A rundown of the 9 vying for $8.5 million at the World Series of Poker

Seat 1: Russell Thomas

Chips: 24,800,000 (4th)

Age: 24

From: Hartford, Conn.

Odds to win: 4-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $891,997

Bio: Thomas is one of three players at the final table who didn't list poker as their full-time occupation before the Main Event began. He decided to take a lucrative job as an actuary after graduating from Temple University instead of pursuing poker as his lone source of income. Thomas has taken a leave for the Main Event, however, and may never return depending how much money he makes.

Seat 2: Jake Balsiger

Chips: 13,155,000 (8th)

Age: 21

From: Tempe, Ariz.

Odds to win: 8-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $756,682

Bio: If Balsiger wins the Main Event, he would surpass Joe Cada as poker's youngest champion. He's 75 days younger than Cada was when he prevailed in 2009. Balsiger is a senior at Arizona State University studying political science. The $10,000 buy-in Main Event is the biggest tournament Balsiger ever entered. He couldn't shake the desire to compete in the WSOP after growing up watching the action on ESPN.

Seat 3: Jeremy Ausmus

Seat 4: Steve Gee

Chips: 16,860,000 (5th)

Age: 57

From: Sacramento, Calif.

Odds to win: 6-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $1,253,220

Bio: Gee worked in software for the state of California before stepping down four years ago to concentrate on poker. His main objective was winning a World Series of Poker bracelet, which he accomplished in $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament in 2010. He won $472,479 for that title, some 18 times less than what's at stake in the Main Event.

Seat 5: Greg Merson

Chips: 28,725,000 (3rd)

Age: 24

From: Laurel, Md.

Odds to win: 5-to-2

Career tournament earnings: $2,074,502

Bio: Almost unanimously, Merson is the best player left in the Main Event. "Gregy" won his first WSOP bracelet a week before the Main Event in the $10,000 buy-in six-handed no-limit hold'em event, which featured a stacked field of professionals. But he originally built his profile in online cash games. Chip leader Jesse Sylvia went as far as to say Merson was "completely out of my league."

Seat 6: Jesse Sylvia

Chips: 43,875,000 (1st)

Age: 26

From: Martha's Vineyard, Mass.

Odds to win: 3-to-2

Career tournament earnings: $813,276

Bio: Sylvia surged to gain the chip lead with an aggressive style of play in the final day this summer. It was no surprise to those who log long hours at local card rooms where Sylvia is a regular. He'll sometimes disappear for months at a time, though, because of his free spirit. Sylvia, for instance, once spent three months living in Costa Rica on $1,200. Someday, he wants to go to film school in Los Angeles.

Seat 7: Robert Salaburu

Chips: 15,155,000 (7th)

Age: 27

From: San Antonio, Texas

Odds to win: 7-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $817,386

Bio: With Salaburu to Sylvia's left, look for this part of the table to draw the most action — especially if Salaburu can get his hands on a few more chips early. Salaburu is the most aggressive player to make it this far. He held the chip lead for nearly two days late in the tournament but took a big hit in a pot against Sylvia — who else? — in the final round of the summer. He's been on the poker circuit for years, but this is his first major breakthrough.

Seat 8: Andras Koroknai

Chips: 29,375,000 (2nd)

Age: 30

From: Debrecen, Hungary

Odds to win: 3-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $2,595,811

Bio: After seven countries were represented at last year's final table, Koroknai is the only non-American to make it this far in 2012. He won a World Poker Tour event, the 2010 L.A. Poker Classic, for $1.7 million. That victory made him a recognizable face in the poker world, but not quite a widely known professional.

Seat 9: Michael Esposito

Chips: 16,260,000 (6th)

Age: 44

From: Seaford, N.Y.

Odds to win: 6-to-1

Career tournament earnings: $928,097

Bio: Esposito limits his poker to a tournament or two per year. The Main Event was the only tournament he entered at this year's World Series of Poker. The New York City commodities trader has a more conservative style than most of the players at the table. He'll patiently wait for his spots instead of taking risks in an effort to get more chips.