The 2025 World Series of Poker is underway in Las Vegas, and we have already had several notable developments from the series. Let’s look at some of the bigger stories that are coming out of Paris and The Horseshoe so far!
The SCOOP series has come to an end. It’s time to reflect on the final results. Here’s a look at the most notable performances from the final week of the series.
It’s taken a few years and more than a few delays, but online poker in West Virginia is finally about to happen. And it’s not starting small. Instead of a quiet debut, BetRivers is going live with a four-state poker network that includes Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware — and now, West Virginia.
Here’s what poker fans in the Mountain State (and beyond) can expect.
This article was inspired by reporting from Nick Jones at PokerFuse.
The 2025 World Series of Poker is underway in Las Vegas and while we have commented frequently around issues that foreigners face entering the United States to play, and all the uncertainty that exists in the world, the reality is that this will not stop everyone from travelling internationally to the biggest poker series in the world this year.
One aspect that is always present for foreign nationals playing – and winning – is taxes. As most poker players know, this becomes a risk to playing at the WSOP.
It turns out poker’s biggest drama of the summer might not come from a bad beat on Day 7 of the Main Event, but from one of its loudest legends changing his mind at the last minute.
Just a few months ago, Phil Hellmuth announced he was likely out of the 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event. Citing the brutal schedule and long hours, he called the tournament “exhausting” and suggested it disproportionately favors younger players. But now, on the eve of cards in the air, Hellmuth has declared: he’s 100% playing.
And yes, there will be a costume involved.
When summer rolls around, poker players tend to keep one eye on Las Vegas — and the other on their online schedules. For those not packing their bags for the desert, PokerStars has once again prepared a full slate of low-stakes tournament action right at home. The Summer Stacks 2025 is back from June 6–23, promising 100 events across Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ontario — none of them over the $100 mark.
It’s the fifth edition of what’s now become a calendar staple. And while it’s built for casual grinders and online regulars, there’s a lot more baked in than just micro-stakes entertainment. We’re talking Red Spade headliners, Mystery Bounty chaos, freerolls galore and even a route to Las Vegas for the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) in November.
Week 2 of SCOOP 2025 delivered record-breaking performances, and unexpected twists — from historic wins by Simon «C.Darwin2» Mattsson and Renan «Internett93o» Bruschi to Iago «stek94» Botelho’s triumph in the $5K Main Event.
For years, GTO Wizard has been known as the go-to destination for solvers, strategy breakdowns, and hand analysis. But until now, it’s been a place to study poker, not play it. That changes with the introduction of a new, free-to-use heads-up 1v1 poker feature that drops users directly into browser-based poker games, no download or payment required.
Let’s break it down.
Photo Credits: Tritonpokerseries.com
Table of Contents
- Punnat Punsri Wins $25K PLO 6-Handed ($550,000)
- Ben Tollerene Wins $100K PLO Main Event ($2,390,000)
- Richard Gryko Wins First Triton Title in $50K PLO 6-Handed ($884,000)
- Jason Koon Wins 12th Triton Title in $30K PLO Turbo Bounty Quattro ($385,176*)
The Triton Montenegro series has come to an end. Here are the results of the final four PLO events that closed out the festival.
Poker’s most decorated player might not be done with the World Series of Poker Main Event just yet — but this year, the decision isn’t entirely up to him.
Phil Hellmuth, 17-time bracelet winner and undisputed icon of the WSOP, had said back in February that he planned to skip the 2025 Main Event. The grind, he said, had become too brutal. Now? He’s reconsidering — but in true Hellmuth fashion, it’s not without a bit of drama.
What’s the fee for registration for WSOP 2025 using the WSOP+ app? How do organizers choose the number of bracelet events per year? Why can’t the WSOP be held during long weekends?
WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart answered these and other questions in a Reddit AMA thread two days before WSOP 2025 starts.
PokerStars has decided to mix up its usual tournament grind (again). This time around, it’s with something tailored for North American cash game players. From now until June 6, players in Ontario, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey can rack up raffle entries through the Cash Game High Hand Bonus, a regional promotion tied to real-money ring games. If you’ve ever thought about your Aces Full to do more than just scoop the pot, now’s the time.
Here’s how it works.
Montenegro holds special significance for Jason Koon. Seven years ago, Koon won his first Triton title here in the $125K Short Deck event for $3,579,836. Last night, he set a new record with his 11th Triton victory, taking down the $150K NLH 8-Handed and securing the second-largest cash of his career
The 2025 World Series of Poker is the super bowl of poker and given the series lasts over 7 weeks and will host 100 bracelet events and countless daily tournaments, a lot of things can happen. We are going to throw out ten predictions for this year’s series and will be curious if any – or who knows – all of them come true? How many do you think are possible?
Last year, the Belarusian businessman and poker lover Mikalai Vaskaboinikau took down this tournament for $4,737,000. This time, he fell just short, finishing 2nd to Jesse Lonis in heads-up play.
PokerStars is bringing its Open series back to the Costa del Sol this summer, returning to Málaga from June 16–22 with an upgraded schedule, off-the-felt perks, and a €1 million guaranteed Main Event. Hosted at Gran Madrid | Casino Torrequebrada, PokerStars Open Málaga 2025 is shaping up to be one of the hottest stops on the European live circuit.
The 2024 edition drew widespread praise for its atmosphere and organization, and PokerStars is building on that success with a refreshed venue layout, added player experiences, and the return of a trusted tournament crew.
WPT Global is headed back to Montreal this summer, teaming up once again with Playground Poker for the WPT Global Summer Million Festival, running from July 20 to August 3. The series is going to marl yet another high-profile collaboration between the international online poker platform and one of Canada’s most recognized live poker venues.
Backed by C$1.5 million in guaranteed prize pools, the schedule includes 25 trophy events and more than C$200,000 in added value through online promotions. At the center of it all is a C$1,150 Main Event with a C$600,000 guarantee, which includes both online and live Day 1 flights.
ICYMI: WPT Global returns to @PlaygroundPoker this July! 🇨🇦
— WPT Global (@wpt_global) May 21, 2025
$1.5M CAD GTD, 25 trophy events, and over $200K in added promos…
Full schedule coming soon! pic.twitter.com/aLO6J761O4
29-year-old hospitality and real estate professional Aleksa Pavicevic decided to enter the tournament just a week before it started. Originally, he came to Montenegro to catch up with family and friends and have a good time.
Aleksa Pavicevic
I decided I’d just take a try. Honestly I expected to bust maybe four levels in, and if not then run up a stack and maybe try to win the whole thing. So it worked out.
The largest-ever Triton Invitational attracted 133 entries, including 96 unique players, with 23 participants finishing in the money.
After years of watching from the sidelines, Alberta online poker is about to join Ontario as the second Canadian province to officially regulate online poker. It’s a move that could fundamentally change how players in the province (and beyond) log on, sit down, and play their favorite game.
On May 7, Alberta’s Legislative Assembly passed Bill 48 — the iGaming Alberta Act — which lays the foundation for a legal and licensed online gambling market. The bill now awaits Royal Assent, a formality before it becomes law. And while the full rollout won’t happen until 2026, the implications are already sending ripples through Canada’s poker scene.
Let’s break down what this means, what’s coming next, and why Alberta might just spark the next chapter in Alberta online poker.