Poker Elite Series

Last Updated on June 20, 2026 by Bala Kumar

1. INTRODUCTION

The Poker Elite Series is the world’s most comprehensive poker tournament guide and tournament intelligence platform, dedicated to tracking, analysing, and reporting on the global professional poker circuit. Our 2026 annual report covers every major live poker tournament, online poker tournament, and international poker series, from the iconic World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2026 in Las Vegas to the European Poker Tour (EPT), the World Poker Tour (WPT), the Triton Super High Roller Series, and the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APT).

2026 marks the 57th annual edition of the World Series of Poker, the oldest and most prestigious poker championship series in the world. With 100 bracelet events, a $10M WSOP Main Event first prize, extensive ESPN coverage, and thousands of professional and recreational players competing across multiple formats, this year sets a new benchmark for live poker events, high roller poker tournaments, and the global poker industry.

What This Document Covers

•        Tournament ratings and global tour rankings

•        Full WSOP 2026 overview — events, buy-ins, formats, and schedule

•        Recent bracelet winners with prizes and event details

•        3-month upcoming schedule (June–September 2026)

•        Notable participating players and their 2026 results

•        Historical records and milestones from the 2026 season

•        The Five Pillars of Poker Excellence — strategic content framework

 2. TOURNAMENT RATINGS

The following ratings assess the top global poker tours across five criteria: prestige, prize pool magnitude, field quality, production value, and media reach. Scores are out of 10.0.

Tournament / Tour	Prestige	Prize Pool	Field Quality	Production	Media Reach	Score
WSOP Main Event	10	10	10	9	10	9.8
Triton Super High Roller	9	10	10	9	9	9.5
EPT Monte Carlo	9	9	9	10	9	9.3
WPT Main Tour	9	9	8	9	9	9.1
APT Jeju Classic	8	8	8	8	8	8.7
WSOP Europe (Prague)	9	9	9	8	8	8.6
PokerStars Open	7	8	8	8	7	7.8

 3. TOURNAMENT OVERVIEW — WSOP 2026

3.1  Series At A Glance

Edition	57th Annual World Series of Poker
Dates	May 26 – July 15, 2026  (51 Days)
Venue	Horseshoe Las Vegas & Paris Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Total Events	100 Bracelet Events across all formats
Bracelets Awarded	28 of 100  (as of June 10, 2026)
Total Entries	67,877 across 33 completed events
Highest Buy-In	Event #41 — $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller
Lowest Buy-In	Event #88 — $300 No-Limit Hold’em Gladiators of Poker
Main Event	Event #82 — $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Main Event Dates	July 2–13, 2026 (Four Day 1 Flights: July 2–5)
Main Event Final Table	July 13, 2026
ESPN Live Finale	August 3–5, 2026 (9 PM – Midnight ET)
First Prize (Est.)	~$10,000,000
Satellite Partner	GGPoker (international) + WSOP.com (USA)
Streaming	ESPN App (6+ hrs/day) + WSOP YouTube Channel (free)
2025 Main Event Winner	Michael Mizrachi — $10,000,000

3.2  Game Formats

WSOP 2026 features the widest range of formats in the series’ 57-year history:

•        No-Limit Hold’em (NLH) — Flagship format. Widest variety of buy-ins and fields.

•        Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) — 4-hole-card variant. Multiple PLO events at $1,500–$10,000.

•        7-Card Stud — Classic stud poker. James Cheung won the $1,500 Stud event for $103,185.

•        Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better — Split-pot format. Jason Daly won for $191,362.

•        Dealer’s Choice — Players rotate game selection. Bryce Yockey won $10K Championship.

•        Mixed Games (HORSE, 8-Game) — Multi-discipline rotation events.

•        Super Turbo Bounty — Fast-paced single-day events with progressive bounties.

•        High Roller Series ($25K–$250K) — Elite events for top professionals.

