Foreigners prop up poker

LAS VEGAS – An influx of international players has helped the World Series of Poker increase its numbers this year even as general visitation and gambling numbers have declined in Las Vegas.

Tourney spokesman Seth Palansky said Wednesday that the series attracted more players from other countries than before, giving it a boost despite a weak U.S. economy.

Players from 118 countries played in the series’ 55 events, up from 55 last year. Scattered throughout the 6,844 total participants in the $10,000 buy-in main event were players from 72 different countries besides all 50 U.S. states.

A record number of people have played in the 55-event, 47-day poker series, despite a general decline in gambling revenues. Clark County, which encompasses the Las Vegas Strip casinos, was down 3.7 percent from last year through April, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Tournament officials said registration for the series was up 8 percent from last year and the total prize pool for all the events was up 13 percent, to $180.7 million from $159.8 million last year. The top prize to be awarded Nov. 11 for the no-limit Texas Hold ‘em main event tournament also increased to $9.12 million.

“It is clear that a lot of the growth is coming from outside the U.S. Six continents, 118 different locations, countries, territories,” Palansky said.

“Poker had been growing in America for so long that the rest of the world is starting to catch up,” said Joe Hachem, the 2005 champion from Melbourne, Australia.