Benny Glaser had his career-defining moment on Thursday night, winning the illustrious Poker Players Championship to win $1,343,764 and his ninth-career WSOP bracelet.
Glaser became just the seventh player to win nine WSOP bracelets, joining Phil Hellmuth (17), Phil Ivey (11), Doyle Brunson (10), Erik Seidel (10), Johnny Chan (10), and Johnny Moss (9). Amazingly, all nine of his bracelets have come in the last 11 years.
Glaser has long been considered one of poker’s all-time mixed games legends. Last year, he pulled off one of poker’s greatest-ever achievements, winning an astounding three bracelets over the course of a single week.
He’s a certified online poker legend, with nobody else having won more career COOP titles (28) other than newly-minted COOP king Patrick “Pads” Leonard (29). Now, Glaser stands alone as one of the very best to ever do it both live and online. The Poker Players Championship title, which comes with the famous Chip Reece trophy, has cemented his legacy as one of the best players to ever live.
He will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Poker Hall of Famer when he is eligible in three years. After all, he’s only 37, and one of the most universally liked players on the planet.
A time for emotions
When that final card hit and Glaser had secured victory, he immediately started to tear up. He shook Josh Arieh’s hand, a now two-time runner-up in the Poker Players Championship, and fell to his knees. Glaser walked over to his rail where he finally let go, sobbing in his friends’ arms.
The final hand in the nine-game mix came in Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better. Glaser raised from the button and then called off Arieh’s all in.
Arieh:
Glaser:
While Arieh flopped two pair on the flop, the gave Glaser the better two pair.
Arieh needed a spade or a three to win the high, while a qualifying low card would have kept him alive. Instead, the river was the to give the mixed-games specialist his ninth bracelet and the biggest win of his career.
“It was just like ‘I don’t need to compose myself anymore.’ The previous all-in when he doubled, obviously, there’s a lot of emotions and a lot of adrenaline, but it’s like ‘okay, he won, next hand. I’ve just got to recenter myself again.’ The river card came, and I didn’t need to do that anymore. It was over, and I could just let everything out. It was incredible.
“I remember seeing it again this year on Day 1, and I think I probably look at it every year that I play this event because it’s just such a special trophy. It’s such a special event, such a unique trophy.
“It’s so much. Still, when you say that, emotions are coming up again. It means so, so much. I don’t necessarily like using the word ‘deserve’, but it just makes me feel so proud, so grateful. Just the ultimate achievement in my career, and it feels amazing. So much emotion, yeah.
“It sort of feels like it would be kind of a crowning moment in my career in a way, which would feel amazing. I guess it’s hard to describe how it potentially would be without it happening, so hopefully I will see when I get there, and I’ll continue to do my best until then.”
2026 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship Final Table Results
The $1,343,764 top prize represents the second-largest cash of Glaser’s illustrious live poker career, having famously come second in the 2022 WPT World Championship for $2.8 million.
For Josh Arieh, he missed a chance to rubber-stamp an eventual Poker Hall of Fame career, missing out on the Poker Players Championship as the runner-up for the second time. He also finished second to Phil Hui in 2019.
The legendary Phil Ivey had a chance to add to his impeccable resume, a 12th bracelet and a maiden Poker Players Championship title, but Ivey would fall in third place for just over $600,000.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | $1,343,764 |
| 2 | Josh Arieh | United States | $895,837 |
| 3 | Phil Ivey | United States | $600,698 |
| 4 | Maxx Coleman | United States | $417,607 |
| 5 | Paul Volpe | United States | $301,405 |
| 6 | Kristopher Tong | United States | $226,172 |
| 7 | Jason Mercier | United States | $176,732 |
Benny Glaser WSOP bracelets
Glaser has now won nine bracelets across seven modalities, having yet to win a single Texas Hold’em bracelet.
| Year | Tournament | Prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | $1,500 Triple Draw Lowball (Limit) | $136,215 |
| 2016 | $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better | $244,103 |
| 2016 | $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship | $407,194 |
| 2021 | $10,000 Razz Championship | $274,693 |
| 2023 | $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship | $311,428 |
| 2025 | $1,500 Dealer’s Choice | $150,246 |
| 2025 | $1,500 Mixed Omaha | $258,193 |
| 2025 | $2,500 Mixed Triple Draw Lowball | $208,552 |
| 2026 | $50,000 Poker Players Championship | $1,343,764 |
