The Road to Gold: The Remaining WSOPC Europe Schedule for 2026
27 May 2026Read More
World Series of Poker Main Event Breaks Attendance Record
- WSOP Main Event Breaks Attendance Record
- 10,112 players entered the $10,000 Buy-in Tournament
- Alex Livingston posts biggest stack from Day 2d
- Six More WSOP Main Event Champs Progress
Horseshoe Las Vegas Center Strip Hotel and Casino, home of World Series of Poker, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Biggest Ever World Series of Poker Main Event with 10,112 entries in the $10,000 Buy-In Tournament
When registration closed on Day 2d of the Main Event of the 55th Annual World Series of Poker, the total number of entries in the most prestigious poker tournament in the world had reached new heights.
In 2023 the event had smashed through the 10,000 player barrier for the first time and despite lower attendances on the first three days of the 2024 event, the final push on the second of two day twos pushed the number into uncharted territory once again.
The final total of 10,112 was an increase of 67 players year-on-year and represents just over half a percent growth.
Day 2d was contested by all the players who made it through Day 1d, plus a further 562 who chose to enter on the day. The total number of players who at some point took a seat on Day 2d was 4,441, of which 2,068 remain.
They will join the 1,549 players from Day 2abc for Day 3 of the event, when the remaining field will be combined for the first time.
Prize Pool Revealed
After registration closed, at the end of level seven, the total prize pool and payouts were revealed. The winner this year will walk away with $10m. This might seem strange, as last year Daniel Weinman took down $12.1m yet this year the number of players is up.
However this is by design, as since Weinman’s historic biggest win, the WSOP has increased the percentage of players who receive a payout, requiring a smaller first prize to be paid out.
Weinman looks like he will remain the biggest ever winner for quite a few more years, as it will take quite a huge jump in participation for a first prize of greater than $12.1m to be awarded.
This is what they’re playing for:
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | $10,000,000 | 81st-125th | $100,000 |
| 2nd | $6,000,000 | 126th-134th | $85,000 |
| 3rd | $4,000,000 | 135th-162nd | $70,000 |
| 4th | $3,000,000 | 163rd-224th | $60,000 |
| 5th | $2,500,000 | 225th-287th | $50,000 |
| 6th | $2,000,000 | 288th-311th | $45,000 |
| 7th | $1,500,000 | 312th-350th | $45,000 |
| 8th | $1,250,000 | 351st-413th | $40,000 |
| 9th | $1,000,000 | 414th-476th | $37,500 |
| 10th-11th | $800,000 | 477th-539th | $35,000 |
| 12th-13th | $600,000 | 540th-602nd | $32,500 |
| 14th-17th | $450,400 | 603rd-665th | $30,000 |
| 18th-26th | $350,000 | 666th-7664th | $27,500 |
| 27th-35th | $300,000 | 765th-863rd | $25,000 |
| 36th-44th | $250,000 | 864th-950th | $22,500 |
| 45th-53rd | $200,000 | 951st-1008th | $20,000 |
| 54th-62nd | $160,000 | 1009th-1250th | $17,500 |
| 63rd-71st | $140,000 | 1251st-1517th | $15,000 |
| 72nd-80th | $120,000 |
Alex Livingston Bags Biggest Stack of Day 2d
Although it was a busier day two, nobody managed to bag as big a stack as Anthony Marisco’s 797,000. Bracelet winner Alex Livingston was the largest of the Day 2d stacks on 750,500.
Tyler Hatchel posted the second biggest stack of the day on 679,000 while Donovan Dean lies in third place with 634,500.
Five time bracelet winner Adam Friedman finished 7th in the chip count, on 581,000 and fellow bracelet winner Stephen Song is not far behind in 8th with 577,000.
Six former Main Event Winners Progress to Day 3
There were nine former WSOP Main Event winners taking part in Day 2d and six of them are safely through to fight on for a chance at finding a second needle in a haystack.
Joe McKeehan secured the largest stack of the day’s former champs with 309,500 by the time level 10 ended. Defending Champion Daniel Weinman is on 229,000, with Scotty Nguyen on 206,000.
Further back in the field are Martin Jacobsen (154,000) Espen Jorstad (133,000) and Ryan Riess (103,500).
These six join the five from Day 1abc, leaving eleven former WSOP Main Event Champs still in with a chance of another deep run.
Notables Players Still In
Finishing the day well was 6-times bracelet winner Brain Hastings (431,000) and the effervescent GG Poker pro Tony ‘Ren’ Lin (372,000).
Wing Po Liu (295,500), fresh from winning his second bracelet in event 77 is still in contention, as is eleven time bracelet winner Phil Ivey (283,500).
David Funkhouser (258,500), who also won a bracelet last week is still in, as Belgian Bart Lybaert (248,000).
Other multiple bracelet winners still standing include Brian Rast (229,000), Tony Ma (213,500), Michael Wang (208,000), Kevin McPhee (194,500), David Peters (195,500) and Kristen Foxen (181,000),
At the lower end of the chip charts are Allen Cunningham (123,500), Nick Schulman (122,000), GG Poker Ambassador Bertrand ‘Elly’ Grospellier (102,000), Men Nguyen (55,000) and Barry Greenstein (31,000).
Done and Dusted
For many players, Day 2d was the end of the road. Sadly for these players, the tarmac has now run out:
- Allen Kessler
- Kathy Liebert
- Huck Seed
- Jack Sinclair
- Chris Hunichen
- Igor Kurganov
- Daniel Cates
- Bryn Kenney
- Jeff Lisandro
British Prospects
Luke Porter, who won the GUKPT London event in the UK earlier this year is going strong, posting a top 20 chip stack, on 502,000. He has the biggest stack of the British players who made it to the end of Day 2d.
Domenico Micillo on 463,000 and Daniel Rudd with 388,500 were the next biggest British stacks, with Talal Shakerchi not far behind on 359,500.
Other UK players finishing the day well included Andrew Wilson (350,000), Mathew Frankland (328,000), David Docherty (262,000) Christopher Brammer (203,500) and Ian Bradley (202,000).
Benny Glaser is still in, but has only 86,500 and shouts out to James Atkin, who is still clinging on with 58,500 and Fraser McIntyre (52,500).
Many other British players also made it to Day 3, but there were also many casualties on the day, including:
- Jack Oliver
- Adam Owen
- Kevin Allen
- Stephen Chidwick
- Darius Samual
- Matt Davenport
- Simon Trumper
- Robbie Bull
- Carl Shaw
- Jamie Nixon
- Adam Wilkinson
- Liv Boeree
- Dean Hutchinson
- Robert Cowen
See also
- World Series of Poker Main Event Day 4 Ends with 464 Players Left
- Largest Ever Main Event Starting Day at WSOP
- WSOP 2024 Main Event Final Table Player Bios
- Day 3 of WSOP Main Event Ends Close to the Bubble
- Song On Top after Day 5 of the WSOP Main Event
- Main Event of WSOP Reduced to 59 Players at End of Day 6
- Jordan Griff Takes Big Chip Lead Onto WSOP Main Event Final Table
- Jonathan Tamayo Is the 2024 WSOP Main Event Champion
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