After a 17-year wait, Eddie Blumenthal finally achieved his dream! He won his first WSOP gold bracelet and took home $248,000 in prize money.

After 17 years of waiting, the perfect ending has finally arrived.

For many professional poker players, the WSOP gold bracelet is the ultimate honor they pursue in their lifetime.

For Eddie Blumenthal, this honor was something he had waited 17 years for.

In the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #45:$2,500 Mixed Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better／Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or BetterBlumenthal defeated 587 competitors to win his first WSOP gold bracelet and a $248,545 prize.

This is not only the first gold bracelet of his career, but also the most important victory he has achieved in the field of hybrid gaming to date.

Out of 587 people

This tournament attracted 587 participants, with a total prize pool of $1,306,075. Blumenthal fought his way through the competition, successfully reaching the final table amidst a field of many skilled mixed-game players.

As the final day approached, many well-known players were still vying for the championship.

However, Blumenthal maintained a consistent performance and took the lead on the scoreboard for the first time in the remaining five-player phase.

He then traded leads with Donovan Bates, who eventually finished third, bringing the match to a fever pitch.

A quick one-on-one battle to end the fight

In the final match, Blumenthal faced Russian player Nikolai Fal in a one-on-one duel.

Fal is also a strong contender in the hybrid gaming field and won the Stud Hi-Lo gold bracelet in 2024.

At the start of the heads-up match, the scoreboards were nearly tied, but Blumenthal quickly took control. His consistent performance in both games allowed him to steadily increase his lead, ultimately ending the match quickly and securing the championship.

Fal won second place and a prize of $165,530.

Ten final table appearances finally earned him a gold bracelet.

In a post-match interview, Blumenthal admitted that this championship was exceptionally precious.

This marks his tenth appearance at the WSOP final table. Over the years, he has come within a hair's breadth of a gold bracelet on numerous occasions.

His most famous achievement was finishing third in the 2021 WSOP $10,000 HORSE Championship, narrowly missing out on the title.

Now that the breakthrough has finally been achieved, Blumenthal remarked with emotion:

"It feels really good to finally finish the entire final table and successfully conclude the game."

He believes that his previous failures to win the championship were due to bad luck with key cards and his own minor mistakes, but this time everything finally came together perfectly.

Hybrid games are the real love

Although Blumenthal also has a good track record in No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments, he makes no secret of his love for mixed games.

After the match, he said:

"I definitely prefer mixed games; they're so much more fun than Texas Hold'em."

He believes that this tournament combines Omaha Hi-Lo and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, two of his strongest sports, making it particularly suitable for his playing style.

For many professional gamers, switching between different games is often a big challenge, but Blumenthal thoroughly enjoys this change of pace.

Career prize money surpasses $3 million

This victory not only brought a gold bracelet and a champion's prize, but also officially pushed Blumenthal's live tournament winnings to over $3 million.

For many years, he has been one of the most representative mixed gamers in the American Midwest.

Now, with his first WSOP gold bracelet in hand, his professional resume has finally been completed with the most important piece of the puzzle.

Event #45 Final Table Results

The champion's moment belongs to the persistent

It took Eddie Blumenthal 17 years from his first win in the WSOP prize money to finally holding his long-awaited gold bracelet.

This journey has been filled with countless moments of near success, as well as many regrettable setbacks.

But he never gave up.

Now, this veteran of mixed games has finally fulfilled his dream in Las Vegas.

For Blumenthal, the $248,545 prize money is certainly important, but what is truly worth treasuring is undoubtedly the WSOP gold bracelet, which symbolizes the highest honor in world poker.

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