2026 World Series of Poker
These satellites typically feature lower buy-ins, ranging from $1 to $20, making them accessible to a wide range of players. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the most prestigious and iconic poker tournament series in the world. Exploring these major tournaments provides insight into the heights of professional poker. One of its flagship tournaments, the $1 Million GTD event, draws a large number of participants looking for substantial payouts. Logging into the client and selecting Scheduled Tournaments provides an easy way to view all upcoming events and plan your next poker adventure.
Use our tournament finder to view upcoming poker tournaments for the next 24 hours. Our popular slate of daily tournaments runs twice a day during non-event timeframes, offering a total of $200,000 in guaranteed prize pools weekly. However, Moss’s first victory came in a different format, as he was elected winner by vote of his fellow players at the conclusion of what was then a timed event. Only “open” events in which all players can participate count in the standings; this eliminates the Seniors, Ladies, and Casino Employee events. Chris Moneymaker and Greg Raymer, the winners in 2003 and 2004, both qualified for the main event through satellite tournaments at the PokerStars online card room. However, after the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E./Poker Players Championship event was added, many of the game’s top professionals, including Negreanu, have since stated that this tournament ultimately decides the world’s best player.
If you want to play a quicker tournament format, we recommend you try out SNGs as they generally last from about 30 minutes to one hour. The number of entrants plays a major role in how long completing the tournament will take. On the other hand, the top finishers of the tournament can win hundreds or even thousands of times their buy-in back. The main difference is that chips have no monetary value in tournaments.
However, the all-time leader is currently poker professional Daniel Negreanu, who has not won a Main Event, although he won the inaugural WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event in 2013. He is also the only player to have won the Main Events of both the WSOP and WSOP Europe. Since 2009, all open events, including the Main Event, count towards Player of the Year.
When you fire up the tournament lobby at any online poker site, it can be overwhelming to see the number of tournaments and different types of tournaments that you can enter. The biggest multi-table tournaments occur during online tournament series. For this reason, many players will take enormous risks in the tournament to amass enough chips for making the final table. A typical online poker tournament costs between $1-215 to enter and has a total prize pool of anywhere between $ k. Poker tournaments are competitions that start at a predetermined time, with each player buying in for the same amount and getting the same number of chips to play with.
“Down here in Florida, I don’t feel like I’ve ever done as well as I should have,” McKeehen told SHRPO live reporter BJ Nemeth. As it turns out, it’s been a long time coming for the North Wales, Pennsylvania pro. Players will be able to play multiple Venom starting flights and combine their stacks for Day 2. One big chunk, $12 million, will be up for grabs in the NLH version, which has bounty prizes that range from $5K to $500K. No matter what happens with the season finale, it’s clear that WPT is intent on establishing a greater presence in Las Vegas, especially during the times of year when WSOP isn’t around. Will WPT scale down the event and return to Vegas in December, or move to a less crowded spot in January?
The first inductees were poker legends Doyle Brunson and Gus Hansen, as well as actor James Garner. There has been no increase in “highest payout” since the $3,970,415 at the 2005 World Championship, and the top prize has consistently been under $500,000 since the 2016 World Championship. The largest win in a WPT event is the $5,282,954 paid to Daniel Sepiol for winning the season-ending WPT Championship for season 21. The season-ending WPT World Championship is a points-earning event for the Player of the Year calculation. In 2016, WPT launched a new social casino platform called PlayWPT, offering poker and slots.
If you ever feel your poker play is becoming difficult to manage, visit our Responsible Gambling page for practical tools, tips, and links to trusted support organizations. That’s why we strongly recommend using only licensed and regulated poker operators, no matter where in the world you’re playing. Mix in freerolls, satellites and low-stakes games to help bolster your bankroll and stay in action without going broke.
This is your chance to turn one strong run into something unforgettable. Get in on the the thrilling Hold’em action this weekend and battle for a piece of the prize pool. Whether they want to experience poker on a grander scale or if they’re a professional looking for their next big win. With the famous hospitality and amenities of The Venetian, like tableside food service from Grand Lux Café. A shorter series designed for locals and those a short drive away.
- The competitive prize pools and overall accessibility make SportsBetting’s poker tournaments particularly attractive.
- One event that was scheduled for Biloxi, Mississippi, was canceled after the Grand Casino Biloxi, which was scheduled to host the event, suffered major damage from Hurricane Katrina.
- You can quickly sort by different filters, including buy-in level, game type, and operator, making it easier than ever to plan your schedule, find the overlay value and register on time.
