Annual poker celebration
It’s that time of year again. Winter is in the rearview mirror and outdoor temps are comfortable, so it is time to spend the next month and a half in the air conditioning, playing poker. That’s right, the 2026 World Series of Poker kicks off on Tuesday, May 26 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas with the first of 100 gold bracelet events.
There are two tournaments that begin on Tuesday. Opening the festivities is the first of six starting flights of the $550 No-Limit Hold’em Mini Mystery Millions. Everyone who makes it to Day 2 will earn a mystery bounty for each opponent they knock out. One lucky player will enjoy the thrill of a lifetime, as one of the mystery envelopes is worth $1 million.
The second event beginning on opening day is $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed, your standard WSOP tournament. It allows for one re-entry – keep in mind that most events are now re-entry instead of freezeout like back in “the day,” so double-check the rules and structure before registering just so you aren’t surprised.
The highlight event of the 2026 World Series of Poker is, of course, the Main Event. It begins on July 2 with the first of four starting flights. On July 6, the survivors from the first three flights will compete on Day 2ABC, while those who make it out of Day 1D will play on Day 2D on July 7.
From there, the Main Event will continue through day 9 on July 13, at the end of which there will be just nine players remaining.
ESPN and the “August Nine”
That’s all pretty standard for the WSOP Main Event, but there is a significant change this year. Rather than spinning up the final table the next day or with a one-day break. The tournament will take a three-week pause before resuming in Las Vegas on August 3. Play will proceed until six players remain. On August 4, it will get down to three players, and on August 5, a champion will be determined.
The break is the result of ESPN regaining the broadcast rights to the World Series of Poker. During the timeout, the cable network will attempt to build hype for the final table by airing pieces on the competitors. It was the original idea behind the scrapped November Nine, but with a much shorter break.
“Poker is filled with unexpected storylines, and nobody is better equipped to showcase the stories that unfold throughout a tournament more than ESPN,” said Ashley O’Connor, the Vice President of Programming & Acquisitions at ESPN, when the ESPN deal was announced in March. “Bringing the WSOP back reflects our continued commitment to delivering premium competition and that connects with fans in new and exciting ways.”
Leading up to the final table, ESPN will broadcast at least six hours of Main Event action per day.
Image credit: PokerGO.com
