Naoya Kihara Becomes the Fantasy Player to Own
The 2025 WSOP is producing some genuine bracket-busting moments in the fantasy arena. Naoya Kihara has rocketed fantasy managers up the standings after claiming two WSOP bracelets — a remarkable double that is reshaping the Fantasy Freeroll leaderboard.
For managers lucky enough to have Kihara on their roster, the timing couldn't be better. Back-to-back bracelet wins are rare at any WSOP, and his performances are the clearest example yet of how a single breakout player can swing an entire fantasy season in a matter of days.
ODB Fantasy: $100K at the Top, and Nobody Is Out Yet
Meanwhile, David ODB Baker is keeping the competitive tension alive in his own fantasy contest, where $100,000 sits at the top of the prize structure. Baker has made a point of signalling that the competition remains wide open — no team should consider itself eliminated at this stage of the WSOP schedule.
That's an important note for fantasy managers who may be feeling deflated by a slow start. With dozens of bracelet events still to play out and the Main Event on the horizon, there's still plenty of scoring runway for rosters to climb.
Why This Matters
Fantasy poker formats are growing in visibility alongside the WSOP itself, giving rail-watchers a structured reason to follow players they might not otherwise track. Kihara's surge is a useful reminder that deep-field value picks — not just the biggest names — often determine who ultimately wins a fantasy season.
Whether you're in a public freeroll or a private contest, now is a good moment to revisit your roster and check which events remain on the schedule.