Alex Anton received the $10,000 no-limit maintain’em thriller bounty occasion on the 2026 World Series of Poker, taking residence his first profession bracelet and $678,300.
The Miami, Florida-based professional set a brand new profession high-score with this victory, supplanting his fourth-place end in a €20,800 no-limit maintain’em occasion at WSOP Europe again in April, which earned him $391,000.
Anton defeated France’s Julien Sitbon heads up, denying Sitbon his second profession bracelet. Sitbon earned his second profession runner-up end on the WSOP, in addition to his personal career-best reside match money, for $452,200.
Many of the most important bounty prizes had been pulled earlier than the ultimate desk, however two of the highest eight finishers walked away with these these coveted envelopes. Josh Reichard, the 17-time WSOP Circuit winner and World Poker Tour champion, fell two spots brief of his first bracelet. But along with his $313,400 payout for third place, Reichard pulled one of 5 $100,000 bounty prizes.
Seventh-place finisher Gregor Sverko multiplied his payday a number of instances over. In addition to his $86,070 payout for seventh, Sverko pulled the $250,000 bounty, making him one of the most important winners of the match.
Bounties Abound
The $10,000 buy-in no-limit maintain’em thriller bounty was the second of 4 reside thriller bounty bracelets on the road on the 2026 WSOP. By the shut of registration, 558 entrants had taken their shot, producing a primary prize pool of $3,515,400, with over $1.6 million in bounties up for grabs.
The thriller bounties kicked in initially of day 2 with 84 hopefuls nonetheless within the combine. Michel Molenaar of the Netherlands was the primary to attract a $100,000 bounty, and Sverko’s $250,000 bounty pull adopted quickly thereafter.
There had been some heavy hitters within the combine with two tables left, however three-time bracelet winner Paul Volpe (sixteenth – $25,980) and lately minted six-time WSOP champion Adrian Mateos (fifteenth – $31,750) every fell simply shy of a closing desk look. So, too, did Ren Lin, who completed in thirteenth place ($31,750).
Day 2 closed on the unofficial nine-handed closing desk, with Anton holding the in a single day chip lead. He obtained fortunate to start out the day, eliminating Kent Stephens when his A♠Q♣ discovered an ace on the flop to beat Stephens’ pocket queens.
Reichard claimed the chip lead, after which Sitbon made an upward transfer when he eradicated Vadzim Lipauka in eighth place ($65,190) with pocket queens to Lipauka’s A♦J♥.
The Winning Formula
Sverko’s run of success gave the impression to be choosing up much more steam when he obtained all in for his final ten huge blinds with pocket kings. Anton had shoved the small blind with A♠9♣, and Sverko was all too completely happy to name, however the A♥ on the flip doomed Sverko to a seventh-place end ($86,070).
Reichard picked off a short-stacked Jakob Miegel in sixth place ($115,750) to pad his lead, however the good instances had been about to hit a brick wall. Anton picked up an enormous double and the chip lead when he overbet the river of an A♠7♠5♥5♦7♦ board. Reichard finally known as the shove with a unadorned ace, however Anton tabled 8♣5♣ for the total home.
Anton then additional prolonged his appreciable benefit with pocket kings, eliminating Jovan Kenjic in fifth place ($158,500). Anton bested Kenjic’s A♠J♦ by making quad kings. Sitbon quickly picked up one other bounty when his Ok♥J♠ made a coronary heart flush to beat Champie Douglas’ pocket nines, sending Douglas to the rail in fourth place ($220,950).
After making a pair of further pay jumps, Reichard’s time was up. He obtained all in with J♣10♣ towards Anton’s pocket sevens, and Anton’s fiery momentum struck as soon as once more as he turned an unbeatable full home. Reichard settled for third place ($313,400). This rating pushed his lifetime earnings to simply shy of $6.5 million.
Anton’s lead over Sitbon was over 4:1, and whereas Sitbon closed the hole barely, the heads-up match was over in brief order. On a A♥5♦4♠3♦ board, Sitbon shoved, and Anton, who had turned the nut straight with 7♥6♥, was all too completely happy to name. Sitbon’s pocket tens had been drawing useless, and Anton was victorious.
The Spoils
For his victory, Anton earned a staggering 2,100 Card Player Player of the Year factors. That outcome pushed Anton all the way in which as much as nineteenth place within the yearlong POY race offered by CoinPoker. Sitbon, who earned 1,750 factors, is now twenty eighth on the POY leaderboard. Reichard’s third-place end elevated him to 71st place.
The $10,000 buy-in additionally entitled Anton to important factors in the direction of the PokerGO Tour season-long standings. On the energy of that one outcome, Anton is now in thirtieth place within the PGT standings, a spot within the high 40 that may earn him entry into the season-ending $1 million PGT Championship with sufficient qualifying outcomes.
Anton’s profession earnings now sit at $2,105,929.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points | PGT Points |
| 1 | Alex Anton | $678,300 | 2,100 | 678 |
| 2 | Julien Sitbon | $452,200 | 1,750 | 452 |
| 3 | Joshua Reichard | $313,400 | 1,400 | 313 |
| 4 | Champie Douglas | $220,950 | 1,050 | 221 |
| 5 | Jovan Kenjic | $158,500 | 875 | 159 |
| 6 | Jakob Miegel | $115,750 | 700 | 116 |
| 7 | Sverko Gregor | $86,070 | 525 | 86 |
| 8 | Vadzim Lipauka | $65,190 | 350 | 65 |
Photo credit score: WSOP / Travis Ball
