LAS VEGAS -- The third day of the $1,500 buy-in no-limit hold'em event actually ended at 6 a.m. on the fourth day, which is why that record-setting event was still going on Tuesday in the 39th World Series of Poker at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino.

The final 18 players started the fourth day at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. And the reason why the tournament dragged on so long was the record number of entries for a non-WSOP $10,000 championship event.

A total of 3,929 players paid the $1,500 entry fee for the tournament that began Saturday. Only the 2005, 2006, and 2007 WSOP finals had more entries.

Among the final 18 players were notable pros Chris (Jesus) Ferguson, Theo Tran, Minh Nguyen and Perry Friedman. Tran was the chip leader with $1,557,000.

The first tournament -- a $10,000 pot-limit hold'em event -- in the 2008 WSOP ended Sunday, with Nenad Medic earning $754,112 out of a prize pool of $3.3 million. Andy Bloch was second and earned $488,048.

Kathy Liebert was third and pocketed $306,064, boosting her lifetime earnings to more than $4 million in tournament poker.

Mike Sexton of World Poker Tour television fame was fourth and earned $248,160. Patrik Antonius was seventh ($124,080) and Phil (Unabomber) Laak was ninth ($74,448).