WSOP 2025 Begins in Las Vegas: 100 Bracelets, 51 Days, and Less Phil?

^{Note to future WSOP champions: Make sure your fingernails are clean for that winners shot. (Photo: Louis Grasse / ZUMA)}

Let the bluffing begin.

The 56th annual World Series of Poker launched Tuesday at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, officially turning the Strip into the poker capital of the world between now and July 16. Organizers expect tens of thousands of players to descend on Las Vegas -- from battle-tested grinders to wide-eyed tourists. 

With 100 bracelet events on the schedule and a fresh layer of digital infrastructure under the hood, the 2025 WSOP promises thousands of heartbreaks and humblebrags across 7 1/2 weeks of glorious, soul-crushing variance.

We can’t predict every bad beat or bluff gone viral, but a few storylines are already part if this year's equation. 

1. Pennsylvania Enters the Online WSOP Fray

Thanks to the addition of Pennsylvania to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, this year stands to show some real movement in the online realm of the WSOP. With players from Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and now Pennsylvania all swimming in the same four-state player pool, we're starting to get a glimpse at what's possible with legal poker in the US. 

According to state regulators, Pennsylvania brings approximately 150,000 active online poker accounts to the table. That’s a 50%+ boost to the WSOP’s eligible online player base, translating to more online competition for juicier prize pools.

In practical terms, it means more players than ever will earn their seats in live Vegas events via online qualifiers. This is a trend the WSOP seems to be leaning into hard with a revamped WSOP Online platform and registration system.

2. New Events (and Old Favorites)

The 2025 WSOP schedule includes a record 100 bracelet events, with fresh twists and some reliable classics. 

Event #1 is the $1,000 Mystery Millions. It's one of three "mystery bounty" events where players who make Day 2 can win a randomly drawn envelope containing bonuses ranging from modest sums to life-changing amounts.

One new tournament this year is Battle of the Ages -- an event where players under and over 50 play separate flights before merging for a Boomers vs. Zoomers showdown.

Returning legends include the $10,000 Main Event (starting July 3), the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, and the ever-grueling $10,000 HORSE.

On the lower end of the buyin scale, the $1,500 Monster Stack returns, promising big chips, big fields, and a long grind that still somehow attracts casual players in cargo shorts.

Fan favorites like the Colossus, the Millionaire Maker, the Seniors Event and Ladies Event continue to be the sorts of events that people plan their trips around. 

3. WSOP+ App to Track Bracelets, Avoid Lines

Also new this year is the debut of WSOP+, a mobile app aimed at reducing the most unglamorous part of poker -- waiting in line like a tourist. Once verified in person, players can register for events, get chip counts, track schedules, and receive live updates all from their phone.

The WSOP is calling it a “streamlined registration experience.” Players are optimistically seeing it as a potential game changer. 

4. New Rules: No Coaching, No Solvers, No 'Helpful Friends'

After last year’s Main Event ended with some serious side-eye and a whole lot of forum drama, the WSOP has officially tightened its stance on real-time assistance.

This year, new rules explicitly prohibit players from receiving outside strategic input while they’re still in an event. That includes “rail coaching,” consulting solvers during breaks, or having a friend whisper GTO suggestions over nachos from Guy Fieri’s.

The WSOP rule changes come in response to a 2024 dustup where eventual champion Jonathan Tamayo stood accused of essentially tag-teaming his way through the late stages of the tournament with off-table analysis. While no formal penalties were issued, the optics weren’t great, and the WSOP isn't looking for any more asterisks.

5. No Hellmuth in the Main Event

For the first time since 1988, Phil Hellmuth will not be playing the Main Event.

According to Mr. Poker Brat himself, Hellmuth, 60, says he's sitting this one out due to the youth-favoring schedule. “Try getting up and playing from noon to midnight for seven days straight,” he told PokerNews. "Its exhausting."

Love him or loathe him, the 16-bracelet winner's absence will be felt. For those who enjoy a little mid-hand monologue, there will be a void. And will other seniors follow his lead?

6. Will the World Still Show Up?

One wildcard this year is international turnout. With geopolitics, border logistics, and global economic jitters all in the mix, some are wondering whether international attendance will take a hit -- particularly from America's most immediate neighbors

Canadians and Mexicans typically account for a sizable chunk of the WSOP’s field. And players from across Europe, Asia, and South America help make the Main Event a truly global contest. Will they still come in full force? Or will this be the year poker’s borderless charm is put to the test?

The WSOP hasn’t released registration numbers yet. But the data is out there, so we'll know by the end of the WSOP if for various reasons non-American poker players decide to sit this one out.

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How to Watch the WSOP on PokerGO and CBS Sports

PokerGO will provide near-daily livestream coverage of the 2025 WSOP, starting May 31 and running through July 16. The $10,000 Main Event will be streamed in its entirety from July 2 to July 16, with daily broadcasts covering every stage of the tournament. Viewers can subscribe to PokerGO for full access, while select highlights will be available for free on the PokerGO YouTube channel.

Additionally, CBS Sports Network will air edited episodes of key bracelet events, including the Main Event, providing televised coverage for fans who prefer traditional broadcast formats.