WCOOP Main Events Push Toward Guarantees
The 2025 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) on PokerStars is heading into its decisive stages after kicking off September 28 with six Main Events — three in No-Limit Hold’em and three in Pot-Limit Omaha. Early action has been strong, with lofty guarantees nearly reached across the board.
| Event | Entrants | Prize Pool | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| $109 PLO Main Event | 1,727 | $172,700 | Registration closed |
| $1,050 PLO Main Event | 378 | $400,000 | 22 players needed |
| $10,300 PLO Main Event | 44 | $500,000 | 6 players needed |
| $109 NLHE Main Event | 16,683 | $2,000,000 | 3,317 players needed |
| $1,050 NLHE Main Event | 2,910 | $3,000,000 | 90 players needed |
| $10,300 NLHE Main Event | 325 | $4,000,000 | 75 players needed |
Lefrancois Seeks Redemption After 2024 Runner-Up Finish
Last year, Pascal “Pass_72” Lefrancois came close to capturing the $10,300 NLHE Main Event title, finishing second to Finland’s Samuel “€urop€an” Vousden for $659,899. This year, the Canadian pro returned determined, and after Day 1 he bagged the overall chip lead with 1,777,360, converting his 250,000 starting stack into one of the largest in the room.
From 325 entries, 111 players advanced to Day 2, which resumes September 29 at 5:35 p.m. BST. Late registration remains open through the first 30 minutes of play, with the field set to narrow to 40 players by the end of the day.
$10,300 NLHE Main Event Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pascal “Pass_72” Lefrancois | Canada | 1,777,360 |
| 2 | Alisson “heyalisson” Piekazewicz | Brazil | 1,761,666 |
| 3 | Mike “SirWatts” Watson | Canada | 1,663,424 |
| 4 | Paul “pauL€FauL” Hoefer | Austria | 1,603,640 |
| 5 | Mikita “fish2013” Badziakouski | Ukraine | 1,600,592 |
| 6 | Bernardo “bmbn73” Neves | Malta | 1,571,348 |
| 7 | Preben “prebs” Stokkan | United Kingdom | 1,555,130 |
| 8 | Dominik “Bunatirou” Nitsche | United Kingdom | 1,502,553 |
| 9 | Jack “jackziyang” Salter | Mexico | 1,447,206 |
| 10 | Matthew “mjw006” Wakeman | Malta | 1,334,761 |
Other top contenders include Adrian “Amadi_017” Mateos (1,272,105), Niklas “Lena900” Astedt (1,216,116), Blaz “Scarmak3r” Zerjav (1,086,466), and Vousden himself, who carries 1,079,761 into Day 2.
Ka Kwan Lau Controls the $10,300 PLO Main Event
The $10,300 PLO 6-Max Main Event saw only 11 players bag chips after Day 1, with Spain’s Ka Kwan “kaju85” Lau building a commanding lead. Lau finished with 2,321,285, more than 700,000 ahead of 2023 champion Martin “Imbajimbaa” Dam (1,520,066).
Others advancing include Patrick “pads1161” Leonard, mixed-game specialist “FAL1st,” Finnish grinder Aku “Aku1206” Joentausta, Pascal Lefrancois, and Kenny “SpaceyFCB” Hallaert, who will return as one of the short stacks.
Final Week of WCOOP Action
Beyond the Main Events, 15 additional tournaments run September 29, highlighted by the $25,000 NLHE Super High Roller with $1 million guaranteed. The series concludes October 1, with champions crowned across multiple formats, from NLHE and PLO to mixed-game variants.
With Lefrancois chasing redemption in NLHE, Lau in front of the PLO field, and a deep roster of elite talent still in play, the 2025 WCOOP finale is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.
