DDoS Attack Disrupts PokerGO’s WSOP Main Event Coverage

The 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event final table began with unexpected drama off the felt as PokerGO, the exclusive rights holder for the live broadcast, suffered major technical issues on Tuesday. Originally planned as a premium, subscription-only stream, the broadcast was opened to all viewers on YouTube after a series of disruptions, including an apparent distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack.

Viewers reported widespread problems accessing the PokerGO website and app shortly after the stream began. PokerGO’s initial plan had been to offer the first hour free on YouTube before moving the rest behind its paywall, requiring a monthly subscription of around $20. However, as technical failures mounted, the company announced it was lifting the pay restriction entirely and directing fans to watch the entire four-hour show for free on YouTube.

Even after shifting to YouTube, the troubles didn’t stop. Within 30 minutes of going free, the broadcast suffered another interruption due to a local internet outage at the Horseshoe casino in Las Vegas. The stream went dark for roughly half an hour before resuming.

At the same time, PokerNews—known for its live hand updates and chip counts—also went offline temporarily, likely overwhelmed by the surge of visitors looking for updates during the broadcast failure.

Despite these setbacks, the free stream ultimately delighted hundreds of thousands of poker fans who tuned in around the world. By the end of the night, five players had been eliminated from the final table, leaving just four remaining. Among them, Michael Mizrachi dominated the field, finishing with over 76% of all chips in play.

As the final day of action approaches, PokerGO has yet to confirm whether it will keep the stream freely available on YouTube or return to its standard paid model. For many fans, though, the unexpected free access turned a frustrating technical failure into an opportunity to watch poker’s biggest event without spending a dime.