There is always a prize for excellence in every sector. In American cinema, there is the Oscar. In music, there are the Grammy Awards. There is the poker bracelet, a prestigious prize awarded to winners of certain high-profile poker tournaments, notably the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
The poker bracelet is a recognition piece and the epitome of prestige and honor, which every player seeks and dreams to possess. When was the bracelet introduced, and why is it so important? Today’s casino news sheds more light on the bracelet’s history and importance.
The Poker Bracelet: Marking Triumphs in the World of Card Games
The poker bracelet is an award presented to champions who win the final events at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). It is the most fabulous and coveted prize in poker, distinguishing legends from poker who fancy many variants, mostly Texas Hold’em games.
The WSOP tournament (founded by Benny Binion) began in 1970 and presented silver cups, sterling plates, and other trophies to event winners before the bracelet was introduced. This culture changed six years later. Benny introduced the idea of presenting a wearable award to distinguish championship winners at the poker table. The WSOP awarded the first poker bracelet in 1976.
Johnny Moss was the first to win a WSOP award, and Doyle Brunson (a ten-bracelet holder) was the first player to win the poker bracelet in 1976. However, all WSOP championship awards before 1976 are reckoned as WSOP bracelets. The poker bracelet was relatively insignificant during Doyle Brunson’s time. At some point, he left two of his bracelets behind.
However, bracelet events steadily grew from 24 in 2000 to 58 in 2011. It arrived in Europe (WSOPE) in 2007 when the WSOP presented the first bracelet to Thomas Bihl outside Las Vegas, the tournament’s usual venue.
Moving on, the poker bracelet continued to gain popularity, and its number increased from 959 in 2011 to 1083 in 2014. The 2020 WSOP event, held online due to COVID-19, also helped spread the bracelet’s fame and the awareness of online casino games of poker, available everywhere with a mobile device and an internet connection.
Design Changes and Worth
Today’s poker bracelet is made from different precious metals, typically gold or other metals like silver and platinum. It also incorporates gemstones like black diamonds, white diamonds, sapphires, or rubies, which make it more luxurious and exclusive. But it wasn’t so initially.
The design varies depending on the tournament as manufacturers add their spin and innovations to the award. The touch of different jewelry companies has had an evolutionary effect on design over the years.
These companies include Mordechai Yerushalmi in the 1980s, Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caeser’s Palace) in 2004, Gold and Diamond International in 2005, Frederick Goldman, Inc. in 2006, Corum in 2007, and OnTilt Designs Pty Ltd in 2010 and 2011. Jostens took over in 2019, introducing several carats of gold, rubies, diamonds, and other precious stones.
The earliest poker bracelet was worth only about 500 dollars. However, the value placed on the bracelet increased dramatically in the early 2000s during the poker boom, a significant surge in the popularity of poker, particularly Texas Hold’em, the poker hand names and playing strategies, fueled mainly by television coverage, online poker, the “Moneymaker Effect,” celebrity endorsement, and cultural impact. It has since been an invaluable piece in poker competitions.
Peter Eastgate, a poker bracelet holder, sold his bracelet for $147,500 in 2010, and the money went to UNICEF. In 2013, a 2006 Poker Bracelet was auctioned for 65,000 dollars. However, the one made by Joeston in 2019 was worth 50,000 dollars at another auction.
The company’s 2023 poker bracelet is said to be the most luxurious trophy in sports. The golden bracelet had about 500 grams of yellow 10-karat gold, 42 round diamonds, 425 stones (red and black), and a removable gold poker chip right at the center.
Most Iconic Winners of the Poker Bracelet
These professional poker players have recorded unmatched feats in the WSOP with their excellent winning cards.
Phil Hellmuth, King of the Poker Bracelet
Phil has won 17 WSOP bracelets and holds the highest number of poker bracelets. He won his first bracelet in 1989, becoming the youngest player to do so at the time. We bet he knew his poker hands guide by heart, easing his dominance at the tables.
Doyle Brunson
Though Doyle Brunson didn’t fancy the poker bracelet during his time, he has won 10 bracelets. He could have won more if it was this valuable, but he played more cash casino games of poker.
Johnny Chan
Johnny holds ten bracelets as well. He was the first foreign national to win the bracelet in 1987 and the first player to have 10 WSOP bracelets in 2005.
Phil Ivey
Phil also holds ten bracelets. He is known as the “Tiger Woods of Poker” and is regarded as the best all-around player in the game. He is also the youngest player to win ten bracelets. Phil won his first bracelet in 2000 when he had his chipset against Amarillo Slim, becoming the first to defeat him in a WSOP final.
Learn more about the poker chips and a poker chips set, by following our learning content, available for you at our online casino guides.
The Pinnacle of Card Excellence
More than just an award, the poker bracelet represents the universal symbol of success in poker. It has inspired countless players to strive for mastery and excellence in all poker variants and games, including online games like the Oasis Poker Online game.
As poker continues to be one of the best online casino real money games, the bracelet undoubtedly remains the epitome of honor and a symbol of prestige for players worldwide. Thousands of poker players have earned a poker bracelet since the inception of major poker tournaments like the World Series of Poker. However, the exact number varies each year as new players win bracelets and some players may have multiple bracelets.
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