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Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha
Day 3 Completed
2026 World Series of Poker
Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha
Day: 3
Event Info
2026 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$4,192,320
Total Entries
4,764
Level
41
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000
Entries
34
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 4,764
Filter
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
After an unprecedented extra day in Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha, a victor has finally been crowned, and that victor goes by the name of Matthew Shepsky.
He managed to navigate his way through both four-card and bounty madness to come out on top of the massive 4,764-strong field, for his maiden WSOP bracelet at the 2026 World Series of Poker.
Shepsky will not only be leaving the series with his first WSOP gold, but he will also be pocketing a massive $305,000 winner’s payday, as well as over $20,000 for the ten bounties he accrued along the way. Those numbers stem from the massive $4,192,320 total prize pool that was generated across both Day 1 flights.
This score brings Shepsky’s live earnings to just shy of the $2,000,000 mark, as well as besting his previous career-high score of $262,300, according to The Hendon Mob.
The loser of the heads-up battle, Alex Manzano, put in a very valiant effort across the three days of play and fell at the final hurdle in his quest to double his bracelet tally. He will be receiving a very respectable score of $204,000, as well as any mystery bounties he accrued along the way.
Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Shepsky | United States | $305,000 |
| 2 | Alex Manzano | Chile | $204,000 |
| 3 | Jeremy Kerbel | United States | $151,000 |
| 4 | Christopher Vitch | United States | $112,000 |
| 5 | Mark Radoja | Canada | $84,000 |
| 6 | Nick Pupillo | United States | $64,000 |
| 7 | Wojciech Barzantny | Austria | $49,000 |
| 8 | Andre Rieder | United States | $38,000 |
Winner’s Reaction
On the final table, the only acceptable way to describe Shepsky’s performance is that he steamrolled the competition. By the time there were five players left, he already had half of the chips in his possession. Not only that, but he put them to good use, thanks to his previous experience with Omaha.
“I started playing PLO cash in 2013,” Shepsky recounted to PokerNews. “I’ve only played PLO cash since then; I’m primarily a cash player.”
It was exactly this experience in cash that led him to victory, as he drew upon aspects of the format to enhance his tournament play. “I used to play a lot of sit-and-gos,” he added, “so I did my best to keep the pressure on, even when I had a garbage hand.”
This pressure helped him to not look back once after garnering the chip lead, as he ground his opponents down and built his stack up in the process. This pressure was best shown with the ICM prison he managed to put his opponents in four-handed play, picking spots and ensuring that his dominance over the table was felt.
Shepsky is also no stranger to “Squid Game” cash sessions, which further aided him in the mystery bounty format. This experience really helped him to “gauge who was willing to blow their whole stacks for a bounty, and who was playing a little more carefully.” Not only did Shepksy play his cards, but he made sure to play the player, too.
He admitted to being locked in for the full tournament: “These opportunities don’t come round often,” he noted, but after the win was confirmed, he let his emotions be known.
“I’m ecstatic,” he admitted. “There’s no better feeling than winning a tournament.” Following the victory, Shepsky will undoubtedly return to the tournament streets, but first, he will be returning to Chicago, where his family awaits him to celebrate together. For tonight, however, there are no prizes for guessing who’s paying for his rail’s meal.
Final Table Action
Shawn Stroke, who was chip leading to start the day, was the unfortunate first casualty of the final nine. He missed out on the official final table by a hair, as his set of kings was cracked by the broadway of Jeremy Kerbel. Shortly after, Shepsky picked up his first elimination of the final table by sending home Andre Rieder.
The bounty king himself was next to go, as Wojciech Barzantny couldn't add to his total of 23, falling to Christopher Vitch. Shepsky would then play executioner once again, sending home Nick Pupillo in sixth, by flopping him all but dead.
Shortly after, the tide started to really turn in Shepsky's favour, as he found a huge hero call against Kerbel with a low flush on a paired board to take nearly half the chips in play. Five-handed play would go on for a while, with multiple short stacks doubling, but it would be Shepsky to end the streak as he sent Mark Radoja packing in fifth.
After that, it looked a sure thing for Shepsky. He sent Vitch home first, with Big Slick doing the job, but Vitch would receive quite the consolation prize.
Shepsky then won several pots uncontested preflop, as each of his two opponents aimed to simply outlast the other. Manzano found himself in a ridiculous ICM spot, and essentially won a flip for a $50,000 pay jump, as he doubled before Kerbel bust in third.
