The World Series of Poker is the premier event of the year for poker players all around the world.  As the 2008 championship draws closer, players are gearing up to go head to head against each other and against the professionals of poker.  The roster that will be haunting the halls of the Rio Casino Resort in Las Vegas is already filled with players who know the ins and outs of the game.  They are the ones that have won the multiple bracelets, earned millions of dollars, and have proven they are simply the best.  If you have never met these four men, it’s time you do so that you know what you’re facing.

If you’re sitting at a table with Phil Hellmuth, you may recognize him from the WSOP-themed beer cans that will floating around the event.  He started playing in the WSOP in 1988 and holds 11 bracelets, the most ever won by a player.  He’s cashed 63 times and won more than $5.6 million.

Erik Seidel has won more than $1.3 million since 2004 and owns his own fair share of WSOP bracelets.  He has wont the $2,000 no limit Hold’Em event is 2005, the $5,000 207 lowball event, and managed to outlast over 1,402 players in 2005.   

Allen Cunningham is next and has won more than $5.8 million since 2004.  In the four years since he’s started playing, he has won three bracelets and was voted the WSOP Player of the Year in 2005.  He didn’t cash out in 2004, but his winnings in 2006 makes up $3.6 million in 2006 alone.

Finally there is Phil Ivey who has cased out 10 times since 2004 with $2 million dollars.  Ivey has a total of five WSOP bracelets and he tends to spend most of his times during the WSOP playing high stakes cash games at the Bellagio when he’s not playing at a WSOP event.  Three of his five bracelets were won in 2002.

There are a bunch of other players that newbies to the WSOP should keep an eye out for, all of whom have won at least two bracelets over the last four years.  Scott Fischman, Bill Chen, Jeff Madsen, Ted Forrest, Rafi Amit, Scott Clements, Mark Seif, Barry Greenstein, and 2007 Player of the Year Tom Schneider, are all going to be in attendance this year.  If you happen to be lucky enough to get to the WSOP, make sure you get plenty of rest during the tournament just in case you happen to come head to head with one of these monster poker pros in the early hours of the morning.