August 4, 2026

HCL is back to regular programming with ante game tonight.

If you want to watch something while waiting for the Main Event final table broadcast to start, this looks like a pretty solid option.

August 07

New blog post from Dara O’Kearney on the Irish Poker Tour.

Go check it out!

Chris Moneymaker and Lucas Jumalon sat down to talk about their careers and the ever-changing world of poker.

Moneymaker, whose name has become synonymous with poker’s modern era, talked about the importance of protecting your WSOP winnings, suggesting that the hardest part can be holding onto your cash once you leave the tables.

The episode dives into not just strategy, but also personal discipline and behind-the-scenes stories.

Do yourselves a favor, WATCH IT.

The BetRivers Poker Multi-State Summer Series is already a success at its halfway point, with 38 of 96 events wrapped up and guarantees consistently exceeded.

The $100 Series Starter and $200 Summer Stack both sailed past expectations, and even the Silver bracket saw larger-than-expected turnouts.

This weekend steps things up with bigger Sunday guarantees, including the $100 and $200 Gold events. Highlights for Sunday include:

#24 Silver – $10 Sunday Main ($3,500 Guaranteed)
#24 Gold – $100 Sunday Main ($17,500 Guaranteed)
#25 Silver – $20 Deepstack PKO ($5,000 Guaranteed)
#25 Gold – $200 Deepstack PKO ($18,000 Guaranteed)

Looking ahead, the real centerpiece is next Sunday’s $200 Main Event, boasting a $35,000 guarantee.

Maryland poker players, your European vacation awaits—terms and conditions apply.

The Maryland State Poker Championship, brought to you by PokerStars on FanDuel is making a play for your attention with a series that could send someone to Europe for the EPT.

The MSPC kicks off on August 26 at Live! Casino and Hotel Maryland and runs through September 7.

The series features 16 different events, with buy-ins ranging from $200 to $1,700, and a guaranteed prize pool of at least $1.1 million. The real headline, though, is the $11,500 EPT package up for grabs.

Lucas Jumalon is the new face of poker, and at just 22 years old, he’s not wasting any time making history.

According to PokerNews, Jumalon led the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table from start to finish, securing the title and $10 million prize. He’s now the second-youngest champion ever, just behind Joe Cada.

The final heads-up battle was between Jumalon and Lauri Saaskilahti, both relative newcomers to the big stage. In the end, Jumalon kept his cool for eleven days of play, only allowing himself to celebrate when the last hand was dealt.

The WSOP are already giving away seats to next year’s Main Event.

If you want a chance to win your way there, this could be for you.

Why am I crying at every Jumalon video?

The fact he seems such a nice, normal guy is something to do with it, I think. Is it just meeee?

Want to know Jungleman’s 5x qualities that all poker players have in common?

I read this expecting to hate it, but they are all top suggestions.

Love this from Mike Matusow.

But I love even more that Luke Jumalon is going to reply!

Patrick Leonard coached Lucas Jumalon to WSOP Main Event victory.

And apparently sought nothing in return. Legend.

Also, we all need friends like Hayden!

WSOP Paradise is getting the 5 star treatment.

More bracelets, bigger guarantees and hosted at a new venue. 🏝️

The PokerGO Podcast recaps the 2026 WSOP Main Event, where Lucas Jumalon walked away with ten million dollars.

Donnie Peters and Remko Rinkema break down the key hands and the drama from the heads-up match. Lucas himself joins the episode, sharing what it feels like to become poker’s newest world champion.

“It still doesn’t feel real. I’m just glad I didn’t misread my hand on the river.”

BetRivers Poker is quietly assembling an online poker network that spans some of the smallest regulated states in the US.

While most operators have focused on major markets, BetRivers has become the only consistent presence in places like Delaware and West Virginia. It’s also the second operator in the country, after WSOP, to connect players across four states in a shared liquidity pool—and New Jersey might be next.

BetRivers has even publicly stated its interest in launching in Maine, a state with just 1.4 million people.

August 06

Doug Polk breaks down the (already infamous) J-3 hand.

We all knew it was coming. The only question was how soon. Here’s Doug Polk’s take on the J-3 Main Event hand that has the whole poker community talking!

Poker pros share the dumbest ways they went broke over the course of their careers.

