As the $50,000 High Roller came to a close inside the Horseshoe Events Center, the focus shifted to Paris Las Vegas for an even higher-stakes affair. The first six-figure buy-in of the 2025 World Series of Poker, Event #38: $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller, kicked off with a field packed with top-tier professionals and high-rolling VIPs.
After 10 levels of action, 37 players from a field of 77 entries advanced to Day 2, with Thomas Boivin bagging the overnight chip lead with 3,840,000 in chips.
Boivin climbed to the top of the counts after cracking the pocket jacks that were held by Jesse Lonis. The Belgian made trip fours and Lonis couldn't get away from his pocket pair in one of the final hands of the night.
Boivin, who is on his second entry, also took a chunk out of All-Time Money List leader Bryn Kenney in one of the final levels, although Kenney rebounded from a stack of 100,000, ending with 715,000.
Emilien Pitavy (2,980,000) and Joao Vieira complete the top three, while Landon Tice (2,230,000), defending champion Chris Hunichen (1,345,000), and other notables remain in the hunt for the bracelet and seven-figure payday.
So far, $7,430,500 has been collected for the prize pool, but that figure is expected to grow, as late registration remains open through the first two levels on Day 2. Registration will close at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time on Thursday.
End of Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas Boivin | Belgium | 3,840,000 | 154 |
| 2 | Emilien Pitavy | France | 2,980,000 | 119 |
| 3 | Joao Vieira | Portugal | 2,920,000 | 117 |
| 4 | Vinny Lingham | United States | 2,350,000 | 94 |
| 5 | Brandon Steven | United States | 2,300,000 | 92 |
| 6 | Landon Tice | United States | 2,230,000 | 89 |
| 7 | Taylor von Kriegenbergh | United States | 2,050,000 | 82 |
| 8 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | 1,815,000 | 73 |
| 9 | Alex Kulev | Bulgaria | 1,735,000 | 69 |
| 10 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 1,625,000 | 65 |
Big Names Already Out of the Running
Each player in the high roller is allowed one reentry, and many took full advantage of that option during the opening session. Several competitors also fired both and are officially on the rail and unable to return when play resumes on Day 2.
Alexandros Theologis was the first player to see both of his $100,000 bullets go up in flames. His initial entry ended when Matthew Belcher turned trips with ace-queen to crack Theologis’ Big Slick. On his second attempt, the Greek pro ran the second-nut straight into the nut straight, leaving himself short, only to be felted the very next hand after running into the nuts once again.
WSOP bracelet winner Chang Lee was next to lose two lives, followed by Aleksejs Ponakovs. The two-time bracelet winner flopped top set against High Stakes Poker star Vinny Lingham, but the latter had flopped a queen-high straight. Belcher then ended Ponakovs' run when he returned for a second time.
Mikita Badziakouski, Santhosh Suvarna, Michael Moncek, and Alex Foxen are the other players who cannot lay claim to the $100,000 High Roller title.
Negreanu and Keating Face Off
After a summer of back-and-forth jabs, Alan Keating and Daniel Negreanu finally found themselves seated side by side, marking the first time they’ve shared the felt at the 2025 WSOP.
Keating, known for his wild cash game style, stepped into the tournament arena this year with a point to prove. Negreanu questioned whether he could hang at the highest level.
Negreanu found a bag and will return for Day 2, looking to continue his fine form that has seen him make two final tables already. Keating, meanwhile, busted in one of the final hands of the night, but with late registration still open, the face-off could continue should he reenter, which he’s expected to do.
Plan for Day 2
Day 2 kicks off at 12 p.m. local time, with ten 60-minute levels scheduled. Players will get a 15-minute break every two levels, and a 60-minute dinner break will follow the end of Level 16, around 6:30 p.m.
Late registration remains open through the first two levels of the day and will close at the start of Level 13, approximately 2:15 p.m. Players still have the option to enter or reenter until that cutoff point
As always, stay tuned to PokerNews, the only place to find official live updates for the 2025 WSOP.
