PokerNews live coverage of this event will begin on Day 2 (June 28). 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.
Aubrey Williams didn't enter the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Ladies Championship to make a political statement, she entered because she says she belongs there.
Williams, a transgender woman, entered today's Day 4 tied with the chip lead. And while her table mates greeted her with friendly smiles and open arms, her deep run created a stir in some anti-transgender social media circles.
But Williams was unfazed, telling PokerNews on break that she doesn't monitor social media and that no one that she's played with has had an issue with her. And when asked why she played in the Ladies Championship, her answer was simple.
"I'm a woman, so I play in the women's event," Williams told PokerNews. "It's not like making a statement or anything. I'm just playing a tournament."
Poker fans were treated to many exciting hands at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) the past week.
But there's always a player involved in one of these juicy hands who doesn't find it as interesting as the rest of us. Take Allen Kessler, for example, who took a cruel Razz bad beat to bust from the $3,000 Nine Game Mix event, a hand you'll read about in just a bit.
"The Chainsaw" isn't the only recipient of a bad beat or on the wrong end of a brutal cooler the past week at the WSOP.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
This year's nominees for the Poker Hall of Fame have been announced, with the eight individuals now heading to the living members of the Hall for voting.
Each member can vote for up to four nominees, and anyone receiving votes from 22 or more members earns an automatic induction. This change, from a previous "winner-takes-all" format allowing for only one induction per year, was announced earlier this month.
Five of the eight nominees are first-time nominees, having met the minimum age requirement of 40. Eight-time WSOP bracelet winner Shaun Deeb headlines these players; he is joined by Jason Koon, Isaac Haxton, Chris Moorman, and Justin Bonomo.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
Daniel Negreanu has cashed for $464,521 this summer, but that number only tells part of the story. More than halfway through the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and after more than a million in buy-ins, the Poker Hall of Famer and seven-time bracelet winner is stuck quite a hefty chunk of change.
In his latest vlog, Negreanu shared his results for the summer so far, showing him to be down $571,729. When added with his $464,521 in cashes, it is clear that he had fired over a million in buy-ins. But, given his proven results for decades, there's plenty of time to turn it around.
Event #71 of the 2026 World Series of Poker gets underway on June 27, as the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event returns to the WSOP schedule. This unique tournament features a rotation of seven no-limit and pot-limit games (Big O, No-Limit Hold’em, No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Pot-Limit 5-Card Double Draw High, Pot-Limit Omaha, & Pot-Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw), providing a high-octane alternative to the traditional limit mixed-game formats. The game changes every six hands.
The Mixed Big Bet event is one of the most modern additions to the WSOP schedule, appealing to a younger generation of players who specialize in non-hold'em variants but prefer big-bet structures. This event is a proving ground for big-bet specialists who enjoy the complexity of games like PLO, No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw, and Big O. With its $2,500 buy-in and deep structure, it attracts an elite field looking for a technical edge in Las Vegas.
Play will begin at 2 p.m. on June 27, with players navigating 12 levels on Day 1. The levels begin at 40 minutes for the first six rounds, then extend to 60 minutes for the remainder of the tournament. Late registration remains open until the start of Level 11, and players are permitted up to two reentries.
Survivors return for Day 2 on Sunday, June 28, at 1 p.m. to play another 10 levels, with the final table expected to conclude on Monday, June 29. PokerNews traditional coverage will begin on Day 2.
The 2025 edition saw Aaron Kupin earn his first career bracelet, defeating a stacked final table that included Daniel Negreanu.
Kupin described a sense of "relief" after closing out the win, telling PokerNews, "When you have the lead the whole day, you're kind of already imagining winning... I've been coming to the World Series for a lot of years, so it's really great to achieve that goal."
| Year | Entries | Winner | Country | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 458 | Aaron Kupin | United States | $206,982 |
| 2024 | 468 | Wing Po Liu | Hong Kong | $209,942 |
| 2023 | 377 | Julio Belluscio | Argentina | $190,240 |
| 2022 | 281 | Lok Chan | Hong Kong | $144,338 |
| 2021 | 212 | Denis Strebkov | Russia | $117,898 |
| 2020 | Not held | - | - | - |
| 2019 | 218 | Loren Klein | United States | $127,808 |
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.
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Event #71: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event
Day 1 Started
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