Who will win the 2026 WSOP Main Event? The poker pros make their picks

What do the pros think? Who will pocket a life-changing $10,000,000? 

Read on and find out. 

The final nine will return to Vegas to play for $10 million on August 3.

Bryn Kenney (Jumalon)

With the lead Jumalon has, it’s hard to pick anyone else but the chip leader.

SPECIAL OFFERS

• 
• 
• 
• 

David 'ODB' Baker (Jumalon)

It's hard to go against Jumalon with that chip lead. 

I'm good friends with Greg Mueller and Jamie Shaevel, so I’ll be rooting for them. But if not them, I think Jumalon would be a very good ambassador of the game. All I really care about is someone who loves and represents the game in the best way possible.

Lucas Jumalon has the chip lead, and David Baker believes he'd be a good ambassador for the game.

Hayley Hochstetler

Adam Levy (Jumalon)

I think it's clear Jumalon is the favorite, and as long as he can play a good final table, he should secure a nice payday. As long as he doesn't get blind with his aggression like he did in a few spots and was bailed out, he has such a good shot to win it all.

Michael Gagliano plays solid, and given a few early big hands, he can be formidable.

Rami Hammoud played amazing for an alleged 'rec'. I'm skeptical! That queens fold versus [Antonio] Galiana was elite. He has a shot too, especially being second in chips.

Han Feng is the dark horse. He's 8th in chips with 17 bigs, but he's got the skills to win if he gets some heat.

And lastly, I think Greg 'FBT' Mueller played very, very tight at the final two tables, but that was a bit of an over-adjustment. He's simply not that tight, and he's got good instincts. I think he could surprise a lot of people. It's unlikely he wins, but he's going to show up and make some moves.

Allen Kessler (Jumalon)

Jumalon got exceptionally lucky to be in the position he's in. The A-T all in preflop hand versus Givens' A-Q should have sealed his fate. That being said, I think he will use his big stack to his advantage and bully the mid-to-low stacks by opening a lot.

My sentiment lies with Greg 'FBT' Mueller, as I've known him a long time and I always root for friends.

Lucas Jumalon survived with A-T against Will Givens' A-Q to build the chip lead.

Dara O’Kearney (Jumalon)

Jumalon has such a big chip lead he has to be the strong favorite, not just because he has the most chips but because the table and stacks are nicely set up for the chip lead to accumulate steadily without taking big risks. He’s also the only one I’ve spoken to, and he seems like a great guy, so I’m rooting for him.

The stacks apart from him are very compact, which should force the others to play very tight initially, and he has the position on the second biggest stack, so I think it’s just a really great setup for him.

Jamie Gold (Jumalon)

Similar to Jumalon, I was a massive chip leader going into the 2006 final table.

If he asked me for advice, I would share the best ways to block out the noise and prepare not just for poker, but physically, mentally, and spiritually. I would share how to enjoy the entire experience, focus on his game that got him there, and see the situation clearly from experience. I wish him and all the final table players the joy and thrill of it that I was so fortunate to have.

Jumalon is the chip leader and has the momentum and style that give him an edge over the field. 

Greg Mueller is the player I'm closest to, and I know how strong a player he is. He would be my favorite if all stacks were equal. 

Michael Gagliano has more experience at that level than most others, which helps a lot.

Greg Mueller would be Jamie Gold's pick if all the chip stacks were level.

Lexy Gavin-Mather (Gagliano)

I think Mike Gagliano is going to win. I played with Mike back in the day at the Borgata, and I always admired his play. He’s super solid, and I’m not surprised at all that he made it to the final table. Mike's been in the game for probably close to two decades, so he has a lot of experience. He’s also a really good guy, and I’m definitely rooting for him to win.

Michael Gagliano has the experience and Lexy Gavin-Mather thinks he can overcome the chip deficit.

Hayley Hochstetler

Aaron Barone (Hammoud)

Going into the final table, Lucas Jumalon has to be the favorite. He's not only the chip leader but has more than a third of the chips in play.  With the middle stacks incentivized to avoid confrontation and Jumalon's willingness to be aggressive, he has a real chance to run away with the bracelet.

That said, I went back and watched the Main Event Day 8 coverage and came away extremely impressed with Rami Hammoud, who enters the final table second in chips. He consistently found a variety of ways to pressure the field and is my pick to win it all.

I also want to give a shoutout to Mario Boos, the only player at the final table I shared the felt with (Day 6 feature table).  He helped contribute to the light-hearted banter at our table and was very solid, but I'm mainly rooting for him so I can tell people I played against the current WSOP Main Event champion.

Aaron Barone has gone for a left-field pick: Rami Hammoud.

Frankie C (Shaevel)

I think Jamie Shaevel will win it. He's got a confidence to him. A certain swagger. And third in chips, he's got plenty to work with. He's older and more experienced than the chip leader. He's got the face of a winner.

Jamie Shaevel – the face of a winner, according to Frankie C.

Hayley Hochstetler

Norman Chad (The field vs. Jumalon)

The best chance for Lucas Jumalon not to win is if they card him right before the final table and discover he’s been using a fake ID and is only 14 years old. 

Historically, chip leaders with this many chips win more often than not. But poker remains an odd animal — no lead is safe — so I'd bet on the field against Lucas. And anyone who has been around the game the past 20-plus years has to be rooting for a trimmer, tanner Greg Mueller to win it all.

Phil Hellmuth 

I'm rooting for Greg Mueller.

Jeff Platt

I try to stay out of the prediction game for the events I am a broadcaster on.

But I will say that I can’t wait for what is lining up to be a very entertaining final table. The atmosphere will be electric, and you can expect some big names to come check out the final table of the greatest poker tournament in the world.

Who's your pick to win? And why? Comment below.

The 2026 WSOP Main Event final table runs from Monday to Wednesday this coming week on ESPN2 and ESPN. Stick with PokerOrg for all the biggest hands and moments from poker’s biggest showcase and beyond.