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WSOP 2025 Main Event Kicks Off at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas

By Mrinal Gujare

3 hours ago

Mrinal Gujare 3 hours ago

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WSOP 2025 Main Event kick-started at Horseshoe & Paris Las Vegas
Event expected to surpass last year's player-pool record
Historical significance

Image Credit: Alicia Skillman/pokernews

The 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event commenced on July 2 at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. With four starting flights and a projected large field, the tournament marks the 56th edition of poker’s most recognized championship event.

The 56th edition of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event officially commenced on July 2, 2025, in Las Vegas.

Hosted across Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, this year’s $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship marks another chapter in poker’s most recognized tournament.

With four Day 1 starting flights scheduled from July 2 through July 5, the tournament is expected to attract a substantial player field.

Structure and Schedule of the 2025 Main Event

Each Day 1 flight begins at 12 p.m. local time, with players starting with 60,000 chips. The format includes five 120-minute levels per flight, 20-minute breaks between levels, and a 75-minute dinner break following Level 3.

Players may alternatively enter during late registration, which remains open until the beginning of Level 8 on Day 2abc (July 6) or Day 2d (July 7). Late entrants begin with 75 big blinds at Level 6, 60 big blinds at Level 7, or 50 big blinds at Level 8.

Day 2abc will merge survivors from flights Day 1A, 1B, and 1C, while Day 2d will combine players from Day 1D and any remaining late entrants. All advancing participants will reconvene on Day 3, Tuesday, July 8.

The tournament continues daily until the final table is reached. A scheduled pause on Monday, July 14, will offer a rest day for the final nine players.

Date	Day	Start Time
Wednesday, July 2, 2025	Day 1A	12:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 3, 2025	Day 1B	12:00 p.m.
Friday, July 4, 2025	Day 1C	12:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, 2025	Day 1D	12:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 6, 2025	Day 2abc	12:00 p.m.
Monday, July 7, 2025	Day 2d	12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025	Day 3	12:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025	Day 4	12:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 10, 2025	Day 5	12:00 p.m.
Friday, July 11, 2025	Day 6	12:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, 2025	Day 7	12:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 13, 2025	Day 8 (Play to Final Table)	12:00 p.m.
Monday, July 14, 2025	Day 9 (Rest Day for Final Table)	—
Tuesday, July 15, 2025	Final Table Day 1 (Play to 4)	1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 16, 2025	Final Table Day 2 (Play to Winner)	1:30 p.m.

Field Size Projections and Attendance Indicators

Jonathan Tamayo’s victory in 2024 set a new record with 10,112 players. In contrast, some industry analysts have speculated on a possible decline in 2025 participation due to revised visa policies, economic volatility, and reduced international tourism.

However, through the first five weeks of the ongoing WSOP, attendance has remained consistent across major events.

The WSOP+ app has facilitated smoother registration, contributing to sustained participation. Final attendance figures will be confirmed after late registration closes on July 7.

Whether the event replicates the 2024 player pool record or not—the 2025 edition is positioned to be one of the year’s most significant poker tournaments.

A Look at Historical Context

The WSOP Main Event was first organized in 1970, with Johnny Moss being voted as the champion by his peers. Moss went on to win two more titles in 1971 and 1974, a feat matched only by Stu Ungar, who claimed victories in 1980, 1981, and 1997.

In 1989, Phil Hellmuth, aged 24, defeated Johnny Chan to become the youngest winner at the time, earning $755,000. Hellmuth has since collected a record 17 WSOP bracelets.

Player participation steadily increased from fewer than 200 in the 1980s to over 350 in 1998, when Scotty Nguyen won the championship.

A major surge followed Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 win, which was credited with initiating the global poker boom. That year’s field grew to 839, followed by 2,576 in 2004 and 5,619 in 2005.

The tournament has since evolved into an international event consistently drawing over 6,000 entrants annually, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.

Year	Entries	Winner	Prize Money
2024	10,112	Jonathan Tamayo	$10,000,000
2023	10,043	Daniel Weinman	$12,100,000
2022	8,663	Espen Jorstad	$10,000,000
2021	6,550	Koray Aldemir	$8,000,000

2025 WSOP Main Event

As the 2025 Main Event unfolds, attention remains fixed on the potential for another record-breaking turnout. Players from across the globe have returned to Las Vegas for poker’s most prestigious tournament, extending a tradition that spans over five decades.

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