button in Safari
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #49: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$3,473,225
Total Entries
1,561
Level
34
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
1,561
Players Left
275
Players Left 1 / 1,561
Filter
Since 2023, Santhosh Suvarna has battled against the best players in the world. His fearless attitude, combined with his affable nature, has propelled him to over $20 million in career earnings, with the vast majority coming in just the last three years.
Fast forward to 2026, and Suvarna is now the first Indian to win three live WSOP bracelets. Here, PokerNews takes a look back at his WSOP history and how he's come to be a recurring fixture in these big buy-in events.
As per the WSOP LIVE app.
The poker community asked, and the WSOP listened.
In a major shake-up to the Poker Hall of Fame, the induction process is shifting away from its traditional "winner-takes-all" format. A brand-new voting system has been introduced, paving the way for up to six of the eight nominees to be inducted in a single year.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Poker Hall of Fame. Once the public determines the top eight nominees, the final decision will rest with the 33 living Hall of Fame members.
According to the WSOP Live app.
Cards are in the air from 2:00 p.m. local time in the second freezeout tournament of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP), Event #49: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em. Freezeouts are rare these days, particularly in the live arena, so expect this event to prove extremely popular, especially with poker purists.
As the event's name suggests, there are no reentries permitted. Everyone receives 35,000 chips for their $2,500 investment. Dust those chips off, and the quest for a WSOP bracelet is over for this event at least.
The $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em event earlier in the series saw 4,100 entries create $1,701,500 prize pool. This event won't attract as many players, due to its price point, but the prize pool and top prize will be far more substantial.
📌 Event Snapshot
- Event: #49 – $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em
- Date(s): June 16–18, 2026
- Time: 2:00 p.m. local time
- Buy-In: $2,500
- Format: No-Limit Hold’em
- Late Registration: Open until the end of Level 12 (approx.00:00 a.m. on Day 1)
- Reentry: None
- Starting Stack: 35,000 chips
- Levels: 40 minutes on Day 1, 60 minutes on Day 2 to finish
- 2025 Winner: Cary Katz – $449,245
- 2025 Field Size: 1,299 entries
- 2025 Prize Pool: $2,890,275
Structure and Schedule
Play begins at 2 p.m. with 40-minute levels throughout Day 1. Players who return for Day 2 will be treated to a slower 60-minute clock until the completion of the tournament.
Day 1 will play 15 levels, whereas those who bag up will come back for Day 2 to play another 10 levels. Those that are still in contention will return on Day 3, playing down to a winner.
Late registration closes at the end of Level 12, which is around midnight on Day 1.
Past Champions & Notable Winners
In 2025, Cary Katz defeated a field of 1,299 entries to win $449,245 and his first WSOP bracelet.
“I wasn't even supposed to play it. I didn't even have it on my schedule. I was going to rest this weekend and just get ready for the Main [Event]. But you know, I said I had a feeling I kind of want to play this.
“I like freezeouts. I'll go over and late register the freezeout and see what happens. And it was a good decision. I'm glad I took my shot.”
Are You Using MyStack?
Planning on playing this event? PokerNews activates MyStack for every WSOP event, regardless of that tournament's buy-in, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting
MyStack is a free poker tool that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. Once you have created a free PokerNews account, you can use MyStack to update your chip counts in real time; hopefully, your stack will continue increasing throughout the event!
Never Miss a Moment with MyPlayers on PokerNews
Stay closer than ever to the action with MyPlayers. This brand new, free feature on PokerNews puts your favorite poker players front and center. Whether you're keeping tabs on legends like Daniel Negreanu or following a friend grinding their way through a Day 2, MyPlayers delivers real-time updates tailored just for you. No subscriptions, no paywalls - just the hands, chip counts, and bustouts that matter most.
It’s simple: log in, search for any player in our live coverage, hit the star, and they’ll be added to your personalized MyPlayers list. You’ll see their progress across all live-reported events, with chip counts and updates pinned right where you need them at the top.
From railbirds to backers, MyPlayers is the smarter way to stay connected to the game.
Event #49: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 Started
