Anyone going to the World Series of Poker this year had better be ready for a few changes from a year ago. We’re not just talking about the new added events or the change in venue for the $10,000 main event, either.

The changes in the online poker world (in America) haven’t been fully felt in the live poker world quite yet, but they will be once the WSOP rolls around again. Last year was another record-setting year for the WSOP. I say it was “another” record-setting year because for the past four or five years new records have been set only to be broken a year later. The records set last year will probably stand firm in 2007.

The WSOP has already made their cryptic speech about not accepting players who won their buy-in through playing poker online. This may cause some friction for new players, but the good poker rooms have already devised a strategy to make sure their players aren’t turned away at the sign-in desk at the Rio.

Last year’s main event drew in a record-shattering 8773 players. Depending which so-called poker-world experts you want to believe, that number could fall as low as 3000. Most Internet buzz predicts this year’s main event crowd to ring in between 4000-5000. Either way you cut it, that’s a big drop from last year.

A big drop in players means a couple of things. No. 1 is a big drop in overall prize money. Last year Jamie Gold ended up with a $12 million haul. If the player numbers dip to the 4000-5000 range, a first-place prize of $5-$6 million seems more likely. No. 2 is that the lower number of players (most of which would be WSOP rookies) increases the chances of a poker pro reclaiming the World Championship title. The fewer unknowns that take part in the biggest tournament in the world makes it more likely that a well-known and experienced poker pro will win the bracelet. With a depleted field, a David Williams is more likely to win than another Jamie Gold.

You can qualify online for the WSOP here.