World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment Corporation (known as Harrah's Entertainment until 2010). It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament, with a set start and stop time, and a winner determined by a secret ballot of the seven players.
Super Bowl of Poker
World Poker Tour commentator Mike Sexton recalls that "All the big players at the time were there. Amongst the big players [the SBOP] was very popular. They all went." While only 30 people participated in the inaugural event, six of them were future Poker Hall of Famers (Johnny Moss, Bobby Baldwin, Chip Reese, Amarillo Slim, Sailor Roberts and Doyle Brunson). It was held at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas, but because the Hilton closed its door to poker later that year, the tournament was forced to move to the Sahara in Reno the following year.