ROZVADOV, Czech Republic – Marius Kudzmanas captured the biggest title of his career Wednesday, winning the 2026 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event and earning €2 million along with the tournament’s signature gold bracelet.
Kudzmanas, already a two‑time WSOP Online bracelet winner, broke through for his first live championship after navigating a record‑setting field. Known for his controlled but aggressive style, particularly when playing from ahead, the Lithuanian pro dominated stretches of the final table to secure the most prestigious title in European poker.
The victory cements Kudzmanas as one of the few players to win both online and live WSOP championships.
This year’s WSOP Europe festival set multiple records, drawing players from more than 80 countries for 15 bracelet events and more than €39.5 million in total prize money. Across all tournaments, 15,779 entries were recorded — the largest turnout in the series’ European history.
The €5,300 Main Event became the biggest open tournament ever held on the continent, generating a €13,085,000 prize pool from 2,617 entries.
Another milestone came in the inaugural €1,000 Ladies Championship, where Switzerland’s Anna Eggenberger won her first bracelet by topping a 197‑player field — the largest women’s event ever held outside Las Vegas.
“We are absolutely thrilled with the phenomenal success of this year’s WSOP Europe, which has set new parameters for poker on the continent,” WSOP CEO Ty Stewart said. “The enthusiasm and incredible turnout, particularly for the record‑breaking Main Event, have been unprecedented. Congratulations to Marius Kudzmanas for etching his name into the history books as our newest champion.”
WSOP Chief Operating Officer Gregory Chochon called the 2026 edition the strongest yet.
“This edition of WSOP Europe was the best yet, and we’d like to sincerely thank all of the players, dealers, staff, partners, and media that came together to make the festival so special,” Chochon said. “A core WSOP goal is to continually refine and improve our events — with that in mind, we can’t wait for the action to kick off next month in Las Vegas.”
Next Up: Summer WSOP in Las Vegas
With the European series concluded, the focus now shifts to the flagship summer WSOP in Las Vegas, running May 26 through July 15. The schedule again features dozens of bracelet events, culminating in the $10,000 No‑Limit Hold’em Main Event.
International players can qualify through GGPoker’s WSOP Express satellites, while U.S. players can earn seats via wsoponline.com. Registration for all events is available through the WSOP Live app.
Fans can follow the action on ESPN’s daily broadcasts and the WSOP YouTube channel. Additional announcements for the summer series are expected in the coming weeks.
