Poker Brat Quits: 17-Time bracelet winner boycotts ‘grueling’ Main Event

By Dana Craven

WSOP published their full 2025 Summer Series schedule on February 14th. Responses and inquiries immediately started pouring in – Kevin Mathers (@kevmath) and others immediately sprung into action to make sure players have the right information they need. Of course, plenty of opinions about the schedule were shared right away, too. 

A few days after the schedule was released, a video from Phil Hellmuth went poker-viral on both X and Instagram. The “PokerBrat” appeared to be somber, exhausted, and out of breath as he made his reluctant announcement. 

Folks, here’s a video I never wanted to make. 

So I think the World Series of Poker is set up as an endurance test – and we’re losing a lot. And if you go out there and you poll the players on whether or not they should have days off in the Main Event, 80% are gonna say “yes.” And the 20% – because I did a little polling, myself – the 20% that don’t, they’re the guys that are 20 years old, 25, 26, 27: “Yeah, yeah, people get tired – they blow all their chips – of course we want it to be ten days straight.”

But I don’t think that’s what the World Series of Poker should be about – people getting tired and blowing their chips. So, it’s gonna really hurt me to not play in the world’s best poker tournament – the World Series of Poker Main Event. But in 2025: I’m out. I hope that in 2026 some changes are made so that we can restore more skill and endurance. I really hope they make those changes because I don’t know if I can do an entrance this year, either. So, I guess I’m just out folks. I love the World Series of Poker – very important to me but I just can’t play the Main Event anymore. 

Written with the video: “I am not playing the @WSOP Main Event. It has become an “Endurance contest.” I truly believe that 80% of the players want changes made to the @WSOP Main Event. 12 hour days, or longer, for 6-7 days in a row, is brutal and disproportionately affects older players.”

The Poker Community Wastes No Time

“Have you tried cocaine?” – Barry Carter

“If you change your mind and decide to play, you are forced to dress as Sleeping Beauty for your entrance.” – DJ MacKinnon

“Bruh, if I can do it, so can you.” – K.L. Cleeton

“Where can I bet this on @Polymarket” – Joey Ingram

“I agree with Phil, this shouldn’t be an endurance contest. I’d be great to look at shortening the levels, the days or having break days.” – Erik Seidel

Was This a (Real) Call to Boycott?

Phil Hellmuth has been very public over the last couple of years about his health issues. As an individual, the Main Event maxes out his energy currency – and that’s ok. It’s safe to say that some 60-, 70-, and (yes!) 80-year-olds are capable of playing for 12- up to 15-hour stretches across ten days. It’s also safe to say that many 20-somethings cannot. Poker exists as an individual’s sport. The endurance factor, the overcoming-of-obstacles factor – and everything in between – all fall on to the individual. The “elders” of the poker community are not in need of defending or protecting.

While Hellmuth knows well the power of his influence, did he intentionally kick off a boycott of the WSOP Summer Series and Main Event? Is this video really just part of the meta-game, after all? 

WSOP Main Event No-Limit Hold’em World Championship Schedule

For the full 2025 WSOP Summer Series Schedule, visit www.wsop.com.