2026 WSOP Main Event Players Put Up $92.08M — Fees and Taxes Tell the Rest of the Story

The 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event put an enormous amount of money in motion.

With 9,208 entries at $10,000 apiece, players collectively accounted for $92.08 million in gross tournament buy-ins. Not all of that money reached the prize pool, however. WSOP's official structure allocated 4.9% of the entry pool to entry fees and another 2.1% to tournament dealers and staff, leaving $85,634,400 to be paid back as prizes.

Then came another financial reality.

The nine players who reached the final table divided $30.25 million, led by 22-year-old champion Lucas Jumalon's $10 million first-place prize. Las Vegas tax professional Russ Fox estimates that approximately $12.27 million of those final-table winnings could ultimately go to tax authorities in the United States and abroad.

From the original buy-in to the amount a finalist may actually keep, the numbers show just how different the headline payout can be from the complete financial picture.

$92.08 Million Entered the 2026 WSOP Main Event

The $10,000 WSOP Main Event attracted 9,208 entries in 2026.

Multiplying the official field by the $10,000 entry price produces $92.08 million in gross buy-ins.

But the Main Event was not a $92.08 million prize pool.

The official prize pool was $85,634,400, and the difference can be explained directly by the fee structure published by WSOP.

For Event 82, the $10,000 Main Event, WSOP stated that:

• 4.9% of the total entry pool was withheld for entry fees

• 2.1% was withheld for tournament dealers and staff

• 93% remained for the tournament prize pool

That means $700 from each $10,000 entry was withheld before prizes were calculated, while $9,300 from each entry went into the prize pool.

Across 9,208 entries, the numbers work out to:

• $92,080,000 in gross buy-ins

• $4,511,920 allocated to entry fees

• $1,933,680 allocated to tournament dealers and staff

• $6,445,600 withheld in total

• $85,634,400 placed into the prize pool

The final number matches the official WSOP prize pool exactly.

Did WSOP Make $6.45 Million From the Main Event?

It would be misleading to describe the entire $6.4456 million as WSOP profit.

Nearly $1.934 million was specifically designated by the published tournament structure for dealers and staff.

The remaining $4.512 million represents the 4.9% entry-fee allocation.

Even that figure should not automatically be described as profit. It represents gross entry-fee money before considering the costs associated with operating the Main Event and the larger WSOP series.

Those expenses are not disclosed in the Main Event structure sheet, so the tournament's actual profit cannot be calculated from the publicly available entry numbers alone.

What can be established is that $4.51 million was allocated to entry fees and another $1.93 million to dealers and staff before a dollar of the $85.63 million prize pool was awarded.

The Final Nine Divided $30.25 Million

Every player reaching the 2026 Main Event final table officially earned at least $1 million.

Jumalon, from Spokane, Washington, defeated Finland's Lauri Saaskilahti heads-up to win the championship bracelet and $10 million.

The final payouts were:

• Lucas Jumalon — $10,000,000

• Lauri Saaskilahti — $6,000,000

• Greg Mueller — $3,750,000

• Michael Gagliano — $2,750,000

• Han Feng — $2,250,000

• Rami Hammoud — $1,750,000

• Jamie Shaevel — $1,500,000

• Mario Boos — $1,250,000

• Evagoras Evagorou — $1,000,000

Combined, the final nine received $30.25 million.

Those are the official tournament payouts.

They are not necessarily the amounts the players ultimately keep.

Tax Estimates Cut $30.25 Million to About $17.98 Million

Fox, an enrolled agent with Clayton Financial and Tax in Las Vegas who analyzes the WSOP Main Event final table each year, estimates that the nine finalists could collectively owe $12,273,963 in taxes.

That represents approximately 40.58% of the $30.25 million awarded at the final table.

Under his calculations, the combined after-tax amount falls to approximately $17,976,037.

The estimates vary considerably from player to player because tax treatment depends on factors including residency, professional status, state taxation and international tax treaties.