Not much explanation needed – dig in and enjoy, there are some pretty wild stories in there.

When do you c-bet big out of position?

Large continuation bets can be a powerful weapon in your arsenal, but only if you know when to apply the pressure. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting a ton of chips.

This poker solver breakdown features three key concepts to take into account when deciding whether a big continuation bet out of position is the right play.

Chris Moneymaker has some tips for the new Main Event champion.

Chris became famous for winning the Main Event and causing the poker boom, but he stayed around for all these years, and he’s done pretty well for himself, so he certainly knows a thing or two about making the most out of WSOP’s most coveted title.

Lucas Jumalon is the 2026 WSOP Main Event champ – and this is how he got there.

Only 22 years old, Lucas Jumalon is the second-youngest Main Event winner in tournament’s history. Check out this article by Anuj for a quick recap on his journey through the Main and how he mastered a comeback from just 7,800 chips at the end of Day 1 to holding every single chip in the tournament.

Russel Fox is back with his Main Event tax report – who were the real winners of the 2026 WSOP?

It’s nice to look at raw numbers and talk about players winning millions, but the tax burden is real, and it’s not negligible. If you’re wondering how much money this year’s Main Event final nine really made, after the taxman gets his cut, this article is for you.

Thoughts are pouring in over the J-3 call in the Main Event.

Although it’s only been a few hours since the Main Event finished, everyone and their dog know about the hand in question. Lauri decided to hero call on a four-flush board with just a pair of jacks, he was wrong, and it was pretty much the hand that decided the tournament.

In the aftermath, many pros took to X to share their thoughts on what general public may consider a horrible blunder, and, spoiler alert, a majority of them don’t think Lauri’s call was that bad from the GTO standpoint.

Such great WSOP Main Event winner pictures!

The unbridled emotion is almost too much! 😭

Credit: 📸 WSOP

Chris Moneymaker to pass the torch to 2026 WSOP Main Event winner Lucas Jumalon?

No one has a bad word to say about the 22-year-old, and it’s been a performance for the ages. I hope he goes on to do amazing things—or nothing at all. If I had $10 million, you wouldn’t see me for dust.

Think Dan makes a very good point here!

🦗🦗🦗

📸 WSOP Main Event winner photos.

So good!

The WSOP Circuit Online series is back on WSOP.com this August, bringing twelve ring events and $1.4 million in guarantees to players across Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Nevada.

The series runs August 6 to 17, with buy-ins from $100 to $1,000 and big-ticket events like the $250k Main Event and a $150k Mystery Bounty.

There are a few sweeteners for regulars: everyone who reloads gets a $400 bonus, and on August 16, tournament buy-ins are cut in half.

Over $8K raised for charity, via the Hoagie Charity Poker Classic.

What an awesome achievement.

Igor Kurganov on the Poker Hall of Fame.

Anything has to be better than the current system.

Jumalon crying at the end has us crying.

Pure emotional at an incredible run.

Love this level of sportsman ship at the WSOP Main Event final table.

So great to see.

Love this from Pads.

What a guy to have in your corner.

He’s only gone and done it. Lucas Jumalon wins the 2026 WSOP Main Event.

What a career defining achievement for the 22 year old. Absolutely life-changing.

Lauri’s J3 call has become the biggest talking point of the 2026 WSOP Main Event.

Now that we have a champion, everyone’s talking about Lauri Saaskilahti’s call with J♣3♣. Was it an all-time blunder, or is the criticism going too far?

Here’s what people have been saying about the (second) final hand.

Steve Sharp (@SharpBizBrokers)

Nikita (@GetQuackedPoker)

Scott Seiver (@scott_seiver)

Alec Torelli | Poker & Decision Making (@AlecTorelli)

GABERUNS (@gaberuns)

Aaron Barone (@abarone68)

Bogart (@iambogart)

KennyDoge (@SonnyJimothy)

John George (@loosepassive)

Here’s how Lucas Jumalon and Lauri Saaskilahti reacted when it was all over.

PokerGO captured the emotions from both players as the final cards decided the 2026 WSOP Main Event. Watch Lucas Jumalon and Lauri Saaskilahti’s reactions unfold.

The hand that crowned Lucas Jumalon 2026 WSOP Main Event champion.

