Close-up of a gold World Series of Poker championship bracelet with engraved text and playing cards partially visible in the corner.

Another World Series of Poker is in the books – as always, it was an exciting year of head-to-head showdowns featuring the very best in game. The event ran from May 27th to July 16th, and events were held primarily at the Horseshoe Las Vegas, but also took place at the Paris Las Vegas Casino. We’ve got the 2025 WSOP recap right here—covering every big win, shocking upset, and unforgettable moment.

The Greatest Chip Stacker at the 2025 WSOP: Michael Mizrachi Takes Down the Main Event

When Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi won the Poker Players Championship (Event #66) for the fourth time, you might have thought his work at the WSOP was done. But you’d be very wrong about that. Not long after he beat an incredibly tough field of seasoned pros in the PPC event, winning $1,331,332, he did something even more impressive 19 days later:

He won the whole Main Event.

Beating 9,735 competitors (the third-largest field in WSOP history), he earned the lion’s share of the total prize pool, which was over $90M. The $10M win also gave him his eighth career bracelet and led to his immediate induction into the Poker Hall of Fame. But who did he beat in the end? Let’s take a peek.

2025 WSOP Recap – Main Event Final Table and Results

  • 1st Place. Michael Mizrachi (USA). $10M.
  • 2nd Place. John Wasnock (USA). $6M.
  • 3rd Place. Braxton Dunaway (USA). $4M.
  • 4th Place. Kenny Hallaert (Belgium). $3M.
  • 5th Place. Luka Bojovic (Serbia). $2.4M.
  • 6th Place. Adam Hendrix (USA). $1.9M.
  • 7th Place. Leo Margets (Spain). $1.5M.
  • 8th Place. Jardo Minghini (USA). $1.25M.
  • 9th Place. Daehyung Lee (South Korea). $1M.

Fun fact: the final table only saw 79 hands before a winner was crowned. This is a fairly small number – the lowest since 2015. Mizrachi knocked out Hallaert and Dunaway in successive hands, making quick work of the competition. The final hand was a club flush for the Grinder, which he caught on the turn, giving him the win heads up over Wasnock.

Leaderboard graphic showing the top five 2025 WSOP players, their countries, and winnings, with Michael Mizrachi in first place.

Players to Remember

  • John Wasnock, who took second, is not a poker pro and has little live game experience. He’s also no stranger to money, however. He makes his living in Seattle as an investment consultant.
  • The hat that third place finisher Braxton Dunaway wore throughout the tournament is from Green Tree Country Club of Midland, Texas (the “Premier Family Country Club of the Permian Basin).
  • Leo Margets was the first woman spotted at the final table of the Main Event since 1995 (that was Barbara Enright).
  • Benny Glaser managed to scoop up three bracelets at the 2025 WSOP. He took the top spot in the $1,500 Dealer’s Choice event (#8), the $1,500 Mixed Omaha event (#47), and the $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball event (#56). This ties the record for bracelets in a year, held by 7 other players, including Phil Ivey and Phil Hellmuth. Glaser’s eight bracelets now makes a new record for bracelets won by a European player.
  • Adrián Mateos, one of Spain’s very best poker players, won a fifth WSOP bracelet by dominating the $3,200 High Roller event (an online tournament). The final table was held live in Vegas, and Mateos beat over 400 other players to take first place.
  • Daniel Zack got a fourth career bracelet by beating the competition at the $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Handed event (#96). He earned $471,170, which brings his recorded earnings to about $4.8M in total.
  • Ian Johns also nabbed a fourth bracelet. He’s been winning WSOP events for around 20 years and now has six WSOP final tables to go with his impressive record of 46 cashes.

Legacy Moments of the 2025 WSOP

Hitting New Heights

1,461 players cashed, as various attendance and prize pool records were set. The numbers for entries, payouts, and overall scale show that poker is still thriving in the modern era.

Poker champion Michael Mizrachi poses with stacks of cash and the WSOP trophy after winning the 2025 Main Event.

Instant Status

Mizrachi getting inducted into the Hall of Fame immediately after his stellar performance has never been done before. His run is likely going to be one people will recall for years to come, and will definitely be the aspirational standard for “running hot.”

Keeping Games Fresh

This year’s WSOP saw Battle of the Ages (Event #59, featuring separate flights for players under 50 and over 50) and T.O.R.S.E. (Event #93, trading Hold’em for 2-7 Triple Draw) introduced. The creation of these tournaments shows that there’s always room for innovation and novelty. The WSOP is clearly committed to trying to find ways to shake things up, and players can expect each year to bring new games and rule variations to keep things interesting.

Two-Time Poy

Shaun Deeb is Player of the Year once again, with a score of 4,194.10 (don’t forget that point one-oh). He tallied his points in the ten best events, with a bracelet along the way. Only one other player has won two PoY awards: the legendary “Kid Poker” himself, Daniel Negreanu.

Summing Up 2025’s Hot Card Summer

Mizrachi crushing his way into the Hall of Fame, Glaser’s terrifying three bracelets, and Margets’ elbowing her way to the final showdown are all memorable. The staying power of poker is undeniable. And while golden era heroes have sailed off into the sunset, a new generation continues to show us why we just can’t quit watching and playing this crazy game we love so much.