June 15, 2026

The secret life of the staked poker pro.

Jeremy Ausmus takes a deep dive into the world of high-stakes poker staking. According to the video, most tournament pros aren’t actually broke, even if they’re getting staked.

It’s more about reducing risk, keeping a healthy bankroll, and sometimes just making life easier when you have other responsibilities like kids.

He breaks down how makeup works, why even top players take backing deals, and how the myth of the 'trust fund baby’ doesn’t really match up with reality. There’s also a discussion of the new tax laws that are making life harder for pros, and why selling pieces is different from getting staked.

If you thought everyone at the final table was playing entirely for themselves, think again.

Today

Get your passwords to this week’s 888poker Global League freerolls.

Check out the operator’s official Instagram page, get your hands on the passwords for this week, and compete in the 888poker Global League to win prizes for you and your national team!

WPT Global continues to expand its tournament schedule, this time adding two Sunday-only Grand Prix Europe Opener events.

The platform is focusing on affordable buy-ins with sizable guarantees, offering both a $22 entry for the $3,000 prize pool and a $220 entry for $7,500 guaranteed.

Both tournaments feature deep 200 big blind starting stacks and are timed to run just under six hours. Satellites are also available for the flagship events, making them accessible to a wider player pool.

Phil Hellmuth has a point.

His stats at this year’s WSOP are something else!

Official WSOP merch is here to stay.

They even rolled out Jack Binion for the grand opening.

The Chip Race episode we’ve been waiting for.

It’s an incredible line up with Tyler Poker, Leo Margets and Jeff Platt all being interviewed.

Nicholas Hellmuth, the 23-year-old son of Phil Hellmuth, is officially taking a shot at professional poker.

Despite his mother’s best efforts to steer him away from the felt, Nicholas has found himself drawn to the same tournaments that made his father famous.

He recently entered Event #34: $500 COLOSSUS at the WSOP and told PokerNews, 'My mom made a very conscious effort to push us away from poker, especially as we turned old enough to start gambling.’

While Nick and his brother Philip III both play poker, Nicholas emphasizes that competing at his dad’s level isn’t his focus.

Phil Hellmuth, with his 17 bracelets and $31 million in tournament winnings, casts a long shadow, but Nick seems content carving out his own path.

PokerNews covers Mike Holtz’s second WSOP bracelet win, describing his victory in the $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty as memorable, thanks in no small part to an especially lively group of supporters.

Holtz, joined by Ben Ludlow and guest Jeff Madsen, recaps the final table run and discusses whether his vocal rail helped push him over the finish line.

Holtz’s celebration is described as among the most epic in recent memory, with Ludlow and Madsen both on hand to add to the noise. The podcast also touches on Maurice Hawkins’ deep run and offers some strategic insights into super turbo events.

WSOP Poker Hall of Fame voting season: votes open.

PokerStrategy’s Barry Carter reports that the Poker Hall of Fame is once again asking fans for their nominations for the 2026 inductee. You have until June 20 to nominate your favorite, but as Carter points out, there is only one spot open, despite calls to induct more than one player per year.

This year, Shaun Deeb is the clear frontrunner according to the article. He has eight bracelets and two WSOP Player of the Year titles, not to mention leading the current Player of the Year race. Carter notes, “Like almost anything where Shaun Deeb is concerned, you simply would not bet against him.”

Still, the process remains the same: nominations, a shortlist, then the final vote by Hall of Fame members. Unless the rules change, only one will get in. So if you have a dark horse in mind, you might want to start campaigning now.

Nick Schulman keeps stacking bracelets, insists he’s just getting started.

Nick Schulman has claimed his eighth World Series of Poker bracelet topping a field of 780 players in the $1,500 H.O.R.S.E event. That adds another $183,366 to his poker winnings.

At just 41 years old, Schulman told PokerNews:

“I dedicate a lot of my life to the game, I feel like I am just getting into my prime.”

Watch Alex Foxen win WSOP bracelet number 4.

But does anyone else find this a tad underwhelming?

WE CAN’T UNSEE THIS. And now neither can you.

The latest WSOP Countdown Show dives into Yuri Dzivielevski’s career-defining win and his ongoing campaign for Player of the Year honors. The panel also discusses the $250,000 Super High Roller and Daniel Negreanu’s latest deep run at the tables.

But the real twist comes courtesy of Martin Kabrhel, whose unconventional eating habits become the talk of the show. According to the panel, 'Kabrhel’s unique technique left everyone speechless,’ making this one of the strangest moments of the summer.

Instead of the usual hand analysis, the episode spends time dissecting a moment that had nothing to do with the cards, and everything to do with dinner. For anyone keeping score, it’s not always about the poker at the World Series.

Alex Foxen has won the WSOP $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em. 🎉

Less than a week after his wife, Krissy Foxen, won her 6th WSOP bracelet, Alex wins his 4th!

Garrett Adelstein votes for Jason Koon for Poker Hall of Fame.

What do you think? Honestly, Koon does seem like a top contender for induction.

Josh Arieh’s pitch for the Poker Hall of Fame.

Read his origin story, and if you think he is deserving, you can follow the links and vote.

Justin Bonomo’s origin story.

If you think Bonomo deserves to be in the Poker Hall of Fame, you can vote for him below.

Eligible poker layers start the self-promotion as WSOP Poker Hall of Fame nominations open.

You can vote for Jeremy Ausmus here.

Katie Stone coming in hot on Jeff Platt.

Stone asks if a quad view is possible for WSOP coverage, but then comes in a bit too hot when man-of-the-people Jeff Platt asks for more specifics.

It’s worth digging into the chat, as Stapes adds his two cents.

Patrick Leonard praises Brian Rast and Phil Laak’s podcast, calling it the best poker podcast he has ever listened to.

We’ve already shared a link to this podcast before, but now, with such glowing praise from Pads, here it is again.

Who’s getting your Poker Hall of Fame vote?

The WSOP Countdown crew get into it with Nick Schulman.

Don’t love this exchange between Martin Kabrhel and Daniel Negreanu.

I think it’s fair for Dnegs to point out that Martin needs to quit talking, but to get affronted that Kabrhel is in “his space” seems over the top.

Eeesh, Martin Zamani and Martin Kabrhell get heated during recent WSOP hand.

To be fair to Zamani, we’d have wanted to shout back too!

BetRivers Poker has decided that the best way to celebrate World Cup season is to make poker even more hands-off.

Their new World Soccer Tournament Predictor lets you qualify for daily freerolls just by playing a single poker hand or tournament.

Once you’re in, you pick a team in the daily match and enter the corresponding Flip-A-Ment. The best part?

You don’t even have to show up – the tournament plays itself. Each correct prediction lands you a point on the leaderboard. Make five predictions and you’ll score a seat in the $5,000 Grand Final Freeroll.

“With freeroll prize pools ranging from $250 to $5,000 and all tournaments organized as Flip-A-Ments that don’t require actual play, the World Soccer Tournament Predictor is about to make this summer a whole lot hotter.”

Tune in for Day 2 of the $250k Super High Roller.

The largest buy-in event continues today, and you can tune in for Day 2 action and watch it all go down live!

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