•        2-7 Lowball Draw — Stephen Hubbard won his first bracelet for $155,819.

3.3  Broadcast & Media

The 2026 WSOP features the most comprehensive broadcast deal in the series’ history — a multi-year agreement with ESPN that guarantees at least 6 hours of daily live coverage on the ESPN App throughout the Main Event. The final table will air live on ESPN prime-time from August 3–5, 2026 (9 PM – Midnight ET). Free daily streams are available on the WSOP YouTube channel from May 29 onwards.

3.4  New in 2026

•        Mothership Stage — New main stage inside the Paris Ballroom for marquee final tables.

•        WSOP+ App — All-in-one app for registration, payments, and event information.

•        WSOP Europe moved to Spring — Decoupled from autumn calendar; Prague, March 31–April 12.

•        WSOP Circuit Texas debut — First-ever sanctioned Circuit stop at Texas Card House, Austin (April 23–May 4).

•        100 Bracelet Events — Matching 2025’s record-setting 100-event schedule.

4. WHO HAS WON — 2026 BRACELET WINNERS

Updated June 10, 2026. 28 of 100 bracelets have been awarded. Below are the confirmed champions across recent events, with prize amounts, event details, and career bracelet counts.

#	Player	Country	Event	Bracelet	Prize (USD)
1	Kristen Foxen	Canada	Event #24 — $25,000 NLH High Roller 6-Handed	6th Career	~$1,200,000+
2	Bryce Yockey	USA	Event #27 — $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship	3rd Career	~$367,000
3	Jason Daly	USA (Texas)	Event — $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better	3rd Career (3 Yrs Straight)	$191,362
4	Braxton Dunaway	USA	Event #26 — $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em	2nd Career	~$280,000
5	Stephen Hubbard	USA	Event — $1,500 NL 2-7 Lowball Draw	1st Career	$155,819
6	James Cheung	Scotland	Event — $1,500 Seven Card Stud	1st Career	$103,185
7	Brent Gregory	USA (Montana)	Event #28 — $600 Mixed NLH/PLO	1st Career	~$145,000
8	Mike Holtz	USA	Event #31 — $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty NLH	1st Career	~$130,000
9	Philip Chun	USA	Event #1 — $550 Mini Mystery Millions	1st Career	$400,000
10	Jerome Neppl	USA (New Mexico)	Dealer Event — $500 Industry Employees NLH	1st Career	$64,083
11	Brayden Lou	USA (Age 21)	Day 14 Event — No-Limit Hold’em	1st Career	N/A
12	Artur Martirosian	Russia	Day 14 Event	1st Career (2026)	N/A

4.1  Historic Milestones — 2026 Season

•        Kristen Foxen — 6th WSOP bracelet, rewriting women’s poker history. Biggest win: $1.2M+ at $25K High Roller.

•        Jason Daly — 3rd bracelet in 3 consecutive WSOP years. First Texas-based pro to achieve this streak.

•        Perry Green — 90-year-old poker legend reached the final table of Event #28, finishing 6th.

•        Brayden Lou — One of the youngest bracelet winners at age 21 on Day 14 of the series.

•        Philip Chun — Turned a $550 buy-in into $400,000 in Event #1, coached by Kristen Foxen.

•        Brent Gregory — Overturned a 2-to-1 chip deficit heads-up in Event #28, defeating Maurice Hawkins.

•        Stephen Hubbard — Hot start to series: final-tabled $5,000 PLO, then won $1,500 Lowball Draw.

4.2  Prize Pool Distribution (Main Event)

The $10,000 Main Event is the most lucrative tournament in poker. First-prize payouts have exceeded eight figures in recent years:

•        1st Place: ~$10,000,000

•        2nd Place: ~$5,500,000

•        3rd Place: ~$3,500,000

•        Final Table (9th):  ~$700,000+

•        Min cash (money finish):  ~$15,000

5. NEXT 3-MONTH SCHEDULE (JUNE – SEPTEMBER 2026)

Confirmed and expected major tournament stops from June through September 2026. Data sourced from WSOP.com, PokerNews, and official tour announcements.