The first hand of heads-up was also the last, as Shepsky made nines and queens against Manzano to wrap up the competition and secure the most coveted prize in poker.
Stay tuned as PokerNews offers yet more live coverage throughout the rest of the WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas.
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Matthew Shepsky has overcome the field to be crowned victor in Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha.
Stay tuned as PokerNews brings you a full recap of the day's action, as well as a reaction from the winner.
Event #87: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Shepsky | United States | $305,000 |
| 2 | Alex Manzano | Chile | $204,000 |
| 3 | Jeremy Kerbel | United States | $151,000 |
| 4 | Christopher Vitch | United States | $112,000 |
| 5 | Mark Radoja | Canada | $84,000 |
| 6 | Nick Pupillo | United States | $64,000 |
| 7 | Wojciech Barzantny | Austria | $49,000 |
| 8 | Andre Rieder | United States | $38,000 |
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Alex Manzano moved all in on the button for 6,200,000 and Matthew Shepsky called in the big blind.
Alex Manzano: K♥10♦6♠4♥ 
Matthew Shepsky: J♠9♠6♥4♣
The board ran out 5♠Q♦9♥Q♣8♠, and Manzano was eliminated in 2nd place.
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Matthew Shepsky raised to 6,500,000 from the button and Jeremy Kerbel was forced all-in for 2,000,000 from the big blind.
Jeremy Kerbel: Q♣6♠5♥4♣
Matthew Shepsky: K♥J♣8♣3♦
The board ran out 10♣7♥A♦K♣7♠, and Kerbel was eliminated in 3rd place.
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Christopher Vitch had managed to collect a whopping 21 bounties over the course of the tournament, and opted to hold onto them up until his elimination in fourth.
With 29 prizes still up for grabs, including a $50,000 chest, Vitch handed his tickets over, and sweated the results.
The results were relatively banal, as he pulled plenty of minimum $500 bounties, however he did manage to score two worth $1,000 and four worth $2,500.
He was down to his final pull, with a one in nine chance of getting the big one, and to his delight the screen showed $50,000 as his final reward for the numerous eliminations he racked up.
In total, his 21 bounties amounted to a cool $69,000
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Following nine successive hands of Matthew Shepsky taking it down preflop, given the stack distrubutions, Jeremy Kerbel found himself on the button, with just 4,000,000 in his stack. He made the fold, knowing that next hand he would be forced all in.
Matthew Shepsky then potted in the small blind, and big blind Alex Manzano had just 600,000 behind. In a brutal ICM spot, he didn't even look at his cards, as he pondered whether to take matters into his own hands, or let his opponent bust for a whopping $50,000 pay ladder. Eventually, he stuck it in.
Alex Manzano: A♣A♠10♥7♥
Matthew Shepsky: J♥10♣9♦4♣
Unbelievably, Manzano had woken up with aces. Kerbel was praying for them to get cracked, but they managed to make top boat on the K♥A♦10♠2♥K♦ runout, securing Manzano's survival.
Level 41
: Blinds 1,000,000/2,000,000, 2,000,000 ante
Matthew Shepsky raised to 5,500,000 in the cutoff, and Christopher Vitch called in the big blind.
The flop came 8♥K♣7♦, and Vitch led all in for 4,000,000 and Shepsky snap-called.
Christopher Vitch: A♠Q♣J♣9♦
Matthew Shepsky: A♣K♥10♣7♣
The board ran out J♠ on the turn and the 2♠ on the river to eliminate Vitch in 4th place.
Level: 41
Blinds: 1,000,000/2,000,000
Ante: 2,000,000
Level 40
: Blinds 1,000,000/1,500,000, 1,500,000 ante
Jeremy Kerbel limped in on the button, as did Christopher Vitch in the small blind. Matthew Shepsky checked his option in the big blind, and the three saw a flop of K♥Q♦J♦
Action checked to Kerbel, who slid forward 3,500,000. Vitch folded, but Shepsky stuck around with a call.
When the K♣ turn was dealt, he asked the dealer what the size of the pot was, before putting in 8,000,000. Kerbel stuck around, leaving himself 14,000,000 behind.
Shepsky asked for all of it on the 8♦ river, as Kerbel took in a deep breath before beginning his tank. He mulled over his decision for around five whole minutes, before making a pained fold.
