The most anticipated money bubble in all of tournament poker burst Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas.
Matthew Frankland, a British high roller, was eliminated in 1,462nd place on Day 4 in the $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, one spot shy of the money. He won't be going home empty-handed, however. Far from it.
Three Players Eliminated on 2025 WSOP Main Event Bubble
Marco Dickner
The WSOP traditionally awards the bubble a seat into the following year's Main Event. This year, Frankland instead won a seat into the $25,000 buy-in World Series of Poker Paradise (WSOPP) Super Main Event in the Bahamas, the largest guaranteed poker tournament ever ($60 million). He also receives an even split of 1,460th and 1,461st place money with two other players — Marco Dickner and Sachin Joshi.
Joshi, with the tournament on the bubble and in hand-for-hand play, was forced all in for half the 8,000 big blind from the small blind. Julien Mariani had raised from an early position with K♦6♦ before calling a three-bet, creating a side pot. The flop came out 3♥4♥3♣ and Mariani bet his opponent off the hand.
Joshi then turned over 9♣6♣ and was behind, but unable to improve on the turn or river. He was the first to go in the hand. Frankland, at another table, flopped top pair and ran into an over pair and couldn't suck out, meaning he was also eliminated.
Dickner, knowing he could get the WSOP Paradise seat if he bubbled, called less than one big blind from early position with 5♥3♥ at a third table. Michael Miravi gave him action with K♦K♥, and the board ran out 4♦5♣9♦A♣7♦, sending Dickner to the rail as the third player to bust on the bubble.
Flipping for a Seat
2025 WSOP Main Event bubble flip.
There was some money and prizes to settle with three bubbles. The trio of recently eliminated players played a one-hand flip. Frankland, who has over $3.6 million in live tournament cashes, was dealt Kx4♥, Joshi turned over 10x2x, and Dickner looked down at 9x9x. The board ran out 5x6x3x3x2x, giving Frankland a winning straight, which meant he earned the Paradise seat and the honor of being dubbed the 2025 WSOP Main Event bubble.
But all three players split the $30,000 combined between 1,460th and 1,461st place, each receiving their $10,000 buy-in back, essentially. Frankland is the official bubble, but Adam Rude, who flopped a set and lost a monster pot to a flush on the river in 1,463rd place, likely feels like the true bubble as he went home empty-handed.
The money bubble created some difficult decisions for small stacks and even some medium-sized stacks. One player with around 40 big blinds faced an all-in wager from a bigger-stacked opponent on the river during the stone bubble. He told the table that he feared that since he had a decent-sized stack that he worried he would lose out on the Paradise seat to a smaller stack if he busted.
The player went into a lengthy tank before folding a minute after the clock was called. Another player at a separate table made a sizable bet on the flop and proceeded to ask the floor manager, "what happens if I show a card?"
"You'll get a one-round penalty," floor responded before the player's opponent folded.
Many of the small stacks that held on through the bubble began playing loose, seeking double-ups as soon as they reached the money. Players started falling fast late in the first level of Day 4. PokerNews will have live reporting coverage of the 2025 WSOP Main Event throughout the tournament.
