Mike Holtz's dream of winning a gold bracelet at the live competition came true.
The 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) will crown another champion.
In Event #31:$1,500 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold'emDuring the tournament, PokerNews Podcast host Mike Holtz defeated a massive field of 2,103 participants to win the championship prize of $238,097 and his second WSOP gold bracelet.
It's worth noting that this is Holtz's first live WSOP title. He had previously won an online gold bracelet, but many players still believe there's a difference between online and live events, making this victory particularly significant for him.
Holtz could not hide his excitement during the post-match interview.
He said：
"Now I have two gold bracelets!"
2,103 participants create a crazy bounty battlefield
As one of the fastest-paced events in the WSOP schedule, Super Turbo Bounty is known for its high volatility and rapid elimination.
This year's competition attracted 2,103 participants, with a total prize pool of $1,740,233 and 319 players making it into the money.
Because of the extremely fast-paced blind structure, players often need to make a large number of critical decisions in a short period of time.
The competition lasted only one day from start to finish, so it tested not only the players' skills, but also their ability to master short-code strategies and advance range.
Holtz admitted that Turbo tournaments are one of his strengths.
Holtz revealed after the match that he eliminated about 15 opponents during his victory, earning a large reward.
He believes that his long-term experience in Turbo and Super Turbo events was a key reason for his victory.
Holtz stated:
"I feel that many people at the final table were not very familiar with the rhythm and playstyle of Super Turbo. I think the final table actually went quite smoothly."
He even revealed that his stress level was only "1 out of 10" throughout the final table, and he maintained a relaxed mindset throughout.
The crucial three-player match determined the victory.
Once the match moved to a three-player table, Holtz and Rute Jin engaged in a fierce battle.
The lead on the scoreboard kept changing hands.
In one key hand, Holtz, holding pocket aces, successfully caught his opponent's semi-bluff all-in, completing a significant double-up.
However, Jin quickly countered Holtz's 7-3 flush with an AK, making the battle extremely close.
The game that truly changed the situation came shortly afterward.
Holtz went all-in from the small blind with 6♦5♦, and Jin called with A♠5♣.
The flop revealed a 6, giving Holtz the lead, which he maintained throughout, eliminating Jin in third place.
With this crucial victory, he entered the heads-up stage with a massive chip lead of over 5 to 1.
Three-handed one-on-one match ends the game
When the championship match began, Malaysian player Mei Seow was already at a significant disadvantage.
The duel ended after only three moves.
In the final hand, Seow pushed in his last chips with 6♠5♠, while Holtz quickly called from the big blind with A♦3♥.
The community cards failed to help Seow reverse the situation.
Holtz successfully won the final pot, officially becoming the champion.
Event #31: $1, 500 Super Turbo Bounty Final Table Results
| Ranking | player | Country/Region | bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Holtz | United States | $238,097 |
| 2 | Mei Seow | Malaysia | $158,641 |
| 3 | Rute Jin | United States | $115,900 |
| 4 | Carlos Chu | Peru | $85,537 |
| 5 | Dustin Harrelson | United States | $63,779 |
| 6 | Andrew Ostapchenko | United States | $48,050 |
| 7 | Mark Harken | United States | $36,581 |
| 8 | Jeremy Halaska | United States | $28,145 |
| 9 | Zhicheng Miao | United Kingdom | $21,889 |
The first gold bracelet from the event has finally arrived!
Although Holtz had already won a WSOP online gold bracelet two years ago, this live victory had a completely different meaning for him.
He admitted that he had always hoped to win the championship on the WSOP main stage in Las Vegas.
Now this dream has finally come true.
As one of the hosts of the PokerNews Podcast, many poker players know him primarily from his media work.
This championship also proves once again that he is not only a program host, but also a professional poker player with top-notch skills.
With his second WSOP gold bracelet, Mike Holtz has already written a memorable chapter in his 2026 WSOP journey.
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