2025 WSOP Same As Always But With Nuances: Experienced Rec Warns Amateurs

“Shitregs and Pros” are Only a Fly in the Ointment

According to UndecidedMN, the two types of players from the title can spoil almost every game with their behavioral peculiarities:

[…] “Some examples. Player who won a OE bracelet 10 years ago (regular pro, know of him before Wynn 08 event from Kessler’s COVID PokerStars tourneys) shows up at the first table of the first event wearing his bracelet. Just douche.

Other things — bad commentary when not involved in hands by pros, one pro tried to angle me when I raised, grabbing his chips like he was going to shove, looking at me, not getting a reaction, and then folding. Just tons of things that pros do that make the game far less enjoyable for recreational players who are their lifeblood.
It’s more the new pros and shitregs rather than the classic ones we saw on High Stakes Poker and ESPN 15–20 years ago.“

He also warns recreational players not to play any $100K+ guaranteed events, such as the Aria $800 buy-in with $150K Gtd and Wynn $1,100 buy-in with $1.5M or $200K GTD, because they have great value, which makes the field extremely “pro heavy” with a lot of regulars firing multiple bullets:

In conclusion, he advises recreational players who want to play one-day events to stick to the WSOP, MGM, or Venetian — but avoid Golden Nugget, which is a “shitshow right now because they can’t meet their guarantees.”

Use Apps Such As WSOP+: They Are Really Helpful

A lot of players went to WSOP being quite skeptical about its new application — and UndecidedMN was among them — but in reality, WSOP+ turned out to be a very convenient app:

“The Wynn series and WSOP now use tablets and electronic registration throughout their various tourneys.

The Wynn goes through PokerAtlas and while you will get a paper ticket to your original table and when you change tables, your chip counts (updated during break by dealers eyeballing), tourney clock, and structure are generally through the PokerAtlas website or app.
WSOP goes further with their own WSOP+ app. I was skeptical at first, but the WSOP+ app is phenomenal.

Registering and getting your seat assignment is a 30-second process. It is amazing and there are currently no credit card fees. Your seat assignments are all electronic through the app. It is going to make choosing tournaments, paying, and playing them extremely easy.”

The only minor inconvenience is that you need quite a while to verify your ID and credit card on the first day of usage. That’s why UndecidedMN advises completing this procedure the night before arriving at the live venue.

Plan Wisely, Especially About Food and Money

As UndecidedMN discovered after one week in Vegas, single-day tourneys don’t have a dinner break, which means you should be extra prepared for these events:

He also recommends being strict with your budget and schedule to avoid problems that can be tough to handle during the game:

Stay Away From Table Games & Slots

If you come to the live venue for tournaments and want to save money, hear UndecidedMN’s advice from his own sad example — avoid all kinds of casino games:

It doesn’t matter how good or bad your tournament experience and performance were — nothing excuses losing money to the casino, except doing so intentionally.
But if you care about your bankroll and mental health, staying as far as possible from any casino games is preferable any day of the week.