WSOP Set to Return on ESPN Once Again

The World Series of Poker, the Benny Binion-founded poker juggernaut, and ESPN have confirmed a new streaming deal on Thursday, which will see the world’s most prestigious and popular poker event return on the broadcast network. 

ESPN to Bring Top-Tier Poker Action to Fans

The multi-year streaming alliance will commence with this year’s edition of the event, which is due to kick off on July 2, 2026, and will run through the final table, which will be hosted from August 3 through August 5, 2026. 

Details of the deal have already been shared, with coverage of three tables running simultaneously, for the Main Event specifically, arguably the most fun and worthwhile of the competitions on the schedule.

Commenting on this significant achievement, Ty Stewart, the World Series of Poker CEO, welcomed the development as a fantastic way to bring more high-paced viewing experience to poker aficionados. 

“It’s with great pride that the WSOP is coming home to ESPN. The legacy of this partnership helped the game explode, and we can’t wait to deliver inspiration through world-class content to a new generation of viewers,” Stewart. 

The WSOP Main Event promises to be one of the most significant in history, after last year’s edition saw a total prize pool of $90.5 million made possible by more than 9,735 players. 

It was the third-largest Main Event in the series history, but Stewart is confident that the event is yet to break all records.

However, restrictions on traveling from overseas under the Trump administration may have worsened the climate for foreign-born and visiting players. In the meantime, the WSOP continues to be a culturally relevant brand, with numerous things happening around it.

For one, Phil Hellmuth, holder of 17 WSOP bracelets, has recently shared his opinion that the number of bracelets awarded each year should be lowered. He argued that by introducing more of these events, the value of the original bracelets was being devalued.