Three new bracelet winners were crowned on Day 22 of the 2026 WSOP, but the spotlight was on Daniel Negreanu’s comeback story.
After busting the $25,000 PLO High Roller on the first hand of his first bullet, Negreanu re-entered and finished Day 1b with 789,000 chips, putting him in the top 10. PokerNews notes that the second flight drew a much bigger field, bringing total entries to 329.
Meanwhile, Calvin Anderson leads the $10,000 Razz Championship final table with just eight players left, and both flights of the Seniors Championships produced their own drama and chip leaders. As for the $2,500 Mixed Omaha/Stud Hi-Lo, Eddie Blumenthal denied Nikolai Fal a second bracelet, adding a new name to the winner’s list.
More from this week
Today
WSOP launches new WSOP+ membership program.
Okay, this is something new.
WSOP has launched WSOP+, a subscription service that effectively replaces ClubGG’s previous membership plans and brings several WSOP products under a single subscription.
Starting at $9.99 per month, members get access to poker training through the newly launched WSOP Academy, ClubGG benefits, WSOP merchandise discounts, and lounge access during the WSOP in Las Vegas. A higher-tier plan is also available with expanded benefits.
WSOP Academy itself looks like a gamified poker training platform where players can test their Poker IQ, complete challenges, earn XP, and learn through interactive hand scenarios.
GGPoker’s new Escrow Trade platform—a service designed to finally bring peer-to-peer trading in from the shadows.
For years, players have relied on forums and unofficial channels to swap in-game currencies, often risking fraud and confusion. Now, GGPoker is offering an official, integrated marketplace to handle these trades securely and, crucially, for free.
The article points out that, unlike previous innovations that came with a fee, GGPoker is absorbing the costs here.
David Williams looks super dapper on WSOP Countdown.
The Colossus shrinks to nine, but the payouts are anything but small.
For those tracking the latest drama on the felt, the $500 NLH Colossus finally reached its final table, with the field trimmed down to nine hopefuls and a lot more pressure than a home game. According to the official WSOP highlight video, Justin Smith ended up topping the field, taking home $550,000, while Myles German and Victor Chong rounded out the top three with $367,000 and $278,000 respectively.
The rest of the payouts were nothing to sneeze at either. Alan Wang, Jose Orozco, and Karabet Keshishyan found themselves in the middle of the pack, while Andrew Sanchez, Eric Baldwin, and Min Ji rounded out the final nine.
According to Jeremy Ausmus, the $10K Stud Championship at the WSOP was the perfect place to flip a brutal start to the summer.
After firing several bullets and getting nothing in return, Ausmus decided to late reg the event at the Paris Horseshoe and play it cool. His plan? Preserve energy, play the max, and stay ready for whatever came his way.
The video tracks his run as he moves from 60K to over 200K chips, navigates the money bubble, and finds himself at 350K by dinner break. “Post-break heater” is how he describes what happened next, as the chips start flying his way and the field shrinks to just 18, then 11, and finally down to the final 8.
Day 2 brings the real pressure, but Ausmus keeps things straightforward. He makes it to the final table, then to four-handed play, and eventually, the end of the run. Sometimes, all it takes is one tournament to turn the whole series around.
Schulman explains why he just can’t quit the World Series.
Nick Schulman sits down with Donnie Peters to break down the highlights from the 2026 World Series of Poker weekend. The podcast leans into Schulman’s take on what keeps pros coming back to the felt, and whether motivation is more about chasing bracelets or just surviving the grind.
According to Schulman:
“It’s always about the next hand, the next tournament. The game keeps you honest.”
As WSOP Online awards bracelets this summer, uncertainty remains over whether 888 will continue powering the platform in the years ahead.
Get Anuj’s analysis on the situation below. He usually writes for Poker Industry PRO so having him give his take on this (for free) is worth the read! He is often right when it comes to speculation.
Is the Poker Hall of Fame just swapping one problem for another?
The WSOP now lets up to six people in each year, using a system that starts with public nominations and ends with a vote from current Hall of Famers. That means more action, but also more questions about who actually deserves a spot.
One of the main concerns is that public voting could leave some lesser-known but highly accomplished players out in the cold.
Read the full article below ⬇️
The $250,000 Super High Roller at the WSOP is always a spectacle, but this time the spotlight shifted to the commentary booth.
Jared Bleznick, known for his candid style, spent much of the livestream criticizing the production team for showing coverage of the $5,000 Seniors event during the high roller final table.
Even after a calm explanation from co-commentator Ali Nejad about the stream format, Bleznick continued to voice his complaints, at one point removing his headset in protest until the Super High Roller coverage resumed.
