Record-Breaking WSOP Europe Main Event Has €2M First-Place Prize
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Organizers have confirmed the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event is a record-breaking edition, having shattered both the all-time entry and prize pool records when late registration closed on Monday at King’s Casino in Prague.
The six-day €5,200 WSOPE Main Event, initially set with a €10 million guarantee, has generated €13,085,000, making it the largest WSOPE Main Event in history by a monster margin, with total entries also following suit, after 2,617 bullets were fired across three Day 1 starting flights and by those players who jumped in late on Monday's Day 2.
All in all, it means the 2026 WSOPE Main Event has comfortably surpassed the previous record of 817 entries and a €7,761,500 prize pool set in 2023, with a new-record first-place prize of €2 million also set to be awarded when this year's champion is crowned on Friday.
The top 393 players will make the money, with the min-cash at €10,000. The final four will make at least €575,000.
WSOP Europe Main Event Payouts
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €2,000,000 | 9 | €140,000 | 56–63 | €25,000 |
| 2 | €1,200,000 | 10–11 | €100,000 | 64–71 | €22,500 |
| 3 | €800,000 | 12–15 | €75,000 | 72–79 | €20,200 |
| 4 | €575,000 | 16–23 | €60,000 | 80–103 | €18,000 |
| 5 | €425,000 | 24–31 | €50,000 | 104–135 | €16,000 |
| 6 | €320,000 | 32–39 | €40,000 | 136–191 | €14,000 |
| 7 | €245,000 | 40–47 | €35,000 | 192–272 | €12,000 |
| 8 | €185,000 | 48–55 | €30,000 | 273–393 | €10,000 |
WSOP Europe Main Event Winners, Entries, and Prize Pools (2007–2026)
To put the scale of 2026’s record-breaking field and prize pool into perspective, here’s a look at WSOP Europe Main Event winners, entries, and prize pools from years past:
Move to Prague, WSOP PoY Race & €10m GTD Main Event All Likely Factors in Surge
A record-breaking field of this magnitude does not happen by accident, and several changes implemented by organizers are thought to have contributed to the increase.
Most notably, a surge in international players—including entrants from 71 countries—is believed to be a major factor in the 2026 field, likely aided by Prague’s ease of access as a global travel hub following the recent move from King’s Resort in Rozvadov.
The attraction of Prague as a city for a poker festival is another obvious factor, with King’s Resort CEO Federico Brunato telling PokerNews in an interview last month, "Prague is often said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world...It combines rich history, stunning architecture, and a vibrant atmosphere full of people from all over the world."
“So almost everyone can find something for themselves,” Brunato added. “That’s always key when you’re hosting an event that keeps people in one place for more than 10 days.”
In addition to the change in location, we may also be seeing the impact of recent updates to the WSOP Player of the Year format, which expanded to include WSOP Europe and WSOP Paradise, along with a $1,000,000 top prize for the winner.
Shaun Deeb, the reigning WSOP Player of the Year, is one of many of the game’s top players who have made the trip to Prague, with two agonizing second-place finishes already pushing him near the top of the overall leaderboard.
Finally, poker players love big guarantees. And a €10 million GTD Main Event is more than enough reason to make a trip to play poker almost anywhere, alongside the rest of a packed schedule that is already delivering huge fields and prize pools here in the Czech capital.
Day 2 of 2026 WSOPE Main Event Continues
The record-breaking 2026 WSOPE Main Event is currently playing out at King’s Casino in Hilton, Prague, as players aim to build big stacks ahead of Tuesday’s Day 3.
Martin Kabrhel, Shiina Okamato, and Daniel Rezaei are among the names to watch near the top of the counts, as some of the world’s best players chase their share of this year’s record prize pool before the final Day 6 on Friday.
Stick with PokerNews for full updates from the 2026 WSOP Europe Main Event, brought to you by our expert team of live reporters via the link below.
