button in Safari
From a field of 9,735 hopefuls chasing poker’s most prestigious title, only 57 players remain as Day 7 of the 2025 World Series of Poker $10,000 Main Event No-Limit Hold'em World Championship begins today at 12 p.m. local time inside Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. They’ve already locked up $165,000 apiece, but the real prize lies ahead: a spot at the final table, and a shot at the $10,000,000 top prize from the massive $90,535,500 prize pool.
Kenny Hallaert leads the way after a late-night surge on Day 6 saw him eliminate two players with aces, which sent his stack soaring to 36,950,000. Hallaert, who was born in Belgium but now resides in the UK, is no stranger to this stage as he finished sixth in 2016, and now finds himself in familiar territory with a chance to make poker’s biggest final table once again.
Eric Afriat sits just behind with 31,200,000 after a dream Day 6 that included cracking aces and a set of queens in a 20-million chip pot when his combo draw came in on the river. Despite multiple major titles, Afriat’s lone WSOP final table came back in 2018 when he finished fifth in The Closer. He didn’t hesitate when asked if he’d trade it all just to make the Main Event final table, “100 percent,” he said. “Maybe this is the second magic that’s going to happen.”
Rounding out the top three is Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi, who bagged 19,925,000 thanks in part to a hero call with pocket sevens for a flush on a four-heart board late on Day 6. The seven-time bracelet winner famously finished fifth in the 2010 Main Event and says this run is déjà vu...except this time he said, “we’re gonna win it.”
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kenny Hallaert | Belgium | 36,950,000 | 246 |
| 2 | Eric Afriat | Canada | 31,200,000 | 208 |
| 3 | Michael Mizrachi | United States | 19,925,000 | 133 |
| 4 | Daehyung Lee | South Korea | 18,675,000 | 125 |
| 5 | Chad Power | United States | 18,575,000 | 124 |
| 6 | Richard Freitas | Brazil | 18,500,000 | 123 |
| 7 | Joey Padron | United States | 16,675,000 | 111 |
| 8 | Adam Hendrix | United States | 16,125,000 | 108 |
| 9 | Braxton Dunaway | United States | 15,725,000 | 105 |
| 10 | Muhamet Perati | Italy | 14,950,000 | 100 |
Among the 57 players returning for Day 7 are several familiar faces and rising stars hoping to carve their names into Main Event history. Adam Hendrix (16,125,000) and Braxton Dunaway (15,725,000) both bagged healthy stacks as they look to parlay consistent series runs into career-defining results. Muhamet Perati (14,950,000), Derek Sudell (12,925,000), and Leo Margets (6,400,000) also made it through, with the Spanish player once again earning the label of last woman standing.
Tomas Szwarcberg, who finished 30th last year, is back for another Day 7 appearance with 11,500,000, while Joey Padron (16,675,000) and Daehyung Lee (18,675,000) sit comfortably in the top ten.
One of the most intriguing storylines belongs to Greg Merson, the 2012 Main Event champion and the only Main Event winner still in contention. Merson bagged 3,025,000 and will return as one of the shorter stacks, but with his deep-run experience and Main Event pedigree, he's not a player anyone will be overlooking.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000,000 | 10-11 | $750,000 |
| 2 | $6,000,000 | 12-13 | $560,250 |
| 3 | $4,000,000 | 14-17 | $450,000 |
| 4 | $3,000,000 | 18-26 | $360,000 |
| 5 | $2,400,000 | 27-35 | $300,000 |
| 6 | $1,900,000 | 36-44 | $240,000 |
| 7 | $1,500,000 | 45-53 | $200,000 |
| 8 | $1,250,000 | 54-57 | $165,000 |
| 9 | $1,000,000 |
The 57 remaining contenders have secured at least $165,000. The next pay jump comes at 53rd place, where payouts rise to $200,000. As the field shrinks, so do the gaps between life-changing sums: $300,000 awaits those who survive to the final 35, while a spot in the top 11 is worth at least $750,000. Though the bracelet won’t be awarded today, every decision on Day 7 inches players closer to the $10,000,000 top prize and a place in poker history.
With the blinds starting at 100,000/200,000 and a 200,000 big blind ante, the pressure will be on from the beginning. The average stack sits at just over 10,200,000, giving players just over 51 big blinds. Every pot matters. Every decision could be the difference between a historic run and a heartbreaking exit.
Action gets underway at 12 p.m. local time, with cards-up coverage streaming on PokerGO on a one-hour delay starting at 1 p.m. Stick with PokerNews throughout the day for exclusive chip counts, hands, photos, and player interviews as the road to the final table continues.
