With every World Series of Poker Main Event, we see what new color palettes, features, and chip designs are used. Anyone in the Main Event gets a close-up look, but the chips might be a pixelated blur on screen for those who don't.
We wanted to see how chip designs have changed over 20+ years of World Series of Poker events. We'd ask Phil Hellmuth, winner of 17 bracelets, but there are dozens and dozens of colorways to remember.
Let's talk about the chip manufacturers first, then run through each year of chip designs until the year 2000.
What Kind of Poker Chips Does the WSOP Use?
The World Series of Poker chips have been made by a brand called Paulson, who no longer sell to the public. Each Paulson chip has eight imprints of a top hat and cane, which is how you can spot them. However, the company made chips without their trademark logo too, so it isn’t easy to tell sometimes.
It’s extremely difficult to dig up information on World Series of Poker chip manufacturers. Paulson is responsible for crafting most of the WSOP chips, even if their branding isn’t obvious. Instead of the top hat and cane logo, chips now have “World Series of Poker” written around the border (a design that debuted in 2018).
And of course, with so many millions of dollars on the line, the World Series of Poker doesn’t want to leave any lying around. You can only purchase chips that are out of circulation, so you might find Paulson from rebranded casinos or old tournament series. Still, that doesn’t mean they are cheap. It can cost thousands for these casino-grade chips, depending on the condition.
Before Paulson, another chip manufacturer called Bud Jones was also used for WSOP Main Events.
Bud Jones chips were often used alongside Paulsons or alone. However, some players don't like their build quality, saying they feel "cheap". This is because they are usually injection molded plastic with a metal slug in the center for weight. However, they are very durable and have been used for decades in the WSOP.
Let’s run through over 20 years of WSOP chips, starting in 2023.
2023 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
Let’s start with chips from the record-breaking 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event, which went down in Vegas (not without controversy). By the end of heads-up play, Steven Jones and Daniel Weinman were using just three chip variants.
The chips feature the Caesars Entertainment and WSOP logos, plus denominations. The border features five edge spots in two different colors.
Chips used for the 2022 Main Event final hands:
- 100 – Black chips with White and Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Purple chips with Orange and Sand edge spots.
- 1K – Yellow chips with Grey and Red edge spots.
- 5K – Red chips with White and Salmon edge spots.
- 25K – Green chips with Dark Green and Brick edge spots.
- 100K – Blue chips with Yellow and Carol edge spots.
- 500K – Black chips with White and Sky Blue edge spots.
- 1M – Coral Orange chips with Black and Green edge spots.
- 5M – Grey chips with Dark Grey and Plum edge spots.
2022 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
For 2022, the World Series of Poker Main Event left The Rio and fell under the Caesars Entertainment brand. The colorful Rio logo was stripped from the inlay and the affluent Caesars logo was added. The colors got a makeover too, switching from bright ones to cold winter tones.
Unfortunately, the WSOP reused the same set for the Main Event in 2022 and 2023. If you’re looking for new designs, see the 2021 WSOP chips in the next section.
Chips used for the 2022 Main Event Final Table:
- 100 – Black chips with White and Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Purple chips with Orange and Sand edge spots.
- 1K – Yellow chips with Grey and Red edge spots.
- 5K – Red chips with White and Salmon edge spots.
- 25K – Green chips with Dark Green and Brick edge spots.
- 100K – Blue chips with Yellow and Carol edge spots.
- 500K – Black chips with White and Sky Blue edge spots.
- 1M – Coral Orange chips with Black and Green edge spots.
- 5M – Grey chips with Dark Grey and Plum edge spots.
Chips are customizable online too, but the designs aren't as complicated. Usually, a poker site's only goal is to have some contrast. They do have a helpful feature for tournament players though: switching chip stacks from regular values to BB values. This is ideal for MTTs and takes away the guesswork.
Check out some of these poker room reviews for a closer look at the best sites.
2021 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
When Koray Aldemir won $8,000,000 at the 2021 World Series of Poker Main Event, it was the last time the Rio versions were used.
These chips have some nice details, like the WSOP text on the edges and varying numbers of edge spots. This edge text is an easy way to spot the RFID chips, which weren't used in the 2022 and 2023 Main Events. The Rio and WSOP logos cover the inlay.
Chips used for the 2021 Main Event:
- 100 – Black chips with Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Sky Blue chips with Light Brown edge spots.
- 1K – Canary Yellow chips with Purple edge spots.
- 5K – Blaze Orange chips with Brown edge spots.
