The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) saw some huge fields this summer, but it is now almost time for a potentially record-breaking live event on British soil. Since its inception in 2011, Grosvenor's Goliath has, with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic, seen its attendance increase year on year, topping out at an incredible 11,749 in 2024.
With online satellites running at Grosvenor Poker and PokerStars, live satellites at the Grosvenor G Casino in Coventry, and the Goliath's buy-in remaining an affordable £200, the 2025 edition has every chance of continuing that trend and attracting more than 12,000 players to the Midlands.
Eight flights are available between July 26 and August 1, including a turbo-structured Day 1H. Each flight is scheduled to last 18 levels. The non-turbo flights play 14 levels of 30 minutes before extending to 40 minutes until the tournament's conclusion on August 3. The turbo flight has 15-minute levels.
Unlimited re-entries are permitted until the end of the 12th level, making winning several seats online or at the venue worthwhile. Those who make it through to Day 2 on August 2 will continue the grind until only ten percent of the field remains. That top 10% will then return on August 3 to battle away until a champion emerges.
2025 Goliath Schedule
Date
Time (BST)
Location
Event
Levels
Sat 26 Jul
12:00 p.m.
Hall 3&4
Goliath Flight A
18
Sun 27 Jul
12:00 p.m.
Hall 3&5
Goliath Flight B
18
Mon 28 Jul
12:00 p.m.
Hall 3&4
Goliath Flight C
18
Tue 29 Jul
12:00 p.m.
Hall 3&5
Goliath Flight D
18
Wed 30 Jul
12:00 p.m.
Hall 3&5
Goliath Flight E
18
Thu 31 Jul
11:00 a.m.
Hall 3&5
Goliath Flight F
18
Fri 1 Aug
11:00 a.m.
Hall 3&5
Goliath Flight G
18
6:00 p.m.
Hall 4&5
Goliath Flight H Turbo
18
Sat 2 Aug
11:00 a.m.
Hall 3&4&5
Day 2
To 10% of field
Sun 3 Aug
11:00 a.m.
Hall3&4&5
Day 3
To Finish
Past Goliath Champions
William Watkins
William Watkins is the reigning Goliath champion. Watkins was one of 11,749 entrants in the 2024 Goliath and was eventually the last player standing. Due to how large the £1,879,840 prize pool was for a £200 buy-in, all nine members of the final table decided to discuss a deal. Those discussions resulted in a nine-handed deal being struck.
Watkins and fellow big stacks Gilbert Black and Steven Ricketts locked in six-figure prizes, while the rest of the field guaranteed themselves prizes ranging from £55,580 to £91,655. The latter went to James Hearty, who had won his 2024 Goliath seat for a mere £5 in an online satellite at Grosvenor Poker.
The finalists continued playing for the trophy and the title of champion, with Watkins emerging victorious after his ace-king of clubs improved to two pair on the river after Black had flopped two pair with his queen-nine.
Although the potentially gargantuan Goliath takes center stage during the festival, there are plenty of other events for those heading to Coventry to get their teeth into. They include a £1,250 GUKPT Main Event, a £1,500 High Roller, and the eagerly anticipated £550 PokerNews Cup.
Matthew Pitt hails from Leeds, West Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom, and has worked in the poker industry since 2008, and worked for PokerNews since 2010. In September 2010, he became the editor of PokerNews. Matthew stepped away from live reporting duties in 2015, and now concentrates on his role of Senior Editor for the PokerNews.
