So, the Main Event doesn't actually kick off until a few weeks from now, but like us, surely you're wondering, what happened to the last few guys who won this event? Did they continue to flourish, or did the WSOP Main Event turn out to be some kind of poisoned chalice?

Back in 1998, Scotty Nguyen was the probably one of the most colourful champions we've ever seen. Since then though, he has had numerous good results, the highlights being a 2006 WPT win beating Michael Mizrachi heads-up, and three other WSOP bracelets, one in '97 and two more in 2001, all in Omaha variants.

Following on Scotty's heels, Noel Furlong was the next winner of the Main Event. He's not had quite the success Nguyen has, but has been happily running tournaments in Ireland rather than playing them, with a couple of wins in Irish events since his bracelet haul back in 1999.

It's all over baby!

After the Irishman comes the legendary Chris "Jesus" Ferguson and his prolonged battle with a true legend of the game, T.J. Cloutier. Cloutier was grinding Ferguson down throughout and Ferguson soon realized he was not going to able to combat his opponent's style. Therefore, the only way he could prevail was to get it in with a big hand and hope that he could run good.

Eventually, this is exactly what happened as Ferguson would get it all-in with A-9 against Cloutier's A-Q, spiking a nine to make him the World Champion.

Since then, Ferguson has won three more bracelets (in addition to the one he'd garnered prior to becoming World Champion) and has become a staple of Full Tilt Poker. Most recently, he won the National Heads-Up tournament as well as finishing third in the largest non-Main Event field ever in the second event of the 2008 WSOP. Since his Main Event win, it seems he has gone from strength to strength.

Spanish steel!

After "Jesus" comes another legend of the game, Carlos Mortensen, who just may turn out to be the only man ever to win the WSOP Main Event and the WPT Grand Final at the Bellagio, which would be a stunning accomplishment. Mortensen's 2001 win was over Dewey Tomko, where he picked up a cool $1.5 million dollars for defeating 612 other poker pros.

Between his WSOP ME win and the Grand Final of the WPT, Mortensen has also managed to snare another WSOP bracelet and another WPT title, as well as numerous cashes in too many events to mention.

Next on the list is Robert Varkonyi, the winner of 2002. Varkonyi defeated the British pro Julian Gardner heads-up to win his title, though since then he's never quite had the results to back up this dream win. He has had a few cashes in small tournaments, but only managed his second-ever WSOP cash when he made the money in the 2007 Main Event.

The man who changed everything.

Then comes Chris Moneymaker, a man who arguably revolutionized poker when he won the 2003 Main Event against the veteran Sammy Farha. Moneymaker's story inspired millions to take up the game and is one of the main factors behind poker's boom over the last five years or so.

While Moneymaker's win was huge for himself and poker fans everywhere, since then he has not been able to follow through with more wins. He did manage a second place in a WPT event to Phil Gordon the year following his Main Event victory, but since then the cashes have been few and far between.

Aussie power!

In 2004, Greg Raymer took up Moneymaker's mantle by becoming the next Main Event Champion, defeating what was a record-breaking field. A friendly and affable chap, Raymer quickly became popular with fans due to his easy-going demeanor.

But since his win, he has failed to win another bracelet, despite numerous final-table cashes in WSOP events. In fact, Raymer's best achievement, since his win, is arguably the 25th place he managed in the Main Event the following year, having beaten the vast majority of the 5,000+ runners.

That field was eventually bested by Joe Hachem, an Australian who has since cemented his reputation as a top player by winning a WPT event in 2006, as well as cashing not only in multiple WSOP side events, but in EPT donkaments too. Certainly his record makes him a worthy winner, though no doubt another bracelet would solidify an already pretty strong reputation.

Golden boy.

After Hachem comes the man who beat the biggest field of them all. If Chris Moneymaker's success and perfect surname had been one of the causes of poker's boom, then Jamie Gold's win at the 2006 Main Event could've been the one to take it to the next level.

However, the arguments and controversy that surrounded his victory marred a great triumph by a man who dominated the final like no one has ever done before or since.

In the wake of his astonishing win, Gold has met with little success. He managed a couple of cashes in the 2007 WSOP and the Main Event of the WSOPE, but very little else. Certainly it remains to be seen if he can build up a set of regular results à la Hachem or Mortensen.

Finally, last year's champion, Jerry Yang. To say he's something of an enigma would be a massive understatement. He has only cashed in one tournament since that fabled victory, a small $1k event at Binion's in late 2007.

Other than that, Yang has almost dropped off the poker radar like no other winner before him. Therefore, it's very hard to add much more than that!

This year, it is extremely likely that Harrah's will be crowning a new champion, and what the poker world needs right now is a champion. With the UIGEA enforced and the presidential elections only around the corner, like it or not, the Main Event winner will essentially become the mouthpiece for poker in general.

Therefore it's vital that whoever wins the event recognize their responsibility to the poker world.

Because like it or not, whoever wins the Main Event this year will become the owner, not only of a beautiful bracelet, but also of one of the most powerful voices in poker, and you can never have too many articulate players defending the game they love.

Related Article: WSOP champions: Where are they now, Part 10