The final numbers are in, and the World Series of Poker Main Event field is the fourth largest in history.
Registration for the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship closed on Tuesday with 9,208 entrants, down from last year’s total but still one of the largest fields in the 57-year history of the Main Event.
The 2025 tournament saw 9,735 players after back-to-back years of record-setting fields. The Main Event drew a record 10,112 entries in 2024 after 10,043 players joined in 2023.
The Main Event continues on Wednesday at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas with Day 3 as the remaining players from the four starting flights are combined.
“We’re proud of the staying power this strong entrant number represents,” said Ty Stewart, chief executive officer of the WSOP in a statement. “The WSOP continues to draw players from around the world for poker’s most prestigious event. Now, the focus turns to watching a new legend unfold.”
While many wondered whether attendance for the Main Event could crack five figures once again, it became clear early on that wasn’t likely. Entries were down year-over-year through the first three days, and Day 1D also lagged behind pace with 4,694 players, short of the 4,997 who played that starting flight in 2025.
Several factors likely contributed to the decline, including rising inflation and new tax laws in the U.S. In addition, fewer international players traveled to Las Vegas for the WSOP.
The top prize for this year’s Main Event is $10 million to go with the WSOP bracelet. The runner-up will earn $6 million, with third place taking home $3.75 million. The nine players at the final table are guaranteed at least $1 million.
The 2026 Main Event has a $85,634,400 prize pool, and the top 1,382 finishers make the money. The minimum cash is $15,000.
Additional notable payouts include $750,000 for 10th and 11th place, $510,000 for 12th and 13th place and $410,475 for 14th through 17th place. The top 80 finishers are guaranteed at least $105,000.
Defending champion Michael Mizrachi is still alive in the tournament and will start Day 3 with 202,500 chips, good for 101 big blinds.
Gaspar Fernandez of Argentina had the overall lead at the end of Day 2ABC with 754,000 chips, roughly 377 big blinds.
Several big names remain in the tournament and will play on Day 3, including former Main Event champions Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer and Greg Merson. Chris Moneymaker, Phil Ivey, Alex Foxen, Shaun Deeb and motor-mouthed pro Martin Kabrhel were all in the field at the 6 p.m. dinner break.
William Kassouf, who was banned from last year’s WSOP after clashing with players and tournament officials during the Main Event, was allowed to return this year and also had chips at dinner.
Fan favorite Daniel Negreanu was one of the Day 2D eliminations, as was Las Vegas resident and popular pro Nick Schulman.
The money bubble is projected to burst on Day 4.
The final table of the Main Event is scheduled to run Aug. 3-5 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPN.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.
