Summer Plans of Poker Players Unveiled as World Series Schedule Is Released
The 56th installment of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) rolls back into the Horseshoe and Paris casinos on the epic Las Vegas Strip from May 27 to July 16, boasting a jaw-dropping 100 gold bracelet events. This monumental series, now under the ownership of the NSUS Group, the company behind the popular GGPoker online poker brand, is set to break records, making it the largest in WSOP history.
The $10,000 Main Event once again shines in the lineup, having seen Texas native Jonathan Tamayo triumph over the largest field ever in 2024 with a staggering 10,112 entrants – scoring his gold bracelet and an impressive $10 million. This year's Main Event runs from July 2-16, with organisers anticipating even more players to join the fray.
WSOP CEO Ty Stewart expressed his excitement, stating, "In 2025, the WSOP schedule is better than ever, offering something for every poker enthusiast who relishes the game. There's nothing like the summer heat in Las Vegas, and we can't wait to welcome players to what promises to be the biggest and best WSOP yet!"
Series Features
Image Credit: PokerGo
The annual series features buy-ins ranging from $300 to $250,000, commencing with the $1,000 Mystery Millions on May 27, featuring a $1 million top bounty and first-place prize of at least $1 million.
Several fresh events grace the 2025 schedule, such as the intergenerationalBattle of the Ages event, pitting the veteran poker players against the competition's young bloods. Flight A is reserved for players 50 and over, while Flight B caters to players under 50. Survivors from both flights combine for Day 2 and battle it out to claim the title.
Another new addition is the $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 79), running July 1-3. This high-stakes PLO event takes the WSOP series to new heights by offering the highest-stakes PLO tournament ever. A further intriguing addition is Event 93: $3,000 TORSE, set for July 11-13. This mixed game tournament swaps the "H" in HORSE for a "T" (Limit 2-7 Triple Draw) – a change of pace that should attract plenty of players. The event consists of Limit 2-7 Triple Draw, Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Other series highlights include:
- Event 14: $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha/No-Limit Hold'em - June 2
- Event 24: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Double Board Bomb Pot - June 6
- Event 46: $250,000 Super High Roller No-Limit Hold'em - June 15
- Event 53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker - June 18
- Event 66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship - June 24
- Event 74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship - June 28
- Event 80: $800 Summer Celebration No-Limit Hold'em - July 2
- Event 87: $5,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'em (1-day event) - July 8
PokerGO will once again broadcast the series, with a full schedule to be unveiled at a later date.
Qualification Opportunities
A rich online qualifying slate is what made the Main Event smash records in the previous two years, and this tradition continues in 2025. Players can qualify for the Main Event via live and online satellite tournaments.
International players can tap into exclusive online satellites at GGPoker, which sent more than 1,000 players to the event last year. Domestic players can win their seat through WSOP Online with satellites already underway.
"GGPoker's Road To Vegas allows poker enthusiasts all around the globe to follow in the footsteps of their poker heroes by setting their sights on WSOP gold," said GGPoker ambassador andseven-time bracelet winner Daniel Negreanu. "Join the 2025 WSOP!"
Live satellites will also become available in the ensuing months. For more details on side events, including daily live satellites and deep stack tournaments, visit the complete schedule of events at WSOP.com/2025. Online pre-registration will open post the approval of all events by regulators.
Image Credit: PokerGo
Players Look Ahead
The announcement of the WSOP schedule has led many players to mark their calendars, eagerly contemplating which events they'll attend. Several poker pros shared their thoughts with us on their plans for the upcoming series.
"They added a $25,000 half No Limit Hold'em, half PLO – I'm definitely excited about that," two-time bracelet winner and World Poker Tour (WPT) champion Dylan Linde said. The poker pro hailing from Idaho sports over $10 million in live tournament earnings. Linde won his latest bracelet last October for $60,336 in an online event.
That new NLHE/PLO event is also on the radar of Chip Leader Coaching training site founder and four-time bracelet winner Chance Kornuth.
"The $25,000 NLHE-PLO is the most captivating, for certain," Kornuth said, who also boasts a WPT title in 2022. "My two best games and a high roller."
Kornuth has claimed bracelets in both formats, including taking his first bracelet in a $5,000 PLO event in 2019 for $508,090. Last year, he crowned himself the top spot in the $1,000 Flip & Go NLHE event for $155,446 and finished as the runner-up in the $50,000 NLHE High Roller, earning approximately $1.36 million.
