WSOP 2025: Bracelet Goes to David Shmuel, Star-Studded Heads-Up Showdown, and Martin Kabrhel Chases Gold!

Another Bracelet Awarded

Early this morning, we saw the conclusion of Event #4, the 1.500$ Omaha Hi-Lo. Emerging from a field of 910 players, local competitor David Shmuel captured his first WSOP gold bracelet along with a 205.333$ payday. Shmuel began Day 3 as chip leader and never relinquished his lead, staying ahead all the way to victory. In the final heads-up, he outplayed fellow American Joe Ford.

“It’s so important to have a group of friends around you. You talk through hands, support each other, and that’s what poker is all about—sharing these moments with people you care about and enjoying it together,” the emotional champion said right after his win.

Star-Studded 25K Heads-Up Championship

The WSOP also played host to Day 1 of Event #7: 25.000$ Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship, drawing a bracket of 64 elite players. After two intense rounds, just 16 are left in the hunt for a share of the prize pool, with 500.000$ guaranteed for the winner.

One of the day's biggest storylines was the second-round showdown between Alex Foxen and Phil Ivey. Foxen first eliminated Stoyan Madanzhiev, then followed up by defeating Ivey in a high-pressure clash. Another dramatic moment came in Round 1, when Alan Keating pulled off a heroic call with second pair to bust Andrew Lichtenberger. Keating’s run, however, ended in the second round, where David Chen sent him to the rail after a string of all-ins.

Today, the action continues with the third and fourth rounds, after which we’ll know the four semifinalists. The championship match is set for Sunday, June 1. Here’s how the bracket shapes up right now:

PLO Surges in Popularity

The opening 5.000$ buy-in events at this year’s World Series of Poker delivered an interesting twist. Both No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha took center stage, but for the first time, PLO has become the bigger draw. The trend is unmistakable—interest in Pot-Limit Omaha is higher than ever, and this year, it has officially outpaced its more traditional cousin, NLH.

Thursday’s 5.000$ Pot-Limit Omaha attracted an impressive 757 entries, smashing last year’s PLO turnout of 733 and, more notably, surpassing the 5.000$ NLH event—which was held just a day earlier. The No-Limit Hold'em tournament drew 693 runners—an increase over 2024—yet it still fell short of the PLO numbers.

This recent surge in PLO’s popularity is no fluke. The variant has been breaking records around the world for the last several years. Just recently at the Triton Poker Series Montenegro, Ben Tollerene carved his name in the history books by claiming a massive 2.390.000$ win in the 100.000$ PLO event—the largest first-place payout in PLO history. All signs point to 2025 being a breakthrough year for Omaha. While No-Limit Hold'em still reigns supreme at the WSOP, Pot-Limit Omaha is closing in fast—and don’t be surprised if even bigger PLO events and prize pools are just around the corner.

Martin Kabrhel and Ryan Riess in the Bracelet Hunt

Finally, back to the record-setting 5K PLO event, where two days of play have whittled the field of 757 down to the final 11. Tonight, these players will battle for the coveted bracelet and a 620.696$ top prize. There’s plenty for the audience to get excited about—among the finalists is WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess, two-time WSOP bracelet winner Lawrence Brandt, and the one-of-a-kind Czech poker pro Martin Kabrhel.

Sources: CardPlayer, WSOP, PokerNews, BigCash, X