button in SafariThe 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) is Officially Underway
Cards are in the air at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, meaning the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), the 57th edition, is underway.
The annual poker extravaganza kicked off at noon with Flight A of Event #1: $550 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Mystery Millions, a new mystery bounty tournament with a Day 1 session running once per day through May 30.
Bracelet hopefuls can also take a stab at Event #2: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed later today at 2 p.m. These events are the first two of 100 gold bracelets that will be up for grabs this summer in Las Vegas (assuming there are no controversies that cancel out any bracelets like last year).
Jack Effel, Vice President of the World Series of Poker, kickstarted the festivities prior to the start of the Mini Mystery Millions.
"I am ecstatic to welcome you along to the 57th annual World Series of Poker," said Effel. "Every year we spend hours upon hours planning and waiting for the next hand to be dealt in the biggest poker arena in the world here in Las Vegas. And it's never not exciting for me!
"We've made it our mission to deliver a better and better service each and every year. And hey, we don't get everything right, but we try our best. Because nobody can be perfect, but if you don't strive for perfection you will never even come close."
He then introduced 2025 WSOP Main Event Champion who administered the traditional "Shuffle Up and Deal." And with that, the 2026 WSOP is underway!
What to Look Forward to at the 2026 WSOP
What does Michael Mizrachi have for an encore this summer? Will Benny Glaser win three bracelets again? Is Shaun Deeb, who already has points from two second-place finishes at WSOP Europe, the clear-cut Player of the Year favorite? Who will step up and become the surprise of the summer?
Those are some intriguing questions that we'll be following all summer during our World Series of Poker coverage, which includes unbeatble live reporting, digital media, and breaking news. We'll keep you updated on the most interesting and newsworthy stories taking place in Las Vegas all the way through the Main Event final table on Aug. 5.
Our live reporting coverage of the 2026 WSOP begins on Wednesday with Day 2 of the $5k NLH tournament. Stick with PokerNews to get the inside scoop all summer long live from Las Vegas.
