Darren Rabinowitz Denies Phil Hellmuth’s 18th Bracelet, Wins WSOP Gold #2

Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Bala Kumar

Introduction

American poker pro Darren Rabinowitz delivered one of the storylines of the summer at the 2026 World Series of Poker, defeating Phil Hellmuth heads-up to win his second career WSOP bracelet, and in doing so, denied poker’s all-time bracelet leader a chance to extend his own record to 18.

Just days after a heartbreaking exit from the WSOP Main Event, Rabinowitz bounced back to claim victory in Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, earning $695,256 and his second WSOP bracelet. Standing between him and the title was Hellmuth, chasing what would have been a historic 18th bracelet, a milestone no other player in poker history has come close to.

Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed Final Table Results

From Main Event Heartbreak to Bracelet Redemption

Less than a week before this win, Rabinowitz had been making a deep run in the 2026 WSOP Main Event before a brutal two-outer eliminated him in 145th place. Rather than take time away from the felt, he stayed in Las Vegas and kept grinding, a decision that paid off almost immediately.

He described his mindset after the Main Event bustout as staying unaffected by the bad beat, focused only on continuing to play despite the summer winding down. That resilience carried directly into his run through Event #99.

A Room Rooting Against Him

As the final table developed and Hellmuth emerged as the chip leader chasing history, the atmosphere inside the Horseshoe shifted decisively in the crowd favorite’s direction. Rabinowitz estimated roughly 1,500 spectators packed the room, with the overwhelming majority pulling for Hellmuth.

Despite the one-sided rail, Rabinowitz stayed composed. He managed nerves throughout the tournament by putting on headphones, walking laps around the room, and messaging friends to stay out of his own head between big decisions. He was candid about wanting to beat Hellmuth specifically, rather than simply win the bracelet.

The Road to the Final Table

The tournament moved fast from the outset. Renan Meneguetti was the first player eliminated, and by the first break, roughly two hours into the day, more than half the field had already been sent home.

Notable names who fell before the money bubble tightened included Sean Winter (68th), Niall Farrell (59th), Artur Martirosian (48th), and Jennifer Harman (33rd).

As the field narrowed further, David Peters (16th), Nick Guagenti (15th), and Tom Hall (13th) fell in quick succession before Adam Hendrix’s elimination in 10th place set the official final table lineup.

The Heads-Up Battle

Rabinowitz carried a nearly 2:1 chip lead into the heads-up duel, which ultimately lasted more than an hour despite the tournament’s fast structure. Hellmuth briefly seized momentum early, doubling up through a turned straight that cracked Rabinowitz’s flopped two pair.

The swing didn’t rattle Rabinowitz. Stacks were level again by the first break of heads-up play, and from there Rabinowitz steadily ground Hellmuth down, winning the majority of key pots that followed.

The tournament ended when Hellmuth was forced all-in with the bottom pair, and Rabinowitz’s top pair held to secure the bracelet.

What This Means for Phil Hellmuth’s Bracelet Record

Hellmuth’s record 17 WSOP bracelets remain unmatched in poker history, but the runner-up finish means his pursuit of bracelet number 18 continues into future series.

The near-miss adds another chapter to one of the most closely followed storylines of the 2026 WSOP, with Hellmuth spending the summer as the player many fans hoped would make history.

For Rabinowitz, the victory moved him to two career WSOP bracelets and added a marquee win to his résumé, a triumph over poker’s most decorated champion on one of the sport’s biggest stages, in front of a crowd that was overwhelmingly rooting for his opponent.

Why This Result Matters

• It’s Rabinowitz’s second WSOP bracelet following a heartbreaking Main Event bustout just days earlier.
• It denied Phil Hellmuth what would have been a record-extending 18th WSOP bracelet.
• It came in Event #99 of the 2026 WSOP schedule, one of the closing events of the summer series.
• The final table featured players from four countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

FAQs

Bala Kumar

Founder of PokerClubGames.com and a Poker Researcher with 10+ years of experience in SEO, WordPress development, and gaming content strategy. Specializes in researching online poker sites, poker apps, tournaments, bonuses, and poker strategies. Experienced in poker platform reviews, affiliate marketing, and creating SEO-focused poker content for global audiences.

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