27 Jul 2026

2026 WSOP Delivers Bracelet Wins for Kostritsyn, Peters and Rabinowitz as Main Event Nears August Restart

2026 World Series of Poker venue at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas during the summer schedule

The 2026 World Series of Poker ran from May 26 through July 15 at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, and several bracelet events reached their conclusions during the final weeks of the series while the Main Event final table prepared to resume on August 3.

High Roller H.O.R.S.E. Crowns a First-Time Champion

Alexander Kostritsyn captured his first WSOP bracelet in the $25,000 High Roller H.O.R.S.E. event, completing a mixed-game tournament that tested players across five different poker variants, and observers noted the victory marked a significant milestone for teh Russian player who had previously come close in major mixed-game competitions without securing the gold.

David Peters Extends His Bracelet Collection

David Peters added a fifth career bracelet by winning the $10,000 6-Handed Championship, navigating a field that featured some of the most accomplished short-handed specialists in the game, and data from the series shows Peters has maintained consistent deep runs across multiple WSOP formats over the past decade.

Event 99 Produces a Dramatic Heads-Up Finish

Darren Rabinowitz defeated Phil Hellmuth heads-up to win Event #99, the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em tournament, and that outcome prevented Hellmuth from claiming a record 18th bracelet at the series, and reports indicate Hellmuth reached the final stage after a strong run through the later stages but fell short in the decisive match.

Phil Hellmuth competing at a WSOP final table during the 2026 series

According to coverage on PokerNews, the heads-up battle between Rabinowitz and Hellmuth drew significant attention from players and spectators still on the property in mid-July 2026, and the match highlighted the contrast between Rabinowitz's aggressive style and Hellmuth's experience in high-pressure situations.

Main Event Final Table Set for August Return

The Main Event final table remained paused after the July 15 conclusion of the preliminary schedule, with play scheduled to resume August 3 at the same Las Vegas venues, and participants in that final group prepared for the extended break while the rest of the series wrapped up remaining side events and cash-game action continued across the property.

July 2026 brought typical summer conditions to the Las Vegas Strip, with daily temperatures often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, yet the poker rooms at Horseshoe and Paris maintained steady attendance throughout the closing weeks of the series as players focused on the remaining bracelet opportunities and the upcoming Main Event resumption.

Context Around the Series Schedule

The 2026 WSOP structure placed multiple high buy-in mixed-game and no-limit events in the final month, allowing players to compete in formats that reward versatility across game types, and the placement of the $25,000 H.O.R.S.E. and the 6-Handed Championship near the end of the calendar reflected organizers' efforts to balance the overall schedule across the May through mid-July window.

Event #99 drew a competitive field that included both established bracelet winners and players seeking their first title, and Rabinowitz's victory added his name to the list of 2026 bracelet recipients while the series statistics continued to track overall participation numbers and prize pool totals through the final days.

Conclusion

The 2026 World Series of Poker concluded its preliminary bracelet schedule with three notable victories that expanded the list of bracelet owners and altered the pursuit of the all-time record, while the Main Event final table prepared to resume in early August at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.