wsop
Dylan Smith Captures Long-Awaited Maiden Bracelet in Mixed Big Bet
Dylan Smith secured his first World Series of Poker bracelet, triumphing in Event #71: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet for a prize of $182,591.
TL;DR
After years of close calls and deep runs, Dylan Smith finally claimed his inaugural WSOP gold bracelet in the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet event. He outlasted 386 entries to win $182,591, bringing his career earnings past $5.5 million.
Event #71: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet, a unique seven-game mix that combines various No-Limit and Pot-Limit formats, concluded at the Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. Dylan Smith emerged victorious from a field of 386 entries, securing his first coveted WSOP gold bracelet and the top prize of $182,591 from the $858,850 prize pool. This win propelled his career earnings beyond $5.5 million.
Smith's victory followed a series of impressive performances throughout the 2026 WSOP, marking his second final table appearance of the series. He navigated through a challenging field, ultimately besting Matt Vengrin in a head-to-head battle. Vengrin, a former bracelet winner, earned $118,647 for his runner-up finish.
Smith expressed his excitement, acknowledging that a bracelet win had been a long-standing goal after numerous deep runs and final table appearances, including two second-place finishes and two third-place finishes in past WSOP events. He credits his diverse skill set, honed in various poker variants, particularly the 'rogue ones' practiced in Florida, for his success in the mixed-game format.
The final day of action was marked by several eliminations in 2-7 Triple Draw. Ryuta Nakai and Scott Abrams were among the early casualties. Steve Billirakis exited in seventh place, followed by Danny Chang in sixth. Smith then eliminated Hiroyuki Noda, and Renan Bruschi. Three-time bracelet winner Naoya Kihara finished in third, setting up the heads-up match between Smith and Vengrin.
The heads-up play saw Vengrin briefly rally, but Smith maintained his lead. The final hand occurred in Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw, with Smith making an eight-seven to Vengrin's ten-eight, sealing the victory and his first WSOP bracelet.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Dylan Smith | United States | $182,591 | | 2 | Matt Vengrin | United States | $118,647 | | 3 | Naoya Kihara | Japan | $78,984 | | 4 | Renan Bruschi | Brazil | $53,889 | | 5 | Hiroyuki Noda | Japan | $37,706 | | 6 | Danny Chang | United States | $27,075 | | 7 | Steve Billirakis | United States | $19,964 |
