The biggest attendance was recorded at the 2006 WSOP which had 8,773 players entering the main event, the biggest live poker event in the world. That year the prize pool was a staggering $82,512,162 and the event was won by Jamie Gold who won more than $12 million for his first place finish.
Update – 7,319 players registered for this years main event making the total prize pool $68,798,600
*Spoiler alert* Read more only if you wish to see the 2010 World Series of Poker updates.