WSOP 2016 Main Event Final Table The Most Exciting Moments

WHEN: July 9 – July 18, 2016; Oct. 30-Nov. 1 – Final Nine

WHERE: Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

EVENT #: 68

BUY IN AMOUNT: $10,000

PRIZE POOL: $63,327,800

FIRST PLACE PRIZE: $8,000,000

NUMBER OF ENTRANTS: 6,737 (Main Event) (5th most ever, highest in five years)

PLACES PAID: 1,011 (Earns $15,000) (Most ever in history)

VALUE OF CHIPS IN PLAY: 336,850,000 (Players start with 50,000 in chips)

PHYSICAL NUMBER CHIPS IN PLAY: 229,058 (Each player started with 34 individual poker chips)

NUMBER OF DEALERS UTILISED: 866

NUMBER OF DECKS OF CARDS: 1,522

UNIQUE COUNTRIES: 79

AVERAGE AGE: 40.08

OLDEST PLAYER: William Wachter, Mahopac, New York, USA – 95 years old

YOUNGEST PLAYER: Evan House-Hull, Sandoval, Illinois, USA – 21 years, 19 days old (survived Flight B with 92,300 in chips)

MALE PARTICIPANTS: 6,469

FEMALE PARTICIPANTS: 268

At the end of a grueling eight-hour heads up match, Qui Nguyen has written his name into poker's history books. Nguyen won the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event early Wednesday morning, earning his first WSOP bracelet and $8,005,310 for his victory. And for the next year, he will be poker's reigning world champion.

Nguyen in many ways seems an unlikely champion. He lacked the experience of some of his competitors at the final table, most notably Josephy, who already has two WSOP bracelets and numerous other accomplishments. Nguyen, in contrast, had only one previous WSOP cash, and his biggest live tournament cash prior to this tournament was for $9,029. His victory today earned him near 900 times that amount.