WSOP 2026 Latest Updates: Breaking News, Bracelet Winners and Tournament Highlights

The 57th annual World Series of Poker 2026 is delivering one of the most action-packed summers in recent memory. Running from May 26 to July 15 at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, the series features 100 bracelet events, buy-ins ranging from $300 to $250,000, and a prize distribution expected to surpass $300 million across the full schedule. As of June 12, 31 of the 100 bracelets have been awarded across 37 completed events,  with 72,814 total entries already logged and several of the summer’s most prestigious events still to play.

From record-breaking Monster Stack fields to a historic double-bracelet run, landmark female achievement, and a blockbuster new broadcast deal, the 2026 WSOP news cycle has been relentless. This article covers every major storyline, bracelet winner, player of the year update, and upcoming event you need to know ,  all updated with the latest real-time data.

For ongoing WSOP 2026 coverage, real money poker platform reviews, and strategy guides, visit pokerclubgames.

WSOP 2026 Series Snapshot, By the Numbers

Before the individual highlights, here is where the 57th World Series of Poker stands right now:

• Total bracelet events: 100 across 51 days
• Bracelets awarded to date: 31 of 100 (as of June 11, 2026)
• Total entries logged: 72,814 across 37 events
• Buy-in range: $300 (Gladiators of Poker) to $250,000 (Super High Roller)
• Venue: Horseshoe Las Vegas + Paris Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip
• Main Event start date: July 2, 2026 (four Day 1 flights through July 5)
• Broadcast: ESPN (US), Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max, Space (international)
• Series runs through: July 15, 2026

The 2026 WSOP schedule adds seven new events compared to 2025 and drops five, with notable additions including the $550 Mini Mystery Millions, the $1,000 Mystery Bounty PLO, an expanded WSOP online bracelet series across Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and a WSOP Circuit Las Vegas stop running concurrently during the final days of the series (July 14–25).

Breaking: WSOP Signs Multi-Year Broadcast Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery

One of the biggest off-felt stories of the 2026 series broke on June 12: the World Series of Poker has signed a multi-year broadcast deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, extending the WSOP’s reach to Eurosport, TNT Sports, HBO Max, and Space internationally. This comes alongside the already-confirmed return to ESPN for US broadcast coverage, giving the WSOP its broadest live poker television footprint in the event’s history.

The Main Event final table, set to play down on August 3 and 4,  will be broadcast across all platforms under the new deal, with live feature table streaming on PokerGO throughout the bulk of the series. Free daily livestreams on YouTube covering every final table represent a significant accessibility upgrade from 2025 coverage.

WSOP 2026 Bracelet Winners: Full Highlights

Richard Alsup, Monster Stack Champion | $1,302,125

Minnesota’s Richard Alsup produced the single biggest individual story of Week 3 by winning Event #18: the $1,500 Monster Stack No-Limit Hold’em from a massive field of 11,933 entries — the largest single-event field of the summer and the 20th-largest in WSOP history, surpassing 2025’s Monster Stack total. The prize pool reached $15,841,057, one of the biggest in small-stakes WSOP history.

Alsup entered the final day sixth in chips, ground his way through an elite final table featuring Kevin Eyster, John Ripnick, and runner-up Salvatore Dicarlo, and sealed a four-to-one heads-up deficit with a dramatic river seven over three hours of battle. The $1,302,125 payday shattered his previous career best of $273,430 and moved him to second on Minnesota’s all-time money list.

“I just stayed positive and I just really felt it,” Alsup said after victory. “I got a new baby run good, so that probably helped out a little bit.”

Santhosh Suvarna — $50,000 High Roller Champion | $1,922,870

India’s foremost high roller poker specialist claimed his third WSOP bracelet in as many major festival appearances, winning Event #29: the $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em for $1,922,870. The victory pushed his recorded live tournament earnings beyond $22.7 million and extended his lead at the top of India’s all-time money list.