POKER PROductions has filmed WSOP bracelet final tables and the WSOP Main Event for PokerGO, a subscription video on demand service. Former pro turned executive producer Mori Eskandani’s team pioneered the live broadcast format seen at the WSOP since 2011. The first day of the final table was aired on ESPN2 and the final day on ESPN, with both days also streamed on ESPN3 and WSOP.com. The Main Event final table was broadcast on a 15-minute delay with the same policy regarding hole cards.
Since its inception, Stu Ungar and Johnny Moss are the only players to have won the Main Event three times. For non-players, selection is based on positive and lasting contributions to the overall growth and success of poker. There have been many memorable moments during the main events, including Jack Straus’s 1982 comeback win after discovering he had one $500 chip left when he thought he was out of the tournament. In the 2005 Main Event, US$52,818,610 in prize money was distributed among 560 players, with US$7.5 million as the first prize. Other events played in the past include Chinese poker, Five card stud, and many others. In the early 1980s, satellite tournaments were introduced, allowing people to win their way into the various events.
#8 – WSOP Poker Players Championship
The field quality is noticeably tougher than the WSOP Main Event, since fewer casual players fly to Las Vegas in December compared to July, but the structure and venue at the Wynn are exceptional. Our team is made up of a group of dedicated players, including our own Player Advisory Board and well-known journalists. Other notables moving on include Bin Duan, whose career-best cash of $351,000 came here in South Korea in a 2025 Triton event. Regardless of the WPT’s game plan, Las Vegas will be here, and we will be playing poker either way.
Many online platforms provide detailed schedules for major poker events, including buy-in amounts, game types, and prize amounts. Success in poker tournaments requires more than just luck; it demands a strategic approach tailored to the evolving dynamics of the game. Full packages for PokerStars events may include accommodation, tournament entries, and travel expenses, making it an attractive option for aspiring tournament players.
Key Highlights Day 50 of the 2026 World Series of Poker delivered three new champions in Las Vegas. The key is to start where you’re comfortable, manage your bankroll wisely, and focus on steady improvement. The wide variety of formats means you can find a structure that fits your goals, experience level, and playing style. These tips will help you stay sharp, make smarter decisions, and get the most out of every tournament session.
Live players might enter one or two tournaments a day, and those tournaments can take several days to complete. Some people choose only to play tournaments; they’re more fun, and the promise of a big cash prize at the end of the rainbow can be too hard to pass up. But they don’t have quite the same allure as poker tournaments.
In the end, McKeehen outlasted 673 entries in the $5,300 buy-in to score a top prize of $462,600, which was adjusted during heads-up play. The finale started with Greufe and Hui holding most of the chips, but McKeehen crawled back from third to beat both of them in three-handed play. McKeehen outlasted a wild final table that included Loni Hui, Darren Rabinowitz, Jose Nadal, Eddie Pak, and eventual runner-up David Greufe. Meanwhile, the PLO event features a $3M prize pool, with bounties that range from $5K to $250K. Last time on Venom, a trip of big stars were on the marquee for the two final tables.
The idea of a World Series of Poker began in 1969 with an event called the Texas Gamblers Reunion. The 2024 WSOP was held at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, and saw record-breaking attendance for the Main Event tournament. Even though ClubWPT™ is not gambling and no purchase necessary options are available to participate, ClubWPT™ supports the poker’s industry’s support of problem gambling awareness. Trial memberships are limited to one per person. Any prizes pictured are for illustrative purposes only.
A multi-table tournament (MTT) is a format where players begin across several tables and compete until one final table is left. Online poker tournaments offer a chance to turn a small buy-in into a serious payday. Security teams monitor games to identify players seeking to gain an unfair advantage.
Other notable series include their KO and new Mystery Bounty Series. Known for its recreational focus, 888poker offers regular tournament festivals like its XL Series, 888poker LIVE Online and Mystery Bounty Festivals. Much of the same features and games that made PokerStars so great still remain on the FanDuel version.
Players can cash out whenever they like, and if they run low on chips, they can always buy more. If you haven’t had the opportunity yet to play at Ignition Poker, now’s your chance. We have everything you need to make those first steps towards poker greatness. Every Sunday Put the pedal to Poker News Daily the metal and register for Sunday’s $200K GTD tournament under the $200K Guaranteed tab in the Scheduled Tournaments lobby.
Hands are played, chips move around, and eventually, players will lose their entire stacks and be eliminated, until there’s only one person left standing. You can compete with thousands of other players at the same time. Better still, start playing tournaments now, and you can build your craft (and your bankroll) so that you’ll be ready to take on the biggest names in poker at the WSOP and other major festivals.
