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2025 WSOP Main Event: Third-Largest Field, $90M+ Prize Pool, $10M to Champion

July 09, 2025

It’s official: the 2025 WSOP Main Event has roared into the record books, clocking in with a massive 9,735 entries. Just like how australian online pokies keep drawing the crowds with their low-stakes, high-thrill gameplay, this tournament pulled in players from all corners, putting it at number three in the all-time size rankings, right behind the historic stampedes of 2023 and 2024. The prize pool? A chunky $90.5 million. First place? A clean $10 million payday. And if you’re into poker drama, the final table is set for July 15 and 16 in Vegas. Bring the popcorn!

WSOP

2025 WSOP Main Event: Key Stats at a Glance

The numbers speak louder than any bluff. These are the hard stats that define this year’s monster of a Main Event:

Before we dive into chip counts and wild bluffs, let’s check the numbers that have made the 2025 WSOP Main Event pop:

  • Entries: 9,735.
  • Prize Pool: $90,535,500.
  • First Prize: $10,000,000.
  • In the Money: 1,461 players.
  • Final Table Dates: July 15–16 @ Horseshoe Las Vegas.

No fluff, no filler. Just a good ol’ fashioned gold rush in the Nevada summer heat. With stats like these, you don’t need drama (even though anyone who has been watching the broadcasts on PokerGO has certainly seen their fill of drama); the scale alone is enough for poker’s marquee event of the year grab anyone’s attention.

Timeline of the 2025 WSOP Main Event

Every big story needs a timeline. Here’s how the 2025 Main Event has unfolded thus far, day by day:

The action kicked off on July 2 with Day 1A and kept rolling through four starting flights. By the time fireworks were going off on the Fourth of July, players were already deep into Day 1C — trading BBQs for bluffs. The survivors reconvened on July 6 and 7 for Days 2ABC and 2D, respectively, depending on which Day 1 flight they’d played.

Yesterday marked Day 3, where for the first time the entire remaining field came together to play as one. Play continued until there were just over a dozen players from reaching the money; that’ll happen when Day 4 kicks off today, at which point everyone remaining in the tournament will be guaranteed a payout of at least $15,000.

From now until and through Day 7, the field will whittle down further and further. The final table will be set on July 13. The remaining nine players at that point will get a much-needed day off on July 14 before returning for the last two days of play, with a champion being crowned on July 16. Eleven days. Almost 10,000 players. One $10 million finish line.

How 2025 Compares to Previous WSOP Main Events

Poker fans love a good showdown — and that includes stats across seasons. Let’s see how 2025 stacks up versus previous years:

Year

EntriesPrize PoolWinner

First Prize

202310,043$93,399,900Daniel Weinman$12,100,000
202410,112$94,041,600Jonathan Tamayo$10,000,000
20259,735$90,535,500TBD$10,000,000

Still a monster event, even if it’s not breaking last year’s attendance.

Notable Players and Performances

No WSOP would be complete without a mix of legends, underdogs, and wild surprises. This year served them all on a silver platter:

The Day 1 flights were a grab bag of personalities. Picture grizzled bracelet-winners hunched next to some of poker’s top content producers and vloggers with ring lights in their backpacks. The terrific twosome of Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu busted in spectacular fashion on Day 3, short of the money.

Plenty of viral moments were captured by the PokerGO cameras, both featuring legends of the game as well as making new stars shine. Oh, and a bit too much camera time for Will Kassouf… nuff said.

WSOP Main Event: Global Participation and Trends

The 2025 Main Event didn’t just draw a crowd — it drew the world. Here’s a glimpse of the global poker pulse:

Players from more than 60 countries packed the tables this year, turning Horseshoe Las Vegas into a buzzing Tower of Babel. It wasn’t just the flags that were new — a not insignificant percentage of the field came in through small-stakes online satellites, many playing their first live tournament ever. The demographics are shifting, too. More women than ever showed up, and the average age is sliding lower. It’s clear: poker’s latest boom is younger, more global, and not nearly as beardy as it used to be.

Viewing and Coverage

Couldn’t make it to Vegas? No sweat. Here’s how fans have been keeping up from couches and break rooms worldwide.

The 2025 Main Event got full digital treatment. PokerGO’s broadcast team has been going nearly nonstop, streaming every shove and showdown. If you’re the kind who likes snack-sized content, YouTube’s been flooded with recaps, highlight reels, and a few accidental rants caught on mic. Real-time updates, chip counts, and spicy hands have been lighting up social feeds. Lon McEachern and Norman Chad are still holding court on commentary, love it or leave it. All told, this year’s coverage has been more accessible — and more addictive — than ever.

Final Thoughts on the 2025 WSOP Main Event

The 2025 WSOP Main Event has already earned its place in the poker history books. Third-largest of all time. Close to 10,000 players chasing a dream, some of them for the very first time. One champion will walk away with eight figures and a gold bracelet heavier than your coffee mug.

If you’re a fan of the game or just like a good underdog story, keep your eyes on the final table July 15–16. It’s gonna be wild.

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