The 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event represents the biggest moment of Sääskilahti’s career.
Already guaranteed the largest score of his lifetime, he surpassed his previous best live cash with a deep run that also made him the highest-finishing Finnish player in Main Event history. Still chasing his first WSOP bracelet, Sääskilahti has seized the opportunity to establish himself on poker’s biggest stage.
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With just a couple of days remaining, the 2026 World Series of Poker is on course to finish as the largest edition in the festival’s history by total entries.
So far, the series has attracted more than 247k entries, eclipsing the previous high of 246,960 set in 2025. With late registration still open in four tournaments, the final tally is expected to exceed 250,000 entries.
Despite the record turnout, however, the series is still slightly behind last year’s total prize money. Through the events completed so far, players have competed for $459.5 million, compared with the $481.7 million awarded across the full 2025 WSOP.
The figures suggest another record-breaking summer in Las Vegas, even if total prize money ultimately falls just short of last year’s mark.
The WPT Asia Series Overdrive, running from July 19 to August 30. With 13 WPT rings up for grabs and a guaranteed prize pool of ¥200,000,000, the series positions itself as the main event for poker players in Asia and beyond this summer.
The festival spans 43 days and features hundreds of events. The highlights include seven single-day ring tournaments with catchy, racing-themed names and six multi-phase Mystery events. Each phase gives players another shot at a coveted WPT ring and a share of the big money.
With 194 million chips, he holds a big lead over Rami Hammoud, who sits in second with 79 million. The rest of the table is playing catch-up, but as any poker pro will tell you, things can change fast.
Big names were in the mix on Day 8, with Todd Brunson, Shaun Deeb, and 2019 champ Hossein Ensan all making deep runs. None made it, though. Brunson busted early, while Deeb and Wilson fizzled out in 15th and 16th. Ensan kept the dream alive for a while but eventually fell in 13th.
Ivan writes, “All nine are guaranteed a handsome payday, as the minimum any of them will take home is a cool million.” So no one is going home empty-handed.
The action resumes August 3, and whoever takes it down will claim their biggest payday ever.
If you think poker pros like Seth Davies spend their days basking in the glow of seven-figure scores, think again. In his chat on the Face the Ace Poker Podcast, Davies paints a picture of a world where $50K and $100K buy-ins are just the start of the story.
From dealing with massive variance, selling and swapping action, to prepping for downswings instead of heaters, Davies explains that the glamorous Hendon Mob results rarely show the dark side of high-stakes poker. “People see the scores, but they don’t see the swings,” he says.
He also dives into why walking away after a huge win isn’t as simple as fans might think, and discusses GTO, the rise of Pot Limit Omaha, and what makes players like Jason Koon and Ben Tollerene so tough to play against. For Davies, the super high roller scene is less about luxury and more about resilience, creativity, and surviving the emotional rollercoaster.
“Poker still surprises me after 20 years.”
My only minor gripe with the show thus far, is I hate the lighting — is there any way to make this better?
That blur to focus is 💫
Here are your WSOP Day 8 highlights.
The Cypriot player has the shortest stack when play resumes on August 3. But he’s not to be counted out yet. He’s already chased three times at this year’s series. Wherever he finishes, will be the biggest pay day of his poker career.
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Feng’s deep run in the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event represents the standout result of his career to date.
Already guaranteed a personal-best score, he entered the closing stages of poker’s most prestigious tournament with a chance to claim his first WSOP bracelet.
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Mario Boos is an emerging French tournament professional who has steadily built his résumé on the European circuit before taking his shot on poker’s biggest stage.
Splitting his time between France and Las Vegas, Boos has compiled dozens of live tournament cashes while earning a reputation as a consistent grinder, with strong results in events across Europe and the United States.
Although still searching for his first World Series of Poker bracelet, Boos has continued to climb the ranks with regular deep runs, highlighted by a career-best score in 2025.
His run in the 2026 WSOP Main Event marks the biggest opportunity of his career, putting him in contention for both a life-changing payday.
