2026 World Series of Poker Begins

(AsiaGameHub) –   The 2026 World Series of Poker kicked off Tuesday at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas, with 100 live bracelet events lined up from May 26 through July 15.

Key Highlights

• The 2026 WSOP Main Event kicks off July 2 and will be narrowed down to nine players by July 13.
• ESPN platforms will broadcast the Main Event final table from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5.
• Phil Hellmuth enters this summer with 17 bracelets, still leading comfortably ahead of Phil Ivey who holds 11.

The first hands dealt in Las Vegas did not open with the traditional Industry Employees event. Instead, WSOP launched bracelet competition with the $500 Mini Mystery Millions, a lower buy-in adaptation of the mystery bounty opening event first used in 2025. A $5,000 no-limit Hold’em event also got underway on opening day.

The full tournament schedule runs daily through mid-July, with 30 online bracelet events running alongside the live Las Vegas series. WSOP has also refined the aesthetic of the tournament floor via new rules for patches, logos and outside promotions, giving the 2026 series a distinct feel ahead of the launch of most major events.

Main Event Coverage Has an Extended Pause

The largest calendar adjustment comes after the Main Event cuts to nine players. Instead of concluding the tournament immediately, players will bag their chips on July 13 and return from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5 for a live ESPN broadcast finale. ESPN confirmed the deal includes more than 100 hours of Main Event coverage spanning from July 2 through the three-night final event.

Until ESPN takes over broadcast duties, all final tables and live streams will run through WSOP’s digital channels, primarily YouTube, starting May 29. Joe Stapleton, well-known for his work on PokerStars and European Poker Tour broadcasts, has joined this year’s coverage team.

The all-time bracelet race adds an exciting extra layer to the summer tournament. Hellmuth leads all players with 17 bracelet wins. Ivey ranks second with 11, while Erik Seidel, Johnny Chan and the late Doyle Brunson remain tied at 10 bracelets each.

Shaun Deeb, Benny Glaser and Michael Mizrachi, winner of the 2026 Main Event, enter 2026 tied at eight bracelets. Nick Schulman, who was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame last year, alongside Josh Arieh, Daniel Negreanu, Brian Rast and Scott Seiver, all sit at seven bracelets, leaving multiple players close enough to reshape the all-time rankings with a strong summer performance.