WSOP Title in Event #18 Goes to Ryan Hoenig After Extra Day Battle

Ryan Hoenig has finally captured a gold bracelet at the World Series of Poker, winning Event #18: $10K Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship. The victory earned him $354,444 and put an end to his long chase for a WSOP title.

The Fort Collins, Colorado-based pro has picked up several live tournament wins over the years, mostly in mixed-game formats. In 2024, he had a standout stretch at the Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown, winning three titles in just three days. But until now, a WSOP bracelet had eluded him.

Good to know

• The event ran an extra day due to deep stacks and a bigger field than last year.
• Hoenig scored his first PokerGO Tour points of 2025 with this win.
• The prize pool reached $1.41 million after 152 entries joined the field.

Event #18 gave players the option to choose from 21 poker variants, making it one of the most versatile tournaments on the WSOP schedule. The field increased by nearly 23% from the 2024 edition, drawing 152 entries and building a prize pool of $1,413,600. Originally set for three days, the event stretched into a fourth day due to the structure and pace of play.

Plenty of top players made it deep. Those who finished in the money included Phil Hellmuth (15th), Gus Hansen (14th), and three-time Dealers Choice champion Adam Friedman (7th). Friedman, who won this event in 2018, 2019, and 2021, was in the hunt for a fourth win but came up short just before the final five.

Ryan Hoenig returned for day 4 with the chip lead. Philip Sternheimer and Dylan Smith stood between him and the title. Sternheimer exited in third place during a pot-limit Omaha round after running into Hoenig’s higher straight. He earned $154,460 for his efforts.

That left Dylan Smith heads-up against Hoenig, but the chip disparity was massive. Hoenig began with more than five times Smith’s stack and kept applying pressure. In the final hand, Smith shoved with K1064 but could not overcome Hoenig’s KQJ4 after the board gave Hoenig a king-high flush. Smith collected $230,374 for second place.

This bracelet win is now Hoenig’s biggest result since finishing second in the 2023 $10K Omaha Eight-or-Better Championship. He also picked up 354 points toward the PokerGO Tour leaderboard—his first score of the 2025 season. Known for his mixed-game skills, Hoenig now adds a major win to his growing resume.

Final Table Results 2025 WSOP Event #18: $10K Dealers Choice 6-Handed Championship

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