The 2026 World Series of Poker Has Begun in Las Vegas!

Last year, Benny Glaser took home three titles and still didn’t win the Player of the Year race, which saw Shaun Deeb get the infamous banner on the wall of the Horseshoe. Who’ll win gold in Las Vegas this summer? Shuffle up and deal.

With the 2026 WSOP Main Event Break Records?

We’ll have to wait over a month for the 2026 WSOP Main Event to come around, but when Day 1a kicks off on July 2, the field of the World Championship might be on its way to a new record. With 10,112 the number to aim for, last year’s total of 9,735 entries was only 377 players short and with more qualifiers than ever likely to make it via GGPoker, that ceiling could easily be smashed in 2026.

Last year’s world champion, Michael ‘Grinder’ Mizrachi, not only won the $10m top prize in the WSOP Main Event but also took down the $50,000-entry Poker Players Championship. Upon winning the Main Event and having already taking home the PPC title – an unprecedented feat – Michael Mizrachi (below introducing the action this year) was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame after an emergency ‘board meeting’ between the living members of the Hall of Fame.

In 2026, the WSOP Main Event may well break records. It only needs to bring in 378 more people than last year to do so and GGPoker are sending more players than ever into the Main Event and other WSOP events. We can see it happening… but don’t expect a record top prize. While the fields of 2006 and 2023 might be bettered, the top prize of $12m won by Jamie Gold 20 years ago, and $12.1m taken home by Daniel Weinman three years ago may well be clear for many years. There was a record field of 10,112 in 2024 and the winner Jonathan Tamayo ‘only’ took home $10m, as did ‘Grinder’ in 2025.

Will One Player Dominate the Player of the Year Race?

Going into this year’s World Series of Poker, Shaun Deeb is already well clear of the chasing pack in the Player of the Year race. Two runner-up finishes in Prague at the WSOP Europe festival account for that lead, and Deeb is the reigning POY title holder. Last year, Benny Glaser was his closest challenger but despite winning three WSOP bracelet, the British mixed game pro couldn’t overtake Deeb… so can anyone?

Glaser has already stated that although he played in Europe, he may not put in a full schedule in The Bahamas for WSOP Paradise, and with both Prague and The Bahamas contributing to WSOP POY points in 2026, that could be pivotal. Deeb’s victory last year and his determination to retain his title, coupled with his lead, make him a hot favorite.

Who might be his biggest challengers? Phil Ivey says he’ll play a lot of WSOP events this year and is the closest to Phil Hellmuth’s record of 17 bracelets with 11, now one clear of Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan and Erik Seidel. Johnny Moss has nine bracelet wins, but Shaun Deeb has declared that he hopes to build on his eight this summer and chase down Hellmuth by the time his career is over. With POY points on the line too, the race is well and truly on.

Who Will Win the Opening Event?

There are two events that kick off on the opening day of the 2026 World Series of Poker. At 12 noon, the opening event will officially open the WSOP and this year, it is the turn of the $550-entry Mini Mystery Millions. One of half a dozen new – or newly-priced – events on the schedule, there are six starting or Day 1 flights taking place across the next five days in Las Vegas, with each players allowed to entry three times on each flight if they so desired… although that would mean a total buy-in of $8,250!

At 2pm local time, the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em Event #2 will begin, with an expected field of 700 in the much higher ticket event. The corresponding event of 2025 was won by Antonio Galiana for over $582,000 and the WSOP bracelet. Whoever wins this event is likely to end up $500,000 richer before the first week of the WSOP is in the can.

Whoever you’re following over the next seven weeks, the 57^th annual WSOP will be hog’s heaven for poker players in the gambling capital of the world.