The World Series of Poker Main Event has already begun, and this year's event will be held once again in Las Vegas, where it all started. This year undoubtedly comes with heavy expectations, as it is the 56th annual series and there will be a total of 100 tournaments before the World Series of Poker wraps up on the 16th of July.

A record-breaking summer, star players, fresh tech, and plenty of drama set the stage for poker's biggest annual event. The World Series of Poker is back in Las Vegas, marking its 56th edition with 100 bracelet events - the most in its storied history. With familiar faces, fresh controversies, and a potential new record in sight, the 2025 WSOP promises seven weeks of high-stakes action and compelling narratives.

Moneymaker's legacy meets Gen Z

There will be players in this year's WSOP Main Event who weren't even born when Chris Moneymaker won in 2003, launching the poker boom that changed the game forever. Sure, the same was true in 2024. But it remains a reminder of how far the WSOP has come since its cash-game beginnings in 1970.

Fast forward to today: there are a new generation of players who will battle for poker's most coveted title, across two venues - Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas - through July 16.

GGPoker's new era and the WSOP+ app

This is the first WSOP since GGPoker's parent company, NSUS Group Inc., acquired the brand from Caesars. While the tournament's bare bones remain the same, one major shift has already emerged: the introduction of the WSOP+ app.

With the app, players can now register for events via mobile, monitor chip counts, and check blinds in real-time - streamlining what used to be a chaotic in-person process. However, smartphones are banned at the final three tables of any event, a rule change intended to preserve the integrity of late-stage play.

After years of chasing Jamie Gold's 2006 record of 8,773 entrants, the Main Event finally shattered it in 2023 with 10,043 players - only to break it again in 2024 with 10,112. Can 2025 make it three in a row?

This is unlikely, say insiders. Economic concerns persist, and US tourism has taken a hit - travel to Las Vegas dropped 8% in March year-over-year. These factors could nudge entry numbers just low enough to settle for the third-biggest Main Event ever.

Beyond the Main Event

While the Main Event gets the spotlight, the WSOP schedule is packed with variety:

  • The Series opened with the popular 'Mystery Millions'
  • The cheapest buy-in is the 'Gladiators of Poker' for $300, starting June 25
  • The highest stakes belong to the 'Super High Roller' which costs $250,000, and it is beginning on June 15
  • Prestige is on the line in the 'Poker Players Championship' for $50,000 a mixed-game tournament starting June 24
  • And innovation takes center stage with the June 22 'Battle of the Ages,' that have separate flights for players above and below age 50.

Hellmuth vs. the clock, and Kristen Foxen chases history

Phil Hellmuth, the all-time leader in WSOP bracelets with 17, has once again sparked controversy. Citing the grueling Main Event schedule, the 60-year-old initially announced he would skip this year's tournament - a move many believed was strategic pressure on organizers to add a rest day. Then came the backpedal: Hellmuth put the decision in the hands of a Twitter poll, promising to boycott in 2026 if the format remains unchanged. As usual, poker's ultimate showman has everyone watching.

Kristen Foxen nearly broke through in 2024, finishing 13th in the Main Event and earning $600,000. But her quest for history this year goes beyond the headline event. With bracelet wins in 2023 and 2024 (albeit online), she aims to become the first woman ever to win bracelets in three consecutive years.

Even with the asterisk some attach to online victories, Foxen is undoubtedly among the best tournament players in the world - and her performance this summer will be closely watched.

Hall of Fame race heats up

The WSOP also means another round of fierce debate: Who will join poker's Hall of Fame? Last year's inductee, Patrik Antonius, edged out a crowded field that included Josh Arieh, Kathy Liebert, Mike Matusow, and others.

Newly eligible this year are Scott Seiver (seven-time bracelet winner) and Nick Schulman (six bracelets and a respected poker broadcaster). With only one spot open, we can all expect passionate debate, cries of snobbery, and no shortage of drama.