Last Updated on July 24, 2026 by Bala Kumar
Phil Hellmuth has believed one thing about his poker career since 1993: he’s going to win 24 World Series of Poker bracelets before it’s all over. He said it after winning three bracelets that year. He’s still saying it now, more than three decades and 17 bracelets later, and no amount of doubt from the modern poker world seems ready to change his mind.
“I’ve always said that I’m going to have 24 bracelets,” Hellmuth said. “I’ve believed that since 1993.”
So Close, Again
That belief was put to the test on the final day of the 2026 WSOP, when Hellmuth fell just short in Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, finishing runner-up to American pro Darren Rabinowitz. The $464,286 payday didn’t take the sting out of missing bracelet number 18.
“It really does hurt. You can see the pain on my face,” Hellmuth admitted in an emotional interview with Pokerclubgames shortly after the loss on July 15. “There’s such a difference between a first and a second. Now I have to think about this for months.”
It wasn’t for a lack of dominance at the table, Hellmuth held a massive chip advantage during heads-up play, roughly 34 million to Rabinowitz’s 10 million, before the tournament slipped away from him.
“I Just Keep Getting There”
Hellmuth may be the winningest player in WSOP history, but that hasn’t spared him from criticism, particularly from a younger generation of players raised on solvers and GTO theory who question whether the 1989 Main Event champion can still hang at the top level of no-limit hold’em.
The most notable shot came from nine-time bracelet winner and reigning WSOP Player of the Year frontrunner Shaun Deeb, who said at WSOP Paradise last December that he didn’t think Hellmuth would ever win another bracelet.
Hellmuth shrugged it off, mostly.
“I think Shaun was basically kidding when he said that,” he said. But he made it clear his deep run in Event #99 felt like a rebuttal all the same. “There’s something about no-limit hold’em that makes sense to me that doesn’t make sense to everybody else. Even to this day. I just keep getting there.”
Still, the doubters weigh on him more than he might let on.
“You feel an extra level [of frustration] when there are people that are doubters, whether they’re f***ing around [or not], whether they know I’m going to win more bracelets or they don’t. And then you see everybody talking about how everyone’s going to catch Phil [in bracelets].”
A Family Affair
The heads-up showdown between Hellmuth and Rabinowitz played out in a nearly empty Horseshoe ballroom, but the rail that did show up was a memorable one, led by Martin Kabrhel and Pokerclubgames Podcast co-host Mike Holtz, huddled close around the felt.
Also watching were Hellmuth’s two sons, Phillip III and Nick. Nick was pulling double duty that day, cashing in the $1,000 Super Turbo across the room at the very same time his dad was making his run (he’d also cash in this year’s Main Event).
At one point, Kabrhel needled Hellmuth about his trademark BetRivers cap, embroidered with the number “17” for his bracelet count.
“You’re going to need a new hat!” Kabrhel told him.
Nick, it turned out, was already prepared, showing off a cap with “18” stitched on the side, ready the moment his father finally gets there.
FAQs
1. What happened to Phil Hellmuth at the 2026 WSOP?
Phil Hellmuth finished runner-up in Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, narrowly missing his record-extending 18th WSOP bracelet. He earned $464,286 after losing heads-up to Darren Rabinowitz.
2. How many WSOP bracelets does Phil Hellmuth have?
Phil Hellmuth currently holds 17 World Series of Poker bracelets, the most in WSOP history, and has repeatedly stated that his goal is to finish his career with 24 bracelets.
3. Why has Phil Hellmuth faced criticism from other poker players?
Some modern poker professionals have questioned whether Hellmuth’s playing style can still compete against solver-based and GTO-focused strategies. Despite the criticism, he continues to make deep runs in major WSOP events.
4. What did Shaun Deeb say about Phil Hellmuth?
Shaun Deeb commented during WSOP Paradise that he didn’t believe Hellmuth would win another WSOP bracelet. Hellmuth responded by saying he believed Deeb was mostly joking but viewed his 2026 runner-up finish as proof he can still compete at the highest level.
5. Why was Phil Hellmuth’s 2026 WSOP runner-up finish significant?
The result brought Hellmuth within one victory of his 18th bracelet and reinforced his long-standing belief that he can eventually reach his career goal of 24 WSOP bracelets despite growing competition and public skepticism.
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