The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is one of the most prestigious poker tournaments across the world. The length of the tournament, the prize money and the prestigious WSOP bracelets are some of the unique features that make this event so popular. Professional poker players from across the world mark this event on their calendar every year and compete with the very best to try and win an event.
One of the most coveted prizes is the WSOP Bracelet as the only way to get one is to win an event at the WSOP. However, recent events have proven that you don’t need to win a WSOP bracelet, you can buy one if you have enough money.
This came to light recently when Jamie Gold, a 2006 WSOP champion had to auction his WSOP bracelet. While, Gold confirmed that he did not voluntarily auction his bracelet, his bracelet was nevertheless sold via Heritage Auctions, which claims to be one of “The World’s Largest Collectibles Auctioneer.” Reports suggested that the WSOP bracelet was sold during an online auction and went for as much as $65,725.
The bracelet is a great piece of work has it has 259 stones which includes 120 grams of white and yellow gold along with over 7 carats of diamonds. The online listing described the bracelet as “an absolutely amazing representation from one of the most talked about WSOP events in history”.
Back in 2006, Jamie Gold went through nearly 9000 players before claiming the championship. He took home $12 million in prize money along with the WSOP bracelet. Since then, he has not had any significant winnings and has given room to speculation as to why the bracelet had to be sold in the first place.
While this is not the first time a WSOP bracelet has been sold, this is certainly one of the most popular bracelets to hit the market. Speaking about why the WSOP bracelet had to be auctioned Gold said
It’s a legal issue that I can’t talk about, but what I can say is that I am not selling it. I would never do that. It’s really unfortunate what has been happening. It is out of my hands, but it’s not something I wish was happening. I’m not purposefully selling; I’m not involved in the auction and will not be making $1 if it does end up being sold.
