The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicked off on May 27 and runs through July 17, with most events taking place at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas. The four main events are set to begin July 2, leading into a holiday weekend expected to bring fireworks both inside and outside the poker rooms.
While the WSOP remains known for its 100 live bracelet events, this year also features 30 online bracelet events running in parallel. For the first time, players in Pennsylvania can compete thanks to the state’s entry into the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA), joining Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, West Virginia, and Delaware in a shared player pool.
Five of the online tournaments will award seats to live final tables in Las Vegas between June 17 and July 15. Another highlight is the 25-Seat Scramble, a $215 buy-in tournament that grants 25 seats to the $10,000 Main Event. However, players should note that travel expenses to Las Vegas are not included with those prizes.
The first live final table begins June 21 following the online No-Limit Hold’em High Roller event. The final such event is a six-max NL Hold’em tournament that starts online July 13 and concludes with a live final table two days later.
Despite the excitement, the online series faced a major setback when one of its largest tournaments, the NL Hold’em Mystery Bounty with a $1 million guarantee, was canceled. Technical difficulties on June 9 left many players unable to log in for Day Two, forcing organizers to call off the remainder of the event. Players who remained online were able to collect chips from those who were disconnected, leading to concerns about fairness.
The cancellation comes at a time when the online component was expected to shine. Pennsylvania, with over 13 million residents and an estimated 150,000 online poker players, joined the shared market in hopes of boosting liquidity and prize pools. The addition was intended to usher in a new era for online poker in the US, offering bigger events and more competition.
But the lack of communication from WSOP organizers following the cancellation has sparked frustration across social media and poker forums. Many players are still awaiting clarity on how entry fees and prize pools will be refunded.
With six weeks remaining in the series, organizers Caesars Entertainment and partner GGPoker have an opportunity to recover.
Despite the rocky start, the series still has time to rebound. With several weeks remaining, Caesars Entertainment and GGPoker have a chance to restore confidence among players. Key events like the 25 Seat Scramble, scheduled for June 29 and July 1, offer another shot at entering the WSOP Main Event. Last year it attracted more than 10,000 players and produced a total prize pool of $94 million.
Last year’s winner, Jonathan Tamayo, claimed the WSOP bracelet along with a $10 million payout.
While technical troubles have dampened some early momentum, there are still dozens of online bracelet events left on the calendar. With strong finishes and smooth execution in the weeks ahead, the 2025 WSOP could still end on a high note — both online and off.