After days of poker, it all came down to one final hand. Watch how Lucas Jumalon sealed the 2026 WSOP Main Event title.

Lucas Jumalon is the 2026 WSOP Main Event champion.

We have a winner! At just 22 years old, Lucas Jumalon has won the 2026 WSOP Main Event, etching his name into poker history with an incredible achievement.

Congratulations, Lucas, on an unforgettable victory!

August 05

Tune in for the final Main Event skirmish tonight – the action will be streaming live on ESPN, HBO, YouTube, and more.

Only one player stands between Lucas Jumalon and the WSOP Main Event title. The 22-year old returns tonight with a chip lead over Finland’s Lauri Saaskilahti, looking to seal the deal and take home $10,000,000.

Lucas has been in the driver’s seat since the start of the final table, and tonight he’ll have an opportunity that most players who have played the game their whole lives can only dream of.

You can tune in for the live action on the WSOP YouTube channel, ESPN, HBO, Eurosport, and TNT Sports. Alternatively, if none of these is an option, check out the Winamax YouTube channel that has no geo-restrictions, but the commentary is in French.

David Baker is a fan of Luke Jumalon, and he’s not afraid to admit it.

Baker has had nothing but the words of praise for the young chip leader since the start of the Main Event final table, and he’ll be rooting him on tonight to finish the job.

Another game is coming up at Hustler Casino Live tonight.

It’s Wet Wednesday tonight on Hustler Casino Live, featuring many of the usual suspects!

Phil Hellmuth chimes in on the Poker Hall of Fame voting process.

One of the Hall of Fame members himself, Hellmuth took to X to express his disappointment about Shaun Deeb, Scott Seiver, and Ike Haxton not being inducted this year.

He explains that his votes went to these three and Jason Koon, and it is his opinion that all four deserve to be inducted. It is worth noting that Phil gave one of his votes to Ike despite of their squabbles over the years, underlining that HOF votes should be based on merits, not personal feelings.

Is poker coaching about transforming a player or working to expand on their strenghts?

While it may be a tempting idea, Alex Fitzgerald doesn’t believe that a poker coach should try to fundamentally change a player. He thinks that a better approach is to accept their limits and work within those lines.

Ana Marquez did a thesis on what now?

Hint, it includes the name Chris Moneymaker.

Amazing.

Recap: Jamie Shaevel’s bid for WSOP Main Event glory ended Tuesday with a seventh place finish and a $1.5 million payout.

About 45 minutes into the session, he raised nearly all his chips with king-six of hearts and was called by Lucas Jumalon holding king-ten. The board ran dry for Shaevel, and that was that.

😎 Ivor Parker has just become GGPoker’s full-time ambassador at age 100.

According to F5Poker, that makes him the world’s oldest paid professional poker player.

He started playing in 1940 at a pub in Boston, Lincolnshire and says he’s played all over the world, especially during the war. Parker claims poker today is far more strategic than when he began and credits the game for keeping him sharp.

Angela Martin, head of marketing at GGPoker, said Parker “perfectly embodies what the brand loves about the game.” Leah Hauer called playing with him “incredibly inspiring.” GGPoker is backing more than 50 festivals a year across most of Grosvenor’s poker rooms, with various rewards for qualifiers.

Recap: Rami Hammoud finishes in 6th place at the 2026 WSOP Main Event.

His run ended in sixth, but at least he gets to start his new job with a $1.75 million consolation prize. Current chip leader, Lucas Jumalon, sent him packing after a flush draw fizzled.

Recap: Han Feng finishes fifth at the WSOP Main Event.

It was a bad beat for the ages for Feng.

Recap: Micheal Gagliano finishes fourth a the 2026 WSOP Main Event.

Really like these little recaps from the newly revived f5poker.

Watch: WSOP Main Event final table highlights, part 2.

Finally some WSOP ME videos we can start devouring.

2026 WSOP Main Event final table highlights, part 1.

This may be way behind the real-time action, but still enjoying these highlight videos — especially as we don’t have ESPN.

Some heartwarming Jason Koon stories.

I think anyone would be hard-pressed to say Jason was not one of life’s good guys.

History prefers the chip leader, but variance is always lurking.

Lucas Jumalon heads into the WSOP Main Event finale with a chip lead that would make even Eastgate nod in approval. According to PokerNews, every player with the lead at this stage has gone on to win. But hey, there is always a first time for everything, right?

