• The 2026 World Series of Poker begins on May 26 at the Horseshoe and Paris Casinos
• The $10,000 Main Event starts July 2

The 2026 World Series of Poker is not just another summer series. It is the largest live poker festival in the world, and this year it returns to Las Vegas from May 26 through July 15, 2026, once again hosted at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

This is the 57th annual WSOP. One hundred bracelet events. Seven weeks. Every major poker variant. From $300 buy ins to $250,000 super high rollers.

Las Vegas belongs to poker again.

The Story: What 2026 Feels Like

The 2026 series opens with the usual early rush of industry players, online qualifiers, and grinders who treat late May like the start of a professional season. But the scale keeps expanding.

The ballroom footprint remains massive. Hundreds of tables stretch across both properties. Registration lines build before noon. Deepstack flights run daily. Satellites fire constantly.

Three clear trends define this year:

Mystery bounty formats are now mainstream. What started as a novelty is now a core attraction across multiple buy in levels.

Mixed games are surging. Badugi, Big O, Dealer’s Choice, and 8 Game events are drawing larger fields than they did five years ago.

High roller volume is heavier than ever. Six figure buy ins are no longer isolated prestige events. They are a weekly occurrence.

But everything still builds toward one thing: the Main Event.

2026 WSOP Key Event Schedule

Opening Week

May 26 – May 31

May 26 (Tuesday)
• Series officially begins
• Early No Limit Holdem events kick off
• Satellites running throughout the day

May 27 (Wednesday)
• $1,500 Omaha Hi Lo 8 or Better

May 28 (Thursday)
• $550 Mini Mystery Millions flights
• $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha

May 29 – May 31
• $1,500 No Limit Holdem events
• $10,000 Dealer’s Choice Championship
• Deepstack daily events begin running nonstop

Opening week always belongs to value hunters and early bracelet chasers.

Early June Championship Stretch

June 1 – June 10

June 1
• $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller

June 3
• $25,000 High Roller No Limit Holdem

June 5
• $250,000 Super High Roller

June 7
• $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship

June 8 – June 10
• Colossus multi flight opener

This stretch separates recreational dreamers from elite tournament professionals.

Mid Series Grind

June 11 – June 25

June 12
• $1,500 Millionaire Maker begins

June 15
• $10,000 Razz Championship

June 18
• $50,000 Poker Players Championship

June 20
• $3,000 Six Max No Limit Holdem

June 22
• $100,000 High Roller No Limit Holdem

This is the heart of the WSOP. Long days. Mixed game purists. Huge prize pools. Bracelet prestige matters most here.

Late June Momentum

June 26 – July 1

June 27
• Mini Main Event

June 29
• $5,000 Six Max Championship

June 30
• $1,000 Seniors Championship

The field energy shifts. Attention starts turning toward the Main Event. Satellites explode in volume.

The Main Event

The $10,000 No Limit Holdem World Championship remains the centerpiece.

Flight A — July 2 (Thursday)
Flight B — July 3 (Friday)
Flight C — July 4 (Saturday)
Flight D — July 5 (Sunday)

Day 2 play begins July 6.
Final table plays out July 13 – July 15.

After record breaking attendance in recent years, expectations are high that 2026 could challenge previous field sizes again. The structure remains deep, traditional, and skill driven.

No gimmicks. No turbo format. Just pure tournament poker.

What 2026 Could Mean

If trends continue:

• The Main Event may push past previous participation records
• Mystery bounty prize pools could rival traditional mid tier championships
• Mixed game prestige events may see their largest fields ever

But WSOP summers are unpredictable. That is the point.

Some unknown player will make a life changing run.
Some established pro will capture a legacy bracelet.
Some six figure buy in will produce a shocking final table.

Seven weeks. One hundred bracelets. Millions in prize money.

Las Vegas is once again the center of the poker world.