PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (May 31). Until then, we will be keeping readers informed with updates on chip counts and core event statistics, including entries and prize pool. Scroll down to see more.
Changes to television and livestream coverage have been made for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Major changes.
But fear not, the biggest event of the year in poker will be easily accessible to fans around the world, for free (well, most of it).
ESPN returns to cover the Main Event this year, but the rest of the 2026 WSOP will be available for livestreaming on the WSOP's official social media channels.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
In the 967th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by FanDuel Poker, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are at Level 9 Studio in Las Vegas for the first official episode of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), which officially got underway with a rather strange hand in which an instruction card found its way onto the flop.
It was a funny start to the summer, which also kicked off with some smaller numbers across town, where the Wynn had an overlay. Is it a sign of things to come in Las Vegas, which has become increasingly more expensive? Speaking of the WSOP getting underway, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi gave the ceremonial "Shuffle up and deal," while Martin Kabrhel is already up to his old antics.
The crew then made a bet on their favorite 25K Fantasy teams. The Lodge reopened in Texas, and Craig Welko claimed RGPS Player of the Year honors. Finally, Ray Kondler of Kondler & Associates came into the studio to share the latest on the current poker tax situation, while Robbie Strazynski dropped by to talk about his upcoming Mixed Game Festival XIV at Bellagio.
Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.
For many, the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is about big buy-ins, bigger prizes, and the all-important gold bracelet. But what if you don't have the bankroll required to enter the high-stakes events, nor the desire to play them even if you have the collateral? Is the WSOP off limits to you?
Absolutely not because there are plenty of 2026 WSOP events you can play if you are on a tighter budget (21 events cost $1,000 or less) than the game's superstar grinders. We’ve got five of the best of them.
According to the WSOP LIVE app.
It was only fitting that the return of the Aussie Millions was defined by one of the country's fastest-rising stars.
Malcolm Trayner emerged victorious after a volatile heads-up battle against Dean Blatt, securing a massive A$1.3 million payday.
With his mother watching from the rail for the very first time, the win marked both a career benchmark and a powerful surge of momentum as he prepared for the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) continues today at 10 a.m. local time with the $550 Mini Mystery Millions.
Thousands of entrants are expected to descend on the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas for this opening event, which promises a $1 million jackpot mystery bounty.
Featuring four more starting flights, players get a 25,000-chip starting stack and 30-minute levels on each Day 1. The $550 Mini Mystery Millions should see a five-figure attendance by the time Day 1f concludes. Someone is also going to open a mystery bounty envelope containing $1 million, despite only paying $550 to enter.
The Mini Mystery Millions Day 1b wrapped up on May 27. Days 1c to 1f run from May 28 onward. Flights 1c-e have a 10 a.m. start, while the turbo-structured Day 1f shuffles up and deals at 6 p.m. local time. Players will navigate 22 levels on each day. A 20-minute break is planned for every four levels on Day 1a through 1e, with a 75-minute dinner break scheduled after Level 14.
On Flight 1f, a 15-minute break is penciled in after Level 6, with subsequent breaks lasting 20 minutes every four levels; there is no dinner break on Day 1f.
Late registration remains open for ten levels of each flight, with players permitted to reenter twice per flight. Standard payouts begin on Day 1, but mystery bounties are not in play until Day 2.
Day 2 starts at 1 p.m. local time on May 31. The plan is to play 15 levels or down to five players, whichever comes first. Surviving players return to the action at a yet-to-be-determined time on June 1 to conclude the Mini Mystery Millions.
Day 1b of this event saw 1,562 entrants raise the current total to 3,197. Just 57 players bagged and tagged stacks and will join the 60 players who made it through Day 1a.
Tal Avivi is the current chip leader, having turned his 25,000 starting stack into an overall leading 2,800,000 by the close of play.
Notables such as Ryan Laplante (520,000), Mike Leah (246,000), Erick Lindgren (194,000) and 2023 WSOP Main Event runner-up Steven Jones (410,000) also booked their spot for Day 2.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tal Avivi | Israel | 2,800,000 | 92 |
| 2 | Quang Vu | United States | 2,000,000 | 65 |
| 3 | Qiang Pan | United States | 1,400,000 | 48 |
| 4 | Caroline Schallock | Germany | 1,300,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Dave Stann | United States | 1,200,000 | 39 |
| 6 | Giovanni Zanette | South Africa | 1,100,000 | 36 |
| 7 | Michael Comisso | United States | 1,100,000 | 35 |
| 8 | Brandon Nguyen | United Kingdom | 960,000 | 32 |
| 9 | Robert Buckenmayer | United States | 940,000 | 31 |
| 10 | Steven Correll | United States | 900,000 | 30 |
Please note: the WSOP LIVE app rounds the chip counts
Planning on playing this event? PokerNews activates MyStack for every WSOP event, regardless of that tournament's buy-in, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting
MyStack is a free poker tool that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls - just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Event #1: $550 Mini Mystery Millions
Day 1c Started
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