After years of waiting, Dylan Smith finally wins his first WSOP gold bracelet, becoming a Mixed Big Bet champion.

Another dream champion will be added to the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP).

In Event #71: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event, American professional poker player Dylan Smith finally broke his long-standing regret, fighting his way through a field of 388 players to win his first WSOP gold bracelet and a first-place prize of $182,591.

For this professional poker player who has long been active in high-stakes mixed games, this is not just an ordinary championship, but the best reward that has finally come after years of perseverance.

After many near misses, I finally fulfilled my dream.

Dylan Smith has always been recognized as a master of mixed games in the poker world.

Over the past few years, he has reached the WSOP final table multiple times, but has always fallen short of the gold bracelet, including two runner-up finishes, two third-place finishes, and several final table appearances. Although he was just one step away from the championship, he never gave up.

When asked about finally winning the championship after the match, Smith used only one word to describe his feelings:

“"I'm so excited (Ecstatic)."”

He said that each time he was eliminated, he was not discouraged, but instead his desire to win became even stronger.

“Every time I advance further in the competition, my desire to win the championship in the end grows stronger.”

Unique competition format tests all-round strength

The Mixed Big Bet Event is one of the most distinctive events in the WSOP schedule.

The tournament includes seven "Big Bet" poker games, all using No-Limit or Pot-Limit rules. Some of these games will only appear in Dealer's Choice events, thus requiring a very high level of overall skill from the players.

Smith stated that he prefers this high-stakes tournament format to traditional fixed-limit hybrid games.

He explained:

“"Poker often involves knowing when to put pressure on your opponent, which is difficult to do in fixed-limit games, as they are more mechanical."”

He believes that high-stakes poker gives players more opportunities to proactively create advantages and is more in line with their own playing style.

Florida poker scene achieves comprehensive skills

Smith's ability to excel in such a complex mixed event is no accident.

He revealed that he had been participating in various mixed cash games in Florida, USA for a long time, especially less popular games such as Pot-Limit 5-Card Double Draw and Pot-Limit 2-7 Triple Draw, which allowed him to accumulate a lot of practical experience before the WSOP.

It was these games, which are not commonly played, that gave him a technical advantage in this year's Mixed Big Bet tournament.

Dominating the game throughout the final table

This year's competition attracted 388 participants, with a total prize pool of $858,850.

The final table results are as follows:

After the tournament entered the final table, Smith defeated Nicholas Marchington in a crucial hand to gain the chip lead, and continued to expand his advantage with his deep mixed game skills, eventually leading all the way to the championship.

Matt Vengrin misses out on the championship again.

Runner-up Matt Vengrin also performed exceptionally well.

As a professional poker player with a stable performance in the mixed game field in recent years, he made his way to the heads-up championship and hopes to win the WSOP gold bracelet again after winning the championship before.

However, facing the red-hot Smith, he ultimately failed to complete the comeback and won the runner-up prize of $118,647.

Kihara Naoya adds another great achievement

Japanese star Naoya Kihara continues his hot streak at this year's WSOP.

After winning two consecutive $10,000 championship bracelets, he once again made it to the final table and ultimately finished third with a prize of $78,984.

Although he failed to win his third title in this series, Kihara's consistent deep running performance once again proved his top-level ability in mixed games.

Career prize money surpasses $5.5 million

With this victory, Smith not only fulfilled his dream of winning a WSOP gold bracelet, but also ushered in a new milestone in his career.

According to The Hendon Mob, his total live tournament winnings have officially surpassed $5.5 million.

For a professional poker player who has long focused on mixed games, this belated gold bracelet undoubtedly makes his professional resume more complete.

Years of perseverance finally pay off

The world of poker is never short of geniuses, but those who are truly admirable are often the ones who persevere.

Dylan Smith has stood in front of the championship countless times, and has also experienced many regrettable exits.

However, he did not stop because of the failure, but continued to hone his skills and accumulate experience, and finally ushered in his own moment of glory in the summer of 2026.

This long-awaited WSOP gold bracelet is not only a championship honor, but also the best reward for years of dedication and passion.

Want to change Texas Holdem from "can understand" to "can win"?

If you want to learn more about Texas Hold'em, you can continue reading：

The Origins of Texas Hold'em: Why is it the World's Most Popular Poker Variant?
Texas Hold'em Hand Rankings and Showdown Rules (Beginner’s Essentials)
Texas Hold'em Betting teaching: Check / Bet / Call /Raise and Betting Strategy Analysis
The importance of Texas Hold'em position? Why is the back position more advantageous?
How to play Texas Hold'em? Novices learn Texas Hold'em rules, processes and betting teaching in 10 minutes
Texas Hold'em Starting Hands Strategy Guide: Which Hands to Play?
Texas Holdem Starting Hands Chart Tutorial: Complete Starting Hand Chart and Position Strategy
How to play Texas Hold'em? Complete rules and a hand's flow (Preflop / Flop / Turn / River)

Hunter Poker offers comprehensive tutorials, hand analysis, and strategy sharing to help players upgrade from simply "reading the cards" to understanding the range . This allows you to make better decisions in every hand.

▶️ In Facebook Follow Hunter Poker.
📘 In Youtube Follow Hunter Poker.

Want to learn more about Texas Hold'em gameplay and strategies?

Online Texas Hold'em free tournaments typically have no entry fee, making them ideal for beginners to familiarize themselves with the rules and for advanced players to test strategies and gain experience. View full brand profiles to learn about each platform's free tournament schedule, features, and target audience.

Go to learn more