Sign Up to Phil Galslots partyfond's 2025 World Series Summit

Table Of Contents

• Creating the Beyond the Game Summit
• Assembling the WSOP Avengers
• The Galfond Hotline
• Hall of Fame Dreams
• How to Join the BTG 2025 Summit
• Watch the Full Interview

Imagine having Aaron Rodgers show you how to throw a perfect spiral or listening to Serena Williams break down that destructive power serve. BetRivers Poker ambassador Phil Galfond is thatguy in the world of poker.

With millions in earnings, three World Series of Poker bracelets, and a legacy as one of the greatest Pot-Limit Omaha players in history, Galfond has cemented his status as an intellectual powerhouse of the game, using his sharp, analytical approach to shape poker strategy for over 15 years.

The founder of Run It Onceand other groundbreaking training tools, the former Full Tilt Pokerstar is gearing up to launch what could be the ultimate pre-WSOP Bootcamp ahead of this summer’s much-anticipated series.

And, with the WSOP just 55 days away, Galfond sat down with PokerNewsfor a wide-ranging conversation that touched on everything from his Beyond the Game Summit 2025 to his Hall of Fame aspirations—and even what TV the game’s most respected trainer watches in his downtime.

Interested in the 2025 World Series of Summit and possibly joining Phil Galfond in Las Vegas. Learn more information and sign up here.

Creating the Beyond the Game Summit

When asked to summarize Beyond the Game Summit 2025, Phil Galfond is clear: "It’s about preparing people for the WSOP and beyond—not with charts and ranges, but with a mindset performance perspective."

"The beauty of BTG is that we all have different things holding us back... and BTG is designed in a way that we can get into whatever it is that's holding you back."

Sharing a personal example, Galfond, one of poker’s most thoughtful players, reflected on his recent Heads-Up Freezeout losses to Phil Hellmuth on BetRivers Poker.

“I lost the first match, then the second—$5,000 each. I’ve had much worse losses in my career, but years ago, that would have really upset me. I cared a lot about what people thought. I wanted to be seen as a great player.”

Then came this big moment of realization - I didn’t care. And that was interesting. It showed me how much progress I’ve made.

While seasoned pros understand these short matches are largely variance, Galfond admitted that public perception once weighed heavily on him. “I’d be fearful going in, worried about what people would think if I lost. Afterward, I’d be bummed, convinced they saw me as a weak player with no chance against Hellmuth.”

“Then came this big moment of realization - I didn’t care. And that was interesting. It showed me how much progress I’ve made.”

At the heart of the BTG Summit 2025 is the focus on overcoming mental barriers. "Some people have no issue with that—they don't care what others think of them. A lot of players I've worked with do. Many will even make plays at the table because they're afraid to showdown a hand. They hesitate or shy away from making certain moves because they don’t want to look foolish. They fear the judgment of everyone else at the table."

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Assembling the WSOP Avengers

To run his pre-WSOP Bootcamp, Galfond has assembled a team that could be the World Series of Poker's answer to the Avengers.

Alongside him will be six-time bracelet winner and Hall of Famer Brian Rast, as well as Scott Seiver, the seven-time bracelet winner and reigning WSOP Player of the Year. Behavioral and mindset experts Blake Eastman and Elliot Roe will also lend their expertise, and Galfond promises that more speakers and panelists are yet to be revealed.

On Rast and Seiver, Galfond says, “They’re friends of mine, and I paid them for their time. I think I could have gotten people to do it for free, but I know as a poker player who thinks about my own hourly rate, I value my time.”

Galfond plans to host a variety of sessions, including panels, Q&A formats, and fireside chats. “I thought of Siever and Rast specifically for a small panel on navigating the WSOP,” he explains. “I want to get up there with them and really nerd out about everything that goes into the WSOP—the performance side, tournament strategy, optimizing schedules, even sleep.”

He adds, “I’m going to be up there in a state of curiosity, just trying to learn from them. And from that, I hope everyone else will be able to learn as well.”

The Galfond Hotline

In addition to the three-day pre-WSOP Bootcamp, Galfond has announced a unique opportunity for attendees: 90-minute phone calls with the man himself throughout the WSOP. These weekly calls will allow players to discuss wins, losses, tough spots, and strategies, helping them stay mentally sharp and focused during the grind of the series.

Galfond is eager to be hands-on throughout the WSOP, saying, "Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. I'm even going to try to be on some people's final table rails."

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Hall of Fame Dreams

It didn’t escape our notice at PokerNewsthat Galfond, now 40, is eligible for entry into Poker's Hall of Fame.

Reflecting on the possibility, Galfond shared, "I’m aware of it, I have thought about it, and it would be an honor to be in the WSOP Hall of Fame. I love poker. It’s been my whole life career-wise. It’s been a passion and a job."

He continued, "I actually had that thought starting last year, thinking, 'Ok, if I’m going to make a run at this [the HOF], I can’t just grind in the last year and have it be obvious.’ So, I’ve concluded that I’ll keep doing the things I love as a poker player—playing cash games, heads-up, and even heads-up PLO."

The reality is, back when I won my WSOP bracelets, I was never a tournament player

While Galfond has earned immense success, including WSOP bracelets, he explains his approach to tournaments remains nuanced. "I don’t love playing tournaments," he admitted. "They’re awesome for the game, but the complexity doesn’t interest me. I like deep-stack play and hand-reading across multiple streets."

"I get the question a lot, ‘Why don’t we see you at Triton or other events?’ The reality is, back when I won my WSOP bracelets, I was never a tournament player, but my skill in cash games was enough to do well in tournaments without having studied them. If I went to a Triton today, I’d get smoked!"

"The level of play... You have to study tournaments actively and compete in those fields for a very long time. I used to play tournaments for fun, but I can’t casually expect to waltz into those now and hold my own."

How to Join the BTG 2025 Summit

To join the BTG 2025 Summit, visit PhilGalfond.com/summit for more details and to sign up. The first 30 sign-ups will receive $1,000 off (availability may vary depending on when you're reading this).

Galfond explains who the event is for: "Is it for tournament pros? Recreational players? Cash game players? The answer is, it’s for anyone who is serious about poker."

He continues, "If you like watching poker on TV and play one tournament a summer, you might have fun being around top players, but it’s probably not going to teach you something super valuable about your game."

"It will go beyond the WSOP and the six weeks," Galfond adds. "It’s about learning to improve your mindset and performance and being able to handle big, intimidating situations—whether it’s a final table or, for some, just walking into the World Series of Poker."

"Walking in with a new attitude and mindset is something that will help you throughout your poker journey."

Sign up for the 2025 World Series Summit here.

Watch the Full Interview

You can watch PokerNews'sfull interview with Phil Galfond, where he goes into more detail about his 2025 World Series Summit, his potential induction into the Poker Hall of Fame, and even reveals his favorite TV show.