WSOP 2025 Opens at Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas: Long Lines, New App, and Star-Studded Action
The 56th Annual World Series of Poker (WSOP) officially began on Tuesday, May 28, 2025, at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas, two connected venues on the Las Vegas Strip. The opening events were:
- Event #1: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Millions
- Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold’em
Although excitement was high, the day was defined by long registration lines, despite the debut of the WSOP+ mobile app, which was intended to streamline the player experience.
WSOP+ App Launch Complicated by Mandatory In-Person Verification
The WSOP+ app is a new digital tool designed to let players register for events, deposit money, and manage their WSOP participation directly from their smartphones. Daniel Negreanu called it a “game-changer.” However, to use the app, players must complete a one-time in-person identity verification at a WSOP registration cage.
On opening day, hundreds of players lined up at the main registration cage inside Paris Las Vegas. While the actual verification process takes just 2–3 minutes per player, the sheer number of people created hours-long delays.
According to on-site observations, many players estimated their total wait time between three and four hours. For example, Andrew Hulsey, a regular WSOP participant who plans to play 11 events this summer, stated he had been in line for two hours with 78 people still ahead of him.
Pro Tips: Avoiding the Line
Jeff Platt, PokerOrg Player Advisory Board member, and WSOP media presence, advised avoiding the cage during peak hours. He recommended going during late-night hours, pointing out that the Paris registration cage is open 24/7.
Paul Hizer, winner of the 2022 WSOP Colossus event, followed that advice and completed his verification at 10:45 p.m. in just five minutes.
Niall Farrell, 2017 WSOPE €25K High Roller winner (€745,287), completed his verification in one hour and was optimistic about his WSOP 2025 run.
Verification Requirements
To get verified and activate the WSOP+ app, players must bring:
- Valid ID (Driver’s license or passport)
- Valid Caesars Rewards card
- Valid email address
- WSOP+ app downloaded to their smartphone
A WSOP+ staff member named Carly, stationed at the cage, shared that there are two lines:
- One for players depositing cash
- One for those using credit cards or electronic payment methods
The credit card line moved faster, according to multiple players and staff on-site.
Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions — $1M Top Bounty
The first event of WSOP 2025 was the $1,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em Mystery Millions, featuring a $1 million top bounty prize, which becomes active on Day 2.
- Day 1a attracted 1,329 entries
- 70 players advanced to Day 2
- Players are allowed one re-entry per starting flight
- There are four additional flights remaining
Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips |
| 1st | Konstantin Held | Germany | 2,485,000 |
| 2nd | Brian Yoon | United States | 2,410,000 |
| 3rd | Narcis Nedelcu | Romania | 2,335,000 |
| 4th | Zdenek Zizka | Czech Republic | 1,835,000 |
| 5th | Ryan Otto | New Zealand | 1,780,000 |
| 6th | Sohale Khalili | United States | 1,755,000 |
| 7th | Leo Lombardozzi | France | 1,740,000 |
| 8th | Daniel Pearlman | United States | 1,735,000 |
| 9th | Jeffrey Extor | United States | 1,655,000 |
| 10th | Joe Gardenhire | United States | 1,425,000 |
Players in the Field:
- Ryan Riess (2013 WSOP Main Event Champion)
- Huckleberry Seed (1996 WSOP Main Event Champion)
- Jeff Madsen (Multiple Bracelet Winner)
- John Hennigan, Sean Troha, Jeremy Ausmus, Ethan “Rampage” Yau, Daniel Zack, Adam Hendrix, and David “ODB” Baker
Day 1a Payouts (Select):
- Cherish Andrews – 182nd, $1,318
- Kevin Theodore – 128th, $1,384
- Max Pescatori – 119th, $1,384
- John Hennigan – 110th, $1,441
- Matt Affleck – 94th, $1,526
- Brian Borst – 71st, $2,001
Event #2: $500 Industry Employees No-Limit Hold’em
This event was originally designed for casino dealers but now includes employees from the gaming, hospitality, and media industries.
- 914 total entries
- 138 players made the money
- Prize pool: over $400,000
- First place payout: $64,369
The day ended dramatically when Hergi Muci was eliminated on the money bubble. Muci, holding JhJd, lost to Keegan McCann’s Kc5d after the board ran out 7c-6h-4s-Jc-8s, giving McCann a straight.
Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips |
| 1st | Shaun Colquhoun | United States | 895,000 |
| 2nd | Andrew Vodinh | United States | 686,000 |
| 3rd | John Vournas | United States | 593,000 |
| 4th | Rick Muniz | United States | 515,000 |
| 5th | Konstantin Polin | United States | 507,000 |
| 6th | Keegan McCann | United States | 489,000 |
| 7th | Miguel Cardenas | United States | 460,000 |
| 8th | Keith Williams | United States | 394,000 |
| 9th | Angelo Perez | United States | 385,000 |
| 10th | Austin Hortaleza | United States | 365,000 |
Nikki Limo, media personality and PokerOrg representative, also played in the event.
2025 WSOP $25K Fantasy Draft: Record 24 Teams and Historic Bid
The $25,000 WSOP Fantasy Draft took place with a record 24 teams—the most ever. Each team had $200 to spend on eight players, using an auction-style bidding format.
Top Bids:
- Jeremy Ausmus – $141 (Team DPMD) – highest bid in draft history
- Scott Seiver – $125 (Team Frog Poison)
- Yuri Dzivielevski – $119 (Team Liaison)
- Daniel Negreanu – $108 (Team Negreanu)
- Jesse Lonis – $103
- Shaun Deeb – $99
- Phil Ivey – $95
Erik Seidel, a Poker Hall of Famer, was picked for just $13, and Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler went undrafted—only the second time this has happened in draft history.