Stephen Song is once again among the leaders of the WPT Prime Championship 2025

Stephen Song, winner of the inaugural WPT Prime Championship, is once again vying for the title in the massive 2025 event, holding one of the largest stacks in the field.

Stephen Song is the winner of the first-ever WPT Prime Championship, which took place in 2022 at Wynn Las Vegas. Back then, he outlasted 5,430 entrants and took home the top prize of $712,650. Three years later, the tournament has grown in scale, and Song is once again among the contenders for the title—this time with a big stack in the late stages of the 2025 event. WPT Prime Championship 2025: Record Numbers and Scale This year, the WPT Prime Championship tournament has become even larger. The buy-in remains $1,100, but the total number of entrants has reached 9,876. That’s almost double the field from 2022. The prize pool has grown to $9,579,720, making this one of the largest $1,000 buy-in events outside the World Series of Poker (WSOP). The tournament is part of the WPT World Championship festival at Wynn Las Vegas. At the start of Day 3 (Friday), 120 players remained, and the plan was to determine the six-handed final table by the end of the day. Stephen Song’s Journey: From Victory to New Heights Stephen Song started Day 3 with a slightly above-average stack, but within just a few hours, he managed to triple his chips. When fewer than 60 players remained, Song was already among the chip leaders. His stack exceeded 50 big blinds, giving him excellent chances to reach the final table. Other notable players in the late stages included Aaron Johnson (chip leader with about 110 big blinds), Will Givens , Esther Taylor , and Jeremy Becker . The final table is formed when six players remain. After that, the finalists get an eight-day break and return to Wynn on December 20 to play for the top prize. Each of the six finalists is guaranteed at least $250,000. Prizes and Historical Context The top prize in 2025 is $1,177,880—one of the largest payouts ever for a $1,000 buy-in tournament, excluding the WSOP. Even second place is worth $775,000, which is more than Song’s win in 2022. In 2024, WPT Prime Championship winner Zach VanKeuren received $1,162,350. In 2023, Calvin Anderson , a five-time WSOP bracelet winner, took home $1,386,280 after outlasting 10,512 entrants. WPT Prime Championship 2025 Prize Table 1st place — $1,177,880 2nd place — $775,000 3rd place — (amount not specified in the original) 4th place — (amount not specified in the original) 5th place — (amount not specified in the original) 6th place — at least $250,000 The exact amounts for 3rd–5th places had not been published at the time of writing, but it is known that each finalist will receive at least a quarter of a million dollars. Stephen Song’s Career: Rapid Growth His 2022 victory was Song’s biggest win at the time. Over the next three years, he won more than $8,000,000 in live tournaments, and if Song makes the final table and gets even the minimum payout, his total live tournament winnings will exceed $11,500,000 (according to The Hendon Mob). In recent years, Song has claimed titles not only on the WPT, but also at the WSOP, as well as on the WSOP Circuit and PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT). Now he has a chance to become a two-time WPT Prime Championship winner, which would further cement his status among the world’s top tournament players. Tournament Format and Structure Features The WPT Prime Championship is played in no-limit hold’em format with a $1,100 buy-in. This format allows players to make any bet at any stage of the hand, and stack sizes are measured in big blinds—a standard unit in tournaments. In the late stages, when fewer than 60 players remain, a stack of 50 big blinds is considered very comfortable for active play. The tournament structure features deep stacks and gradual blind increases, allowing players to showcase their skills and providing room for strategic decisions. The six-handed final table is played after an eight-day break, giving players time to prepare and recover. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how regular practice and participation in major events can lead to impressive results. Stephen Song started with a win in a tournament with an affordable buy-in and, in three years, achieved the status of one of the world’s best players. This proves that even tournaments with relatively small buy-ins can open the door to major achievements. The growth of the WPT Prime Championship shows that interest in poker and opportunities for players continue to expand. Playing in PPPoker club tournaments can be excellent preparation for bigger events: here you hone your skills, learn to play against different opponents, and get ready for the long marathons typical of major live series. Moreover, the structure and format of the WPT Prime Championship are similar to many tournaments held in PPPoker clubs. This means that the experience gained in online play is quite applicable to live series as well. Follow the successes of top players and analyze their strategies—maybe the next big breakthrough will be yours!