by Mario Alfonsi | Published on May 29, 2012 | Updated on May 29, 2012It’s a busy time of year for poker. Many online gambling companies are trying to take part in newly regulated markets in Spain and Germany, while players in the United States and Australia are awaiting the possibility of regulatory frameworks for online poker being put in place in their nations as well. But no matter how you slice it, there’s really only one story that’s dominating the poker news right now: The World Series of Poker has begun.The 2012 WSOP officially began on Sunday, May 27. However, that was only the start day for the traditional kickoff event – the Casino Employees Tournament, a $500 buy-in event that is open only to those who work in the gaming industry. While that tournament is an important and special part of the WSOP, the real action began Monday, when the first open tournament began.Monday was also Memorial Day in the United States, a day that marks the end of a long holiday weekend, and is dedicated to the memory of those who died while serving in the nation’s armed services. Whether the holiday would have any impact on the overall numbers of the tournament was (and is) unclear, but the field that showed up for Event #2 was certainly impressive. The tournament – the first of several $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em events scheduled this year – drew 2,101 players, for a total prize pool of over $2.8 million. The eventual winner will take home $517,725, with a total of 216 players making the money.All eyes in this year’s WSOP will be on two events taking place in the later stages of the series. First, there’s the $1 million buy-in Big One for One Drop, which promises to be the richest poker tournament ever held. Then, of course, there’s the WSOP Main Event, which starts on Saturday, July 7th.Even though the WSOP has already begun, there’s still plenty of time to win an online satellite and win your way into the Main Event. Sites like Party Poker and 888 Poker are offering huge WSOP packages that will not only pay for your buy-in to the Main Event, but will also cover your hotel and travel expenses with a little spending money left over.
