Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth Skips 2025 WSOP Main Event Over Format Concerns

Hellmuth, who has played every Main Event since 1988, finds the current format too demanding. He believes 80% of players want changes to reduce the impact on older players.

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2025 October 9 . 12:32 PM

1 min read

In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the... — In this image there is a conference in which there are people sitting in chair and listening to the people who are on the stage. It seems like an event in which there is a conversation between the media people and the owners. At the background there is a big hoarding and the wall beside it.

Poker Legend Phil Hellmuth Skips 2025 WSOP Main Event Over Format Concerns

Poker legend Phil Hellmuth has announced he will not participate in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event due to concerns about the event's format and its impact on older players. Hellmuth, who has played in every Main Event since 1988, cited lack of stamina as his reason for skipping the event this year.

Hellmuth, now 60, finds the current format too demanding, with long days and multiple consecutive days of play. He has heard from four other players who lost a chance at a top result due to tiredness during the event. Hellmuth believes that 80% of players want changes made to the format to reduce the impact on older players. Proposals have included shortening the tournament duration, implementing senior-specific starting flights, and offering more breaks or less physically demanding schedules.

The WSOP Main Event entrants leaderboard shows growing fields in recent years, which may contribute to Hellmuth's concerns about the event's length. Hellmuth has expressed a desire to see 20,000 players in the Main Event, but he worries that the current format may be a barrier for some players. Some players have suggested that the $10,000 buy-in is too low and should be raised to increase exclusivity. However, Hellmuth and fellow poker pro Daniel Negreanu have previously rejected this idea.

Hellmuth's decision to skip the 2025 WSOP Main Event highlights the challenges faced by older players in the gruelling tournament format. His call for changes to the format may spark further discussion and action among poker players and organisers. Despite his absence, Hellmuth's legacy and influence in poker remain undiminished.