There were 13 preliminary events at the 1982 World Series of Poker. Billy Baxter became the third player in WSOP history to win the first two events of a single World Series.
There were 104 entrants to the Main Event. This Main Event was the first to exceed 100 entries.[2] Each paid $10,000 to enter the tournament, with the top 9 players finishing in the money. Jack Straus (pair of 10's) beat Dewey Tomko (pair of 4's) to win the 1982 title; earlier in the tournament, Straus had been down to one chip.[3]
Due to early criticism that the bracelets were too feminine and that no male winners wore them, the WSOP replaced the bracelets with golden wristwatches in 1982. The wristwatches were unpopular, and, as a result, the bracelets were brought back in 1983.[4]