DON McDERMOTT / PVT This will be a typical scene at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casinom starting Friday and running through July 17, as the World Series of Poker is contested in Las Vegas. The room will be crowded with players and television crews will be in full force for all 55 events. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- The Pahrump Valley will have a major presence in the 2007 World Series of Poker, which starts an eight-week, 55-tournament grind Friday at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino.

Javaid Daniel and Butch Dole will play in the Casino Employees $500 buy-in tournament Friday, starting at 5 p.m. Both are dealers -- Daniel at the Nugget and Dole at Terrible's Town.

Six players, in a series of free-roll tournaments contested at the Nugget, qualified for $1,500 buy-ins, including Dole, Rollie Batayola, Jim Robertson, Rob Lisull, Skip Woodland and Blake Lozo.

All but Lozo plan to take advantage of their payoffs, while Lozo will enter a series of lower buy-in tournaments at Binion's, the former home of the WSOP. Ray Guin, a valley realtor, will play in both Series and Binion's tournaments.

Hoppy Hopkins and his wife Carolyn will play in the Seniors Championship June 25-27; it's a $1,000 buy-in event.

Almost every player indicated he or she will play in satellite tournaments, which have buy-ins ranging from $50 to $1,060 and will be spread every day.

The first major tournament will be played Friday' it's a $5,000 mixed no-limit/limit hold-em tournament which is slated to last three days.

The $10,000 World Championship tournament -- expected to attract at least 6,000 players and maybe as many as 10,000 -- will start July 6 and run through July 17, with two days off.

Affecting the number of entries will be the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, a law which cracks down on Internet gambling in the United States by restricting financial transactions associated with Web site wagering.

Last year, with no restrictions, the championship event generated 8,773 players, which meant a prize pool of more than $82 million. If 10,000 are able to gain a seat this year, the prize pool would be almost $100 million, with first place potentially worth $15 million.

Jamie Gold won the 2006 title, earning $12 million in a showdown with Paul Wasicka, who won the NBC Heads-Up championship this year. Wasicka was paid more than $6 million for his WSOP runnerup finish.

The $50,000 H.O.R.S.E tournament will be June 24-28; the defending champion is Chip Reese, who earned more than $1.7 million for his victory against Andy Bloch.

The $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha tournament is July 1-3. The $5,000 Heads-Up championship event is June 19-22.

WSOP events

The 2007 World Series of Poker begins Friday at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino. The first week's events:

Friday -- Noon, Event 1, World Championship Mixed Hold'em (Limit/No-Limit) (3 Day event) $5,000

Friday -- 5 p.m., Event 2, Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em (2 day event) $ 500

Saturday -- Noon, Event 3, No-Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500

Sunday -- Noon, Event 4, Pot Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500

Sunday -- 5 p.m., Event 5, Omaha/Seven Card Stud Hi-Low-8 or Better (3 day event) $2,500

Monday -- Noon, Event 6, Limit Hold'em (3 day event) $1,500

Monday -- 5 p.m., Event 7, Pot Limit Omaha W/Rebuys (2 day event) $5,000

Tuesday -- Noon, Event 8, No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (3 day event) $1,000

Tuesday -- 5 p.m., Event 9, Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better (3 day event) $1,500