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Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day 3 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Day: 3
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,450,957
Total Entries
1,093
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
13
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 1,093
Filter
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Three days ago, Frederic Normand had never played a Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo tournament in his life. The Canadian pro has years of experience in No-Limit Hold'em and regular Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments, but he had never ventured into the split-pot streets.
In the 25k Fantasy Draft, Normand had drafted himself for Team Chocolate Factory. The pursuit of fantasy points can often lead draftees into formats that they are unfamiliar with, but that proved to not be a problem for Normand, as he went wire-to-wire to claim his first bracelet in a poker format he had never played before.
A total of 1,093 entries were tallied for Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better here at the 2026 World Series of Poker at the Paris Hotel and Casino Las Vegas to create a prize pool of $1,450,957. The final 165 players would make the money, with just 13 survivors advancing to the final day. They returned today to battle it out for the bracelet and the first-place prize of $235,337, with Normand also holding the chip lead to begin the day.
Seven of the final 13 players were already bracelet winners, including young mixed game star Ryan Hoenig and former WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh. However, once the dust settled it was Normand who came out on top, who already boasts over $3 million in live tournament earnings.
Event #21 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederic Normand | Canada | $235,377 |
| 2 | Michael Rodrigues | Portugal | $156,863 |
| 3 | Josh Arieh | United States | $110,085 |
| 4 | Ryan Hansen | United States | $78,430 |
| 5 | Dennis Weiss | Germany | $56,738 |
| 6 | Rocky Paradise | United States | $41,688 |
| 7 | Jordan Polk | United States | $31,117 |
| 8 | Tobias Hausen | Germany | $23,602 |
Winner's Reaction
Normand first cashed at the WSOP in 2019, and has been playing in high volume since 2023 in No-Limit Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha. He has steadily risen the stakes over the past few years, and even notched a cash in $75,000 buy-in Pot-Limit Omaha tournament six months ago in the Bahamas. However, he hasn't ventured out from those two formats.
"I played one Big O tournament two years ago, and I learned the rules there. I didn't even know that certain lows are weaker or better, and I guess I learned that yesterday when I mucked some lows."
Despite his inexperience in split-pot games, his years of playing tournament poker helped him navigate the field.
"I have a good background in PLO so I figure I'd learn the rest while playing. Why not?"
"[Things like] ICM and different sizings, risk/reward. I was looking a lot at the other hands and trying to learn. It was fun."
One of the most pivotal hands occurred three-handed when Normand eliminated seven-time bracelet winner and Omaha crusher Josh Arieh in third place. Normand potted from the big blind after Arieh limped the small blind. On an ace-king-nine flop, Normand continued for a small size before his opponent check-potted for most of his stack. Normand had to decide whether or not he was going to put Arieh at risk with just top pair. Eventually he put the chips into the middle. Arieh held a gutter and bottom two pair, but Normand made a better two pair on the turn.
"I don't really know how to explain it. There was a lot in the pot. I feel it was a close spot with the backdoor low draw," Normand elaborated, "I didn't think he had much ace-nine or kings, and apparently a nine is not a good card in this game."
"I feel that I had to put it in with the backdoor equity. It was very close. Someone better than me will tell me," he joked.
The champ explained that his 25k Fantasy team was the reason why he played the tournament. The day before the tournament, he was at the Aria until 6 a.m. playing a different Pot-Limit Omaha tournament, which he also won for over $51,000.
"Finish at 6 a.m., and then I come play this for the points. Somehow made Day 2, and somehow won."
"I don't know? Magic!"
Day 3 Action
Thirteen players returned for the final day of play, and it was Normand who held a small lead at the top of the counts.
It would take almost an hour of play before the first elimination took place, and more followed shortly thereafter. Robert Nehorayan (13th) and Ray Fishman (12th) were unable to spin up their short stacks. Then, there were simultaneous eliminations at two difference tables as the departures of David Hipperson (11th) and Ryan Hoenig (10th) meant that the final nine would combine at a single table with Normand in the lead.
A couple hands into final table play, Darin Utley would be the first to fall, getting his short stack into the middle with ace-eight-three-three, but losing to the full house of Normand.
Almost an hour later, Tobias Hausen exited in eighth place. He was involved in a large preflop all-in with ace-ace-four-three against the ace-jack-three-deuce double suited of Arieh, who made nut-nut to send Hausen to the rail.
Shortly thereafter, Jordan Polk was eliminated by Normand. Polk was left with under four big blinds and got the rest into the middle with king-ten-four-deuce from under the gun. He was called by Normand and Arieh who checked down the side pot, with Normand's two pair best at showdown after low bricked, and Polk had to settle for seventh.
Normand briefly gave up the chip lead six-handed, but regained it after busting Rocky Paradise in sixth. On a flop of ace-seven-deuce, Paradise had two pair but no low potential, while Normand had top pair with a flush draw and low draw. The flush came in on the turn, and Paradise was the next to fall.
German pro and Omaha specialist Dennis Weiss was then eliminated in fifth. He slowly became short stacked before he found himself under the gun with four-four-three-three. He potted before Michael Rodrigues repotted from the big blind. Weiss decided to call it off, and was eliminated after Rodrigues made a full house on the turn.
Ryan Hansen was the next casualty, finishing in fourth place. He got his final 14 big blinds into the middle with queen-queen-eight-three double suited, but he ran into the aces of Normand who held to bring the tournament to three-handed.