Status	Dates	Tournament	Venue / Location	Key Info	Broadcast
LIVE NOW	May 26 – Jul 15	WSOP 2026 Main Series	Horseshoe + Paris Las Vegas, Nevada, USA	100 Events / $10M Main	ESPN + YouTube
UPCOMING	Jul 14–25	WSOP Circuit — Horseshoe Las Vegas	Horseshoe Las Vegas, Nevada, USA	Ring Events	WSOP.com
UPCOMING	Jul 15–27	WSOP Circuit — Choctaw Durant	Choctaw Casino Resort, Durant, Oklahoma, USA	Ring Events	Local
UPCOMING	Jul 23–Aug 2	Goliath 2026 (Europe’s Largest)	Grosvenor Casino, Coventry, UK	£200 buy-in / £2M GTD	Grosvenor
UPCOMING	Jul 24–Aug 2	WSOP Circuit — Olympic Park, Tallinn	Olympic Casino Estonia, Tallinn, Estonia	Ring Events	Local
UPCOMING	Aug 3–5	WSOP Main Event ESPN Final	ESPN Live TV (Main Event Finale)	Prime-Time Broadcast	ESPN
UPCOMING	Aug 6–17	WSOP Circuit — Harrah’s Cherokee	Harrah’s Cherokee, North Carolina, USA	Ring Events	Local
UPCOMING	Aug 13–24	WSOP Circuit — Harrah’s Atlantic City	Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, NJ, USA	Ring Events	Local
EXPECTED	Aug 2026	EPT Barcelona 2026	Barcelona, Spain (TBC Venue)	€5,300 Main Event	PokerStars
EXPECTED	Sep 2026	APT / WPT Asia Events	Various Asia-Pacific Locations	Multiple Tours	Multiple

5.1  Key Upcoming Highlights

WSOP Main Event (July 2–13, 2026)

The $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event is the most anticipated event of the year. Four Day 1 flights run July 2–5, with Day 2 through the Final Table playing out July 6–13. The televised ESPN finale airs August 3–5. Satellite qualification available via GGPoker worldwide and WSOP.com for US players. Last year’s champion Michael Mizrachi won $10,000,000.

 Goliath 2026 — Europe’s Largest Poker Tournament

The Goliath, held at Grosvenor Casino in Coventry (July 23–August 2), is Europe’s largest tournament by entries. The 2025 edition drew 12,961 entries. With a £200 buy-in and a £2,000,000 guarantee, it is the most accessible major event in the global poker calendar. 2026 attendance is expected to surpass the record.

 EPT Barcelona 2026 (August)

Barcelona is the flagship summer stop of the European Poker Tour, traditionally held in late August. The Main Event features a €5,300 buy-in with a massive multi-flight structure. Side events span Super High Rollers, PLO championships, and the Spin & Go Championship Live. Satellites available exclusively via PokerStars.

 6. PARTICIPATING PLAYERS — 2026 SEASON

The following players have had significant results or presence at the 2026 WSOP and global circuit. Data reflects performance through June 10, 2026.