Ever heard of the Anjouan Islands? No neither had we. But CoinPoker has.

It’s hard to disagree with anything Crispin has to say.

Party of one: Jason Koon enters the Poker Hall of Fame alone.

He was the only inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame for 2026, as Ivan reports on pokerfuse.

Koon became eligible just last year when he turned 40, and wasted no time landing the honor on his first nomination. The Hall recently changed its rules to allow for more than one inductee per year, but, as it turns out, none of the other candidates got enough love.

Greg Mueller’s WSOP Main Event rail was WILD.

Just listen to those chants! There’s a huge amount of love for Mueller — he bows out in third place.

The WSOP Main Event will crown a winner tonight. But who will it be?

Luke Jumalon and Lauri Saaskilahti go head to head tonight. 🇺🇸 v 🇫🇮

BetMGM Poker showing some love for their boy Michael Gagliano.

Finishing fourth in the WSOP Main Event is one hell of an achievement! Huge congrats.

Daniel Negreanu on the WSOP Main Event coverage on ESPN.

Just wish we could watch it. ❌🇬🇧

'Pokerface Ash’ heads back to the online poker streets and is now a tout for CoinPoker.

Previously she has represented PokerBros and BetMGM Poker.

Daniel Negreanu on the Poker Hall of Fame nomination process.

This seems like a good idea. Thoughts?

🚨 WSOP Main Event final table chip counts are here! 🚨

Thank you PokerNews for this! Jumalon and Saaskilahti go heads up when play resumes later today.

August 04

Second day of the WSOP Main Event final table kicks off soon – tune in for the action.

Live streaming for the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table is available on ESPN, HBO, and YouTube for over 100 countries worldwide. There are seven players remaining and they’ll be back in action soon!

Scott Seiver reflects on the Poker Hall of Fame situation.

Despite being one of the favorites for this year’s induction, Seiver extended his congratulations to Jason Koon, but also pointed out at some problems with the current voting system.

Jamie Dwan talks about his WSOP experience.

It takes a lot to win a WSOP bracelet, but, according to Jamie, support from his rail played a major role.

Check out the top 10 most viral moments from Hustler Casino Live.

Over the five years HCL show has been running, it has provided us with many memorable moments. With the show celebrating its fifth anniversary, this is the perfect time to revisit the top ten of these.

Mustapha Kanit shares his thoughts on this year’s Poker Hall of Fame results.

While Jason Koon certainly deserves a place in poker’s most elite club, many players were surprised to see he was the only one to be inducted this year, while passing the likes of Shaun Deeb and Scott Seiver.

Sean McCormack has some ideas on how to get more people to register for tournaments early.

He proposes poker rooms should offer some incentives for early arrivals, such as lower registration fees. Something like this could probably work to get more people to show up at the start instead of waiting for the last moment to register.

Josh Arieh is not a fan of the Main Event final table delay.

Is the three week delay too long? Does it give players too much time to relax and prepare for what’s to come? Is it better for the audience to have the Main Event final table play out without much of a break?

Watch Day 1 of the WSOP Main Event on the Winamax YouTube account.

Ok, the commentary is in French but at least we can watch it!

Yes, this is our catnip today.

Could watch it on repeat.

No t-shirt, no problem: Han Feng soars at the Main Event.

Han Feng’s approach to the WSOP Main Event final table involved the gym, study sessions, and a serious debate over his outfit. The final selection? A pink feather boa, white jacket, and no t-shirt. He almost skipped it, but as he told PokerOrg, 'I almost didn’t do it.’

The outfit might not have helped his bankroll, but it didn’t hurt his chip count: Feng went from last in chips to second on the leaderboard by the close of play, trailing only Lucas Jumalon. Both men now sit well above the 100 million chip mark.

Lucas Jumalon, the 22-year-old chip leader with minimal live experience, is keeping his cool as the WSOP Main Event final table plays on.

PokerNews notes that he started Day 1 saying he had 'zero nerves’ and ended the day still in the lead, despite a big hand against Michael Gagliano that forced him to tap the brakes for a while.

Here are the WSOP Main Event chip counts as the final table heads into day 2.

Lucas Jumalon is still out in front! But fan-favorites like Greg Mueller and Micheal Gagliano are still in it.

