The World Looks to Las Vegas and WSOP 2026
The pinnacle of the poker year is the start of the 57th World Series of Poker, taking place from May 26 to July 15 at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. This year's schedule includes a total of 100 bracelet events and is expected to break all previous records.
The May schedule in Vegas kicks off with the massive $550 Mini Mystery Millions (May 26 – June 1), expected to draw thousands of players. For those with deeper pockets, there's the $5K 8-Handed NLH and the prestigious $25K Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship right at the onset.
Fans of mixed games can look forward to the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better (starting May 27) and the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo Championship (starting May 30). New to the lineup is the $10,000 GGMillion$ High Roller, commencing May 31.
While the $10,000 Main Event doesn't start until July (July 2 – 13), the May tournaments set the stage for the summer, during which attendance records are anticipated to be shattered.
European Elite: From Luxurious Monaco to the Adriatic Coast
Europe keeps pace in May with a mix of ultra-high stakes action and accessible regional festivals. The first ten days of May belong to the culmination of the EPT Monte Carlo at the iconic Sporting Monte Carlo. The main attractions include the €5,300 Main Event (May 3 – 9) and a staggering €250,000 Super High Roller (May 3 – 4).
After the luxury of Monaco, attention shifts to Montenegro. From May 13 to 28, the Maestral Resort & Casino hosts the prestigious Triton Super High Roller Series Montenegro. The schedule features 16 events with buy-ins ranging from $25,000 to $200,000. The event includes a $100,000 Main Event in both popular variants (NLH, PLO).
America Offers More Than Just Bracelet Battles
Besides the WSOP, Las Vegas in May boasts more gigantic series that traditionally attract players. The Wynn Summer Classic starts at the Encore (from May 20), featuring a total prizepool worth over $40 million.
At the Venetian, players can look forward to the DeepStack Championship Poker Series (from May 18) with guarantees exceeding $16 million.
For lovers of mixed games and lower buy-ins, there's the Orleans Summer Open (from May 22), which kicks off with events in NLH, Triple Draw, and Omaha 8.
The May calendar is also complemented by the prestigious PokerGO Tour (PGT), which heads to Texas at the start of the month. A series of High Rollers with $3,100 buy-ins takes place at Houston's Champions Club Texas from May 6. The main draw, however, is the Texas Poker Open Main Event, featuring a $2,200 buy-in and a $1,000,000 guarantee.
A Global Quest for WSOPC Rings
For those not heading to Las Vegas in May, the World Series of Poker offers a rich schedule of regional WSOP Circuit stops. Ring battles will be fought across three continents:
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Commerce Casino, USA (May 7 – 18): One of California's most popular stops.
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Harrah's Cherokee, USA (May 7 – 18): A traditional event with massive attendance in North Carolina.
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Holland Casino Venlo, Netherlands (May 8 – 16): Europe's main stop for ring hunters this month.
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Playground, Canada (May 10 – 25): The popular casino in Quebec also hosts a Main Event with a 2.2 million Canadian dollars guarantee.
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Caesars New Orleans, USA (May 14 – 25): A beloved festival in the birthplace of jazz.
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Hilton Panama (May 7 – 17) and Casino Carrasco Montevideo, Uruguay (May 18 – 24): WSOPC expands further into Latin and South America.
Farewell in Melbourne
In Melbourne, Australia, May 10 marks the historic return of the legendary Aussie Millions. May days will be dedicated primarily to the $10,600 Main Event and prestigious High Rollers at Crown Melbourne.
Asia continues to make its mark with a trend of expansion, offering several attractive events:
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Poker Dream 22 Jeju (May 1 – 10): South Korea's island hosts the series' first stop outside Malaysia this year.
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VPT Championship III (May 5 – 17): Vietnam's Phu Quoc island hosts a festival at Corona Resort & Casino with a total guarantee of 66 billion VND.
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USOP Vietnam HaLong Bay (May 18 – 31): The U Series of Poker heads to the stunning Ha Long Bay with a guarantee of 120 billion VND.
Overview of Top Events – May 2026
|
Date |
Festival |
Location |
|
24.4. – 10.5. |
Aussie Millions Poker Championship |
Melbourne, Australia |
|
30.4. – 10.5. |
EPT Monte-Carlo |
Monte Carlo, Monaco |
|
1.5. – 10.5. |
Poker Dream 22 Jeju |
Jeju, South Korea |
|
5.5. – 17.5. |
VPT Championship III |
Phu Quoc, Vietnam |
|
6.5. – 11.5. |
Texas Poker Open (PGT) |
Houston, Texas, USA |
|
7.5. – 18.5. |
WSOP Circuit Commerce |
Commerce, USA |
|
7.5. – 18.5. |
WSOP Circuit Harrah's Cherokee |
Cherokee, USA |
|
8.5. – 16.5. |
WSOP Circuit Venlo |
Venlo, Netherlands |
|
10.5. – 25.5. |
WSOP Circuit Playground |
Kahnawake, Canada |
|
13.5. – 28.5. |
Triton SHRS Montenegro S5 |
Sveti Stefan, Montenegro |
|
14.5. – 25.5. |
WSOP Circuit New Orleans |
New Orleans, USA |
|
18.5. – 31.5. |
USOP Vietnam HaLong Bay |
Ha Long, Vietnam |
|
20.5. – 13.7. |
Wynn Summer Classic |
Las Vegas, USA |
|
26.5. – 15.7. |
57th WSOP (Las Vegas) |
Las Vegas, USA |
Sources: WSOP, Triton Poker, PGT, YouTube, The Hendon Mob, Wynn