Fox's estimated before- and after-tax amounts are:

• Lucas Jumalon — $10,000,000 prize; approximately $6,009,174 after estimated taxes

• Lauri Saaskilahti — $6,000,000 prize; approximately $3,227,000 after estimated taxes

• Greg Mueller — $3,750,000 prize; approximately $2,628,000 after estimated taxes

• Michael Gagliano — $2,750,000 prize; approximately $1,419,317 after estimated taxes

• Han Feng — $2,250,000 prize; approximately $1,360,247 after estimated taxes

• Rami Hammoud — $1,750,000 prize; approximately $1,228,000 after estimated taxes

• Jamie Shaevel — $1,500,000 prize; approximately $744,500 after estimated taxes

• Mario Boos — $1,250,000 prize; approximately $706,299 after estimated taxes

• Evagoras Evagorou — $1,000,000 prize; approximately $653,500 after estimated taxes

These figures are estimates rather than the players' actual final tax returns.

They also come with an important qualification.

Jumalon's $10 Million Prize Could Become About $6 Million

Jumalon's championship provides the clearest example of the difference between a tournament payout and estimated take-home money.

The 22-year-old Washington resident officially won $10 million.

Fox estimates federal income and self-employment taxes of $3,990,826, or 39.91% of the prize.

Under that estimate, Jumalon would retain approximately $6,009,174.

Washington does not currently impose a traditional individual state income tax, so Fox's calculation does not include a state income-tax bill for the champion.

Even so, nearly $4 million of the headline $10 million prize could be accounted for by federal taxes.

Jamie Shaevel Faces the Highest Estimated Percentage

The largest estimated tax rate among the final nine belongs to seventh-place finisher Jamie Shaevel.

Shaevel received $1.5 million for reaching seventh place.

Fox estimates $598,373 in federal taxes and another $157,127 in California taxes, producing an estimated total tax bill of $755,500.

That equals approximately 50.37% of his tournament payout.

Under the estimate, Shaevel would retain approximately $744,500 of the $1.5 million prize.

Michael Gagliano also faces a substantial projected burden as a New Jersey resident. Fox estimates $1,058,348 in federal taxes and $272,335 in New Jersey taxes on Gagliano's $2.75 million fourth-place payout.

His estimated take-home amount falls to approximately $1.42 million.

International Finalists Show Why Residency Matters

The international players demonstrate how dramatically tax treatment can change depending on where a finalist lives.

Saaskilahti, a Finnish native residing in Spain, earned $6 million as runner-up.

According to Fox's analysis, the U.S.-Spain tax treaty exempts the winnings from U.S. taxation, but he estimates approximately $2.773 million in Spanish taxes. That leaves an estimated $3.227 million.

French professional Mario Boos earned $1.25 million for eighth place. Fox estimates that the U.S.-France tax treaty shields the prize from U.S. income tax but calculates approximately $543,701 in French tax, leaving an estimated $706,299.

Canadian finalists Greg Mueller and Rami Hammoud have different circumstances.

Fox's Mueller estimate assumes that the three-time WSOP bracelet winner is not currently treated as a professional poker player for tax purposes. Under that assumption, he estimates a 30% U.S. withholding of $1.122 million on Mueller's $3.75 million prize.

Hammoud, whom Fox identifies as an amateur player from Montreal, is also projected to face a 30% U.S. withholding, or $522,000, on his $1.75 million payout.

The comparisons demonstrate why two players winning the same amount in the same tournament could end up with very different after-tax results.

Backing and Swaps Could Change What Players Actually Keep

Taxes are not the only reason the official payout may differ from a player's personal profit.

Tournament poker players frequently sell percentages of their action to investors or exchange pieces with other players. These arrangements can reduce the amount of personal money a player has at risk in a tournament while also reducing the percentage of a large score the player ultimately owns.

Fox specifically excluded backing and swap arrangements from his estimates because those agreements generally are not public.

That distinction matters when discussing seven-figure poker results.

A player credited with a $3 million tournament cash may not personally own the full $3 million in action. Some portion could belong to backers or other players before individual tax obligations are considered.

Tournament results show what the event paid to an entry. They do not necessarily show the winner's personal net profit.

The 2026 Gambling-Loss Rule Adds Another Tax Issue

The Main Event tax discussion comes during the first year of a significant change to federal gambling deductions in the United States.

