From its humble origins in a smoky Las Vegas casino in the 1970s, the World Series of Poker has become one of gambling’s biggest attractions. The opportunity to compete for a gold bracelet is on every serious poker player’s bucket list, as is a chance to sit down with some of the game’s biggest stars.
Those stars were created in the early 2000s, when poker exploded into the mainstream. Televised coverage of the WSOP found its way to ESPN, where narration and storytelling focused on characters and personalities. Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu and Chris Moneymaker, among many others, found stardom quickly.
At the same time, the hole card camera gave fans access to the game like never before, allowing them to watch from the perspective of their favorite players. What would Gus Hansen do facing an all-in on the river? Viewers could watch and follow along with the drama, living vicariously through the best in the game.
Now, as players make their way to Las Vegas for the 2025 WSOP, the next evolution of poker storytelling is here.
After decades of the WSOP restricting video coverage inside the tournament ropes during play—due to concerns over collusion or potential gaming regulatory infractions—tournament organizers have finally embraced social media and the real-time fan engagement it creates for those following from home. Anyone with a phone inside the tournament area now has the ability to produce content and create moments that would have never been seen before.
In the past, big happenings were blogged online, read only by hardcore poker fans, and mostly forgotten. But media outlets are now permitted to shoot key hands and dramatic moments with their phones and push them out via social media platforms instantly. Dozens of all-in bets, bad beats and disagreements at the table are posted online every day. Content that poker fans are hungry for is right at their fingertips for the next seven weeks.
Some of these videos are even going viral and reaching casual poker fans—and potential new poker players—who may discover excitement around poker for the first time.
It’s a new frontier for the World Series of Poker. New personalities are being born every day. And the stories coming out of these events are only growing the game more rapidly. I’m excited to see what the series brings.
The 56th edition of the World Series of Poker features 100 gold bracelet events at the Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas on the Strip. The series runs through July 16.
