It's official: Phil Hellmuth will play the World Series of Poker Main Event.
In February, Hellmuth shocked the poker world when he told PokerOrg in an exclusive video that he planned to skip the Main Event this summer for the first time in 37 years. Since Hellmuth's revelation, many within the community have speculated on whether or not the 17-time bracelet winner would stay true to his word.
Now, in the wake of much discussion – and one potentially-tampered-with Twitter/X poll – Hellmuth's intentions have seemingly reversed course as he posted a nearly four-minute-long video explaining his decision to play.
"I am 100% playing in the WSOP Main Event," Hellmuth wrote, making his final decision abundantly clear.
On May 26, Hellmuth posted a poll on Twitter/X, leaving his decision on whether to partake or boycott the event up to his followers. While the early voting favored participation, the tally eventually swung in the boycott direction after seven hours of voting and Hellmuth deleted the poll prematurely. In the video above, Hellmuth explained his decision to remove the poll, citing potential manipulation as the reason.
Highway to Hellmuth
The BetRivers Pro also revealed the theme for his annual entrance into the Main Event: 'Highway to Hellmuth'. It's not entirely clear how Hellmuth will choose to interpret his own theme, but he did hint at dressing up like "an 80s rock star" which likely means lots of hair and lots of glam – think Bon Jovi or Guns N' Roses. According to Hellmuth, Daniel 'Jungleman' Cates may once again be part of the entrance.
Over the years, Hellmuth's themed arrivals have sparked debate – with some, like Isaac Haxton, arguing that the performative spectacles impact players' ability to concentrate.
Hellmuth's grand entrances stretch back as far as 2003 and have become somewhat of a tradition at the WSOP. Whether you fall in the camp of those who appreciate the showmanship and flamboyance on display or the other side, the entrances don't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Additionally, Hellmuth teased a potential BetRivers-sponsored giveaway. While the exact details surrounding the giveaway aren't confirmed just yet, Hellmuth claimed his employer "might give away a Ford Mustang" to one lucky attendee.