- 25K – Forest Green with Blue and Yellow edge spots.
- 100K – Thistle chips with Charcoal and Silver edge spots.
- 1M – Yellow chips with Green edge spots (RFID chip)
- 5M – Midnight Blue chips with Pink and Almond edge spots.
2020 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
COVID made the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event more difficult to pull off, but online poker saved the day.
Nine finalists from online satellites had a live Main Event to decide who’d win the bracelet, and over $1.5 million. Damian Salas of Argentina beat the American Joseph Herbet, at a WSOP uncharacteristically in the Czech Republic.
Chips used for the 2020 Main Event Final Table:
- 500 – Powder Blue chips with Light Brown edge spots.
- 1K – Canary Yellow chips with Purple edge spots
- 5K – Orange chips with Brown edge spots
- 25K – Forest Green chips with Skyblue edge spots and inset WSOP logo. (RFID chip)
2019 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
When Hossein Ensan won in 2019 at the WSOP Main Event, he was using another chip set from Paulson. Almost all of the chips from the 2020 and 2021 Main Events were present, except for the Forest Green 25K chip. In 2019, the non-RFID version of the Forest Green chip was used, with different edge spots.
This year, the “Blurple” 5,000,000 chip was introduced.
Chips used for the 2019 Main Event Final Table:
- 100 – Black chips with Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Sky Blue chips with Light Brown edge spots.
- 1K – Canary Yellow chips with Purple edge spots.
- 5K – Blaze Orange chips with Brown edge spots.
- 25K – Forest Green with Blue and Yellow edge spots.
- 100K – Thistle chips with Charcoal and Silver edge spots.
- 1M – Yellow chips with Green edge spots (RFID chip).
- 5M – Midnight Blue chips with Pink and Almond edge spots.
2018 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
RFID chips with WSOP-branded edges were debuted at the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event. These 50mm chips had the same base colors as other chips, but with simpler colors, plus the new RFID tech.
Only the higher denomination chips had RFID (indicated by the WSOP logo on the edges). Regular tables had identical base colors, without RFID.
Chips used for the 2018 Main Event Final Table:
- 25 – Light Green chips with Forest Green edge spots.
- 100 – Black chips with Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Sky Blue chips with Light Brown edge spots.
- 1K – Canary Yellow chips with Purple edge spots.
- 5K – Blaze Orange chips with Brown edge spots.
- 25K – Forest Green with Blue and Yellow edge spots.
- 25K – Forest Green with Blue edge spots and WSOP logos (Final Table/RFID).
- 100K – Thistle chips with Charcoal and Silver edge spots.
- 500K – Red chips with White and Blue edge spots.
- 500K – Red chips with White and Blue edge spots (Final Table/RFID)
- 1M – Canary Yellow chips with Black and Green edge spots.
- 1M – Yellow chips with Green edge spots (Final Table/RFID).
- 5M – Midnight Blue chips with Pink and Almond edge spots (Final Table/RFID).
2017 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
For the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event, Scott Blumstein took home over $8 million playing with Paulsons.
The designs were similar, but RFID technology hadn’t been brought in yet.
Chips used for the 2017 Main Event Final Table:
- 25 – Light Green with Forest Green edge spots.
- 100 – Black chips with Sky Blue edge spots.
- 500 – Sky Blue chips with Light Brown edge spots.
- 1K – Canary Yellow chips with Purple edge spots.
- 5K – Blaze Orange chips with Brown edge spots.
- 25K – Forest Green with Blue and Yellow edge spots.
- 100K – Thistle chips with Charcoal and Silver edge spots.
- 500K Red chips with White and Blue edge spots.
- 1M – Yellow chips with Green edge spots.
- 5M – Midnight Blue chips with Pink and Almond edge spots.
2016 to 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event Chips (Paulson)
From 2016 to 2007, the chips used in the World Series of Poker Main Events were basically reused sets. Producing chips was probably more costly during this era, because since 2016 the WSOP has reshuffled chip designs much more often.
Occasionally, one chip would appear for a year and disappear the next, like the Almond 250K, Peach 25K, and Hot Pink 50K chips. The World Series was still fine-tuning the chip sets, trying to find denominations and designs that work well.
2007 was the first year using the classic Rio WSOP chips shown below.
Apparently, the Orange 5K, Peach 25K, and Hot Pink 50K chips looked so similar that many players complained.
By the next year, both the Peach 25K and Hot Pink 50K chips were discontinued. In 2014, the Almond 250K chips were also discontinued.
