Fewer International Players at 2025 WSOP, Despite Record Prize Pools

The 2025 World Series of Poker shattered records for total entries and prize money, but one key metric quietly declined: international participation in the Main Event.

While the eight-week festival set a new high-water mark for overall engagement -- with 297,421 total entries and $481.7 million in prize money across 130 events -- the flagship Main Event saw a notable shift. It attracted 9,735 players, making it the third-largest Main Event in WSOP history, but that still represented a significant drop from the record-setting 10,112 entries in 2024.

Major Markets Decline

The primary reason for the dip? A decline in entries from the WSOP’s three largest feeder countries -- the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom -- each of which sent fewer players than they did a year ago.

• United States: 5,978 entries, down 764 players (−11%)
• United Kingdom: 388 entries, down 130 (−25%)
• Canada: 421 entries, down 55 (−12%)

Combined, those three markets account for nearly 1,000 fewer Main Event participants, more than enough to explain the year-over-year decline.

Poker Nations on the Rise

What may surprise observers is that several smaller poker markets actually grew their presence in 2025 -- despite international travel concerns and tightened US visa enforcement.

• France: up 31%
• Brazil: up 28.5%
• Japan: up 37%
• Germany: up 28%

These increases speak to the WSOP’s growing global brand, but the total number of players from these countries wasn’t large enough to counterbalance the decline from the "big three."

US State-by-State Dip

Within the US, the drop-off was fairly uniform. Every one of the top eight states by Main Event entries -- California, Nevada, Florida, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Arizona, and Illinois -- saw declines from 2024, although each still posted strong overall numbers.

A Record-Breaking Festival, Nonetheless

Despite the Main Event slip, the 2025 WSOP broke multiple records:

• 43 players earned seven-figure payouts, including the full Main Event final table
• 57 events generated prize pools of $2 million or more
• 9 events surpassed $10 million
• The Millionaire Maker drew 11,996 entries -- one of the largest single events in WSOP history

The 2025 WSOP may go down as one of the richest and most ambitious editions of the series. But the sharp decline from key international markets, particularly the UK and Canada, could be a warning sign for organizers.

With political uncertainty and travel barriers still in play, all eyes will be on 2026 to see whether this year’s drop is a blip -- or the beginning of a more concerning trend for poker’s biggest stage.