The countdown to the 2025 WSOP starts here. 100 bracelets. All the poker players. And PokerOrg will be on the floor from start to finish.
Over the past few years, Kasey Lyn Mills’ star has risen. She’s won three WSOP Circuit rings, finished seventh in the 2024 WPT Voyage Main Event, and cashed in last year's WSOP Main Event.
'The energy is unlike anything else'
What are you most looking forward to at the WSOP?
Deep runs. I'm a true poker player at heart. I dream about massive payouts. I want to make the final table at a bracelet event, and I want to win. But the WSOP also means seeing everybody and feeling the energy in the room. We are all part of this poker club from all walks of life. You see celebrities who love the game and some of them are excellent players. Then there are your grinders. The energy is unlike anything else. It's electric. There's all this excitement about the poker dream being alive. That's what I love about the summer series.
What’s your favorite event?
It’s always the Main Event. I couldn’t believe it when I heard Phil Hellmuth say he might not play it. But a lot of people actually agree with him — they think it’s just too long. I had a friend, a very wealthy businessman, who said the same thing. It's too much of a time commitment. I'm just like, this is the Main Event. This is the epitome of everything — and it's $10,000,000 for first. Of course, I would love to get super wealthy. But I hope I never get to the point where fighting for $10 million over a week is just too tough to manage.
You previously mentioned that you don’t play many women’s events. Will you play the WSOP Ladies Championship?
I rarely play women's events, but I will play the WSOP Ladies Championship — it’s a great event. I love seeing women supporting each other and having fun. I also love seeing all the pink in the crowd, the camaraderie, and all these ladies doing the same thing you do because we're so rare. If you're a female poker player, you're a special breed. It's a cool experience. There's a lot of money up top too and most of the women aren't as studied. It's a good event as far as the possibilities. It's a bracelet event. Everybody wants a bracelet, no matter what.
'I feel very confident the big story will be about a woman'
What do you think is going to be the biggest story of the summer?
I feel very confident the big story will be about a woman. Last year it was Kristin Foxen going deep in the Main Event. We’ve been building up to the moment when a woman finally makes the final table in the Main Event and wins it. I just feel like we're getting closer and closer every year, and we're seeing women rising up. I think that story is going to continue this year. I don't know who the poker gods will favor but a woman will be the big story at this year's WSOP.
Who would you pick to swap 5% with?
Scott Seiver won three bracelets last year — he's just so goated. I mean, who wins three? Scott’s an easy choice.
Who else would you pick to be on your WSOP fantasy team?
Kristen Foxen, Chance Kornuth, and Shaun Deeb.
What are your three top tips for staying physically and mentally healthy at the WSOP?
- Get outside of the casino. Go on a hike to the Red Rock Mountains and get sunlight on your skin. Hydrate. Decompress. Get grounded. I need my feet to touch the earth. You need to take a day off. A lot of poker players don't realize how much it affects your ROI after grinding every day.
- Make sure you get lots of good sleep.
- As you know, I'm huge on affirmations, a strong mindset, and positive thinking. Any little thing that makes me feel like a champion. Those are the things that I try to do. Whether that's a cold plunge, eating healthy, working out, affirmations, or visualization. I visualize myself doing the things that I want to accomplish.
Will Phil Hellmuth play the Main Event?
Phil will play the Main Event because he gets to do his entrance and make a scene with his costume and parade, with all eyes on him. He loves that, and we love to watch the spectacle of it. I don't think he'll be able to keep himself from playing it.
The 2025 WSOP starts on May 26 and runs through until July 16, when the Main Event champion will be crowned.
