Are there too many players in the WSOP Main Event? This is a question many people are asking, especially since 2023, the year when for the first time, the number of players went over 10,000 (10,043 to be exact). Should the number of participants be limited, or should the doors remain open no matter how many players show up?
From 7 players to 10,112
In 1970, the year the Main Event began, Johnny Moss won the tournament. That was the prehistory of the WSOP — there were only 7 players. It wasn’t until 1982 that the tournament hit the 100-player mark. And only in 2004 did the field reach 1,000 players. That was the year after an amateur who had qualified online beat the pros and won the title. That moment made it clear that anyone, even an amateur, could dream of being named the best poker player in the world.
Twenty years later, the 10,000-player mark is reached almost every year. In 2025, the Main Event attracted “only” 9,735 players, but that still made it the third biggest field ever.
What would happen if 12,000 people registered next year? Or 15,000? Or even 20,000? Would it still be possible to keep the event smooth and high quality? Should there be a rule limiting the number of players, as we see in many other sports competitions?
The Advantages of an Unlimited Field
A tournament open to everyone
The main argument of people who don’t want to limit the Main Event is that the tournament should stay open to anyone who can pay $10,000. This makes sense, since the Main Event is the most iconic poker tournament in the world, and one of the only competitions where amateurs can play against professionals.
Bigger fields mean bigger prize pools
Obviously, more players means more money in the prize pool. This year, in 2025, Michael Mizrachi won the tournament and took home $10 million.
In 2023, Phil Hellmuth said he didn’t want the buy-in to increase, because that would limit access to the Main Event. “I’d like to see 20,000 players.”
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More players = more visibility
In the age of social media, more Main Event players means more tweets, Instagram posts, and YouTube videos. That creates free advertising for the event.
The Downsides
Logistics problems
A huge field (more than 10,000 players) brings logistical problems: crowded rooms, long lines for the bathroom during breaks, and physical exhaustion for both staff and players. This year, Phil Hellmuth almost skipped the Main Event and called it an “Endurance Contest.”
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Loss of prestige
Some professionals believe that the $10,000 buy-in used to create a natural filter that limited the number of players. But with the poker boom, that limit disappeared. Now, some think the size of the field has hurt the prestige and exclusivity of the tournament. Limiting the number of players might help bring that back.
Strategy and variance
With so many players, variance becomes a huge factor, and even pros don’t have much of an edge. To reach the final table, you have to win dozens and dozens of coin flips — skill matters less than luck.
As with most debates like this, there is no clear answer. Both sides have valid arguments. But one thing is sure: the WSOP organization should take this question seriously before the 2026 Main Event.
