The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, the most anticipated poker tournament of the year, is finally upon us.
The WSOP has been raging in Las Vegas for weeks, and dozens of shiny gold bracelets have been handed out to experienced veterans of the game and complete newcomers.
All of this has led up to the Main Event, the one tournament that makes all the headlines and creates more buzz than any other poker event in the world.
As the Main Event kicks off, we take a look ahead and try to make a few predictions on what we expect could happen in this year’s version of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament.
Attendance to Smash Records
In 2024, the WSOP Main Event smashed its own attendance record for the second year straight, attracting 10,112 players to play the freezeout format.
For the second year straight, the tournament showed that interest in live poker events has never been greater. This trend has continued since, and this year’s WSOP numbers are looking good.
With events across the festival breaking their own attendance records, and players having an easier time than ever to register and play in WSOP tournaments, this year’s Main Event could once again be the biggest we have ever seen.
Getting well over 10,000 people to pay $10,000 to play a poker tournament may seem like a crazy feat, but if any poker festival in the world can do it, it is the WSOP.
A Phil Hellmuth Spectacle
Just weeks ago, the world’s WSOP bracelet record holder was trying to convince the world that he’s skipping this year’s Main Event, but a lot has changed since.
As the WSOP kicked off, Hellmuth made a spectacle on social media, as he tends to do, and asked his fans if he should play the Main Event or not.
To no surprise, they overwhelmingly voted yes, which means the Poker Brat will once again honor us with his presence on poker’s biggest stage.
With all the drama in the buildup, it seems fairly likely that Hellmuth’s Main Event entrance this year will be an even bigger drama than what we’ve seen in recent years.
At the very least, expect to see 18 (or perhaps 19?) models walking Phil into the room as he wears a goofy costume that has nothing to do with poker whatsoever.
WSOP Champs and Celebs in the Field
Everyone who knows poker understands that the Main Event is more than just another poker tournament. It’s a true poker carnival that attracts people from all walks of life.
Poker professionals make up a part of the field in the Main Event every year, and among them we will certainly see a dozen previous Main Event winners, as well as hundreds of WSOP champions with one or multiple bracelets to their names.
Beyond those, however, the Main Event is guaranteed to once again attract many celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, sports, and TV.
Attandance of such real world celebrities who didn’t make their names through poker is what sets the Main Event apart from every poker tournament out there.
As Day 1 flights go by, make sure to keep your eyes open for your favorite athletes, comedians, singers, and celebrities from every walk of life imaginable.
No Electronics at the Final Table
For the first time ever, the WSOP is implementing its new policy of no phones or electronics at the final tables, and it’s been going quite smoothly thus far.
Players at final table across the festival have been asked to remove all electronic devices during play, and the same will be the case for the Main Event.
Last year’s final table incident directly lead to the new policy, which is why we expect it to be enforced even more strictly during the Main Event.
We expect to see the tournament directors vehemently enforce the no electronics policy, and also ensure that players aren’t communicating with anyone on the rail who may be using an electronic device of any sort.
A Female Final Tablist
It’s been exactly 30 years since Barbara Enright made the final table of the WSOP Main Event. Since then, the feat has not been repeated by any female players.
The likes of Gaelle Baumann (10th), Elisabeth Hile (11th), and Kristen Foxen (13th) have since come close in much larger playing fields, but have all fallen short of the final nine.
Foxen’s deep run last year ended in a heartbreak for thousands of fans who were patiently waiting to see her battle it out at the final table.
A new Main Event means a new chance for the numerous ladies who will be entering the field to go all the way and repeat Enright’s feat.
With some luck, we could even see a female player win the Main Event for the first time in its history, which could supercharge a new poker boom of sorts.
A Scandal or Two Emerge
This year’s WSOP has already given birth to a couple of scandals, with the one in the Millionaire Maker making all the headlines.
The Main Event is the one poker tournament that gets extra scrutiny from the players, fans, and the media. With a massive playing field, and plenty of inexperienced amateurs out there, some drama is bound to stir up.
The new rules instituted by the WSOP should go a long way in preventing any cheating or live preview as all the drama unfolds on poker’s biggest stage.
