cashed for well over $300,000 for finishing in the top 30. The final table also featured Team PokerStars Pro members, Raymond Rahme and Hevad Khan.

2006

In what proved to be the biggest ever field, 8,773 players took part in the 2006 Main Event. Out of those, more than 1,600 won their seat on PokerStars, over 18% of all entrants. There were money finishes for 145 of our qualifiers, three of which made it to the final table. Eliminated in 9th place, Dan Nassif earned $1,566,858 after winning his seat in a $160 satellite. Erik Friberg finished in 8th, earning $1,979,189. Our biggest winner was Doug Kim, who turned a $650 satellite into $2,391,520 for his 7th place finish. Elsewhere, Eric Lynch and Mark Garner both picked up $494,797 for their top 25 finishes. There were also impressive cashes for Cuong Do, Rob Berryman, Kyle Bowker and Brian Hansen.

2005

In the year that Team PokerStars Pro member Joe Hachem won the event, a total of 5,619 players competed for one of the first truly massive prize pools. There were 1,116 PokerStars qualifiers in total, a massive 20% of the field. There were 106 cashes. Joining Hachem at the final table were Daniel Bergsdorf and Brad Kondracki, who finished in 7th and 8th place for $1,150,000 and $1,300,000 respectively. Bernard Lee earned $400,000 for finishing in 13th after qualifying via a Frequent Player Point satellite. Radu Butan, Steve Marx, Raymi Sanchez and Larry Prugh also finished in the big money.

2004

By 2004, the online poker revolution was in full swing. The number of entrants at the Main Event had tripled since the year before. Out of the 2,576 people who played, over 12% had won their seat by qualifying on PokerStars, 316 players in total. Out of the 28 who cashed, four sat at the final table. In addition to the overall winner, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer, the line up also featured Matt Dean and Michael McClain, who finished in 7th and 9th place, earning cashes of $675,000 and $470,400. The following players also finished in the top twenty-five: Dewey Archer, Gary Jones and Davin Andersson.

2003

The 2003 Main Event saw history made when Chris Moneymaker won the tournament after qualifying on PokerStars, all for just $39. Of the 839 players who entered, 37 had qualified via PokerStars satellites and freeroll promotions. The figure may not sound like many, but it marked the first time that this many players had qualified outside of Binion’s own live satellite events. As well as Moneymaker’s huge first prize of $2,500,000, there was also a 16th place finish for Olof Thorson, worth $55,000.

2002

Back in 2002, the Main Event attracted a field of 631, made up mostly of the world’s top pro players. PokerStars sent two qualifiers to the event, Anders Berg and Mark Leah. Although neither managed to cash, it was an experience they would never forget.

To read how members of Team PokerStars Pro have made an impact at the World Series, see our pro player history page.

* WORLD SERIES OF POKER and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah's License Company, LLC ("Harrah's"). Harrah's does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars.com or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.