His path to the title included eliminating Phil Hellmuth at the money bubble and surviving a field that included Alex Foxen, Bryn Kenney, Stephen Chidwick, and Daniel Negreanu among Day 1 participants. In the decisive final hand, Suvarna’s 8♥7♥ rivered trips to best opponent Chang Lee’s pocket kings.

Suvarna has stated publicly that his sole remaining goal in tournament poker is the WSOP Main Event title, after which he plans to retire from competition.

Kristen Foxen, $25,000 High Roller Champion | $1,773,083

Canadian poker superstar Kristen Foxen made WSOP history by winning Event #19: the $25,000 No-Limit Hold’em High Roller for $1,773,083, the largest win of her career and her sixth WSOP gold bracelet. The victory made Foxen the first woman to reach six WSOP bracelets, cementing her status as the most decorated female player in the event’s history. She is also the first female player to win an open WSOP event since 2021.

Foxen overcame a chip deficit against Galen Hall heading into heads-up play. The decisive hand arrived when Hall shoved ace-four into her limped pocket aces, a brutal cooler that sealed the title. Her bracelet was presented by her husband, four-time WSOP bracelet winner Alex Foxen. The win moved Kristen into the top ten of the WSOP Player of the Year standings.

“It feels like where I’m supposed to be and what I’m supposed to be doing,” Foxen said after the victory.

Naoya Kihara,  First Double Champion of WSOP 2026

Japan’s Naoya Kihara delivered the most extraordinary individual performance of the series so far by winning two bracelets within three days,  becoming the first double champion of the 2026 WSOP and only the sixth player in history to win back-to-back championship events, joining Doyle Brunson, Stu Ungar, Jason Mercier, and a select few others.

Kihara’s first title came in the $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship, where he famously came back from a single chip to claim victory in one of the most dramatic individual reversals in recent WSOP memory. Three days later, he won Event #23: the $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, defeating James Cheung heads-up after Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler — a beloved WSOP veteran who has finished at numerous final tables without winning — held the chip lead three-handed before falling short once more.

“I’m 44 years old now, and I had been considering retiring from tournament poker,” Kihara said after his second bracelet. “But thanks to this victory, I’ve decided to keep playing tournaments for at least another two or three years.”

Kihara’s double run has propelled him to second in the WSOP 2026 Player of the Year standings at 1,597 points, behind current leader Shaun Deeb at 1,649.

Braxton Dunaway, $2,000 NLH Champion | $288,064

Braxton Dunaway,  who finished third in the 2025 WSOP Main Event for $4,000,000 and won the 2023 Monster Stack, added a second WSOP bracelet to his collection with a victory in Event #26: the $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em from 968 entries, earning $288,064. Dunaway defeated Erwann Pecheux in a heads-up battle decided by kicker with both players holding a pair of tens.

Artur Martirosian, $25,000 Six-Max High Roller Champion

Russian high-stakes professional Artur Martirosian claimed his fourth WSOP bracelet in the $25,000 Six-Handed High Roller, a result that elevated his career earnings above $40 million and made him the all-time money leader of Russia. Martirosian won the previous year’s $25,000 Heads-Up Championship, establishing himself as one of the most consistent high stakes poker tournament performers on the circuit.

Mike Holtz, Super Turbo Bounty Champion | $238,097

Two-time WSOP Online Player of the Year and PokerNews Podcast co-host Mike Holtz secured his second career bracelet in a single-day marathon, Event #31: the $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em from 2,103 entries, earning $238,097. “Daddy’s got two now,” Holtz celebrated post-victory.

Jeff Madsen, Fifth Bracelet, Two Decades On

Jeff Madsen captured his fifth career WSOP bracelet in Event #20: the Dealers Choice, exactly 20 years after the debut performance that first made his name. Madsen is now firmly in contention for WSOP Player of the Year honours.