“Blez was disrespectful not only to WSOP production, but also to his fellow commentators,” wrote ACR Poker Team Pro Drew 'BetOnDrew’ Gonzalez.
Some in the poker community felt Bleznick’s comments were out of line, especially considering the friends and family of the Seniors players who were likely tuning in.
The split reaction has left the poker world debating where the line should be drawn between authentic commentary and respect for all players on the stage.
Gus Hansen for the Poker Hall of Fame?
Eli Elezra thinks so. Again, his poker resume is hard to deny.
Adrian Mateos answers quick fire questions on WSOP Countdown.
Honestly, I’m not sure why the First World War gets a mention. Maybe it’s American humor?
There was loads of debate on the Dealer Appreciation Program ahead of the WSOP rolling it out.
Now, a dealer won a top prize and we get to hear from him directly. It’s hard to hate the idea after watching this.
Was the Chess cheating scandal of 2022 an omen for 2026? Jen Shahade thinks so.
Get her take on AI and why it is eroding trust, below.
Chess has been dealing with superhuman AI for decades.
The WSOP Player of the Year race keeps changing, which makes for an exciting sweat.
Shaun Deeb slips to 7th place, while Nick Schulman takes the top spot from Alex Foxen.
Justin Bonomo’s politics might not be to everyone’s taste, but his poker résumé is undeniable.
Agree with this take. Justin sits in position 6 on the All Time Hendon Mob Money List, which should mean an auto nomination for the Poker Hall of Fame.
Martin Kabrhel voting for Shuan Deeb for Poker Hall of Fame.
It’s hard to disagree looking at Shaun’s stats, but there’s some really tough competition like Jason Koon, who arguably is more high profile and has done more for the game. 🤷🏻♀️
Some really thoughtful insights from Lance Bradley here on the WSOP coverage this year.
WSOP organizers could take some good notes from this!
5 WSOP Ladies event tickets to be given away by Esther Taylor.
Go visit her site heredgeacademy.com and tell Esther why you deserve the seat, and you might be one of the lucky winners.
It’s the Colossus final table on the program tonight.
From over 16,000 players down to just nine remaining. The Colossus reaches its big conclusion tonight, and you can watch it live as players duke it out for the bracelet and the first place worth $550,000. What more could you ask for from a $500 tournament?
It happens to the best – Men “The Master” Nguyen misreads his hand.
Nguyen was pretty confident he rivered a flush and got upset that the dealer killed his hand, but it turns out there was no dealer mistake to speak of in this particular instance.
Apparently, you can only withdraw once from your Paris tournament account.
Once more, Kevmath comes through, answering an important question regarding players’ funds held in their WSOP tournament account. Only one withdrawal is available during the series.
The 2004 WSOP Main Event champ is still in the mix, shuffling chips, pulling bluffs, and chasing after bracelets. 'The Fossilman’ has no plans of quitting any time soon.
Allen Kessler has some questions about the new Poker Hall of Fame nomination process.
It does seem like the players who are better known to the public get an upper hand, but it also gives fans an opportunity to be actively involved in the process. There are certainly pros and cons, but having fans of the game directly included should be a net positive.
It’s was just one of those days for Daniel Negreanu…
A whole new vlog from DNegs is here, and this one brings quite a rollercoaster of emotions, showing that poker, as fun as it may be most of the time, can get frustrating at times, even for the best of the best.
The Colossus final table is finally formed.
From over 16,000 entries, only nine remain in this year’s Colossus, and they’re coming back today to battle it out for the bracelet and the first place of $550k! Among them is a five-time bracelet winner Eric Baldwin in search of his sixth gold.
PokerStars wants your vote for Jason Koon in the Poker Hall of Fame.
If you want to vote for him, you can follow their links.
All the 888poker Global League info you need to know.
We also have an article where we break down the info further, that you can read below.
Yasss Elaine Wynn! 👏
This is awesome!
The Big Game on Tour’s first Loose Cannon for Season 3, Andy Taylor, had a rough ride through a table of heavy hitters including Shaun Deeb, Jason Koon, and Matt Berkey.
Ivan at pokerfuse reports that Andy did well to not lose more than he did, especially after a tough spot against Koon knocked him back to his starting $50k.
With the rules stating he could only keep profits over his buy-in, Andy found himself with just over $48,000 going into the final hand.
As Ivan writes, 'he reached the very final hand of the session, sitting with just over $48,000 in front of him.’ Despite some last minute action set up by blind raises and aggressive pots, Andy ended up almost exactly where he started.
