A Brief History of the Poker Bracelet

With the 2010 World Series of Poker underway in Las Vegas, I thought it would be appropriate to post some history on the poker bracelet. If you are into poker, then you need to know where the tradition of the poker bracelet originated. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) started awarding poker bracelets to tournament winners in 1976. The early bracelets were fairly simple and looked a lot like an ID bracelet. As the years went by, and poker exploded in popularity, the bracelets became more elaborate and expensive (see the photos below).

2004.....................................2005.......................................2006.......................................2007

2008......................................2009.....................................2010

The 2010 bracelet is a new "edgier" design. I had a chance to talk briefly to poker pro T.J. Cloutier at a recent poker tournament. He provided input during the design stage of the new bracelet. T.J. was pushing for a return to the roots of the earlier bracelets - simpler design and cleaner lines. It looks like the final design of the 2010 bracelet does take elements from the earlier bracelets. The poker pros that got an early look at the design seem to like it. We at PokerBling would like to know what you think. We are always working on our next bracelet design and would appreciate any input. Drop us an email at info@pokerbling.com and let us know your thoughts on the ideal bracelet.