Top 10 WSOP players to watch in 2026

The World Series of Poker is here, and the time to cast some predictions has come.

Hundreds of the best poker players in the world descended on Las Vegas to compete for the most prestigious tournament poker titles across two months of non-stop action.

After careful consideration, these are our picks for the top 10 players to watch at this year’s WSOP, as we expect exceptional results from each one on the list.

10. Nicholas Palma
Nicholas Palma, better known as Nicky P, is a tournament player who’s been around for years and has consistently been one of the hardest-working players on the circuit.

Nicky P. has been announcing that his time is coming for years, and while those predictions haven’t always materialized, he has never failed to put in the work and the hours. Nicky’s career has been on the up, and he is expected to put in quite a schedule at the 2026 WSOP, especially in the low-to-mid stakes NLH and PLO tournaments.

With many entries and playing against fields filled with recreational players, Nicky P may just be in for a breakout summer of his own.

If he does make some deep runs, Palma is almost guaranteed to stir up some drama and make for an interesting watch, which is why we recommend keeping an eye out for his name on any final table rosters this summer.

9. Shiina Okamoto
Shiina Okamoto is a player we don’t have to praise too much, as her results speak for themselves.

A young Japanese sensation, Okamoto has won the WSOP Ladies Event in both 2025 and 2024, after finishing 2nd in 2023, which in itself is one of the most impressive feats we have ever seen in tournament poker.

Of course, Okamoto is not only a contender in female-exclusive events; she consistently puts in deep runs and delivers serious results in open-field events with hundreds of players. Only a few years into her poker career, Shiina already has two WSOP bracelets, over a million in tournament winnings, and one of the biggest social media followings of all female poker players.

Okamoto is due for a major open-field event win at the WSOP, and this summer could be the time for her to shine on the big stage.

8. Yuri Dzivielevski
Some poker players come and go, but Yuri Dzivielevski is certainly not one of those players. A staple of the tournament poker scene, Dzivielevski has been one of the top contenders at the WSOP for years.

A five-time WSOP bracelet winner from Brazil, Dzivielevski thrives across different poker formats, competing just as well in mixed games as he does in NLH events.

Yuri will be going into the WSOP fresh off his Super High Roller Bowl Mixed Games win in February, and will be looking to keep the streak going. Look out for Yuri in various mixed game tournaments, as he puts in an impressive volume in search of bracelet number six.

7. Brandon Wilson
We would be making a mistake if we didn’t mention the number one player on the 2026 tournament winnings list as one of the ones to watch at the WSOP.

Brandon Wilson is a relatively new name on the tournament poker scene, but his impressive run in 2026 has the poker world watching his every move.

He started the year with a double win at EPT Paris, followed it up by winning over $3 million at Triton Poker SHRS Jeju, and kept making impressive runs at PGT events in the PokerGO Studio.

Now, with the WSOP around the corner, we can expect Wilson to show up in Las Vegas and keep doing what he does best, while also riding the wave of good fortune that seems to be going his way this year.

If he can keep the run alive, Brandon should have a very real chance of winning some WSOP silverware and putting his name down in the poker history books this summer.

6. Jesse Lonis
In just a few short years, Jesse Lonis has amassed nearly $30 million in tournament poker winnings and become one of the most recognizable names on the tour.

A regular on the PGT and Triton Poker Series, Lonis excels in high roller events, but has no problem rolling up his sleeves and playing against big fields either, as he’s shown with his WPT performances.

Jesse is not an expert in the mixed games, which puts him at a disadvantage at the WSOP, but his time to shine will come in the various big buyin tournaments across the summer.

His success at the WSOP has been limited so far, but should the variance break his way, he is the kind of player who can easily book multiple wins in a single summer.

Keep your eyes on Jesse Lonis at this year’s WSOP if you want to watch some big bluffs, fearless moves, and deep runs from a player who loves to think outside of the box.

5. Martin Kabrhel
Love him or hate him, Martin Kabrhel always makes for good TV poker, and big tournament festivals like the WSOP are his time to shine.

Since putting on a show at last year’s WSOP, Martin hasn’t been taking any breaks, as he’s played the WSOP Paradise festival in December and the WSOPE in April in preparation for the summer.