Beginning in 2026, federal law generally limits the wagering-loss deduction to 90% of wagering losses, with the deduction also capped by wagering gains.

Previously, wagering losses could generally be deducted up to the amount of wagering gains, subject to the applicable tax rules.

The 90% limitation creates the possibility that a gambler can have little or no economic profit from wagering activity while still reporting taxable gambling income because a portion of losses cannot be deducted.

For serious poker players who accumulate tournament buy-ins and other wagering results throughout the year, the change makes detailed recordkeeping increasingly important.

The rule should not be interpreted as meaning that every poker player will pay tax on the same basis. Professional status, filing circumstances, expenses, residency and other factors can affect individual treatment.

Players facing significant gambling income should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their own circumstances.

From $92 Million in Buy-Ins to the Money Players Actually Keep

The 2026 WSOP Main Event produced several very different numbers depending on which stage of the money trail is examined.

Players accounted for $92.08 million in gross buy-ins.

Of that amount, $6.4456 million was withheld before the prize pool, including approximately $4.512 million in entry fees and $1.934 million designated for tournament dealers and staff.

That left the official $85.6344 million prize pool.

The final nine then divided $30.25 million.

Fox estimates that approximately $12.274 million of those final-table prizes could ultimately go to tax authorities, leaving an estimated $17.976 million after taxes before accounting for backing, swaps or other private financial arrangements.

None of those figures diminishes what Jumalon and the other finalists accomplished at poker's biggest tournament.

They do, however, illustrate an important distinction for anyone reading a tournament results page: the number printed next to a player's name tells only part of the financial story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money was paid in 2026 WSOP Main Event buy-ins?

The 2026 WSOP Main Event recorded 9,208 entries at $10,000 each, representing $92.08 million in gross buy-ins.

How much of each $10,000 WSOP Main Event entry went to the prize pool?

According to the official 2026 WSOP structure, 93% of the entry pool went toward prizes. That equals $9,300 from each $10,000 entry.

How much did WSOP withhold from each Main Event buy-in?

WSOP's published structure withheld 4.9%, or $490 per entry, for entry fees and 2.1%, or $210 per entry, for tournament dealers and staff. The combined amount was $700 per entry.

How much was collected in entry fees from the 2026 Main Event?

Based on 9,208 entries and the official 4.9% allocation, approximately $4,511,920 of the entry pool was designated for entry fees.

How much went to WSOP dealers and staff?

The 2.1% dealer-and-staff allocation equals approximately $1,933,680 across 9,208 entries.

Did WSOP make $6.45 million in profit from the Main Event?

That cannot be determined from the available figures. Approximately $6.4456 million was withheld from the entry pool, but nearly $1.934 million was specifically designated for dealers and staff. The remaining $4.512 million was allocated to entry fees, which is not the same as net profit after operating expenses.

What was the 2026 WSOP Main Event prize pool?

The official prize pool was $85,634,400.

How much did the 2026 WSOP Main Event final table win?

The nine finalists received a combined $30.25 million, ranging from $10 million for champion Lucas Jumalon to $1 million for ninth-place finisher Evagoras Evagorou.

How much could the final nine pay in taxes?

Russ Fox estimates approximately $12,273,963 in combined taxes, equal to about 40.58% of their $30.25 million in official payouts.

How much could Lucas Jumalon keep from his $10 million prize?

Fox estimates approximately $3,990,826 in taxes on Jumalon's $10 million win, leaving an estimated $6,009,174.

Are those after-tax numbers exact?

No. They are estimates based on publicly available information and assumptions about each player's tax circumstances. They also exclude private backing and swap arrangements.

Did the gambling-loss deduction change in 2026?

Yes. Beginning in 2026, the federal deduction for wagering losses is generally limited to 90% of wagering losses and cannot exceed wagering gains.

Sources

• World Series of Poker — 2026 WSOP Main Event official results

• World Series of Poker — 2026 Event #82 official tournament structure

• World Series of Poker — Lucas Jumalon Main Event championship announcement

• Taxable Talk — Russ Fox, The Real Winners of the World Series of Poker 2026

• Internal Revenue Service — Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-19

• CardPlayer — Tax Man Wins Big At World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table