Player	Country	Specialty	2026 Bracelets	Best Result	Notes
Kristen Foxen	Canada	High Stakes NLH / HR	6th	$1,200,000+	6 Bracelets; Women’s record at WSOP
Bryce Yockey	USA	Mixed Games / Dealer’s Choice	3rd	~$367,000	Dominant in non-NLH formats; 3 bracelets
Jason Daly	USA (Texas)	Omaha / Split-Pot Games	3rd	$191,362	3 bracelets in 3 consecutive years
Braxton Dunaway	USA	No-Limit Hold’em	2nd	~$280,000	Fast-rising NLH specialist
Daniel Negreanu	Canada	All Formats	6 (Career)	8th in Ev.28	All-time great; still active in 2026
Alex Foxen	USA	High Stakes NLH	Multiple	5th in Ev.28	Consistent high-roller final tabler
James Cheung	Scotland	7-Card Stud	1st	$103,185	Defeated 5x bracelet winner Brian Yoon HU
Stephen Hubbard	USA	PLO / Lowball	1st	$155,819	Final-tabled $5K PLO, then won Lowball Draw
Maurice Hawkins	USA	NLH / Circuit	0 Bracelets	HU Loss Ev.28	WSOP Circuit ring record holder; chasing bracelet
Philip Chun	USA	NLH (Coached)	1st	$400,000	$550 → $400K; Foxen-coached Event #1 winner
Brent Gregory	USA (Montana)	Low-Mid Stakes NLH	1st	~$145,000	Overturned 2:1 HU deficit; biggest cash ever
Brayden Lou	USA (21 yrs)	No-Limit Hold’em	1st	TBD	One of WSOP 2026’s youngest champions

6.1  Also Active in 2026 Global Circuit

•        Elvir Nuhiu — Won PokerStars Open Campione main event (January 2026) for €200,640.

•        Raul Mestre — New PokerStars ambassador; won Spin & Go Championship LIVE at EPT Paris for €92,539.

•        Darren Rabinowitz — Won WSOP Circuit Las Vegas (Planet Hollywood) for $175,430 in January 2026.

•        Artur Martirosian — Won a bracelet on Day 14 of WSOP 2026.

•        Numerous international players competing at APT Jeju, WPT Cambodia, and upcoming EPT Barcelona.

7. GLOBAL POKER CIRCUIT — 2026

7.1  European Poker Tour (EPT) 2026

The European Poker Tour is Europe’s premier circuit, operated by PokerStars. 2026 confirmed stops include:

•        EPT Paris — Le Palais des Congrès, Paris, France. February 18 – March 1, 2026. Massive fields, historic venue.

•        EPT Monte Carlo — Monaco. May 2026. 21st anniversary edition. €5,300 Main Event, 50+ events on schedule.

•        EPT Barcelona — August 2026 (expected). Flagship summer stop with giant fields and High Roller schedule.

•        EPT Prague — December 2026 (expected). Traditional season-closing stop.

At EPT Paris, newly-minted PokerStars ambassador Raul Mestre won the Spin & Go Championship LIVE (Feb 23–24) for €92,539. Satellites run exclusively on PokerStars.

7.2  World Poker Tour (WPT) 2026

The WPT continues aggressive global expansion with both Main Tour and Prime series running across multiple continents:

•        WPT Cambodia — NagaWorld, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. February 4–9. WPT’s historic first-ever Main Tour stop in Cambodia.

•        WPT Prime Series — Regional events with lower buy-ins across USA, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

•        The Big Three (WSOP, WPT, EPT) are all expanding schedules for 2026, creating more opportunities for players.

7.3  PokerStars Open 2026

The second season of the PokerStars Open is running January 23 – December 7, 2026 across 10 cities:

•        Campione, Italy (Jan–Feb) — Elvir Nuhiu won the Main Event for €200,640 ($240,374 USD). 1,582 buy-ins, €1.5M prize pool.

•        Paris, France — Major stop following Campione.

•        Dublin, Ireland — European hub stop.

•        Monte Carlo, Monaco — High-prestige Mediterranean stop.

•        Barcelona, Spain · Málaga, Spain · Aix-en-Provence, France

•        Prague, Czech Republic — Season finale.

7.4  Triton Super High Roller Series 2026

Triton continues to represent the pinnacle of high-stakes poker. Buy-ins range from $25,000 to $100,000+. Events are technically open to the public (valid KYC required). 2026 stops include Jeju (South Korea) and Montenegro, part of an Asia-Pacific swing clustered between February and May.

