South African Grit, WSOP Glory & the Bracelet Hunts That Won’t Quit

If the first half of WSOP 2025 has taught us anything, it’s this: poker doesn’t sleep, and neither do the players chasing eternal glory under the Vegas lights. As the action barrels forward, the tables have been packed with familiar legends, breakout crushers and a few homegrown heroes wearing the Springbok spirit like a badge of honor.

South Africa Shows Up at the Millionaire Maker

Event #53: The $1,500 Millionaire Maker, a tournament with over 10,000 hopefuls and a guaranteed $1,000,000 up top, proved once again why it’s a fan-favorite. For four determined local masterminds, it was more than just a chance at life-changing money. It was about showing the world that the Mzansi poker grind can hang with the very best.

Brad Moore ( 835th for $3,390)

Cape Town’s Brad Moore played the long game, battling through a turbulent Day 1 with his trademark calm and calculated style. Known locally for his short-stack mastery, Moore managed to squeeze value from thin spots, navigating one of the wildest Day 2s of the summer. His cash might seem modest, but in a field this deep, every spot is a story.

Giovanni Zanette (439th for $5,380)

Giovanni Zanette, representing Johannesburg, displayed clinical tournament IQ. His read-heavy play helped him dodge landmines and pick off bluff-heavy opponents. A particularly gutsy call with the second pair earned him a big boost, and he coasted into the money with momentum. Despite hitting a wall mid-Day 3, Zanette walked away with cash and confidence.

Gavin Sardini (425th for $6,030)

Gavin Sardini came in with a point to prove and he didn’t disappoint. Sardini played the long levels to perfection, using his table presence to steal blinds and control tempo. His bust-out came in a classic flip, but not before racking up deep-run credentials in one of the most brutal WSOP events of the year.

Djordje Stojic (419th for $6,030)

Djordje Stojic played fearless poker from the get-go. After an early double-up with kings in a multi-way pot, he surged into Day 2 with an above-average stack. His composure allowed him to maintain that stack well into the payout tiers, eventually falling to a river straight. Still, his deep run proves he’s got the mettle for marquee fields.

Four players. Four deep runs. One undeniable message: South African poker is thriving, and our flag is flying high on the world’s biggest stage.

Local is Lekker

Marc Joseph Makes His Mark in the Seniors Championship

Over in Event #48: $1,000 Seniors Championship, veteran Marc Joseph showed the same calm table demeanour that made him a legend in local circles. Facing nearly 6,000 entries, Joseph held his own with tactical precision and decades of experience guiding his every move. He didn’t find the final table, but his deep run added another respected notch to his WSOP story.

Global Glory: Glaser, Hellmuth & Linde Shine

While the our local talent impressed, the global headlines weren’t quiet either:

Benny Glaser

They say winning one bracelet is a dream. Winning two? Legendary. But Benny Glaser is working on something different altogether, an era of dominance. The British mixed-game phenom just captured his third bracelet of the 2025 series, bringing his career total to eight.

Glaser's win came in yet another technical format fitting for a player whose edge lies in his ability to shift gears and out-think nearly anyone in the room. His table presence is calm, even clinical, but don’t be fooled he’s dismantling elite fields with quiet confidence.

If Player of the Year points were gold chips, Benny’s already stacked them like a fortress. At this point, the only question left is:

Can anyone catch him and who?

• Dylan Linde
• Phil Ivey
• Phil Hellmuth
• Nobody can catch him

Phil Hellmuth

You can’t talk WSOP without mentioning Phil Hellmuth. And last week, poker’s most polarizing icon delivered another chapter in the never-ending Hellmuthian saga.Gunning for an unprecedented 18th career bracelet, Phil made a deep final table run that had fans on the edge of their seats, as always, waiting in the wings. It was classic Hellmuth: big hands, big bluffs, and even bigger speeches. But in the end, he fell just short, exiting in emotional fashion with a trademark mic-drop.

Say what you will, but no one brings drama, ratings, and raw passion to the WSOP stage like Phil. And with weeks still to play, he’s far from done.

Dylan Linde

The $50,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a brutal, technical bloodbath filled with top-tier crushers and no soft spots. But Dylan Linde didn’t just survive it he won it all, walking away with over $2 million and his third career bracelet.

Linde’s PLO game was on point from start to finish, blending controlled aggression with the ability to read board textures like a book. Against a stacked final table, he kept his cool and made the big plays when it mattered most, proving once again that he belongs in the upper echelon of modern poker elites.

Team Pokerbet Heads to Vegas

The good news doesn’t end here. Team Pokerbet is officially jetting off to Vegas next week to join the South African contingent already crushing the felt. Expect daily video updates, behind-the-scenes stories, and exclusive interviews from the WSOP floor as we bring the world’s biggest poker spectacle straight to your screen.

WSOP is More Than a Tournament, It’s a Movement. Stay tuned to our socials and Blog to keep tabs on all the latest from the 2025 WSOP #WSOP2025 #TeamPokerbet #Pokerbet

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