Last Updated on July 16, 2026 by Bala Kumar
The Horseshoe Las Vegas ballroom was nearly cleared out with the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) winding down, yet it became one of the summer’s most gripping sessions as all-time bracelet leader Phil Hellmuth chased his 18th career bracelet.
Hellmuth carried the chip lead deep into Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em, a tournament that attracted 884 entries and built a $4,066,400 prize pool. First place paid $695,256, but for Hellmuth the money was secondary, the target was the bracelet that would push his all-time record even further out of reach.
Read About Hellmuth’s WSOP Entrance
Could Hellmuth Stretch His Bracelet Lead?
Hellmuth was the story of the day, one of 77 players who returned for the money in the $5,000 buy-in event. Along the way he sent home a string of respected names, including Adam Hendrix, Cliff Josephy, Joseph Cheong, and Brian Rast.
Live reporters covering the event had Hellmuth walking into the unofficial final table with roughly 10,000,000 in chips, putting him well ahead of stacks belonging to Nick Pupillo and Max Kingstone.
His stack only grew from there as Josh Norvock, Connor Belcher, and Max Kingstone all hit the rail, with Hellmuth mixing in a few flashes of his trademark hand-reading along the way.
With six players left, the field between Hellmuth and history included two players hunting their first bracelet—Victor Li and Joshua Stewart—alongside three looking for their second: Darren Rabinowitz, Nick Pupillo, and Nicholas Palma. Hellmuth and Pupillo had clashed earlier in the series, but things stayed civil once they reached the final table together.
Phil Hellmuth at the 2026 WSOP
Even with hundreds of tables already broken down elsewhere in the room, a thick rail packed in to watch the 17-time bracelet winner attempt to make history. Among them were Hellmuth’s sons, Phillip III and Nicholas, both of whom played full schedules of their own this WSOP summer.
How It Ended: Rabinowitz Denies the 18th
The story took a turn once the table reached heads-up play. Darren Rabinowitz, who had busted from the WSOP Main Event in 145th place just days earlier, brought a nearly 2:1 chip advantage into the final duel. Hellmuth briefly doubled through a turned straight to swing momentum his way, but Rabinowitz reset the stacks by the first heads-up break and never let go of the lead again.
Hellmuth was ultimately forced all-in with the bottom pair, and Rabinowitz’s top pair held to close out the tournament, claiming his second career WSOP bracelet and the $695,256 top prize. Hellmuth settled for $464,286 and a runner-up finish. The result leaves Hellmuth’s all-time bracelet record at 17, last extended in 2023.
Final Table Results — Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed NLH
| Place | Player | Prize |
| 1 | Darren Rabinowitz | $695,256 |
| 2 | Phil Hellmuth | $464,286 |
| 3 | Nicholas Palma | $326,136 |
| 4 | Joshua Stewart | $232,570 |
| 5 | Nick Pupillo | $168,402 |
| 6 | Victor Li | $123,846 |
FAQs
1. Did Phil Hellmuth win his 18th WSOP bracelet?
No. Phil Hellmuth finished runner-up to Darren Rabinowitz in Event #99, remaining at 17 career WSOP bracelets.
2. How much did Darren Rabinowitz win?
Rabinowitz earned $695,256 and captured his second career WSOP bracelet.
3. What event did Darren Rabinowitz win?
He won Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em at the 2026 WSOP.
4. How many entries were in Event #99?
The tournament attracted 884 entries and generated a $4,066,400 prize pool.
5. How much did Phil Hellmuth earn for finishing second?
Hellmuth received $464,286 for his runner-up finish in Event #99.
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