World Series of Poker
2026 World Series of Poker

The 2026 WSOP is Here With The Mini Mystery Millions

WSOP Sign

The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) kicks off on May 26 with a brand new event: 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 five starting flights, 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 going to open a mystery bounty envelope containing $1 million, despite only paying $550 to enter. What better way to get the 2026 WSOP underway than seeing someone become a millionaire?

📌 Event Snapshot

  • Event: #1 – $550 Mini Mystery Millions
  • Date(s): May 26 - June 1, 2026
  • Time: 12:00 p.m. local time for Day 1a, 10:00 a.m. local time for Day 1b-1e, 6:00 p.m. local time for Day 1f
  • Buy-In: $550
  • Format: No-Limit Hold’em (Two Re-entries per flight)
  • Late Registration: 10 Levels (approx. 8:00 p.m. on Day 1a, approx. 6:00 p.m. on Day 1b-1e, approx. 10:15 p.m. on Day 1f)
  • Starting Stack: 25,000 chips
  • Levels: 30 minutes (20 minutes on Day 1f, 40 minutes on Day 2-3)
  • 2025 Winner: New event for 2026
  • 2025 Field Size: n/a
  • 2025 Prize Pool: n/a

Structure and Schedule

The Mini Mystery Millions starts with Flight 1a at 12:00 p.m. local time on May 26, followed by Flights 1b to 1f on the subsequent days. Flights 1b-e have a 10:00 a.m. start, while the turbo-structured Flight 1f shuffles up and deals at 6:00 p.m. local time. Players will navigate 22 levels on each flight. A 20-minute break is planned for every four levels on Flights 1a through 1e, with a 75-minute dinner break scheduled after Level 14.

On Flight 1f, a 15-minute break is pencilled 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 10 levels on each flight, with players permitted to re-enter twice per flight. Standard payouts begin on Day 1, but mystery bounties are not in play until Day 2.

Day 2 starts at 1:00 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 TBD time on June 1 to conclude the Mini Mystery Millions.