WSOP 2026: Opening Days Recap

Four tournaments at once, plenty of tables and top players. The first bracelet of the summer will be decided on May 29, but for now here are the day's main highlights.

🟣$550 Mini Mystery Millions

The first starting flight 1A drew an impressive 3,523 entries, setting a powerful pace for the whole series. In the second flight 1B, Israeli Tal Avivi became chip leader with a massive stack of 2,800,000 chips (92 BB).

Avivi already has two WSOP Circuit rings, won in 2019. He doesn't have a bracelet yet, but last year he came as close to victory as possible.

🟣$5,000 NLHE 8-max

Only 24 players remain in the fight for the top prize of $502,985. Right at the top of the chip count, in second place, is Ivan Ruban with an excellent stack of 2,300,000 chips.

While Nicholas Seward, Justin Saliba, Ren Lin, Renji Mao, Julien Sitbon, Colin Robinson and Brock Wilson successfully advanced to the penultimate day, superstars Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Shaun Deeb and Scott Seiver left the tournament before the bubble even arrived.

🟣$500 Industry Employees

The tournament for industry employees drew 906 players, forming a solid prize pool. The first-place payout will be $64,083. 136 people advanced to the second day — play will continue in the money, so all remaining players have guaranteed themselves a minimum payout.

🟣$1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

The tournament drew 828 entries, bringing the prize pool to $1,099,170. Although the overall turnout was slightly lower than last year, the future champion will take home a solid $191,362.

2016 bracelet winner Lawrence Berg (373,000 chips) tops the list of 179 surviving players ahead of the start of Day 2. Berg has just three big blinds more than Dekel Balas, who follows right behind him (354,000).