A History of the WSOP Europe Main Event

The WSOP Europe (WSOPE) Main Event has been held in Rozvadov since 2017. But who has claimed the title since then, and how has King’s Casino become one of the largest casinos in the world in a town where there is little else to do? The history of the WSOPE Main Event in Rozvadov is as thrilling as the poker it has hosted.

A Brief History of the WSOPE

Given the tremendous success of the WSOP since its inception in 1970, the length of time it took for Europe to embrace the tournament series is surprising. In 2007, 37 years after the first-ever WSOP and four years following Chris Moneymaker’s legendary victory in 2003, the World Series of Poker finally made its debut in Europe.

The inaugural series took place in central London and featured some of the biggest players in the world. Barry Shulman’s victory in the opening event, where he faced off against Daniel Negreanu, was considered a huge upset. At that time, ‘Kid Poker’ was riding high until he suffered a brutal beat at the hands of Shulman.

The following year, British player James Bord emerged victorious, with both Shulman and Bord taking home just over a million dollars.

In the three years that followed, the WSOPE festival moved to the south of France, where Elio Fox claimed the title in 2011 by defeating Chris Moorman. In 2012, the most successful WSOP player of all time, Phil Hellmuth, secured the title for $1.12 million, becoming the only player in World Series history to win both the Las Vegas and European versions of the WSOP Main Event.

The year after Hellmuth’s victory, Spanish player Adrian Mateos triumphed in France, defeating local hero Fabrice Soulier. This event marked the last WSOPE held in France, as two years later, in 2015, the festival moved east to Germany, specifically Berlin. In the German capital, American Kevin MacPhee took the title after beating David Lopez heads-up. This event initiated a two-year hiatus for the WSOPE, after which it relocated to King’s Casino in Rozvadov.

Welcome to King’s

King’s Casino, the second-largest cardroom in the world and the largest outside Las Vegas, was designed to be the premier venue in Europe. With its history of awarding gold bracelets in the WSOPE, it’s hard to argue that it has achieved this goal in style since 2017.

Taking place from mid-October to November 10, the 2017 WSOPE featured 11 bracelet events with buy-ins ranging from €550 to €111,111. The largest buy-in event, the High Roller for One Drop, was won by Dominik Nitsche, who took home over $3.7 million.

Watch how the 888poker pro at the time took home his fourth WSOP bracelet right here!

The Main

The Main Event was won by Spanish player Marti Roca de Torres, who defeated the talented Italian Gianluca Speranza heads-up for $1.22 million.

The following year, Jack Sinclair became the most recent British winner, claiming a slightly larger prize than Torres when he beat Hungarian Laszlo Bujtas for the title.

Jack Sinclair won the 2018 WSOPE Main Event, earning the biggest prize of his poker career.

In 2019, Alexandros Kolonias emerged victorious as the Greek player defeated Claas Segebrecht heads-up. After three successful years in Rozvadov, the WSOPE festival was not held the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which put live poker on hold.

A New Era in Europe

In 2021, the first-ever Czech champion was crowned. With COVID protocols in place and players eager to return to the live felt, Josef Guláš won a massive top prize of $1.4 million by defeating French professional Johan Guilbert heads-up for the bracelet.

In 2022, Sweden’s Omar Eljach claimed victory, taking home $1.5 million after defeating another Frenchman, Jonathan Pastore. Last year, Austrian Max Neugebauer scooped the largest-ever top prize, earning $1.64 million when a record 817 entries competed for the gold bracelet.

Over the years that the World Series of Poker has been in Rozvadov, King’s Casino has evolved into a major attraction for poker players. Similar to Las Vegas, Rozvadov focuses on gambling; however, unlike Sin City, there is little to do in Rozvadov aside from playing poker, as King’s is nearly the sole attraction in this border town.

Poker players have always been drawn to history, and this week, a new winner will be crowned in Rozvadov, with a top prize of $1.42 million on the line.

Closing the Book: The Future of Poker in Rozvadov

The WSOP Europe Main Event has not only transformed Rozvadov into a premier destination for poker enthusiasts but has also established a rich history filled with thrilling victories and unforgettable moments. As the tournament continues to grow, it draws players from around the world, eager to compete for prestigious gold bracelets and life-changing prizes. With the promise of a new champion and the lure of substantial rewards, the atmosphere in Rozvadov remains electric, ensuring that the legacy of the WSOPE will continue to thrive in the years to come.