Darren Elias has clinched four WPT titles, more than any other player, and has $1.9 million in WSOP winnings. However, he is yet to score a bracelet and plans to re-enter the hunt in the summer.
"I'm anticipating the slew of $25,000 events in early June," said the BetMGM brand ambassador, who now sports $13.4 million in live tournament wins. "These events should draw large fields, and with heads-up, six-Max, and eight-max, players will be able to tackle different formats. The $10,000 Deuce to Seven No Limit Lowball Championship is one of my favourites, as I always circle June 8 on my calendar."
Negreanu Readies for Action
The WSOP is Daniel Negreanu's favourite time of the year, and he plans to add to his collection of seven bracelets. The latest of those arrived in 2024, as he triumphed in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC), a favourite and highly coveted title among pros. This was his first WSOP win since 2013, and Negreanu scored $1.2 million for the title.
"I'm excited about the PPC, of course, the $25,000 half NLHE/PLO, and I think the Battle of the Ages event is a fun twist," he said. Negreanu will be looking forward to defending his PPC title and appreciates the event which features nine different poker variants. "It's one of the toughest tournaments in the world, very pro heavy with a very slow structure."
With GGPoker now steering the series, Negreanu is keen to see where the WSOP is headed and bringing more players to Las Vegas each summer. What initiatives does the company have in store for players this summer?
"I can't discuss too much about all the potential changes, and I'm not sure that they will be ready this summer, but I'm hopeful we can implement the WSOP+ app which was extremely popular in the Bahamas (for the WSOP Paradise) and will eliminate lines and waiting," he said.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Hellmuth Skipping Main Event
Phil Hellmuth, the 17-time bracelet winner, stirred up his own headlines surrounding the WSOP recently. After the schedule release, Hellmuth declared he would be forgoing the WSOP $10,000 Main Event this year. He said the tournament had become an "endurance contest" in favour of younger players and hoped to see changes leading to an easier schedule.
In 1989, Hellmuth won the event for $755,000 and has played in every Main Event since 1988. The 2024 event lasted about two weeks before crowning a champion.
"It's just too tough," he said. "People at home are like, 'Phil, you can play seven days in a row.' Yeah, try it. Try getting up and playing from noon until midnight seven days in a row. I think that really hurts the older players in a much larger proportion than the younger players.
And I'll say this: more great players come and tell me that they blew the main event because they got too tired with 50 left, with 30 left, with 100 left. It's turned into an endurance test. I don't think that the World Series of Poker Main Event is measuring skill."
VIDEO TWEET - https://x.com/phil_hellmuth/status/1891749608331612401
As one of the game's most prominent figures, Hellmuth's absence from the field would undoubtedly be felt. Some players were sceptical of whether Hellmuth could actually stay away. Negreanu discussed an hour-long conversation with the long-time poker pro to address the issue.
Does he think Hellmuth will ultimately adhere to his vow to skip the tournament?
"I do not," Daniel Negreanu said. "He will bitch, he will moan, and in the end, he'll buy into day two."
For a complete schedule of events, visit WSOP.com/2025
Title Image Credit: PokerGo
- The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) features a diverse range of entertainment options, including sports betting, general news, and casino-and-gambling-related topics, showcasing the interconnectivity of poker with various industries.
- The online poker brand GGPoker, known for its massive $800 Summer Celebration No-Limit Hold'em event, will provide qualification opportunities for international players aiming to secure a seat in the WSOP Main Event.
- This summer's WSOP schedule offers an appealing mixture of poker events, such as the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha/No-Limit Hold'em, the intergenerational Battle of the Ages event, and the $1,500 Millionaire Maker tournament.
- The Battle of the Ages event, new for the 2025 WSOP schedule, is a unique competition that divides players into two groups: those 50 and older (Flight A) and those under 50 (Flight B), providing a competitive platform for both young bloods and veteran poker players.
- The highly-anticipated $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 79) takes place from July 1-3, making it the highest-stakes PLO tournament ever included in the WSOP series.
- With fresh events like the Battle of the Ages and the $100,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha added to the schedule, the 2025 WSOP promises to deliver a noteworthy and record-breaking series as organizers look to attract even more players to Las Vegas.