button in SafariThe Penultimate Event of the 2026 WSOP is the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
The penultimate event on the schedule of the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas is Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em. This one begins at 2 p.m. on July 14, and those who navigate to Day 2 return to the tables at 1 p.m. on July 15.
Expect a fair number of high-profile players and a total prize pool that will likely exceed $3,000,000. Players will be eager not only to scoop one of the last remaining WSOP bracelets on offer, but also to add points to their WSOP Player of the Year tally. This event could prove pivotal in determining the top 100 on the leaderboard heading to the conclusion of the POY race at WSOP Paradise in December, with players finishing in those positions being awarded tickets and packages to future WSOP events worth up to $100,000.
📌 Event Snapshot
- Event: #99 – $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em
- Date(s): July 14-15
- Time: 2 p.m. local time
- Buy-In: $5,000
- Format: No-Limit Hold’em
- Late Registration: Open for 12 levels (approximately 8:45 p.m.)
- Reentries: one per player
- Starting Stack: 50,000 chips
- Levels: 30 minutes
- 2025 Winner: Andrew Ostapchenko ($606,849)
- 2025 Field Size: 735
- 2025 Prize Pool: $3,381,000
Structure and Schedule
The action in Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em kicks off at 2 p.m. on July 14. Late registration will be available until the end of Level 12, with one reentry permitted per player.
Blind levels are 30 minutes throughout the tournament, and players will start with a 50,000-chip stack. Every two hours (four levels), there will be a 15-minute break in the proceedings, except after Level 12, when the break will last 20 minutes.
After 20 levels, all remaining players will bag their chips and then return for Day 2, which starts at 1 p.m. on July 15. Once again, there will be 15-minute breaks every four levels until the event plays down to a winner. Traditional PokerNews coverage will begin on Day 2.
Past Champions & History
The reigning champion for the $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold’em event is Andrew Ostapchenko. The American overcame a field of 735 to secure a payday of $606,849.
Other winners from recent years include Alex Keating, Michael Wang, Boris Kolev and Carl Shaw.
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