2007 was also the first year of using Rio Paulson chips. In the previous year, Jamie Gold had his iconic win using the Bud Jones chips we’re about to show you.
By the way, check the article below if you are looking for info about the World Series of Poker app, including the WSOP free app.
2006 and 2005 WSOP Main Event Chips (Bud Jones)
Even though Bud Jones chips are apparently used for side events, the WSOP now uses Paulson for their Main Event sets.
The Bud Jones chips from 2005 and 2006 chips usually have no more than three colors in the inlays, no RFID technology, and simpler edge spot designs.
One major difference between Paulson and Bud Jones chips is the dashes or squares on the border, in between the edge spots.
The Bud Jones base color contrasts the edge spots much more than the Paulson chips. Newer Paulson chips sometimes have similar base and edge spot colors, which is only a design choice and doesn’t affect their playability.
Starting in 2005, the Main Event chips used a normal sans serif font on the chips. Compared to the Western fonts in prior years, it made the chips appear more modern.
Chips used for the 2005 and 2006 Main Event Final Table:
- 25 – Army Green with Canary Yellow edge spots
- 100 – Black with White edge spots (2005 and 2006 only)
- 500 – Hot Pink with Black edge spots
- 1K – Canary Yellow with Black edge spots
- 5K – Bright Orange with Grey edge spots (2006 only)
- 5K – Lavender with Marine edge spots (2005 only)
- 10K – Black with Yellow edge spots (2005 only)
- 5K Red with Yellow edge spots (2006 only)
- 50K – Tan with Brown edge spots (2005 only)
- 100K – Leaf Green and Dark Green (2006 only)
In 2006 and 2005, the World Series of Poker was at the Rio, so the chips all featured the casino’s logo on the inlay.
2004 World Series of Poker Chips (Bud Jones)
In 2004, the WSOP chips featured the red Horseshoe logo in the Western font. This was also the final year that the World Series of Poker lettering was done in a Western font.
Compared to 2005 and 2006, the 2004 Bud Jones set was quite similar, except with the Horseshoe logo instead of the Rio.
Chips used for the 2004 Main Event Final Table:
- 25 – Army Green with Yellow edge spots
- 100 – Violet with Seafoam Green edge spots
- 500 – Hot Pink with Dark Grey edge spots
- 1K – Canary Yellow with Black edge spots
- 5K – Black with Yellow edge spots
- 10K – Lavender with Robin Egg Blue edge spots
- 25K – Red with Black edge spots
2003 to 2000 WSOP Main Event Chips (Bud Jones and Paulson)
Instead of using one chip manufacturer from 2003 to 2000, the WSOP used a mix of Paulson and Bud Jones.
For these years, the lowest denominations (25 and 100 chips) were made by Paulson. They featured similar edge spots to the ones seen up to 2023, except with eight edge spots rather than just five.
One nice touch on the 2003 to 2000 Bud Jones chips is the gold inlay and text. The Binions Horseshoe chips from these years were the last to have this luxurious color scheme, but not the first (that was the 1993 500 chip).
Robert Varkonyi's first-place prize was $2.5 million
The color scheme of this WSOP chip set is more excentric than most. Chris Moneymaker, credited with being the face of the poker boom, handled this iconic chip set in 2003.
Chips used for the 2000 to 2003 Main Event Final Table:
- 25 – Green and Orange edge spots (Paulson)
- 100 – Black with Powder Blue and Light Orange edge spots (Paulson)
- 500 – Ivory and Red edge spots (Bud Jones)
- 1K – Blue with White and Red edge spots (Bud Jones)
- 5K – Bright Orange and Lavender edge spots (Bud Jones)
- 10K – Hot Pink and Dark Grey edge spots( Bud Jones)
- 25K – Lavender and Sky Blue edge spots (Bud Jones)
What Was Your Favorite Year of WSOP Chips?
Out of all World Series of Poker chips, which set would you rather shuffle and bet with?
If you’d like to shuffle some WSOP chips, the best way is to buy into side events or the Main. Of course, the entry fees can be pricey, but you have satellites on your side. Every year, the WSOP holds satellites at the site of the Main Event.
You can join the World Series of Poker satellites on the WSOP.com poker app, but it isn't the only way. GGPoker is their online partner and regularly hosts satellites for several WSOP events. Contact us if you have questions about specifics.
We also list WSOP online satellites whenever they come up, in our Promotions section.
