Chris Moneymaker was born on Friday, November 21st, 1975 — 50 years ago and some change.
This isn't age-shaming. The 50-year-old distinction is important, because that makes the 2003 WSOP Main Event champion eligible for the annual Seniors event.
It's important to point out, because that means a whole lot of other people are now eligible, too. Moneymaker spawned a generation of players when he broke through as a 27-year-old accountant from Tennessee, and many of them will be turning 50 over the next ten years — if they haven't already.
The annual fifty-plus tournament has grown rapidly since the WSOP itself expanded, nearly doubling from a then-record 3,142 buy-ins in 2010 to 5,917 entries by the end of that decade. After a brief break for COVID, 7,188 entries turned out in 2022 before the record was set again in 2023 at 8,180.
This year's edition will field 7,538 entries, a small reduction from last year and more than 600 off from the 2023 record. Nothing to worry about, since it's only going to get bigger.
Baby Boom Echo turning 50
Moneymaker was 27 years old when he won, and a lot of the growth in online and live poker came from the people who were younger than him. A giant wave of Moneymaker-inspired players will become eligible for Seniors event over the next decade, with the potential for big jumps in turnout each year.
The late seventies and early eighties are notable for a leap in the birthrate, thanks in part to the 'echo' of the Baby Boom, when the massive post-war generation started having children of their own. The domino effect tumbles forward to the late 1990s and early 2000s, when colleges experienced record enrollment after those babies grew up.
Dorm rooms and grad schools were overflowing when Moneymaker took it down in 2003, and everyone ran to the common rooms to play hold'em. Even if you weren't on a college campus, there was probably a nearby tavern, basement, or garage with a poker game on any given weekend night.
The table is now set for the Seniors event to get a lot bigger as those Elder Millennials creep toward 50, and the WSOP is giving it some room to grow with a tweak to the format. There are now two starting flights, each with their own Day 2. The survivors from each will crash together for Day 3 on Thursday and a sprint to the WSOP bracelet.
2026 edition splits in two
This year's Day 1A featured 3,539 entries, and 795 of them were through to Day 2A. Familiar faces like David 'ODB' Baker turned out, along with the legendary Billy Baxter and 2004 WSOP Main Event champ Greg Raymer. They all survived for the second day, but none will be seen on Thursday.
The second day of the opening flight turned 795 players into just 105, and Adam Agaev was on top of the leaderboard at the end.
WSOP Seniors Event Day 2A top five chip counts
- Adam Agaev - 2,190,000
- Scott Ruegsegger - 2,150,000
- Bryan Hyden - 1,710,000
- Frederick Goldberg - 1,645,000
- Sergii Karpov - 1,635,000
Agaev is a regular on the East Coast, where he has cashed regularly at Borgata events and the WSOP Circuit stops in Atlantic City. He finished 171st in this event last year.
Meanwhile, Day 1B floated 3,999 entries and 898 players moved on to the second flight on Wednesday night. The dust settled after ten more levels and 134 of them will return on Thursday, making for a final Day 3 field of 239. The unofficial late night leader is Sridhar Sangannagari, a five-time WSOPC ring winner from Piscataway, PA.
WSOP Seniors Event Day 2B top five chip counts (approx. based on WSOP LIVE app)
- Sridhar Sangannagari - 2,600,000
- Peter Kamaras - 2,300,000
- Marco Cavallaro - 2,000,000
- Todd Brown - 2,000,000
- James Traber - 1,800,000
Big WSOP Fantasy payoff?
Elsewhere on the leaderboard, we have plenty to watch out for on Thursday. The big field means lots of WSOP Fantasy points will be in play, and a few players are hanging around with a shot at picking them up:
WSOP Seniors Event fantasy implications
- John Holley - 895,000 (ODB Bonus Player)
- Gary Benson - 810,000 - ($25K Fantasy)
- Matt Glantz - 625,000 ($25K Fantasy)
- Mark Gregorich - 510,000 (ODB Bonus Player)
- John Wasnock - 410,000 ($25K Fantasy)
The two fields will smash together on Thursday morning at 11am, bright and early for ten more levels. They'll play Days 3 and 4 before the Day 5 finale on Saturday.
