WSOP 2025 Day 5 Recap: Benny Glaser Dominates $1,500 Dealers Choice Heading into Final Day

Las Vegas, June 1, 2025 — Day 5 of the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) was nothing short of spectacular. Gold bracelets were awarded, deep runs defined reputations, and one name shone brighter than most—Benny Glaser. The five-time bracelet winner from the UK is in full control of Event #8: $1,500 Dealers Choice, setting himself up for a potential sixth title as the tournament heads into its final day.

With only 14 players left, Glaser holds more than double the chips of his nearest competitor and looks poised to add yet another WSOP crown to his already legendary résumé.

Glaser Seizes Control in Dealers Choice

A specialist in mixed games and already a five-time bracelet holder, Benny Glaser ended Day 2 of Event #8 with a towering 3,050,000 chip stack. That’s more than twice the count of Justin Liberto, who sits in second place with 1,480,000.

Glaser’s recent bracelet wins have come in the toughest formats the WSOP has to offer, with victories in the $10,000 Championship events. However, it seems he’s just as deadly in the $1,500 tier, where the Dealer’s Choice format tests adaptability, game selection, and raw poker IQ.

Having first tasted WSOP gold in 2015, and with a steady stream of victories in 2016, 2021, and 2023, Glaser’s presence at the top of this event’s leaderboard is no accident. He’s as consistent as they come in the world of mixed games.

Final 14 in Contention

Day 2 saw the field whittled down from a tough group to just 14 survivors, all eyeing the gold and the top prize.

Here are the Top 10 Chip Counts heading into Day 3:

Rounding out the final 14 are Daniel Zack, Eric Baldwin, and Adam Owen, all accomplished players with live tournament pedigrees of their own. The depth of talent still in contention makes this one of the most fascinating events of the series so far.

What Makes Dealers Choice So Tough?

In a format like Dealers Choice, each player selects the game for an entire orbit. That could mean alternating between Badugi, Stud-8, No-Limit 2-7 Draw, or Big O—often within a few hands. The complexity makes it a breeding ground for elite players.

Unlike Hold’em or PLO where edge is often situational, in Dealers Choice, you need mastery over more than 20 variants. And that’s where players like Glaser separate themselves from the rest.

Day 5 WSOP Highlights: More Bracelets, More History

While Glaser’s dominance in Event #8 was the headline story, Day 5 of the WSOP had no shortage of fireworks elsewhere.

• Antonio Galiana from Spain captured his second WSOP bracelet in just two years by taking down Event #3: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em.
• Caleb Furth, aka “Bruno,” staged an incredible comeback in Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha, spinning up a single 100K chip to take home $620,696 and his second bracelet.
• WSOP veteran Dan Heimiller ended an 11-year drought, winning his third bracelet in Event #6: $1,500 Seven Card Stud, defeating David Bach heads-up.

What’s Coming on Day 6?

June 1 is shaping up to be another action-packed day:

• The final day of the $1,500 Dealers Choice (Event #8) kicks off at 1:00 p.m., where Glaser is gunning for bracelet #6.
• The $25K Heads-Up NLHE Championship (Event #7) has reached its final four: Artur Martirosian, Patrick Leonard, David Chen, and Aliaksei Boika.
• In Event #9: $10K Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, Ryan Bambrick leads the pack, with legends like Robert Mizrachi and Daniel Negreanu sitting comfortably in the Top 10 chip counts.
• Three new events debut:
  • Event #10: $600 NLH Deepstack (10:00 a.m.)
  • Event #11: $10K Mystery Bounty (12:00 p.m.)
  • Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw (2:00 p.m.)

Final Thoughts

Benny Glaser’s deep run in Event #8: $1,500 Dealers Choice is more than a hot streak—it’s a masterclass in mixed-game dominance. With over 3 million chips, he holds the power heading into the final day. But poker is a game of unpredictability, and with names like Liberto, Zack, and Baldwin still in the mix, nothing is guaranteed.

As the WSOP continues its marathon in Las Vegas, poker fans around the world can’t help but wonder: Will June 1 be the day Glaser joins the six-bracelet club?

Stay with BetterPokerNews for more updates, live event recaps, and in-depth coverage from the heart of the poker world.

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