PokerNews Staff 2025 WSOP Predictions - Player of the Year? Potential Bans?

Copy link Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

May 26, 2025 7 min read Last updated Jun 05, 2025

The World Series of Poker is almost here, and Team PokerNews is back with our annual predictions. We won’t claim to have all the answers, but it’s always worth looking ahead at the players, plotlines, and possibilities that could shape this year’s series.

With a brand-new WSOP+ app, revamped rules, and the launch of PokerNews’ MyPlayers tool - which lets fans track their favorite players in real time - there’s plenty to dig into before cards are in the air for Event #1.

To help break it all down, we checked in with PR & Media Manager (and bracelet winner) Chad Holloway, Digital Media Manager Milko van Winden, Partnerships Manager Peter Robinson, and PokerNews editors Matthew Pitt, Calum Grant, Connor Richards, and Jon Sofen.

Who’s your pick to win 2025 WSOP Player of the Year?

Calum: I'm the worst at choosing this, but let's go for a left-field pick this year. Let's see if Michael Rocco decides to leave the farm for the summer and put in a shift like he did last year.

Chad: You know what, I'm going to go Scott Seiver for the back-to-back POY titles. He had a historic year in 2024 when he wanted to prove himself and proceeded to win three bracelets. I think he'll really want to cement his legacy with even more success, and there's no better way to do that than winning POY in consecutive years, something that has never been done.

Connor: Chad Eveslage won two bracelets in four days at the 2023 WSOP and could go on that sort of run again.

Jon: Nick Schulman.

Milko: Scott Seiver.

Pete: Jesse Lonis.

Matt: The new points system should mean those who win bracelets or finish in the top three have the best chance of winning POY. With Daniel Negreanu stating he's playing a less busy schedule this year, let's go with Kid Poker.

Who are your three must-follow players in PokerNews' new MyPlayers tracker?

Calum: I'll be tracking Neymar Jr this year because it's always a party when he's in town, Shaun Deeb, and Nick Palma - there's no more of a wildcard in poker than the New Yorker!

Chad: I'll be following Brandon Sunshine, who has been tearing up the Las Vegas poker scene recently. I'll also be following Phil Hellmuth as I think he will claim bracelet 18 (little-known fact: 12 of 17 of Hellmuth's bracelets have been won in odd-numbered years), and my PokerNews podcast co-host, Mike Holtz. I need to know how he's doing because if he goes deep, he'll be missing some episodes!

Connor: Landon Tice is having a great year with several deep runs at the PokerGO Studio and a victory at the Venetian, so he's going into MyPlayers tracker. Shaun Deeb, who could emulate his two wins from 2018, and Kristen Foxen who I interviewed last year and said she wanted to win a bracelet in "one of the tougher-seeming events" that she could "feel a little bit prouder of." I think she will do that this year with a high roller victory.

Jon: Daniel Negreanu, Shaun Deeb, Scott Seiver.

Milko: Leo Worthington-Leese is winning his first bracelet this year. He's been having a couple of great years. Scott Seiver might improve on his results from last year. I'm rooting for him! And I'll be tagging any Dutch players who make it out there, Michel Molenaar has my attention.

Pete: Lukas "Robin Poker" Robinson, Daniel Negreanu, Robbi Jade Lew.

Matt: I'm going with Dan Charlton, who should be putting in plenty of volume and who I'd love to see win a bracelet. Phil Ivey for obvious reasons, and Roland Israelashvili just because he cashes at an alarming rate every WSOP.

Could anyone emulate Scott Seiver’s triple-bracelet wins of 2024, and if so, who?

Calum: I can't see a three-peat this year through the rule of averages, and it seldom happens.

Chad: No, it's an incredibly rare feat that happens every 10 years or so. Even though there will be more events than ever, and some speculate the fields will be smaller due to a combination of the economy and political landscape, the odds are against it.

Yes, and it will be Nick Schulman!

Connor: It's unlikely that anyone will emulate Seiver's incredible 2024 run, but I could see Chance Kornuth winning three bracelets in a summer.

