The last numbers are in, and the World Series of Poker Main Event tract is the 4th largest successful history.
Registration for the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship closed connected Tuesday with 9,208 entrants, down from past year’s full but inactive 1 of the largest fields successful the 57-year past of the Main Event.
The 2025 tourney saw 9,735 players aft back-to-back years of record-setting fields. The Main Event drew a grounds 10,112 entries successful 2024 aft 10,043 players joined successful 2023.
The Main Event continues connected Wednesday astatine Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas with Day 3 arsenic the remaining players from the 4 starting flights are combined.
“We’re arrogant of the staying powerfulness this beardown entrant fig represents,” said Ty Stewart, main enforcement serviceman of the WSOP successful a statement. “The WSOP continues to gully players from astir the satellite for poker’s astir prestigious event. Now, the absorption turns to watching a caller fable unfold.”
While galore wondered whether attendance for the Main Event could ace 5 figures erstwhile again, it became wide aboriginal connected that wasn’t likely. Entries were down year-over-year done the archetypal 3 days, and Day 1D besides lagged down gait with 4,694 players, abbreviated of the 4,997 who played that starting formation successful 2025.
Several factors apt contributed to the decline, including rising ostentation and new taxation laws successful the U.S. In addition, less planetary players traveled to Las Vegas for the WSOP.
The apical prize for this year’s Main Event is $10 cardinal to spell with the WSOP bracelet. The runner-up volition gain $6 million, with 3rd spot taking location $3.75 million. The 9 players astatine the last array are guaranteed astatine slightest $1 million.
The 2026 Main Event has a $85,634,400 prize pool, and the apical 1,382 finishers marque the money. The minimum currency is $15,000.
Additional notable payouts see $750,000 for 10th and 11th place, $510,000 for 12th and 13th spot and $410,475 for 14th done 17th place. The apical 80 finishers are guaranteed astatine slightest $105,000.
Defending champion Michael Mizrachi is inactive live successful the tourney and volition commencement Day 3 with 202,500 chips, bully for 101 large blinds.
Gaspar Fernandez of Argentina had the wide pb astatine the extremity of Day 2ABC with 754,000 chips, astir 377 large blinds.
Several large names stay successful the tourney and volition play connected Day 3, including erstwhile Main Event champions Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer and Greg Merson. Chris Moneymaker, Phil Ivey, Alex Foxen, Shaun Deeb and motor-mouthed pro Martin Kabrhel were each successful the tract astatine the 6 p.m. meal break.
William Kassouf, who was banned from past year’s WSOP aft clashing with players and tourney officials during the Main Event, was allowed to instrumentality this twelvemonth and besides had chips astatine dinner.
Fan favourite Daniel Negreanu was 1 of the Day 2D eliminations, arsenic was Las Vegas nonmigratory and fashionable pro Nick Schulman.
The wealth bubble is projected to burst connected Day 4.
The last array of the Main Event is scheduled to tally Aug. 3-5 astatine Horseshoe Las Vegas and volition beryllium shown connected ESPN2 and ESPN.
Contact David Schoen astatine dschoen@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ connected X.
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