Jesse Lonis still leads the CardPlayer race, but changes could be coming this summer
The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is about to begin, and with it comes a growing focus on the Player of the Year races. Both the CardPlayer and Global Poker Index (GPI) rankings are shaping up to be tightly contested, with several top names looking to gain ground during the busy Las Vegas summer schedule.
Jesse Lonis leads the way in the CardPlayer standings with 4,559 points, thanks in part to a strong showing at the Triton Poker Series in Montenegro. His recent win in a $40,000 Mystery Bounty event boosted his earnings and points. Still, his lead is far from secure. Alex Foxen is close behind with 4,390 points, and his wife, Kristen Foxen, sits in ninth place. If both stay near the top, they could become the first married couple to finish in the CardPlayer top ten since the rankings began.
Meanwhile, Shannon Shorr is leading the GPI race with 3,292 points, narrowly ahead of Alex Foxen. Jesse Lonis is third on that list, proving his consistency across both rankings. The GPI only counts a player’s top 13 finishes, which gives players who have done well in major events a better chance to climb quickly.
Names like Eric Blair and Ben Tollerene have also entered the GPI race with strong performances outside the WSOP, particularly on the PokerGO Tour and the European Poker Tour. Kristen Foxen is not far behind in the GPI either, just outside the top ten.
With over 100 events scheduled at the WSOP, and plenty of side action around Las Vegas, the leaderboard could shift dramatically in the coming weeks. The chase for Player of the Year is heating up, and the upcoming summer could be the deciding stretch for several top contenders.
