Mizrachi Wins WSOP PLO Championship, 9th Bracelet

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, a name synonymous with poker greatness, has further cemented his legendary status by claiming his ninth career World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet. In a dominant performance, Mizrachi triumphed in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, adding a staggering $1,350,203 to his bankroll and pushing his lifetime tournament earnings beyond the $30 million mark. This victory, coming just one year after his historic 2025 run where he won a record fourth $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC) and the WSOP Main Event, underscores his enduring prowess at the felt.

His win on June 29, 2026, held a particular resonance for Mizrachi. "Last year, on June 29, I won the PPC," Mizrachi shared with WSOP's Natalie Bode after his latest triumph. "And it’s June 29, 2026, and we won something different. I wanted to change it up a little bit." The 45-year-old Floridian pro attributed his continued success to renewed focus and improved health. "I just push myself harder and harder. This year, I got my health back. I feel much better. Lost 40 pounds since last main event, training twice a day, so I feel good. I’ve never felt any better than this, at 45."

This ninth bracelet places Mizrachi in an elite circle, tying him with Benny Glaser and the late Johnny Moss for sixth-most WSOP bracelets all-time. Glaser himself had just secured his ninth bracelet in the $50,000 PPC a mere three days prior to Mizrachi's win. The poker world is abuzz with these achievements, especially as they unfold on the eve of the 2026 WSOP Main Event, where Mizrachi will enter as the defending champion, fresh off this momentous victory.

The $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, a perennial magnet for top talent, attracted a formidable field of 836 entrants in 2026. This impressive turnout generated a total prize pool of $7,774,800, with 126 players ultimately making it into the money. By the close of Day 2, Mizrachi had already established himself as a dominant force, holding a significant chip lead among the 37 remaining players.

Among his closest competitors was the reigning Card Player Player of the Year, Jesse Lonis, who began Day 3 in third place. While Lonis experienced a rollercoaster of chip swings, at one point becoming the shortest stack at the unofficial nine-handed table, he staged a remarkable comeback. Lonis eliminated 2025 WSOP bracelet winner Aaron Kupin in ninth place ($102,599) with a turned straight, temporarily seizing the chip lead from Mizrachi.

The final table was a testament to Mizrachi's relentless aggression and strategic brilliance. He and Lonis clashed in a massive pot, with Mizrachi's pocket aces holding up against Lonis's flush and straight draws on a 7♥3♣2♥9♦ board. This pivotal hand saw Mizrachi reclaim a commanding chip lead. He then systematically dismantled his opponents, utilizing pocket aces to eliminate Irish pro Toby Joyce in eighth place ($132,908) when Mizrachi made a full house. Lonis's run ended in seventh place ($175,233) after his top pair and straight draw failed to materialize, becoming Mizrachi's next victim.

Mizrachi continued his relentless march towards victory, dispatching several more bracelet winners. He witnessed Michael Hahn's two-pair eliminate Raj Vohra in sixth place ($235,073) in a battle of short stacks. Mizrachi then eliminated Ian Matakis in fifth place ($320,763) with a busted flush draw turning into runner-runner two pair. On the final hand of Day 3, Mizrachi added Martin Zamani to his list of knockouts, making two pair to send the short-stacked Zamani home in fourth place ($445,080). By the end of Day 3, Mizrachi had amassed an almost insurmountable chip lead, having eliminated four bracelet winners at the final table alone.

The final day began with Mizrachi holding a colossal 40,225,000 chips against Michael Hahn's 4,450,000 and Zarvan Tumboli's 5,500,000. Tumboli, an Indian pro with a 2022 World Poker Tour Prime title and a 2025 WSOP final table appearance, and Hahn, a Heartland Poker Tour champion, were both vying for their first WSOP bracelet. While Tumboli managed to double up a few times, Hahn's journey ended in third place ($627,832) when his flopped flush draw and pair couldn't overcome Mizrachi's pocket jacks.

Tumboli, despite narrowing the chip gap to a 2:1 deficit, could not overcome Mizrachi's dominance. In the decisive final hand, the chips went in on a J♠8♠8♥ flop. Tumboli's A♠A♥6♦3♥ was ahead, but Mizrachi's J♥10♦7♥6♠ had outs. The 4♣ turn added four more outs for Mizrachi, and the 9♠ on the river completed his jack-high straight, securing his ninth bracelet. The Mizrachi family's celebratory embrace, captured by the WSOP, perfectly encapsulated the moment.

This monumental win earned Mizrachi 2,280 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points, bringing his yearly total to 2,500 and placing him in 65th in the overall standings. Jesse Lonis, despite his seventh-place finish, is now in eighth place in the POY race, continuing his quest for back-to-back titles. Mizrachi also collected 1,100 PokerGO Tour (PGT) points, boosting his season total to 1,220 and positioning him favorably for his second consecutive PGT $1 Million Championship. Tumboli's runner-up finish propelled him to 23rd on the PGT leaderboard, while Lonis's 175 PGT points put him just inside the top 39.

| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | Michael Mizrachi | $1,350,203 | 2,280 | 1,100 | | 2 | Zarvan Tumboli | $900,088 | 1,900 | 900 | | 3 | Michael Hahn | $627,832 | 1,520 | 628 | | 4 | Martin Zamani | $445,080 | 1,140 | 445 | | 5 | Ian Matakis | $320,763 | 950 | 321 | | 6 | Raj Vohra | $235,073 | 760 | 235 | | 7 | Jesse Lonis | $175,233 | 570 | 175 | | 8 | Toby Joyce | $132,908 | 380 | 133 |