Record Breaking Numbers at the WSOP

This year was supposed to be the year of cutbacks, and the poker community was anticipating smaller fields because of the hard times. However, it seems that is not the case and the fields are just as strong as ever this year.
The series kicked off with the $40,000 buy in event which attracted over 200 players. Most people were wondering if the event would break 100 players, but those skeptics were definitely wrong. There were big name pros who were taking part in the event as well as lesser known players. The event proved that even the big buy in events were going to be a hit this year.
Event 4 brought the $1,000 “Stimulus” Event which catered to those that may not be able to afford $1,500 or bigger buy in tournaments. This event saw an impressive 6,012 players which was only pales in comparison to the Main Event. It was so popular that the event completely sold out and players were turned away from registering. This event was supposed to be a four day event with two day starts, but ended up needing five days to finish.
Event 3 also broke records this year. Event 3 was the $1,500 Omaha High Low Split 8 or Better, and it saw a lot of big name pros. Not only were the pros interested in playing this event, but it brought it over 950 players. This was the biggest live Omaha tournament to date, and no one could have expected such a strong turnout.
There is still a lot of time and events left in the 2009 WSOP, and it seems that this is the year to break all records.