Jon: Yes, and it will be Nick Schulman because he's up for the Poker Hall of Fame this year and will be extra motivated.

Milko: Yes, Scott Seiver himself!

Pete: Jesse Lonis.

Matt: Seiver's run was incredible. He was the first person since Jeff Lisandro in 2009 to win three at one series. Before that? Phil Ivey in 2002. However, I don't think it will happen this year just because of the natural variance of MTTs.

Who takes down the $50,000 Poker Players Championship?

Calum: I'm really looking forward to working this event, it's a favorite of mine to sweat every year. This event often has a repeat winner, so maybe Daniel Negreanu can do it again.

Chad: Scott Seiver. I predict he'll win POY back-to-back, and a big part of that will be adding one of poker's most prestigious tournament titles to his resume.

Connor: Matthew Ashton, who won the event in 2013 and has cashed it four times since then, including a third-place finish in 2023.

Jon: Nick Schulman.

Milko: Erik Seidel! It'll be his year.

Pete: Daniel Negreanu will go back to back!

Matt: This event has a history of having repeat champions, so with that in mind, I'll go for the 2023 winner, Brian Rast.

Will the 2025 Main Event field be down, or will we see another record-breaking year?

Calum: I think we see a small fall in numbers, but still break the 10k mark. Let's go 10,006.

Chad: It'll be down but still respectable. The economy and politics will discourage a good number of people. I'll go with 9,429 players.

Connor: Count me among those who believe that new US immigration policies will result in fewer foreign travelers to the WSOP, therefore impacting Main Event numbers. 9,606.

Jon: It will be down, but still 9,400 players.

Milko: I think we see a slight dip. I'm hoping we can reach 9,000 players this year.

Pete: Down slightly - 10,024.

Matt: I don't think it will hit last year's dizzying heights. However, I said that last year, too. I still think there'll be plenty of entrants, though. I'm going with 9,238.

Which former WSOP Main Event champ will add to their bracelet count this summer?

Calum: It's got to be Phil Hellmuth!

Chad: Phil Hellmuth. He's overdue for bracelet No. 18 and tends to do well in odd-numbered years. I think he'll get it done in 2025.

Connor: Joe McKeehen, who has already won two tournaments in 2025 and won a third in December 2024.

Jon: Phil Hellmuth.

Milko: I know we will never see him at the tables again, but I'd love to see Peter Eastgate back in action. But it wouldn't surprise me if we see Jonathan Tamayo win another bracelet this year.

Pete: Phil Hellmuth.

Matt: Joe Cada is always there or thereabouts at the business end of bracelet events, but I'll say Joe McKeehen who seems overdue a great WSOP.

Who’s most likely to forget the new rules and get banned for checking Instagram at a final table?

Calum: Everybody!

Chad: Mike Holtz or Kyna England. They can't remember half the topics on our podcast outlines each week, so it won't take them long to forget new rules... but that's also assuming they make a final table!

Connor: Phil Hellmuth.

Jon: Phil Hellmuth.

Milko: Patrick Leonard, gotta share the updates with the fans!

Pete: Martin Kabrhel.

Matt: Let's go with Ethan "Rampage" Yau.

Finally, 2025 will be the year of the...

Calum: The rules not being enforced.

Chad: 2025 will be the year of growth. I don't mean in terms of attendance, as I expect numbers will be down slightly, but I mean in regard to the WSOP itself.

It is the first year that the WSOP will take place under the ownership of GGPoker, and there will be some changes, such as the WSOP+ app. Players are going to have to learn and grow with said changes, and while there might be some growing pains, I think it'll be the start of growing the WSOP to new heights in the decade to come.

Connor: The WSOP+ app.

Jon: The year of Nick Schulman!

Milko: The World Series of Phone bans!

Pete: The first British player to win the Main Event since Iranian-Brit Mansour Matloubi in 1990!

Matt: The year of the Brits! It's been a while since my boys and girls dominated proceedings. The Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas is long overdue a proper Brit Rail with accompanying shoe bombs!

Follow on

• Tags WSOP25