WSOP 2025 Day 49 Recap: Main Event Players Get Day Off, Two Players Grab Wins

The Main Event has reached the final table at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, but a few other tournaments also remain on the agenda in the last few days. That included two players grabbing wins on Monday, withNelson Mari Sanchez finding a victory in the biggest of those, the $777 Lucky 7’s.

Mariano Balfagon also came out on top in the $800 Deepstack and a some interesting names remain in contention in a few other events. Here’s a look at some of the news from the Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas.

Main Event Final Table Resumes on Tuesday

After a day off, the final nine players in the $10,000 Min Event return to the Horseshoe on Tuesday at 1:30 PT to play down to four. Players will then return on Wednesday to play down to a winner. Look for all the action streamed on PokerGO.
The event has some interesting storylines with several part-time players squaring off against season pros.

Seven-time bracelet winner Michael Mizrachi will be a player to watch, along with pros Adam Hendrix and Kenny Hallaert. Leo Margets also has a nice chip stack and has made history as the first woman to make the Main Event since Barbara Enright accomplished the feat in 1995.

Braxton Dunaway, who works in the oil and gas industry in Midland, Texas, is looking for another massive score after winning the WSOP Monster Stack in 2023 for $1.2 million. For more about each player at the final table, click here.

Event #81: $10,000 WSOP Main Event World Championship

Nelson Mari Sanchez Scores First Bracelet in $777 Lucky 7’s

Mexico’s Nelson Mari Sanchez took the top spot in Event #90: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em for a payout of $777,777 and his first bracelet. He’s been competing at the WSOP for more than a decade and was pleased to finally close out an event with a win.

"This is a huge change for my bankroll,” he said afterward. “I’m not sure what’s next, but I know I’ll be back to defend this title next year.” The tournament saw 8,012 entries for a $5.4 million prize pool and Canada’s Yu Liu finished runner-up for $332,777.

Event #90: $777 Lucky 7’s No-Limit Hold’em final table results

Dream Comes True for Mariano Balfagon in $800 Deepstack

Event #95: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack featured just two days of action and Argentina’s Mariano Balfagon (pictured above) reached the winner’s circle for his first bracelet and $252,386. The tournament produced a field of 2,851 entries for a $2 million prize pool, and Balfagon held a 3-to-1 chip lead going into heads-up play and was able to parlay that into a victory.

“I’m feeling really good and really happy,” the winner said afterward. “It was a dream of mine to end up with a bracelet, and now I have fulfilled that dream.”

Event #95: $800 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack final table results

Big Names Return in $3,000 PLO With Just 21 Players Remaining

Just 21 players remain in Event #96: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha with Brad Albrinck, of Cincinnati, Ohio, leading with 5,140,000 chips. He is followed by Ryan Leng with 4,135,000 and some others returning include Joshua Ladines (3,795,000), Richard Gryko (3,060,000), Joe Serock (2,395,000), Daniel Zack (1,555,000), Jeremy Ausmus (1,500,000), Chino Rheem (865,000), Elior Sion (570,000), and JC Tran (290,000).

Event #96: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha

Dzivielevski, Ivey, Negreanu in the Hunt in $25,000 H.O.R.S.E.

Yuri Dzivielevski galloped to the chip lead in Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E., ending the day with 642,500. The tournament saw 121 entries with registration also open on Tuesday through Level 13. The field has already topped last year’s 120 entries and just 77 made it through on Monday. Pennsylvania’s Paul Volpe sits just behind Dzivielevski  with 621,500.

Some other still remaining include include Phil Ivey (542,500), Todd Brunson (519,000), Kane Kalas (480,500), John Hennigan (472,500), Viktor Blom (345,000), Daniel Negreanu (263,000), Shaun Deeb (258,000), Gus Hansen (199,000), Scott Seiver (173,000), Benny Glaser (158,500), Brian Rast (107,500), and Martin Kabrhel (15,500).

Event #98: $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E.

Closer Continues After First Starting Flight

The second starting flight of Event #97: $1,500 The Closer is set for Tuesday after the first flight produced a field of 1,793 players with 128 players moving on to Day 2. France’s Julien Vanpelt rose to the top of the chip stacks with 2,765,000 on Day 1A.

Some others advancing included Jakob Miegel (1,655,000), Safiya Umerova (1,145,000), Kyle Julius (1,115,000), Upeshka De Silva (1,045,000), Anthony Zinno (840,000), Jason Wheeler (600,000), Howard Mash (575,000), Dimitar Danchev (410,000), Brett Shaffer (395,000), Aram Zobian (362,000), Kenneth Kim (305,000), and Axel Bayout (249,000).

Event #97: $1,500 The Closer Day 1A