2026 World Series Of Poker Underway in Vegas

Posted on: May 27, 2026, 01:57h. 

Last updated on: May 27, 2026, 02:09h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Vegas Myths Busted.

The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) got underway May 26 in Las Vegas, launching the return of seven weeks of tournaments, rule changes, and high‑stakes drama to the Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas.

Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi — shown with the $10 million and bracelet he won at the 2025 WSOP — became the first big-name Main Event winner since John Cynn in 2018. (Image: PokerGO)

Instead of the traditional casino employees event, the series’ 57th edition kicked off with a $550 buy-in Mini Mystery Millions featuring six starting flights and a seven‑figure bounty and is still ongoing.

This year’s WSOP will feature 100 live bracelet events and 30 online tournaments, running daily through July 15. The Main Event begins July 2, pauses when the final nine players are set on July 13, and resumes Aug. 3–5 with a live ESPN broadcast — the network’s first WSOP final‑table coverage in six years.

The series arrives with a wave of new regulations that have already stirred controversy. Tournament officials have tightened restrictions on patches, logos, and outside sponsorships, aiming to prevent a repeat of last year’s Millionaire Maker scandal, when an unaffiliated promotion triggered a million‑dollar bonus and the banning of poker pros Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll.

A new rule now states that any player accepting third‑party payouts tied to tournament results forfeits all WSOP winnings.

Hold’em Over Storylines

Storylines from last summer still loom large. Michael Mizrachi’s dominant Main Event win and record‑setting fourth Poker Players Championship cemented his place in the Hall of Fame. Benny Glaser added three bracelets to reach eight, while Shaun Deeb edged him for Player of the Year with a deep run across multiple formats. Shiina Okamoto returns seeking an unprecedented third straight Ladies Championship title.

The all‑time bracelet race remains tight behind Phil Hellmuth’s record 17 wins. Phil Ivey enters the summer with 11, while a crowded pack — including Deeb, Glaser, Mizrachi, Schulman, and others — sits within striking distance of double digits.

Broadcast coverage expands dramatically this year. Until ESPN’s Main Event programming begins, WSOP will stream final tables and feature events on its own platforms, including a new stage inside Paris. Commentary teams include Ali Nejad, Lon McEachern, Norman Chad, David Williams, Joe Stapleton, and Jeff Platt.

Attendance remains a question mark. After years of record‑breaking fields, last year saw a slight dip, and new U.S. tax rules limiting gambling‑loss deductions could discourage high‑stakes pros. This year’s first event drew a solid but not record-breaking field — approximately 1,635 entries — for Flight 1.

2026 WSOP Main Events

May 27–29 – Mini Mystery Millions Flights
  • May 27 – Flight 2 (10 a.m.)
  • May 28 – Flight 3 (10 a.m.)
  • May 29 – Flight 4 (10 a.m.) + First WSOP YouTube livestreams begin
May 30 – Final Mini Mystery Millions Flight
  • Flight 6 (6 p.m.)
June 3 – Monster Stack
  • $1,500 Monster Stack No-limit Hold’em
June 10 – Colossus
  • $500 Colossus No-limit Hold’em
June 12 – Million Dollar Cash Game
  • $1,000,000 minimum buy-in cash game
June 13 – Super High Roller
  • $250,000 Super High Roller No-limit Hold’em
June 15 – High Roller PLO
  • $25,000 High Roller Pot-limit Omaha
June 17 – Millionaire Maker
  • $1,500 Millionaire Maker No-limit Hold’em
June 21 – Poker Players Championship
  • $50,000 Poker Players Championship
June 23 – Mystery Millions
  • $1,000 Mystery Millions No-limit Hold’em
July 2 – Main Event Begins
  • $10,000 No-limit Hold’em World Championship (Day 1A)
  • ESPN coverage begins
July 13 – Main Event Final Table Set
  • Play pauses once the final nine players are reached
August 3–5 – Main Event Final Table
  • Live on ESPN, 6–9 p.m. PT each night