7.5  Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APT) 2026

The APT 2026 season is the biggest in the tour’s history. Key stops include:

•        APT Jeju Classic — January 30 – February 8, 2026. South Korea’s premier poker festival.

•        Vietnam (Hanoi, Da Nang, Phu Quoc) — Multiple USOP (U Series of Poker) events throughout the year.

•        Manila, Philippines — Regular PokerStars LIVE Manila festivals (Megastack, APPT) at Newport World Resorts.

•        Japan (Tokyo, Osaka) — JOPT Grand Finales with massive domestic fields competing for international packages.

8. THE FIVE PILLARS OF POKER EXCELLENCE

What separates world-class tournament players from recreational players? The Poker Elite Series has identified five foundational pillars that all elite competitors must master. These pillars apply equally to WSOP grinders, EPT regulars, and Super High Roller specialists.

Pillar 01: Tournament Strategy

Deep understanding of ICM (Independent Chip Model), stack-depth adjustments, bubble dynamics, and final table negotiations. Elite players constantly recalibrate their strategy as chip counts, pay jumps, and opponent tendencies evolve throughout a tournament.

•        ICM pressure decisions near the money and at final tables

•        Chip accumulation strategies vs survival play

•        Bubble exploitation — identifying and targeting risk-averse players

•        Final table deal-making: ICM chops, chip-count equity deals, and when to decline

•        Reshoving and short-stack push/fold ranges (Nash equilibrium)

Pillar 02: Hand Reading & GTO

Modern professional poker demands both a solid Game Theory Optimal (GTO) foundation and the ability to make precise exploitative deviations. Solver work, range construction, and blocker analysis are now baseline requirements.

•        Pre-flop range construction across all positions and stack depths

•        Blockers and removal effects in high-pressure spots

•        Solver-based study habits: GTO Wizard, PioSOLVER, MonkerSolver

•        Exploitative deviations when opponents deviate from GTO

•        Multi-way pot adjustments and board texture reading

Pillar 03: Mental Game

The mental edge is what separates consistent winners from breakeven players. Tilt control, variance acceptance, session endurance, and maintaining decision quality under extreme fatigue are non-negotiable skills for tournament professionals.

•        Tilt recognition, triggers, and real-time reset techniques

•        Variance acceptance and the long-game mindset

•        Focus and physical endurance management for 10–16 hour sessions

•        Post-session review habits and journaling for improvement

•        Resilience after bad beats and coolers at critical stages

Pillar 04: Bankroll & Volume Management

Sustainable poker careers are built on disciplined bankroll management, strategic buy-in selection, and maximising expected value through volume and spot selection. Backing and staking arrangements are central to how professionals fund major events.

•        Buy-in limits: 100–300 buy-in rule for respective stakes

•        Staking, backing, and makeup arrangements for major tournaments

•        Schedule optimisation: which events to play for maximum ROI

•        Downswing management and recognising when to move down in stakes

•        Travel efficiency: combining circuit stops to maximise volume per trip

Pillar 05: Live vs Online Balance

The 2026 global circuit demands proficiency in both live and online poker. Satellite qualification paths via GGPoker, PokerStars, and WPT Global give players worldwide access to major live events, while online volume provides essential reps between live trips.

•        GGPoker — Primary international satellite partner for WSOP events

•        PokerStars — Exclusive qualification path for all EPT events

•        WPT Global — WPT Passport satellite structures for Main Tour seats

•        Online volume for maintaining strategy sharpness between live trips

•        Live tell exploitation, timing tells, and physical presence reads

 9. RECORDS & STATISTICS — 2026

9.1  Notable Records Set in 2026

•        Kristen Foxen — 6 WSOP bracelets, the most by any woman in WSOP history.

•        Jason Daly — 3 bracelets in 3 consecutive WSOP years, extraordinary consistency.

•        Perry Green — At 90 years old, the oldest player to final table a WSOP event in 2026.