Not in the US, and want to watch WSOP Main Event coverage on YouTube? For FREE?

Here’s a list of all the countries that can access the YouTube coverage.

Jason Koon interview after he was induced to the Poker Hall of Fame.

“To be voted in by the greatest poker players of all time is one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

Check out everything Koon had to say on his induction over on PokerNews.

Rampage: 8 years of poker earnings is 10 seconds.

He knows how to make an excellent short, thats for sure!

Han Feng’s WSOP Main Event final table fit is everything.

No notes.

Two players bust Day 1 of the WSOP Main Event final table.

The Cypriot 🇨🇾 Evagoras Evagorou was eliminated in 9th place for $ 1 million and the Frenchman 🇫🇷 Mario Boos in 8th place for $1.25 million.

Live reporting can be found over on PokerNews.

PokerStars ambassador Jason Koon is inducted into Poker Hall of Fame.

Two-time WSOP bracelet winner and high-stakes tournament legend Jason Koon serves as the lone inductee for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame class.

The latest The Chip Race podcast has landed. And it’s 🔥.

Segments include:

Crispin Rovere on that Coin Poker investigation.
Jamie Dwan on an amazing summer including two high profile wins.
Brock Wilson, how he traded Wall Street for poker.

And lots more!

August 03

The WSOP Main Event final table starts tonight – and you can watch it live!

Over the course of the next few days, the 2026 WSOP Main Event champion will be crowned. You can tune in for the action live on ESPN/ESPN2 and the WSOP official YouTube channel.

Jonathan Little shares some $1/$2 live cash game exploits.

According to Little, live low-stakes games are still one of the most profitable forms of poker out there, especially if you adopt certain exploits and make them a part of your strategy.

Mike Matusow was certain he could make it in poker.

Mike 'The Mouth’ left his job to play poker full time, and he was confident he could make it, despite of lack of support from his parents. It was quite a gamble.

Hustler Casino Live is celebrating its 5th anniversary tonight.

And the best way to do it is with a live game featuring some of the fan favorites, such as Armenian Mike, Patrick, Big John, Francisco, and more.

The interviews keep racking up on Face the Ace.

Huge names have been featured so far, and the latest is none other than WSOP Main Event finalist Greg Mueller.

PokerNews Podcast episode 999 brings a rare sighting: a headline sponsor for the WSOP broadcast, this time Solana.

Vibhu Norby, Solana’s Chief Product Officer, joins the show to talk about their partnership with the World Series of Poker. According to PokerNews, it’s only the third time in the event’s 59-year history that a headline sponsor has taken center stage.

The podcast isn’t just about the Solana news. The crew also digs into the WSOP’s decision to remove shot clocks from the Main Event final table and the recent debate about WSOP Circuit Online ring winners heading to Paradise in the Bahamas.

🚨 This is not a drill! 🚨

WSOP Main Event action resumes TODAY!

WSOP Main Event action resumes today!

In case you don’t know who the final 9 are — here you go!

From mosh pits to monster pots.

Joe Giron has seen more backstage than your average roadie, from rock and roll chaos to poker’s biggest moments. He swapped guitars for chips and landed at the World Series of Poker just as the boom hits.

Turns out, the real jackpot was behind the camera.

Check out his story on PokerOrg.

🐊 🩸Alligator blood = poker’s home.

We wait with bated breath.

Yes, we will be listening.

Especially to the Crispin Rovere segment!

🎙 The Chip Race 🎙 (@thechiprace)

🃏 David Lappin 🃏 (@dklappin)

Top pros on who they think will win the WSOP Main Event.

With his significant chip lead ititss hard to think anyone by Lucas Jumalon will win at this point. 🍿

Turns out, the iconic twang that opens the WSOP Main Event broadcasts isn’t a banjo, and it isn’t American.

It’s the handiwork of Bill Liesegang, a British musician who has never played poker and once turned down David Bowie. Dig into his backstory over on The Overlay by Lance Bradley.

David Lappin kept this one quiet.

He joins the Dublin Dialogues for a long-form interview covering his journey from screenwriter to poker pro. Do yourselves a favor — watch it.

We cannot wait for this! There is a new WSOP documentary coming from 888poker.

The first episode drops this coming Saturday!

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