Las Vegas, NV – June 3, 2025 – The 2025 World Series of Poker is in full swing at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, and Day 7 was a firestorm of action, emotion, and elite-level poker. With Stephen Chidwick dominating the inaugural $25,000 PLO/NLH High Roller, two new bracelet winners crowned, and multiple events barreling toward epic conclusions, the first week of WSOP action is wrapping up with a roar, not a whimper.
Wilklow Strikes Gold in Mystery Millions
In one of the festival’s largest-field events, Michael Wilklow emerged as the champion of Event #1: $1,000 Mystery Millions, defeating none other than Michael Acevedo heads-up to secure the $1,000,000 top prize. The tournament, which drew thousands of hopefuls looking to score big with both standard payouts and mystery bounties, lived up to its reputation.
Wilklow’s final battle against GTO wizard and Costa Rican sensation Acevedo was no easy feat. But with poise and power, Wilklow secured his first WSOP bracelet and a place in the record books. Acevedo didn’t leave empty-handed—his runner-up finish was good for $563,350, one of the largest scores of his career.
Kenneth Kim Bests Massive Field in $600 Deepstack
The second bracelet of Day 7 went to Kenneth Kim, who triumphed in Event #10: $600 NLHE Deepstack. The field was jaw-dropping: 6,090 entries funneled into a single tournament, all gunning for a six-figure score. Kim outlasted this gigantic field to bag $318,842, the second-largest cash of his career and his first WSOP title.
Day 1 alone reduced the sea of players to just over 300, and the pace never slowed. Kim’s consistency and aggression kept him ahead of the curve, and when the final table lights came on, he took full control.
Stephen Chidwick Crushes Day 1 of $25K PLO/NLH Mixed
If there’s one name synonymous with high-roller consistency, it’s Stephen Chidwick. The British poker titan topped Day 1 of Event #14: $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed, bagging an imposing 1,136,000 chips—good for 227 big blinds going into Day 2.
Chidwick’s day was defined by a critical double through Jesse Lonis early on. From there, he never looked back. Already a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, he’s now positioned beautifully to chase his third.
Other big names advancing include:
- Jared Bleznick – 975,000
- Corel Theuma – 894,000
- Shaun Deeb – 893,000
- Laszlo Bujtas & Bryce Yockey – 808,000 each
- Ben Tollerene, Dan Shak, Nick Schulman, and Yuri Dzivielevski also remain in contention.
However, not everyone survived the high-stakes gauntlet. Phil Ivey, Isaac Haxton, Josh Arieh, Nacho Barbero, and Chris Brewer all fell before Day 2—proving just how brutal mixed-game events at this level can be.
Top 10 Chip Counts – Event #14: $25K High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 1,136,000 | 227 |
| 2 | Jared Bleznick | United States | 975,000 | 195 |
| 3 | Corel Theuma | United States | 894,000 | 179 |
| 4 | Shaun Deeb | United States | 893,000 | 179 |
| 5 | Laszlo Bujtas | Hungary | 808,000 | 162 |
| 6 | Bryce Yockey | United States | 808,000 | 162 |
| 7 | Zhargal Tsydypov | United States | 792,000 | 158 |
| 8 | Philip Marsico | United States | 791,000 | 158 |
| 9 | John Pannucci | United States | 784,000 | 157 |
| 10 | Ben Tollerene | United States | 668,000 | 134 |
Blom and Negreanu Headline Final Five in $10K Omaha Hi-Lo Championship
One of the most anticipated final tables of the summer is set for Event #9: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship, where Viktor “Isildur1” Blom and Daniel Negreanu headline a powerhouse group of five remaining contenders.
Blom is the chip leader with 4,020,000, while Negreanu is close behind with 3,205,000, looking to capture bracelet number seven. Their toughest competition comes in the form of Ryan Bambrick (3,250,000), with short stacks Hunter McClelland and Ofir Mor needing a miracle to survive.
Bracelet or not, this is one of the most compelling showdowns of WSOP 2025.
James Mendoza Eyes First Bracelet and $250K Mystery Bounty
Another final five is set in Event #11: $10,000 Mystery Bounty, and it’s James Mendoza who holds a commanding chip lead. His 10,620,000 stack gives him the leverage to chase not just the bracelet and $729,333 top prize—but the still-unclaimed $250,000 mystery bounty.
Behind him are:
- Alejandro Peinado (6,900,000)
- Yosef Fox (4,700,000)
- Richard Green (4,600,000)
- Patrick Kennedy (4,250,000)
Play resumes at noon, with massive money—and WSOP immortality—on the line.
Han Liu Leads from Wire to Wire in $1,500 2-7 Lowball
Can Han Liu go coast to coast? That’s the question as he heads into Day 3 of Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw with the chip lead—just like he did after Day 1.
Liu’s 4,050,000 chips put him in pole position, but veteran Brad Ruben (3,520,000) is right on his heels. Two Chinese players—Jun Weng and Yueqi Zhu—also remain, while five-time bracelet winner Brian Yoon is the short stack but still very much alive.
Forrest Blackwelder Tops $1,500 NLHE 6-Max Day 1
A massive field of 2,354 entries was trimmed to just 174 survivors in Event #13: $1,500 6-Handed NLHE, and Forrest Blackwelder barely edged out Tetsuma Ishizu for the Day 1 chip lead.
Top stacks include:
- Giuseppe Lomuscio (875,000)
- Johan Schumacher (833,000)
- Leonardo Rizzo (806,000)
- Thomas Boivin (788,000)
Big names like Joe McKeehen, Eric Baldwin, and Uri Reichenstein are still in the mix as Day 2 kicks off at 11 a.m.
Record-Breaking Field in $1,500 PLO8 Mixed; James Obst Leads
Event #15: $1,500 Mixed PLO8 shattered attendance records with 1,239 entrants. Only 264 advanced, and James Obst—arriving late—still managed to top the counts with 481,500 chips.
Close behind are:
- Benjamin Miner (467,500)
- Ryan Laplante (388,500)
- Jon Shoreman, Sammy Farha, and David Prociak also cracked the top ten.
Bracelet winners Benny Glaser, Max Pescatori, and Jeff Madsen also advanced but with work to do on Day 2.
What’s Happening on Day 8 of the 2025 WSOP?
June 3 marks the busiest day yet with nine events running simultaneously:
- Final tables:
- $10K Omaha Hi-Lo Championship: Blom vs. Negreanu showdown
- $10K Mystery Bounty: Mendoza leads, $250K bounty remains
- $1,500 2-7 Lowball Draw: Liu aims for a wire-to-wire win
- Day 2s:
- $1,500 6-Handed NLHE
- $25K High Roller PLO/NLH
- $1,500 Mixed PLO8
- New events:
- Event #16: $600 PLO Deepstack – Reigning champ Alex Manzano returns
- Event #17: $2,000 NLHE – Expected to draw 1,500+
- Event #18: $10K Dealers Choice Championship – Poker elites collide
As WSOP 2025 kicks into high gear, one thing is certain: legends will be made, records will fall, and for a few lucky grinders, dreams will come true.
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