•        Brayden Lou — Among the youngest bracelet winners of 2026 at age 21.

•        Philip Chun — Best return on investment: $550 entry converted to $400,000 first prize.

•        WSOP Circuit Texas debut — First sanctioned Circuit stop in Texas (Austin, April 2026).

•        WSOP Europe moved to Spring for first time in series history — Prague, March 31–April 12.

9.2  WSOP All-Time Context

•        WSOP began in 1970 with a single Main Event. 2026 marks the 57th annual edition.

•        The $10,000 Main Event first prize has exceeded $10,000,000 in recent years.

•        2025 Main Event winner: Michael Mizrachi — $10,000,000 (also won $50K Poker Players Championship same year).

•        Michael Mizrachi was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame at the 2025 final table.

•        ESPN has broadcast the Main Event for decades; 2026 deal guarantees 6+ hours daily live coverage.

9.3  Global Circuit Highlights — 2026

•        PokerStars Open Campione: 1,582 buy-ins, €1,518,720 total prize pool.

•        Elvir Nuhiu — Won PokerStars Open Campione for €200,640 / $240,374.

•        WPT Cambodia — Historic first Main Tour stop in Southeast Asia.

•        WSOP Circuit Las Vegas (Planet Hollywood) — Darren Rabinowitz won $175,430 from 616-entry field.

•        Nevada casinos generated ~$1.3 billion in April 2026, a 5.29% year-over-year gain.

10. GLOSSARY OF POKER TERMS

WSOP — World Series of Poker — the most prestigious annual poker tournament series.

EPT — European Poker Tour — Europe’s premier circuit, run by PokerStars.

WPT — World Poker Tour — global high-stakes circuit with Main Tour and Prime tiers.

APT — Asia-Pacific Poker Tour — premier circuit in the Asia-Pacific region.

NLH — No-Limit Hold’em — the most widely played poker variant.

PLO — Pot-Limit Omaha — 4-hole-card variant where bets are capped at pot size.

ICM — Independent Chip Model — a mathematical model for valuing chips relative to prize payouts.

GTO — Game Theory Optimal — a strategy that cannot be exploited by any opponent deviation.

Bracelet — WSOP gold bracelet — awarded to every WSOP event champion; the sport’s most coveted prize.

Heads-Up — Two players remaining in a tournament; the final stage before a winner is crowned.

Buy-In — The entry fee required to participate in a poker tournament.

Guarantee — A minimum prize pool the organiser commits to regardless of entries.

Field — The total number of players (entries) in a tournament.

Cash — Finishing in a paid position in a tournament (making the money).

Final Table — The last table of players remaining — typically 9 players in major events.

Staking — A financial arrangement where a backer funds a player’s buy-in in exchange for a share of winnings.

Satellite — A smaller, lower buy-in tournament where the prize is a seat in a larger tournament.

DATA SOURCES & DISCLAIMER

All tournament data in this document is sourced from: WSOP.com (official), PokerNews, CardPlayer, VIP-Grinders, WorldPokerDeals, GipsyTeam, PokerStars official announcements, and EPT/WPT press releases.

Prize amounts marked as approximate (~) reflect confirmed first-place payouts where final prize pools were published at time of going to print. Some 2026 event payouts may be subject to minor revision as official results are certified.

 Conclusion

As the global poker landscape continues to expand in 2026, the Poker Elite Series serves as a definitive resource for tournament poker news, WSOP updates, poker tournament schedules, player rankings, bracelet winners, and professional poker analysis. From the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and World Poker Tour (WPT) to the European Poker Tour (EPT), Triton Super High Roller Series, and Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APT), this report provides comprehensive coverage of the biggest poker tournaments, live poker events, online poker satellites, and high-stakes poker championships worldwide. Whether you are a professional player, poker enthusiast, or industry follower, this guide delivers valuable insights into the most important developments shaping the global poker circuit in 2026.

FAQs