In 2025, PokerOrg provided its readers with hundreds of pertinent stories. With historic achievements, community-engulfing controversies, and a year’s worth of insane poker hands, there was no shortage of news or entertainment. While it’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite out of the pile, we can still remind you of the most-clicked articles on site.
Below, check out the Top 5 Most-Clicked Articles on PokerOrg in 2025.
The Will Kassouf show ends with an 86’ing
If you followed along with the live-streamed coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event on PokerGO, you, of course, heard about Will Kassouf – emphasis on the word heard. Kassouf’s run in the 2025 WSOP Main Event drew headlines from the media and a mix of ire and amusement from the broader poker community.
After receiving countless warnings and penalties for time wasting throughout Days 6 and 7, Kassouf’s Main Event mayhem came to an official close as he finished in 33rd place and was promptly barred from the remaining events on the summer schedule by the WSOP. As he walked out of the building – escorted closely by security – Kassouf did what he does best: talk.
Hellmuth boycotts the Main Event
In February of 2025, Phil Hellmuth made headlines with a declaration of his intent to skip the WSOP Main Event. Hellmuth told PokerOrg’s Craig Tapscott, in an exclusive interview, that the rigors of the Main Event were too much for a player of his age.
“If the WSOP Main Event does not give us a day off after Day 3 or Day 4, then I will not play in it!” Hellmuth said. "This will end my run; I have played the Main Event every year since 1988.”
Then, about four months later, he lead a group of models into the Horseshoe Ballroom while dressed as an 80s hair-band member – leather jacket and all. With his son Phil Hellmuth III and Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates by his side, Hellmuth abandoned his prior pledge and played the Main Event anyway.
Phil Hellmuth's boycott of the WSOP Main Event didn't exactly pan out as planned. And did anyone really think he wouldn’t?
Alex Foxen’s $11M heads-up cooler
In the late summer months, the divisive online casino owner operator Ossi ‘Monarch’ Ketola took on a number of opponents in nosebleed stakes heads-up matches with a cash game/Sit’n’Go hybrid format. While at the Triton Poker Series stop in Jeju, South Korea, Ketola took on Alex Foxen in a series of escalating matches – eventually plateauing at $6M buy-ins.
After trading blows back and forth, the two began their third $6M match with Foxen holding an overall profit lead. Then, they collided in the largest-ever televised pot in poker history. Foxen’s 
against Ketola’s 
on a 
runout – $10,990,000 headed to the Finnish terror. Incredibly, Ketola broke the record again days later in a match against Bjorn Li.
ClubWPT Gold Promo causes havoc at WSOP
In the lead-up to the 2025 WSOP in Las Vegas, ClubWPT Gold announced a special promotion, handing out Gold Passes to players via a number of avenues. If any player who won a Gold Pass went on to win a WSOP bracelet event, they would earn themselves a $1M bonus check from ClubWPT Gold. It was a controversial promotion that some believe was designed to distract from the WSOP brand while highlighting the ClubWPT Gold platform – and it did exactly that.
When Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll made it to the heads-up stage in the $1,500 Millionaire Maker, the former was at a distinct chip disadvantage. Further complicating the matter was the fact that Yaginuma was in possession of a Gold Pass. If he won the event, he’d be the second player to cash in on the promotion. With a 9-to-1 deficit to overcome, it wasn’t going to be easy.
Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll heads-up at the $1,500 Millionaire Maker final table. Yaginuma then proceeded to win a number of pots without showdown as Carroll ceded large chunks of his stack to his opponent. Eventually, he took the victory and, with it, a $1M ClubWPT Gold bonus check. While both players denied any deal-making, the optics didn’t look good.
ClubWPT Gold honored its end of the bargain, but the WSOP decided to withhold the bracelet from either player and awarded them an equal split of the first and second-place prize money.
GGPoker Ambassador Daniel Negreanu delivered his verdict on the matter once the WSOP had made its final decision. In an episode of his vlog, Negreanu said: “If they did this knowingly, knowing there would be a controversy, and I don’t see how you don’t see it happening, it’s the sleaziest promo I’ve heard of in 30 years. If you didn’t know and you didn’t foresee this, there’s obliviousness and incompetence there… Shame on you if you knew; if you didn’t, do better.”
Negreanu denies preferential treatment at WSOP
While shooting his vlog over the summer series, Daniel Negreanu caught heat from some in the community. Negreanu, they claimed, was receiving preferential treatment from the WSOP as he was allowed to record segments for his daily vlog series while deep in an event.
The WSOP had introduced a rule that banned electronic devices on the rail from three tables remaining onwards, but allowed Negreanu to use his vlogging camera on multiple instances.
Negreanu denied any wrongdoing in his vlog.
"One other thing I want clearly pointed out for the haters or whatever — during these 90 minutes I did not have my phone, my vlog phone, anything, I don't touch it," Negreanu said.
"As soon as the level's over, I grab it and take it over here — I am allowed to go to the rail and use it, but I am not getting any preferential treatment; I'm not cheating, I'm not bending any rules, I'm following the rules. That is the same for everybody. Okay? Stick it.
"I don't want preferential treatment. Never did. Never want it. Listen, I'm playing by the same rules as everybody else. So you know, I just want that clearly stated. Facts."