It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker players to the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament, with a set start and stop time, and a winner determined by a secret ballot of the seven players. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada, and since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. These are the biggest events on our calendar, with dozens of different tournaments to play and millions of dollars in guaranteed prize money. Some of the most popular live poker tournaments in the world include the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the World Poker Tour (WPT) and the European Poker Tour (EPT).
Online poker games use random number generator (RNG) technology to ensure the gameplay is fair by distributing cards randomly. Blinds increase at intervals, and players compete until they are knocked out or win the tournament. We hold players’ funds in segregated accounts, so that your money is always safe. Texas Hold ‘Em is one of the most-played card games of all time, and for good reason – it has the ideal mix of luck, strategy, and skill! Most people know the summer series in Las Vegas, where the $10,000 Main Event turns ordinary players into legends. In 2026, some top online poker tournament sites are Ignition Casino, Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, EveryGame, and ACR Poker.
These tournaments feature a wide range of buy-ins for players of varying skill levels and bankrolls. Regional tournaments are often smaller, but they also offer exciting games and the opportunity to win prizes. The APPT offers a range of tournaments, primarily focusing on Texas Hold’em, with high-stakes main events and accessible side tournaments that cater to both amateurs and professionals. It has played a pivotal role in popularizing poker throughout Europe, drawing in new players and strengthening the game’s global appeal. Beyond the games, the EPT is renowned for its electrifying atmosphere, offering players a chance to compete against world-class talent. The EPT offers a mix of high-stakes main events and affordable side tournaments, featuring formats like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
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It raises the bar on how tournaments should be run, with record-breaking prizes and unforgettable moments as standard. PokerStars-sponsored live events and card rooms have become the standard-bearers for top quality live poker around the world. We offer daily tournaments, tournament jackpots, many special major events and charity tournaments throughout the year. Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Buy-ins for WSOP events range from affordable entry-level tournaments to the prestigious $10,000 Main Event. Five bracelet events come in under $1,000, while 54 tournaments fall between $1,000 and $5,000, forming the core of the summer grind.
The first two weeks of December may not have enough players for two giant festivals at the same time, but there’s still plenty of interest to go around if they all learn to share. Tony ‘Ren’ Lin has become one of the most recognizable and successful players in the world, crushing the high-stakes tournament scene to the tune of over $20M in Hendon Mob-recorded earnings. So, I liked in my interviews to try and bring players opportunities to express themselves without worrying if it was going to give away crucial information about how they thought about the game. Poker players during that era had television identities, online personas, forum reputations, and private selves that could be very different from one another. There were a few players like Kathy Liebert, JJ Liu, and Jennifer Harman that weren’t sexualized all the time, but the default for players and media personalities alike was to frame them in a sexy way.
The biggest difference is the sheer number of events. Most of the tournaments at Ignition are Hold’em tournaments; however, Omaha and Omaha Hi/Lo are both increasing in popularity, and you can find both on our schedule. The “freeze-out” format turned a simple game of cards into an actual sporting event, where titles could be won and champions crowned. It wasn’t big news at the time – the WSOP was still in its infancy – but it would prove to be the most important decision in the history of poker. Events are hosted in iconic destinations like Macau, Sydney, and Manila, attracting a diverse and competitive player base. Its high-stakes tournaments attract top professionals while offering an exciting spectacle that appeals even to casual fans.
Mike Watson defeated Germany’s Leonard Maue (€697,175) in a heads-up heads-up event that flattened the prize pool and left the two accomplished pros playing for the trophy and an additional €33,340. With a $50k entry the mixed game event consists of 9 games and changed from being just a Horse event in 2009. The Poker Players Championship – Behind the main event the most prestigious tournament at the WSOP is the Players Championship.
It offers a variety of tournament formats, including sit-and-go and multi-table tournaments. This adds a layer of security and allure for players, knowing the reward is substantial. A guaranteed prize pool is a common feature in many tournaments, ensuring a minimum amount of total prizes regardless of the number of participants. With record-breaking events in some of the region’s most dynamic destinations, including APPT Manila and the APPT Championship, it continues to shape the Asia-Pacific poker scene. The EPT is the marquee name in live tournament poker.
Its substantial prize pools and diverse formats cater to all, making it a top choice for online poker enthusiasts. These tournaments often feature substantial prize pools, which draw competitive fields and add to the excitement of the game. From Ignition Casino and Bovada to BetOnline, SportsBetting, EveryGame, and ACR Poker, these sites provide a plethora of options for poker players at all skill levels.