Last year’s Mini Main Event winner will be looking for his chances in the high rollers and the big field events alike, as he is another player who doesn’t mind putting in the work to get the results.

Expect to see a lot of Martin Kabrhel on the WSOP coverage this year, as he continues to seek the spotlight, antagonize other players, and more often than not, get the results he was hoping for.

Kabrhel Catches Lonis Speeding

Martin Kabrhel takes on the world’s top-ranked tournament player, Jesse Lonis, in an all-in confrontation that sees Kabrhel pick off his "banana bluff". pic.twitter.com/VGN35N6k1w
— WSOP - World Series of Poker (@WSOP) May 29, 2026

4. Jeremy Ausmus
There are few poker players in the world with the versatility and scope that Jeremy Ausmus has shown over the years.

A master of both big bet games and mixed games, Ausmus has consistently been a major threat in WSOP events across all buyin levels and game types for many years.

Jeremy is the kind of player who will almost certainly make a final table or two at the WSOP, and his chances of winning a bracelet are as high as anyone’s, as he’s able to play and truly compete in all the different formats the Series brings to the table.

Ausmus has also been keeping his game sharp, as he already has 17 cashes in various PGT events since the start of the year, so he will be going into the WSOP ready for anything that gets thrown his way.

Ausmus is a true tournament poker superstar and will likely be a strong POY contender, despite missing out on the WSOPE leg of the Series altogether.

3. Kristen Foxen
Widely regarded as the best female poker player of all time, Kristen Foxen has built an impressive year, winning over $15 million in poker tournaments and becoming a staple of the high-stakes tournament poker scene.

She kicked off her 2026 with a few deep runs in various PGT events and built on that momentum by getting a 1st and a 2nd at the recent US Poker Open.

Kristen’s deep run in the 2024 WSOP Main Event will forever be one of the most memorable Main Event runs by a female player, and this year, she will get a chance to do one better.

An expert in high roller No Limit Hold’em events, Foxen will get multiple chances at gold in small-field NLH events, but will also be highly competitive in tournaments with large fields made up of mostly recreational players. Kristen Foxen has been one of the favorites at every tournament festival she shows up at for years, and the 2026 WSOP will be no exception.

2. Daniel Negreanu
Daniel Negreanu has had one of the slowest starts to the year we have ever seen from him, as he only recorded a single cash at the PGT Championship in January.

Yet, the WSOP is always his time to shine, and the Canadian poker legend is guaranteed to be one of the most active players at the Series. For years, Daniel has made WSOP his absolute priority, playing every event he can get into, and focusing on the high rollers and mixed game events.

Considering his impressive skills in poker formats that aren’t No Limit Hold’em, and his recent focus on Pot Limit Omaha, we are likely to see Daniel make quite a few deep runs in mixed game events.

The seven-time WSOP bracelet winner is still looking for that one summer where it all comes together, and 2026 could easily be it.

Whether Kid Poker goes on a heater or not, we know he will be making a few deep runs. His WSOP Vlogs will give us a chance to track his every move in Las Vegas, and this makes him one of our top ones to watch at the WSOP this year. If following Negreanu's WSOP run inspires you to get some hands in yourself, check some online poker sites yourself to find everything you need to get started.

Today I get the full featured-table treatment in the $25K Heads-Up Championship.

Lights. Cameras. Poker.

Day 7 of the WSOP Vlog premieres in 30 minutes.

Join the live chat:https://t.co/wNamC0zhuX @GGPoker pic.twitter.com/oXtZJya6QN
— Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) June 1, 2026

1. Shaun Deeb
When it comes to tournament poker, there are few players who fall into the same elite category as Shaun Deeb, one of the most successful tournament players of all time.

Not only is Shaun always a strong contender in any tournament series, but WSOP in particular is his specialty, and the one time of the year when he truly locks in.

Last year, Deeb put in another impressive run and won the Player of the Year (POY) title, and he has already made it clear that he intends to defend the title with his strong showing at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) this spring.

A master of all tournament formats and poker games, Deeb will be a threat across dozens of events and is one of the players who are almost guaranteed to make at least a couple of final tables. It would be no surprise at all to see Deeb extend his record by one or two bracelets either, and all of this makes him our number one to watch at this year’s WSOP.