A strong showing could give him momentum in the 2026 POY standings before this summer’s WSOP
Phil Hellmuth is heading back to Europe with plans to chase more gold at the World Series of Poker Europe in Prague. The 17-time bracelet winner confirmed he intends to play nearly the entire schedule, marking his return to the European stop after several years away.
Big week!!
Poker, poker, poker; business, business, business!
[not investment advice]
I just comitted to play @WSOP Europe in Prague March 31st! Great Earnings for $rsi: nice day for $rsi and $UA stock, and magnificent weekend for @valaratomics & @isaiah_p_taylor#POSITIVITY pic.twitter.com/92JdwfiFpj
— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) February 18, 2026
The 2026 WSOP Europe runs March 31 through April 12 at King’s Casino inside the Hilton Prague. Fifteen bracelet events are on tap, giving Hellmuth plenty of chances to add to his record. He said he plans to arrive early and put in serious volume throughout the festival.
Hellmuth’s history in Europe includes major success. In 2012, he won the €10,540 (US$12,437) Main Event for €1,022,376 (US$1,206,404), becoming the only player to capture both the Las Vegas and Europe Main Event titles. He also posted multiple deep runs during his last appearance in 2019.
This year’s headline tournament is the €5,300 (US$6,254) Main Event, which carries a €10 million (US$11.8M) guarantee. Organizers have also introduced a €1,500 (US$1,770) European Circuit Championship with a €1.5 million (US$1.77M) guarantee.
Beyond bracelets, the Player of the Year race adds another layer of intrigue. The revamped leaderboard now features a $1 million prize pool, with the winner receiving a $100,000 WSOP Paradise package in addition to the title.
