World Series of Poker Digest: June 22–27
Week five of WSOP 2026 brought the finale of the series' most prestigious tournament, a historic breakthrough for women, and the largest field of the summer. Below is our traditional overview.
The World Series in Las Vegas is entering the home stretch. More than fifty events are behind us, and next week the Main Event kicks off. But before everyone's thoughts turn to the main event, the past week delivered storylines that will go down in history. We've picked out the most important ones.
Records, historic wins, and first titles
photo: Regina Cortina
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship, named after Chip Reese, has been won by a British player for the second time in history. Benny Glaser outlasted a final table that featured Phil Ivey and Josh Arieh, capturing the ninth gold bracelet of his career. The Brit earned $1,343,764 for first place.
For Ivey, this PPC final table was the fifth of his career, and once again without a title. Third place earned him $600,698. In the heads-up, Glaser outplayed Josh Arieh, and after the win, he didn't hide his emotions:
"It's just an incredible feeling, I'm almost speechless. Winning the PPC is the pinnacle for any mixed-game player. This win erased all the disappointments and setbacks of this summer."
All nine of Glaser's bracelets have come in mixed-game disciplines. In total WSOP bracelet count, the Brit has now tied the legendary Johnny Moss. Only five players remain ahead of them on the all-time list: Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey, Doyle Brunson, Erik Seidel, and Johnny Chan.
photo: Regina Cortina
Brazilian Joao Simao won the $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha tournament, which drew a field of 110 entrants. The top prize was $1,368,700, pushing the player's career earnings past $20,000,000.
In the heads-up, Simao denied Santhosh Suvarna a second title of the series. The Indian high roller started the confrontation as chip leader and at one point built up a 5x chip advantage, but a single massive pot flipped everything around. Simao made a full house against a set of kings and pulled ahead.
Soon after, Suvarna went all-in with 10♥️ 10♣️ 8♣️ 6♠️, and Simao called with A♠️ A♣️ J♥️ 9♣️. The A♦️ 8♥️ 7♥️ flop gave the Brazilian top set and the Indian player a straight draw. The 5♣️ turn added more outs for his opponent, but the K♥️ river landed and Simao took the win. The Indian high roller earned $912,420.
photo: Regina Cortina
Michelle Chin became the winner of the $1,500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw, which drew 657 entries.
The poker player became the second woman to win an open WSOP 2026 event after Kristen Foxen, and the first to win a mixed-game event since 2015.
Michelle Chin began her heads-up against Daniel Strelitz down 5x in chips. She then methodically closed the gap, pulled ahead, and made an 8-7-5-4-2 in the deciding hand. Strelitz, holding an 8-7-4, drew two treys and was left without any chips. The two-time WSOP champion earned $107,504 for second place, while Chin took home $161,313 for first.
photo: Jess Beck
Joseph Liberta won the $1,500 Millionaire Maker. The event drew a record number of entries at WSOP 2026, with 11,769 players taking part. Liberta captured his first bracelet and earned $1,250,000, nearly doubling his previous total career earnings.
In the deciding hand, Michael Monroig went all-in with 10♦️ 8♥️ for 22.5 million chips. Liberta called with 8♣️ 5♦️. On the 5♣️ 2♣️ 5♠️ flop, Joseph made trips. The Q♥️ turn left Monroig without a chance to win, and the 2♥️ river gave Liberta a full house and the victory.
photo: Jess Beck
A Finnish high roller won Event #64: $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed, taking home $1,172,296. In the final, he outplayed his countryman Juha Helppi — the first all-Finnish heads-up in WSOP history. The showdown lasted two and a half hours and ended with a win for Parssinen.
Parssinen picked up his second bracelet just a week earlier in the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha tournament. He won his very first trophy back in 2021 in the mixed NLH/PLO format with a $5,000 buy-in. Thanks to this success, Eelis became the first player in Finnish history to hold three gold bracelets, as well as the third player at WSOP 2026 with two wins in a single series — alongside Naoya Kihara and Calvin Anderson.
WSOP disciplinary chronicle
British player Andrew Martin received a warning from WSOP staff for using an explicit card protector. The curious incident occurred on Day 2 of the $1,000 Super Seniors tournament. Series management demanded the silver device be removed from the table and made a note in the player's account.
Martin claims he found no direct ban in the series rules on using a sex toy as a card protector. WSOP Rule 112 only restricts the size — no more than 2 inches in diameter and 0.5 inches in depth — but doesn't regulate the item's content. Staff most likely relied on Rule 40(d), which requires players to observe standards of courtesy at the table.
Negreanu's historic record and new Hall of Fame nominees
photo: Regina Cortina
Daniel Negreanu became the first player in WSOP history to earn $25 million in prize money
The record was set during the current WSOP 2026 series, where the Canadian has already cashed six times, including a final table finish in the $600 Deepstack tournament.
In total, Negreanu has posted 300 cashes in WSOP tournaments — the best record among all players.
The Canadian's biggest score is $8.3 million for a second-place finish in the $1M Big One For One Drop in 2014. Negreanu also holds seven gold bracelets and two WSOP Player of the Year titles, in 2004 and 2013.
Shaun Deeb and Jason Koon among the nominees for Hall of Fame induction
For the first time, nominations went to eight-time World Series champion Shaun Deeb, Triton Poker's all-time title record holder Jason Koon, WSOP and Triton winner Isaac Haxton, three-time bracelet holder Justin Bonomo, and star online regular and two-time WSOP champion Chris Moorman.
For the second year in a row, nominees for Hall of Fame induction include three-time World Series winner Scott Seiver, four-time WSOP bracelet holder Mike Matusow, and PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg. This marks Scheinberg's seventh Hall of Fame nomination, and Matusow's 12th.
Starting this year, the Hall of Fame induction procedure has changed. Current members now have the right to select up to four candidates, meaning several people could be inducted into the Hall.
Results of all WSOP events from the past week
Winner | Event | Winnings |
Benny Glaser | $50 000 Poker Players Championship | $1 343 764 |
Joao Simao | $50 000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha | $1 368 700 |
Michelle Chin | $1 500 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw | $161 313 |
Joseph Liberta | $1 500 Millionaire Maker | $1 250 000 |
Prashant Nataraj | $500 Salute to Warriors | $208 800 |
Josh Reichard | $2 500 No-Limit Hold'em | $555 198 |
Eelis Parssinen | $25 000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed | $1 172 296 |
Lionel Barracano | $1 000 Super Seniors | $355 263 |
Ciro Gonzalez | $1 500 Freezeout NLH | $449 067 |
What's next?
photo: Poker.org
This coming Sunday, June 28, the World Series will crown the bracelet winner of the $1,000 Ladies Championship.
Next week, the density of major events will increase. The battle for titles will begin in the all-rounders' championship Event #80: $10,000 8-Game Mixed and the pricey Event #76: $100,000 High Roller PLO.
The World Series' loudest chord will sound on Thursday. The WSOP Main Event kicks off. Will Vegas break its historic record, and can the field once again break through the coveted 10,000-entrant mark? Who will take home the planet's most prestigious bracelet and write their name into history as World Champion? We'll find out the answer very soon.
PokerFlow, of course, will cover it all in real time.
