The WSOP 2026 Main Event final table kicks off this Monday, August 3, with $10,000,000 waiting for the champion. After a three-week break — this year's new format — the final nine return to Las Vegas to settle poker's biggest tournament, and this guide gets you ready for all of it.
The facts: nine players, an $85.6 million prize pool
The field drew 9,208 entries, building a total prize pool of $85,634,400. All nine finalists have already locked up at least $1,000,000, and the ladder climbs fast: $1.25M for eighth, $1.5M for seventh, $1.75M for sixth, $2.25M for fifth, $2.75M for fourth, $3.75M for third and $6,000,000 for the runner-up.
The man to beat is Lucas Jumalon, a 22-year-old American who returns with 194 million in chips — more than a third of all the chips in play, roughly 129 big blinds. Turn that lead into the title and he becomes the second-youngest Main Event champion ever. Canada's Rami Hammoud (79 million) and Jamie Shaevel (56 million) chase him, while Greg Mueller and Michael Gagliano bring the experience with three bracelets apiece. Cyprus' Evagoras Evagorou is the short stack at 15 blinds.
When and where to watch
Play runs across three sessions: Monday August 3, Tuesday August 4 and Wednesday August 5, starting at 9 PM Eastern. Coverage streams live on ESPN and YouTube, depending on your region. It's the first time in a decade the final table has been delayed this long to play out as a live televised event — in practice, the return of the "November Nine" spirit.
Why it matters: three different tournaments at one table
Watch this table with a player's eyes and you'll see nobody is playing the same tournament. Jumalon, at 129 blinds, can pressure every pot without risking his tournament life. The middle stacks — 25 to 37 blinds — face the hardest version: every decision collides with pay jumps worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And the short stacks, at 15-17 blinds, are playing all-in-range poker where patience and hand selection are everything. That's the takeaway for your own game: correct strategy isn't driven by your cards, but by your stack in big blinds and the payout context. Before Monday, revisit how this final table came together so you arrive with the full story.
Watch it with the community
A final table like this is the best free lab of the year: three nights to study pressure, ICM and stack management at the highest level. We'll be following every hand in our community — join us and let's break down the decisions together.