The World Series of Poker’s $1,000 buy-in Mystery Millions occasion represents a lot of what’s made the sequence so in style. For $1,000, or much less if you happen to qualify through satellite tv for pc, there are a number of pathways to successful a $1 million prize.
You may very well be like Jonathan Schiller, who with a single qualifying elimination on day 2 of the event earned a $1 million bounty.
Alternatively, you could possibly navigate by way of a area of 22,811 entrants, like Matthew Higgins, and are available out the opposite aspect with seven figures in prize cash and a primary profession WSOP bracelet. Higgins, a nine-time WSOP Circuit ring winner, took down the fourth version of this signature $1,000 no-limit maintain’em thriller bounty event.
On his strategy to victory, Higgins needed to navigate an unusually powerful last desk for this format and area measurement. It included his heads-up opponent Dominik Panka, and Thomas Hall, each WSOP bracelet winners. It additionally featured four-time WSOP bracelet winner David ‘ODB’ Baker, who completed in seventh place.
Higgins’ victory additionally entitled him to 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year factors, elevating him to one hundred and thirtieth place within the yearlong race introduced by CoinPoker.
Navigating An Impossibly Large Field
After six beginning flights, 1,236 gamers moved on to day 2, making them eligible for bounty prizes. Beyond the $1 million bounty, there have been two $500,150 bounties, three $250,000 bounties, and ten $100,000 bounty prizes up for grabs.
Schiller, who hails from Michigan, gained a WSOP Online bracelet for $31,490 in 2022 in his residence state earlier than it joined the multi-state participant pool. It was one of two profession five-figure cashes, and earlier than this event, he hadn’t come near a six-figure consequence. Then he acquired referred to as as much as the stage, and his life modified instantly.
Jonathan Schiller Pulls the $1,000,000 Bounty!
The greatest bounty within the WSOP $1,000 Mystery Millions has formally been claimed. Jonathan Schiller opened the million greenback envelope in a life altering second on the 2026 WSOP. pic.twitter.com/Fv8ALhuFtr
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 29, 2026
Schiller wasn’t the one one to show a $1,000 buy-in into an prompt and big prize. Improbably, at the least contemplating earlier historical past, two gamers who pulled six-figure bounties went on to make the ultimate desk in Vinay Boob and Brian Smith. Kiat Lee, a Triton Super High Roller common with over $26.5 million in lifetime earnings, turned his $1,000 buy-in right into a $250,000 bounty prize.
Where The Bounties Landed
| Player | Country | Bounty | Finishing Position |
| Jonathan Schiller | USA | $1,000,000 | 439th |
| Emmanouil Chalkiotis | Greece | $500,150 | 67th |
| Steven McCartney | USA | $500,150 | 490th |
| Vinay Boob | India | $250,000 | sixth |
| Kiat Lee | Malaysia | $250,000 | 418th |
| Coltrane Mendelsohn | USA | $250,000 | twenty second |
| Brian Smith | USA | $100,000 | fifth |
| Alejandro Peinado | Spain | $100,000 | 51st |
| Libby Wilson | USA | $100,000 | 52nd |
| Terry Wheeler | USA | $100,000 | eightieth |
| Ruoxiao Shi | China | $100,000 | 118th |
| Konosuke Nakajima | Japan | $100,000 | 144th |
| Arnaldo Gordon | USA | $100,000 | 193rd |
| Jimmy Nguyen | USA | $100,000 | 268th |
| Robert Harp | USA | $100,000 | 284th |
| Blake Fanning | USA | $100,000 | 351st |
Down To The Wire
After an extended day 2 session, Higgins sat in tenth place amongst 24 day 2 survivors. Higgins made his transfer in the direction of the highest of the chip counts simply earlier than the ultimate desk was set. Higgins eradicated the 14th, twelfth, and eleventh place finishers to seize the chip lead over Panka.
2012 WSOP bracelet winner Joey Weissman went out on the ultimate desk bubble, ending in tenth place ($87,200). 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship third-place finisher Edward Pak then hit the rail in ninth place ($110,003). Higgins quickly picked up one other elimination and bounty prize when his pocket nines beat Imre Makranyi’s pocket eights. Makranyi was out in eighth place ($140,000), and Higgins pulled a $10,000 bounty on prime of it.
Panka, who gained the 2014 European Poker Tour PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, continued his personal push. The Polish standout eradicated Baker in seventh place ($176,000), taking the final of a short-stacked Baker’s chips with Q♣J♦ in opposition to A♥7♦, courtesy of a jack on the flop.
Hall picked off Boob, who misplaced a coin flip with A♠Ok♣ to Hall’s pocket sixes. For ending sixth, Boob earned $225,000, barely lower than the $250,000 bounty he pulled in the future prior. Another massive bounty winner, Brian Smith, fell to Panka through an ace on the river. He gained $290,000 for fifth place, upgrading his payout properly past his $100,000 bounty pull.
Hall led four-handed, however the blinds have been massive, and the motion was persistent. Panka delivered a completely brutal unhealthy beat to Hall to remove him in fourth place ($375,000). Having each blinds lined, Panka shoved the button with Q♣6♣, and Hall wakened with aces. Panka flopped a membership flush draw, and spiked the 9♣ on the river to win a large pot.
Higgins’ Big Win
Higgins discovered a key double with Ok♦Q♦ in opposition to Panka’s J♦9♦, pulling into a detailed second place. He then surged into the lead, courtesy of his elimination of Leo Lombardozzi in third place ($490,000). Higgins’ pocket tens held in opposition to A♣Q♠ to arrange a heads-up showdown in opposition to Panka.
The last match was all Higgins, although Panka threatened to crack aces for the second time earlier than the event ended. The chips acquired in on a J♣9♣5♥ flop, with Panka’s J♠7♣ in opposition to Higgins’ pocket aces. Higgins spiked a set on the flip, however the A♣ really took Panka from 5 outs to eight heading into the river.
The 10♦ river ended the event, although, and Higgins celebrated his $1 million win. Panka secured $640,000 because the runner-up.
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Matthew Higgins | $1,000,000 | 1,440 |
| 2 | Dominik Panka | $640,000 | 1,200 |
| 3 | Leo Lombardozzi | $490,000 | 960 |
| 4 | Thomas Hall | $375,000 | 720 |
| 5 | Brian Smith | $290,000 | 600 |
| 6 | Vinay Boob | $225,000 | 480 |
| 7 | David Baker | $176,000 | 360 |
| 8 | Imre Makranyi | $140,000 | 240 |
| 9 | Edward Pak | $110,003 | 120 |
Photo credit score: WSOP / Alicia Skillman