Normand held around seventy percent of the chips in play, and it did not take long for him to take the rest. The aforementioned pivotal hand against Arieh would soon take place. Arieh limp-called from the small blind and flopped bottom two pair on an ace-king-nine flop as he check-potted the flop. Normand decided to put Arieh at risk with top pair and backdoor draws, and he made two pair on the turn and faded the rest of Arieh's outs on the river to bring the tournament to heads-up.
The heads-up match would only take a single hand. Normand potted on the button with ace-king-ten-five and Rodrigues defended with nine-nine-eight-eight double suited. The queen-jack-nine flop gave Normand a straight and Rodrigues bottom set. All of the chips found their way into the middle, and the board bricked out, allowing Normand and his rail the chance to celebrate the truly dominant victory.
Normand led nearly from start-to-finish on Day 3, only giving up the chip lead for a couple of hands with six left. His wire-to-wire performance earned him his first WSOP bracelet and the first-place prize of $235,337. After sharing the triumph with his rail, Normand was eager to hop into the next tournament, Big O, to see if he can continue his split-pot beginner's luck.
This concludes PokerNews's coverage of Event #21: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Stay tuned as we continue to provide updates from the 2026 World Series of Poker and bring the hottest news from around the poker world.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
After one hand of heads-up play, Frederic Normand was crowned victor of Event #21 $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, conquering the 1,093-entry field.
In what became a final table masterclass, he eliminated five of his seven opponents, earning him the top prize of $235,377 and his first-ever WSOP bracelet.
Stay tuned for an interview with the winner and a recap of the final day.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frederic Normand | Canada | $235,377 |
| 2 | Michael Rodrigues | Portugal | $156,863 |
| 3 | Josh Arieh | United States | $110,085 |
| 4 | Ryan Hansen | United States | $78,430 |
| 5 | Dennis Weiss | Germany | $56,738 |
| 6 | Rocky Paradise | United States | $41,688 |
| 7 | Jordan Polk | United States | $31,117 |
| 8 | Tobias Hausen | Germany | $23,602 |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
On the first hand of the heads-up, Frederic Normand raised his button to 600,000, and Michael Rodrigues called in the big blind.
Normand continued for 400,000 on the 9♠Q♦J♦ flop, which Rodrigues check-raised to 2,600,000. Normand then put Rodrigues all-in for 3,750,000 in total, which Rodrigues snapped off.
Michael Rodrigues: 9♥9♣8♥8♣ 
Frederic Normand: A♠K♣10♣5♦
Rodrigues found a second set on the 8♠ turn, but the 3♦ river did not pair the board. Normand's straight remained best and cemented Rodrigues' status as runner-up.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Josh Arieh limped from the small blind, Frederic Normand potted to 600,000 from the big blind, and Arieh called.
On the A♥K♦9♣ flop, Arieh checked to Normand who bet 300,000. Arieh then check-potted to 2,300,000 with 500,000 behind. Normand went into the tank for a while before the clock was called. With ten seconds left, Normand announced all-in and Arieh called off his 2,800,000 stack.
Josh Arieh: K♣Q♦J♠9♠
Frederic Normand: A♠10♣6♠4♦
Arieh held bottom two pair with a gutter while Normand had top pair with a backdoor low.
No waiting was required as the 4♥ landed on the turn, giving Normand two pair. The 5♦ river could not save Arieh, and his quest for an eighth bracelet will have to resume elsewhere.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Michael Rodrigues made it 600,000 to go on his button. Frederic Normand defended his big blind, and the flop fell 8♦4♠7♠.
Normand checked it over to Rodrigues, who announced a pot-sized bet of 1,500,000. Normand quickly released his cards, sending the pot Rodrigues' way.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Frederic Normand potted to 700,000 from the cutoff before Ryan Hansen repotted to 2,300,000 from the small blind. Normand raised and Hansen called off his 2,800,000 total stack.
Ryan Hansen: Q♠Q♥8♥3♠
Frederic Normand: A♥A♦9♦7♠
Hansen needed some help to beat the aces of Normand as the 5♥4♣2♦ flop gave both players a low, but Normand's was better. The 6♦ turn also gave Normand a flush draw, and Hansen could not find any half on the 6♠ river as he was eliminated in 4th place.
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Level 30
: 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Michael Rodrigues limped in on the button. Ryan Hansen completed his small blind, and Josh Arieh checked in the big blind.
Hansen then led out for 400,000 on the 3♣4♠9♦ flop, only to be raised to 1,500,000 by Arieh. Rodrigues quickly got out of the way, and Hansen forfeited his cards as well, and thus the pot.
On the next deal, Arieh limped in on the button. Frederic Normand called in the small blind, and Michael Rodrigues checked in the big blind.
It checked to Arieh on the Q♥A♣10♠ flop, who fired a bet of 400,000. Normand folded before Rodrigues called.
The 8♣ turn and 7♠ river were then checked to showdown, where Rodrigues' A♥J♦Q♦9♣ for a straight scooped the pot.
Level 30
: Blinds 100,000/150,000, 150,000 ante
Dennis Weiss potted to 550,000 first to act, Michael Rodrigues repotted in the big blind, and Weiss called all-in for 1,625,000 total.
Dennis Weiss: 4♥4♣3♦3♣
Michael Rodrigues: A♦K♠Q♦4♠
Weiss's hand was in bad shape against Rodrigues, but the A♣K♥8♠ flop gave Weiss the only low draw, with Rodrigues flopping top two pair.
The A♥ turn locked up the high for Rodrigues with a full house, and the low bricked on the J♣ turn as Weiss had to settle for 5th place.
