Whether it’s a one-day hyper-turbo or the two-week Main Event, every tournament has to start somewhere. Day 1, when players get a feel for the field, adjust to the surroundings, and find their rhythm and focus. So it is with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) overall, which yesterday enjoyed the first day of the 2025 edition in Las Vegas.
The end of last year’s WSOP feels like a long time ago, but we remember it like yesterday. The piles of cash on the feature table, the epic duel with a $10M prize for the winner, and the buzz and exhaustion of coming off a WSOP where new records were set, new legends crowned and old faces celebrated.
But that was then, this is now. The WSOP is back, cards are in the air, and PokerOrg will be bringing you the news from the floor every day until the very last event is in the books.
Mystery Millions gets the ball rolling
On the theme of fresh starts, over to the first event of this year’s series: the $1,000 Mystery Millions. As the name suggests, there’s a top mystery bounty prize of $1M in the mix, and with bounties not kicking in until Day 2 there’s even more incentive to keep your stack alive throughout the first starting flight. Of the 1,329 entrants in Day 1, 70 did just that and will return for Day 2.
For those who fell, the story might not yet be over. There’s one re-entry allowed per day, and four more starting flights running over the next few days for those who want another bite at the cherry.
Employees get to work
The other event to help start proceedings on Tuesday was the $500 Industry Employees NLH. The event has been the subject of some mild controversy recently, given the wooly definition of an ‘industry employee’. What was an event initially created for dealers has morphed over time, firstly to casino employees, and then to ‘anyone employed in the gaming, hospitality or media industries,’ which feels like a definition just begging to be stretched to breaking point.
Those concerned that the integrity of the event was about to be tested by ‘media people’ with pure poker pedigree — the likes of Doug Polk, Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu could technically qualify — should not be unduly worried. A quick glance down the chipcounts in this one doesn’t reveal any poker legends, hot off the private jet from the latest Triton High Roller to exploit the softer field.
914 entrants have created a prizepool of a little over $400K, of which $64,369 will go to the winner. Day 1 was a very late finish, but anyone in the ‘gaming, hospitality or media industries’ will surely be used to that by now.
Tech gets tested
No two WSOP festivals are exactly the same, so what’s new this year? There are a couple of new events on the schedule, as is usually the case, but what many are excited about is the WSOP+ app, which promises the ability to skip the lines and register for WSOP events directly from your phone with all the convenience of ordering an Uber.
The only problem? To skip the lines, you need to… get in line.
Verification is obviously a crucial factor, and needs to be done in person, but only once. That means that yes, you need to go confirm your identity with a real human being, in person at a registration desk, but the good news is it's a one-and-done type of deal. We also grabbed a quick chat with our friend Jeff Platt to get some useful tips on how to make the process as quick and easy as possible.
And once that’s done, you’re off to the races. Two bracelet events have begun, 98 more are on the way, with the $5K 8-handed NLH and the $1,500 8-handed Omaha 8 up next.
Fantasy Freeroll entry closes tomorrow
Finally, whether you’re in Las Vegas or anywhere else in the world, don’t miss the chance to enter the PokerOrg Fantasy Freeroll, where you could win a $10K main event seat or package.
Entry is open right now, but will close on May 29. Pick a team of poker superstars, follow along with their progress, and you could end up joining them at the tables without it costing you a bean. Go play now, what are you waiting for? More here.
