“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu, The Art of War
There is no event in the world of poker that quite matches the drama and excitement of the $10,000 WSOP Main Event. This year’s 11-day marathon begins Wednesday, July 2, as the 56th No-Limit Hold’em World Championship kicks off with the first of four Day 1 starting flights.
Last summer, it was Jonathan Tamayo who was the latest player to etch his name into poker history, overcoming a record field of 10,112 to capture $10 million and the diamond-studded gold bracelet.
Now, the stage is set once again here at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. The grandest spectacle of them all gets underway at high noon.
Will Numbers Be Down From Last Year?
There was plenty of talk before the series that Main Event numbers might take a hit. With shifting visa rules, economic uncertainty, and international tourism to the U.S. reportedly trending down, many wondered if 2024’s record turnout would stand for another year.
If the last five weeks of the 2025 World Series of Poker are any indication, however, those fears may have been misplaced. Nearly all events have drawn big crowds, and registration desks aren’t the bottlenecks they once were, thanks to the WSOP+ app. Players are getting into events faster, and it’ll be interesting to see if that ease of access will carry over into the Main.
Could we see another record field? It’s still too early to say for sure. We’ll get our answer when registration closes on Day 2D on July 7.
Whether the final field lands near last year’s record 10,112 or something closer to the 8,773 entries from Jamie Gold’s iconic 2006 win, one thing is clear: momentum is on the side of another blockbuster Main Event.
2025 WSOP Main Event Schedule
The 2025 WSOP Main Event features four Day 1 flights, each beginning at 12 p.m. local time with a starting stack of 60,000 chips.
Day 1A through 1D all follow the same structure: five 120-minute levels with 20-minute breaks after each level and a 75-minute dinner break after Level 3 (around 6:40 p.m.).
Players can skip the opening flights and register late on Day 2abc or Day 2d. Late registration is open for seven levels and closes at the start of Level 8 on Sunday, July 6, and Monday, July 7. Day 2 entries will start with effective stacks of 75 big blinds (Level 6) or 60 big blinds (Level 7). Last-minute entrants can start Level 8 with 50 big blinds.
Day 2abc combines survivors from Day 1A, 1B, and 1C with new entries. Day 2d hosts the Day 1D field plus latecomers. The full field then comes together on Day 3, Tuesday, July 8, with the tournament continuing each day until a champion is crowned. The only exception is a scheduled rest day for the final nine players on Monday, July 14.
| Date | Day | Start Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, July 2, 2025 | Day 1A | 12:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, July 3, 2025 | Day 1B | 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday, July 4, 2025 | Day 1C | 12:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, July 5, 2025 | Day 1D | 12:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, July 6, 2025 | Day 2abc | 12:00 p.m. |
| Monday, July 7, 2025 | Day 2d | 12:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, July 8, 2025 | Day 3 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday, July 9, 2025 | Day 4 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Thursday, July 10, 2025 | Day 5 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Friday, July 11, 2025 | Day 6 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Saturday, July 12, 2025 | Day 7 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Sunday, July 13, 2025 | Day 8 (Play to Final Table) | 12:00 p.m. |
| Monday, July 14, 2025 | Day 9 (Rest Day for Final Table) | — |
| Tuesday, July 15, 2025 | Final Table Day 1 (Play to 4) | 1:30 p.m. |
| Wednesday, July 16, 2025 | Final Table Day 2 (Play to Winner) | 1:30 p.m. |
World Series of Poker Main Event History
The World Series of Poker Main Event traces its roots back to 1970, when Johnny Moss was voted the winner by his peers in a small gathering at Binion’s Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas. Moss went on to win two more titles, in 1971 and 1974, making him one of only two players to win poker’s world championship three times. The other is Stu Ungar, who famously triumphed in 1980, 1981, and 1997.
The Main Event has long been poker’s proving ground. In 1989, a 24-year-old Phil Hellmuth ended Johnny Chan’s bid for a third straight title, defeating him heads-up to win $755,000 and his first bracelet. That victory kickstarted a career that has since produced a record 17 WSOP bracelets and earned Hellmuth a spot among the game’s most iconic and polarizing figures.
Back then, the field had just 178 players. It hovered around 200 through the late '80s before gradually rising again in the 1990s. By 1998, when Scotty Nguyen took the title, the field had grown to 350. From 1992 through the early 2000s, participation climbed steadily every year.
Then came 2003. Chris Moneymaker, a Tennessee accountant who qualified online, beat 839 others and won $2.5 million. His story lit the fuse for the poker boom and made the game's showpiece event feel truly accessible to anyone.
The very next year, Greg Raymer rode that momentum and beat a field of 2,576 to win $5 million, marking the biggest year-over-year jump in Main Event history. Joe Hachem followed with a win in 2005 over a field that had more than doubled again. Since then, the Main Event has consistently drawn over 6,000 players each year, with the exception of the pandemic-impacted 2020 edition.
In 2024, Jonathan Tamayo added his name to the record books by outlasting the largest field in WSOP Main Event history. His win against a staggering 10,112 entrants earned him $10 million and a place among poker’s immortals.
2025 WSOP Main Event FAQs
When does the 2025 WSOP Main Event begin?
The Main Event begins on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 12 pm.
How much does it cost to enter the WSOP Main Event?
Each year, the buy-in for the WSOP Main Event is $10,000.
Who can enter the WSOP Main Event?
Anyone who can come up with $10,000 is eligible to compete.
How can I follow the Main Event?
You can watch the 2025 WSOP Main Event on PokerGO daily and through PokerNews live reporting.
Who won the WSOP Main Event in 2024?
Jonathan Tamayo won in 2024 and is the defending world champion.
Where does the WSOP Main Event take place?
The Main Event is hosted at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
How much money does the Main Event winner receive?
Last year's champion, Jonathan Tamayo, was paid $10,000,000. The 2025 winner will likely take home an amount within that ballpark.
Who won the first World Series of Poker Main Event?
Johnny Moss was the first ever world champion in 1970.
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