Dennis Weiss, Third Limit Hold’em Title

German Omaha specialist Dennis Weiss claimed his third career WSOP bracelet in Event #30: the $1,500 Limit Hold’em 7-Handed, completing an eventful Wednesday that saw three bracelets awarded on a single day.

Brayden Lou, The Road Trip Champion | $196,066

One of the most compelling human interest stories of the series came from 21-year-old Brayden Lou, who stopped at the WSOP on a road trip home from college, playing only his fourth career live tournament, and walked away with Event #25: the $500 Freezeout title and $196,066. Lou entered heads-up play against Jason Hoffman with an eight-to-one chip lead and sealed victory when his pocket aces held against Hoffman’s ace-jack.

Phil Hellmuth: Chasing Bracelet 18

The “Poker Brat” Phil Hellmuth remains one of the most watched storylines of every WSOP. The holder of a record 17 career gold bracelets has been actively competing in the 2026 series in pursuit of an 18th, a milestone that would further extend the most decorated individual career in WSOP bracelet history. Hellmuth reached the final 15 of the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship and was eliminated at the money bubble of the $50,000 High Roller by eventual champion Santhosh Suvarna. A widely reported post-elimination rant on June 12 confirmed the Brat remains as combustible , and compelling, as ever on the Las Vegas felt.

WSOP 2026 Player of the Year Race

The WSOP 2026 Player of the Year race rewards consistent performance across multiple events and is one of the most closely tracked metrics of the summer. Current standings as of June 11:

1. Shaun Deeb, 1,649 points (defending champion)
2. Naoya Kihara,  1,597 points (two-bracelet surge)
3. Chris Hunichen, 1,525 points

Kristen Foxen sits in the top ten following her $25,000 High Roller victory, and Jeff Madsen’s fifth bracelet win places him among the active contenders. With 69 bracelets still to award and the Main Event yet to play, the race remains wide open.

Upcoming Events: What’s Still to Come

$250,000 Super High Roller — June 13

The highest buy-in event of the 2026 WSOP gets underway Saturday. Last year, Seth Davies won the equivalent event for $4,752,551. With 2026 drawing an even stronger high-roller circuit, this event is expected to generate one of the biggest prize pools of the summer.

$100,000 High Roller PLO — June 15

Ultra-premium Pot-Limit Omaha action returns, drawing a field of elite specialists. Currently underway with Ren Lin leading Day 2.

$500 Colossus — Flights Running Through June 14

One of the most popular and largest-field events in WSOP history. The 2025 Colossus drew 16,301 entries. Flights are running daily with the final expected to produce one of the biggest prize pools of the low-stakes schedule.

$10,000 WSOP Main Event — Starts July 2

The centrepiece of every summer, the $10,000 No-Limit Hold’em World Championship begins July 2 with four Day 1 flights through July 5. The 2025 Main Event drew 9,735 entries and generated a prize pool exceeding $90 million, with $10 million awarded to the winner. A field of over 10,000 entries is the expected baseline for 2026, which would place the event among the largest in WSOP history and push first place past $11 million. The final table plays down on July 13, with the televised finale on August 3–5 under the new Warner Bros. Discovery and ESPN broadcast deal.

How to Follow and Prepare for the WSOP 2026

Whether you are tracking the WSOP 2026 live results from home, considering qualifying online through GGPoker’s international satellite programme, or inspired to sharpen your own tournament poker skills, the WSOP summer provides the richest source of inspiration, education, and competition in the poker calendar.

At pokerclubgames, you will find:

• Comprehensive reviews of the best real money poker sites for online preparation and cash game play
• Online poker tournament schedules and platform comparisons
• Poker strategy guides for beginners and experienced players
• Current welcome bonuses and deposit match offers from top-rated platforms
• WSOP 2026 news updates throughout the summer

The 2026 series has already produced historic moments,  and with more than two-thirds of the schedule still to play, the biggest stories are likely still ahead.

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