Read all ⬇️
GGPoker has quietly launched Escrow Trade, a new feature that lets players buy and sell tournament tickets, Cash Dollars, and other in-game currencies directly on the platform.
According to Anuj’s report on PRO, this move aims to reduce the risks that come with informal player-to-player trades that usually happen on third-party forums and chat groups.
The system works by holding the traded asset in escrow until both sides agree and payment is confirmed. GGPoker acts as the intermediary and claims not to charge a fee for the service. The company says this is a safer way for players to trade, noting that informal deals have often led to lost funds and other issues.
“While the poker community is largely built on trust, informal P2P trading carries real risk. There is no protection if the other party disappears, no recourse if a trade goes wrong, and no way to verify the person on the other side is who they claim to be.”
Players in the UK will have to sit this one out, as peer-to-peer transfers are prohibited there.
The Catch the World Series of Poker’s $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller highlights.
It is a final table that draws the best of the best, or at least the richest of the rich.
'The $250,000 No-Limit Hold’em Super High Roller represents the pinnacle of the high-stakes tournament scene, attracting many of the best players in the world to compete for one of the summer’s most coveted titles.’
For those who can’t make it to Las Vegas or scrape together a quarter million for a buy-in, the replay is the next best seat in the house.
Andrew Neeme hits the road with a $14,000 pot and a session giveaway that lets viewers grab a slice of the action.
According to his video, all you need to be eligible is an account with his code and at least a dollar in it, which is almost easier than making a cup of coffee.
Allen Kessler wants to go on Brian Rast’s podcast.
Few debates get poker players more animated than the annual Hall of Fame picks, and this year is no different.
PokerOrg’s Craig Tapscott and Mike Patrick asked some of the game’s biggest stars for their unofficial ballots, and the answers did not disappoint.
Esther 'ETay’ Taylor is firmly on Team Shaun Deeb, calling him “one of the best tournament players in the world” and giving a nod to JJ Liu as her sleeper.
Bryn Kenney, meanwhile, sees Jason Koon as the favorite for induction with Deeb as his backup. Brian Rast, inducted last year, is staying tight-lipped, while Norman Chad admits he’s got no clue this time around.
Public nominations for the 2026 shortlist are open, so if you’ve got a favorite, now’s the time to speak up.
This! Adrian Mateos has a better month than some of us do in a lifetime.
Mateos now has 6 WSOP bracelets and moves to 5th on the Hendon Mob All Time Money List (according to Winamax). The Hendon Mob still has him in 7th place, but it may not have been updated yet.
This broke the cardinal rule: if you’re going to churn out some offensive AI slop, it at least has to be funny.
Like him or not, Martin Kabhrel does not deserve this; I’m offended for him!
Looks like Will Kassouf will be headed to the WSOP this year.
The polarizing poker player has confirmed to PokerNews that he will be back at the World Series at the end of June. Earplugs at the ready, guys!
Streaming tonight: the $250k Super High Roller final table!
They’ll be fighting it out for the bracelet and the $4.3 million first prize. It’s a stacked final table, as one would expect, with Bryn Kenney coming back as one of the large stacks. Also in the mix are Jason Koon and Adrian Mateos.
Should “high-stakes” be one of the criteria for the Poker Hall of Fame?
Playing at high stakes is currently one of the things on the list of requirements for poker players to be considered for the Hall of Fame. But not everyone agrees with it.
You should never bet against Nick Schulman as long as he has chips in front of him.
While he may be on the short stack, Nick Schulman will certainly do his best to spin it up and get in the contention for another bracelet in the $10k Big O Championship. And Schulman’s best is pretty good!
Brad Owen is on the bracelet hunt.
We are used to seeing cash game action on Brad’s vlogs, but this one is all about his efforts in the $10k Omaha 8 WSOP Championship. Owen has been working on improving his mixed game skills, and this is a great way to put his newly acquired knowledge to the test.
Alex Foxen is now leading the Player of the Year race.
After taking down the $10k Super Turbo event, Foxen has leaped to the front of the WSOP Player of the Year race. It looks like we’ll have another exciting battle for the winner, as there is much more action to go before the race wraps up in December.
Daniel Negreanu is all over the place in his latest vlog.
It’s quite a day for DNegs at the World Series of Poker, as he goes from playing in the $250k high roller to a $10k Super Turbo to an $800 event. No one can accuse him of not grinding hard this summer.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
But does anyone else find this a tad underwhelming?
WE CAN’T UNSEETHIS. 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!
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.”
