button in SafariThe $1,500 Big O (Five-Card Omaha Hi-Lo) Shuffles Up and Deals from 12:00 p.m. Local Time
Cards get in the air at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 5 for Day 1a of Event #22: $1,500 Big O at the 2026 World Series of Poker at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, with a second starting flight at 2:00 p.m. the following day. This five-card Omaha Hi-Lo variant continues to grow in popularity, offering bigger pots and more action than its four-card counterpart.
Event #22: $1,500 Big O is expected to attract a large field of split-pot specialists and action players alike, all looking to navigate the complexities of five-card Omaha Hi-Lo and capture a WSOP gold bracelet.
📌 Event Snapshot
- Event: #22 – $1,500 Big O
- Date(s): June 5-8, 2026
- Time: 12:00 p.m. (Day 1a), 2:00 p.m. (Day 1b)
- Buy-In: $1,500
- Format: Big O (5-Card Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better)
- Flights: 2 (Day 1a, Day 1b)
- Re-Entry: 2 entries per flight
- Late Registration: Open until the end of Level 9
- Starting Stack: 25,000 chips
- Levels: 40 minutes
- 2025 Winner: Igor Zektser ($297,285)
- 2025 Field Size: 1,499 entries
- 2025 Prize Pool: $1,989,922
Structure and Schedule
$1,500 Big O entrants begin their journey with two starting flights, beginning with Day 1a at 12:00 p.m. local time on June 5, followed by Day 1b at 2:00 p.m. on June 6. Each player starts with a 25,000-chip stack.
Both starting flights play down to approximately 10% of the field.
Levels are 40 minutes long, with 15-minute breaks every three levels. Day 1a features a 60-minute dinner break after Level 9.
Late registration remains open through Level 9, allowing players the opportunity to enter or re-enter during the early stages of play.
Survivors from both flights return for Day 2, where the field continues to narrow as players battle through the split-pot format.
Day 3 will play down to a champion, with the remaining players competing for the title and a WSOP gold bracelet.
Past Champions & History
Igor Zektser captured the title in 2025, topping a field of 1,499 entries to win $297,285 and his first WSOP bracelet.
The $1,500 Big O event has become an increasingly popular addition to the WSOP schedule, drawing players who enjoy the added complexity and action of five-card Omaha Hi-Lo.
Other champions include Michael Christ, and Scott Abrams, who has also found success in this format, highlighting the event’s appeal among split-pot specialists.
PokerNews traditional coverage of the $1,500 Big O begins on Day 2.
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