Phil Hellmuth Returns for Day 2 of WSOP Event 99

By Mrinal Gujare

15 Jul 2026

Mrinal Gujare 15 Jul 2026

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Phil Hellmuth has the 11th highest stack
Event 99 kicks off Day 2
Josh Norvock is chip leading

Image by Eloy Cabacas / Pokernews

Phil Hellmuth returns for Day 2 of the 2026 WSOP $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em with 950,000 chips. He is among 72 remaining players chasing the $695,256 top prize and his record-extending 18th career World Series of Poker bracelet.

Phil Hellmuth enters the final day of the 2026 World Series of Poker with one last opportunity to extend his historic bracelet record to 18. The tournament veteran, widely known as the "Poker Brat," must put together a deep run on the final day of the summer series to secure the victory.

Hellmuth returns to the tournament floor at 1:00 p.m. PT at Horseshoe Las Vegas for Day 2 of Event #99: $5,000 8-Handed No-Limit Hold'em. He is one of 72 players remaining in contention for the title and the accompanying $695,256 first-place prize.

While Hellmuth has found some deep runs during the 2026 WSOP, it has not been one of his standout summers. The BetRivers Casino ambassador has recorded a total of five cashes over the course of the series.

His performance includes reaching two final tables, with his highest finish being a seventh-place spot in the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better Championship.

He also registered a cash in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship, which stands as the premier mixed-game tournament in poker.

A victory on Wednesday would completely shift the narrative of his summer. If Hellmuth claims the title, he will capture his 18th career bracelet.

He has held the all-time WSOP bracelet record since 2007, the year he won his 11th title. Currently, Phil Ivey sits alone in second place on the all-time list with 11 bracelets, following a relatively quiet summer performance of his own.

The path to the bracelet will be highly competitive, as Hellmuth is surrounded by numerous prominent figures in the poker community. Notable players returning for the final day include Adam Hendrix, Cliff Josephy, Joseph Cheong, and Brian Rast.

Hellmuth will unbag a stack of 950,000 chips when play resumes. He faces a deficit behind the current tournament front-runner, Josh Norvock, who holds the chip lead with 1,530,000.

Hellmuth will need to navigate a tough field of 71 opposing players to walk away with the gold on the final day of the World Series of Poker.

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