It’s only been a few days since the WSOP released its full 2025 schedule, including the Main Event dates, and there is already drama brewing around the biggest poker tournament of the year.
None other than Phil Hellmuth, the most decorated player in the history of the WSOP, ignited the fire by announcing he would not be competing in the 2025 Main Event.
Hellmuth posted a video on his X account, describing the WSOP Main Event as an “endurance test” he simply wasn’t up to anymore.
Hellmuth added that the Main Event is his favorite tournament in the world and he doesn’t want to miss it, but simply believes he and other older players can’t compete in a tournament that requires them to play poker for 12 straight hours over seven consecutive days.
The 1989 WSOP Main Event champion also said that players should be polled and that 80% would agree the tournament needs more days off, which prompted quite a few big names in the poker world to give their opinion on the matter.
WSOP Veterans Disagree with Hellmuth
With 17 WSOP bracelets, Phil Hellmuth is easily one of the greatest authorities on all things related to the Series. However, a number of other WSOP champions spoke up in response to his video and defended the grind that is the WSOP Main Event.
It all started with Scott Seiver, who just came off an amazing year at the 2024 WSOP, where he won three events and the Player of the Year title after dominating the mixed game events throughout the summer.
Scott reminded Phil that WSOP is a 45-day grind and that 12-hour days are the norm throughout the summer, but also that it is normal for players become less competitive as they grow older.
The comments to this post were mixed, with some players agreeing with Seiver, while others claimed such an endurance test promotes the use of stimulants and performance-enhancing drugs.
We didn’t have to wait long for a response from Daniel Negreanu, one of the most outspoken players in the poker world, who agreed with Seiver and reiterated that not much has changed about the WSOP Main Event since 1970.
Negreanu argued that the only way to address Hellmuth’s concerns would be to make the levels shorter or make the tournament last for even more days, neither of which is in the interest of most players.
With so many other tournaments available throughout the summer, Daniel adamantly supported his stance that the Main Event structure should not be altered.
Will Hellmuth Actually Miss the Main Event?
Phil Hellmuth is one of the biggest names in poker, and he has been a staple at the WSOP since 1988, when he recorded his first WSOP cashes.
He went on to win the 1989 Main Event, and record numerous deep runs in the tournament throughout the years, while also winning an all-time high of 17 WSOP bracelets over the span of 36 years.
In that time, Phil has never missed the Main Event for any reason, so his announcement came as a major shock to his followers and fans around the world.
Known for his grand entrances to the WSOP Main Event, many initially believed the whole thing to be a publicity stunt designed to make his 2025 entrance even more spectacular.
Yet, Hellmuth’s agent Brian Balsbaugh confirmed that the champion is actually gutted about not playing the 2025 Main Event and that he truly has the intention of skipping this year’s World Championship.
Balsbaugh, who has been the agent for many of poker’s most elite players, has built up an impeccable reputation over the years, so his statement gives us even more of a reason to believe Phil is actually serious.
Yet, there are still several months to go before the WSOP kicks off in Vegas, and that gives the “Poker Brat” plenty of time to allow his mind to be changed by the likes of DNegs and his other poker friends.
Is The Main Event Too Big of an Endurance Test?
In his announcement, Phil stated he believes the current Main Event format is not fair toward the older players and that the Series should implement more days off during the tournament to allow players to take a breather.
In contrast, the like of Josh Arieh, another tournament poker veteran, stated that he lives for the grind of the WSOP and that seeing people complain about it makes him love it even more.
Indeed, the Main Event and the entire WSOP have always been about the grind. Being the longest tournament festival of the year, the WSOP has always tested both the skills and the endurance and stamina of all participants.
Many players, both young and old, have talked about feeling burnt out half-way through the WSOP, and many of them even quit before completing their initial plans.
The best tournament poker professionals understand the importance of stamina in their game, and many prepare for the summer in different ways to ensure they can still play their A-game over a month into the Series.
This year’s WSOP will host 100 bracelet events, many of which will only require three days of play to the finish line, which ensures everyone can find events that fit into their schedules and preferences.
For the most dedicated grinders who live for the Series like Shaun Deeb and Daniel Negreanu, we expect the 2025 WSOP will be another chance to test their stamina and willpower and battle the long hours and the bad beats in an effort to add more WSOP silverware to their trophy cabinets.
