WSOP Day 31: Glaser Bags Ninth Bracelet, Todd Brunson Chases Second

Glaser Reigns as King of Mixed Games

Benny Glaser reinforced his reputation as arguably the best mixed games player today by conquering one of the most prestigious WSOP 2026 tournaments and collecting his ninth gold bracelet along with $1,343,764. This victory ties him with the legendary Johnny Moss, with only a handful of legends like Hellmuth, Ivey, Brunson, Seidel, and Chan ahead of him in bracelet count.

The remarkable emotional outburst from the usually composed Glaser was a surprise but an understandable moment. Known for his focus and calm demeanor, Glaser sank to his knees, overwhelmed with emotion, after the final river card. “It was a moment where I felt free to let go. It was over, and I could release all the emotions,” Glaser confessed, now freshly owning the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy.

The final day was unexpectedly fast. Any hope Phil Ivey had for a record-breaking 12th bracelet evaporated as he finished in 3rd place ($600,698). Ivey's fate was sealed in a Limit 2-7 Triple Draw discipline by Josh Arieh.

Josh Arieh entered the final heads-up against Glaser with a slight lead, but the British phenomenon crushed his opponent. In the last hand in Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Arieh’s A s 7 s 4 d 3 s couldn’t stand against Glaser’s A h Q d 7 d 4 c. On the board K c 4 s ​​​​​​​3 h ​​​​​​​Q s ​​​​​​​J d, Arieh had two pairs but Glaser hit higher two pairs, sealing his victory.

The freshly 37-year-old Glaser has cemented his star status in the poker world, considered a shoo-in for the Poker Hall of Fame, although he still has three years to wait to meet the age requirement of 40.

Final Table Results Event #60: $50,000 Poker Players Championship

Historic Finnish Finale and Parssinen's Summer Double

The exclusive $25K High Roller NLH/PLO crowned its champion in a historic duel between two Finnish legends. Eelis Parssinen emerged victorious from a field of 214 entries, securing his second gold bracelet of the summer (his third career-wise) and a prize of $1,172,296. 

The concluding heads-up against Juha Helppi lasted over two hours, marking the first all-Finnish bracelet showdown in WSOP history.

Parssinen hit a flush in Pot-Limit Omaha to finally break Helppi's resolve, who took home a career-best $781,500 for second place.

The final table also featured more stars. Sean Winter claimed the third spot and continues to be among the biggest stars without a bracelet. The legendary Daniel Negreanu ended his quest for his eighth bracelet in 7th place.

Final Table Results Event #64: $25,000 High Roller PLO/NLH Mixed 

Todd Brunson on to Second Bracelet After 21 Years

The prestigious $10K Limit 2-7 championship has concluded a grueling second day, narrowing down to 11 players from the 176 entries. The total prize pool stands at $1,636,800, with the winner set to receive $392,478.

Legendary Todd Brunson leads the pack, with a chance to add a second career bracelet more than two decades after his first in 2005.

The final table is star-studded. Attention is drawn to Hall of Famer Billy Baxter, widely regarded as the greatest Lowball player ever, seeking his sixth bracelet in this discipline (eighth overall). Nick Schulman and Naoya Kihara remain in the chase, both eyeing results crucial in the Player of the Year race.

Leaderboard Before Final Day – Event #67: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Championship

Quick Exit for Queen Okamoto

The Ladies Championship made history this year, drawing a record 1,475 entries, surpassing last year's participation, and creating a prize pool of $1,298,000. After ten opening levels, 338 women remain in contention, led by American Erika Weinstein.

The biggest disappointment of the day was the downfall of defending champion Shiina Okamoto. The Japanese pro, who won the event in 2024 and 2025, had the honor of announcing “Shuffle Up and Deal”, but her dream of a historic third consecutive victory ended on the first day.

Okamoto used both available re-entries, but failed to make it through this year. Among those advancing is notable author and bracelet holder Maria Konnikova and 2022 champion Jessica Teusl.

Top 10 Stacks After Day 1 – Event #68: $1,000 Ladies Championship 

Negreanu in Top Ten After Day One

The $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo started with 647 players competing for shares of an $858,892 prize pool. After the first day, the field has thinned to 146, led by American Will Berry.

Daniel Negreanu confirmed his excellent form after falling at the $25K High Roller final table, immediately jumping into this event and finishing the opening day in 10th place.

The advancing players include notable names like David Bach, Jon Kyte, and Mike Matusow, who will fight for a bracelet and the $159,276 winner's prize.

Top 10 Stacks After Day 1 – Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better

First French Triumph at WSOP 2026

The tournament for players over 60 crowned its champion after a dramatic final day. France's Lionel Barracano took down the $1K Super Seniors, besting a massive field of 3,323 entries to claim his first gold bracelet and a life-changing $355,263.

For Barracano, a 20-year poker player, it was sweet redemption after finishing in a frustrating 12th place in the same event in 2024.

The path to victory included a tough heads-up battle against seasoned Kevin Song, a bracelet winner from 1997. Song entered the final duel with a slight lead, but Barracano's brilliance saw him to a life-defining win.

The tournament also saw a notable run from 2004 Main Event champion Greg Raymer, whose journey ended in 12th place.

Final Table Results Event #61: $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold'em

Jeweler from Cancun Turns Birthday Gift into Gold

Mexican jeweler Ciro Gonzalez transformed a birthday celebration trip into a gold bracelet win in Event #65: $1,500 Freezeout NLH.

Initially coming to play the seniors’ tournament, Gonzalez jumped into the Freezeout on a friend’s advice after busting the previous event. The decision proved pivotal as he displayed a dominant performance among 2,617 players, netting a life-changing $449,067 win.

Gonzalez played aggressively, dominating the final table by eliminating nearly the entire lineup. Remarkably, Gonzalez had never scored a five-figure win before this event.

Final Table Results Event #65: $1,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em

Team Gold Hunt Slowed by Chip “Burglary”

The team competition saw a dramatic second day, leaving just 27 pairs from the initial 1,375 teams in the quest for a prestigious bracelet. The total prize pool soared to $1,210,000, with $184,769 earmarked for the winning team.

The day was marked by a quirky incident during table breakdowns when one player unwittingly pocketed chips not his, causing significant delays. Tournament directors had to resolve the issue using video footage, ultimately returning the chips to their rightful owner.

Team Brewer (Christine Brewer and Orson Young) is in excellent shape, although Young joined the game mid-second day as he was competing at another final table on Day 1. 

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Top 10 Stacks After Day 2 – Event #66: $1,000 Tag Team

Edward Pak Chipleads Flight 1c in Mystery Millions

The third starting flight of Event #63: $1,000 Mystery Millions drew 3,143 entries, 158 of whom advanced to Day Two. Edward Pak, an American who made a deep run in the Main Event two years ago, led the day with a massive stack of 2.88 million chips.

Familiar names advancing include bracelet holder Nick Pupillo, Brek Schutten, and Jason Wheeler. The tournament will continue with additional flights until all advancing players meet in a combined second day to start the hunt for the Mystery Bounty.

Sources: WSOP, WSOP Live, X