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Michael Gagliano has been a fixture on the professional poker circuit since turning pro in 2009, first making his name in the online game under the screen name “Gags30” before transitioning into live tournaments.
A former school teacher and Rutgers University graduate, the New Jersey native has also built a reputation as one of the game’s most respected coaches, helping develop players at every level while continuing to compete at the highest stakes.
A three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Gagliano captured his first title in the 2016 $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em event before adding two online bracelets in 2022 and 2025.
Alongside more than 100 WSOP cashes, he has amassed millions in combined live and online tournament earnings, earning recognition as one of the most accomplished all-around tournament professionals of his generation.
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Greg Mueller is one of poker’s most accomplished mixed-game specialists, earning a reputation as one of the strongest limit players of his generation. Before making his name at the tables, the Canadian enjoyed an eight-year professional ice hockey career in Germany, where he was first introduced to poker.
After retiring from hockey, he turned his attention to the game full-time and quickly established himself as a fixture on the tournament circuit.
A three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, Mueller captured two titles in 2009 before adding the prestigious $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship in 2019.
Known by the nickname “FBT” (“Full Blown Tilt”), he has recorded more than 50 WSOP cashes during his career and built a résumé highlighted by consistent success in mixed-game formats.
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Jamie currently sits in third in terms of chip stack size.
For more than a decade, Jamie Shaevel has consistently found his way into the money in the WSOP Main Event. This year, however, he’s gone well beyond another payday. With a deep run into Day 8, the Southern Californian is now in contention for a career-defining score and the possibility of capturing poker’s most coveted bracelet.
What makes Shaevel’s success even more remarkable is that tournament poker isn’t his regular focus. Outside of the Main Event, he rarely enters live events.
“This is pretty much the only tournament I play each year,” Shaevel told PokerNews. “It’s the best one. Nothing else compares.”
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The Canadian sits second in chips with a 79,000,000 stack.
Hammoud’s first big score came in March 2023, when he won the C$1,150 buy-in Main Event during the Playground March Million festival. Prior to that he had cashes dating back to 2012.
At the 2024 WSOP, Hammoud cashed in 13 events and the following year cashed 10 times at the 2025 WSOP.
This will be his first WSOP cash of 2026.
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Lucas will head into the Final Table with a healthy chip lead.
A regular in major events across Las Vegas, he has recorded numerous cashes in WSOP, WPT and other marquee festivals, earning a reputation as a patient, methodical tournament player capable of making deep runs against elite fields.
Jumalon’s performance in the 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event marks the defining achievement of his career. Already assured of the largest payday of his lifetime, his run to the final stages of poker’s world championship has eclipsed all of his previous tournament results.
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Looking for the WSOP 2026 Main Event Day 7 highlights but don’t have ESPN or ESPN+? WSOP has uploaded the official highlights, and they’re available to watch for everyone, including viewers in the US.
Watch and catch up on all the key moments.
Here’s the WSOP Main Event Day 8 ICM value based on the current stack sizes.
Also, give Derek Wolters a follow; he’s been doing a brilliant job calculating and sharing the ICM values throughout the Main Event. As a bonus, he believes his stack counts are more accurate than those shown in the WSOP Live app.
Women still represent only a small fraction of the tournament field. While it’s already uncommon to see a woman win a WSOP bracelet in an open event (with Kristen Foxen being a notable recent exception), it’s even rarer to see one take down a non-NLHE variant, especially Triple Draw.
Late last month, Michelle Chin won the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw. According to PokerNews, she became the first woman in 11 years to win a mixed-games bracelet. She earned just over $160,000 from the $872,167 prize pool and became only the second woman this year to win an open-event bracelet.
Ironically, this comes during a year that has seen record participation from women at the WSOP. Pokerfuse exclusively reported that 431 women entered this year’s Main Event, the highest number on record, following a record-breaking Ladies Championship earlier in the series.
Despite those encouraging milestones, Chin’s achievement received surprisingly little attention, even though it marked the first time in more than a decade that a woman won an open mixed-games bracelet.
Well done, Michelle Chin.