The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win. Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP. Even if the victory occurred before 1976, WSOP championships are now counted as "bracelets". During the first years of the WSOP only a handful of bracelets were awarded each year. In 1990, there were only 14 bracelet events. By 2000, that number...
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The World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet is considered the most coveted non-monetary prize a poker player can win. Since 1976, a bracelet has been awarded to the winner of every event at the annual WSOP. Even if the victory occurred before 1976, WSOP championships are now counted as "bracelets". During the first years of the WSOP only a handful of bracelets were awarded each year. In 1990, there were only 14 bracelet events. By 2000, that number increased to 24. As the popularity of poker has increased during the 2000s, the number of events has likewise increased. In 2009, there will be 57 bracelets awarded in Las Vegas and 4 at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE).
Just as the prestige of the event has grown, so too has the quality of the bracelet. The earliest bracelets were valued at a few hundred dollars, while today's bracelet is designed by premier jeweler Corum.
The 1976 bracelet looked "like gold nuggets kind of hammered flat." The bracelet in 1976 cost approximately $500...
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