Stage set for 2026 World Series of Poker main even...
Key takeaways
- Professional poker's most prestigious tournament gets underway from Las Vegas with potentially the most attention on it since the poker boom of the 2000s.
- Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi will look to defend his $10,000 World Series of Poker main event title when the 2026 competition begins Thursday.
- Mizrachi isn't the only player coming in with momentum: professionals Benny Glaser and Shaun Deeb both won their respective ninth bracelets at WSOP events earlier this summer.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The WSOP main event champion will earn a massive cash prize and the most sought-after bracelet in poker. WSOP/Monique Marestein Doug Greenberg Jul 2, 2026, 10:25 AM ETMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions The 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event begins July 2 from the Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas and will stream live on ESPN+. Check daily for updates as the field grows and then shrinks to the final table, which will air live on ESPN on Aug. 3-5.
Professional poker's most prestigious tournament gets underway from Las Vegas with potentially the most attention on it since the poker boom of the 2000s.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi will look to defend his $10,000 World Series of Poker main event title when the 2026 competition begins Thursday. Mizrachi's triumph last summer gave him the eighth WSOP bracelet of his illustrious career and he added a ninth already this year when he won the $10,000 pot-limit Omaha championship just days before the main event.