Phil Hellmuth's 2025 WSOP Main Event run came to a painful halt on Day 3 after a soul-crushing river card sent the 17-time bracelet winner packing before reaching the money.
The Poker Hall of Famer joined a rough Tuesday exit list that included reigning champ Jonathan Tamayo and two-time Main Event winner Johnny Chan. Tamayo busted in a flip, while Chan, who famously finished runner-up to Hellmuth in the 1989 Main, saw his stack slowly bled out. But it was Hellmuth who endured the most brutal blow of all at the feature table.
River Reaper Ends Hellmuth's Main Event
Both Hellmuth and his son, Phillip Hellmuth III, came into Day 3 still alive, but neither would bag chips when the day was done. Hellmuth III battled with a short stack and couldn't find traction, while his father came in with a healthy 75 big blinds. That stack steadily declined before a televised cooler sealed his fate in dramatic fashion.
With blinds at 1,500/3,000, Michael Zulker opened to 6,500 holding Q♠Q♦ from 138,000. Leon Sturm flatted with 8♠8♣, nicknamed "Snowmen", and action folded to Hellmuth, who peeled A♠K♦ and shoved for 93,000.
Zulker tanked, prompting Hellmuth to casually drop a line: "I already folded ace-king for 10,000 more today." After a few tense moments, Zulker found the call, leaving himself 44,500 behind and putting the Poker Brat at risk.
The flop ran out 3♠4♣J♦, missing everyone. But the K♣ turn flipped the hand, putting Hellmuth in the driver's seat with top pair and leaving Zulker with just two outs - only the remaining Q♥, since the Q♣ had already been mucked.
The dealer burned and turned... Q♥.
One card. One out. That was all Zulker needed to turn the tables and send Hellmuth out of the Main Event in heartbreaking fashion before the dinner break.
No Blow-Up, Just a Wry Smile
Surprisingly, there was no classic Hellmuth eruption. No tirade. No "idiot from Northern Europe" monologue. Instead, he simply stood up, pulled on his jacket, and walked away with a knowing smirk.
The BetRivers ambassador hasn't made the money in the Main Event since 2015, though he's now just three cashes away from tying the all-time record of 11, held jointly by Johnny Chan and Allen Cunningham.
While this year's Main Event won't be the one, Hellmuth still has time left this summer to chase bracelet #18. So far, he's cashed in eight 2025 WSOP events, highlighted by a third-place finish in Event #47: $2,500 Limit Omaha 8/Stud 8.
But on this day, the river was the enemy - and the one-outer was an absolute dagger.
Source: https://www.pokernews.com/tours/wsop/2025-wsop/news/phil-hellmuth-1-outed-from-wsop-main-event-48101.htm
