The 2026 World Series of Poker kicked off with a bang — and a record. Event #1, the $550 Mini Mystery Millions, drew a staggering 20,488 entries to become the seventh-largest live WSOP tournament ever held in Las Vegas. When the dust settled at Paris & Horseshoe Las Vegas, it was Philip Chun hoisting the gold bracelet and pocketing $400,000. But for Asian poker fans, the story was India’s Kartik Ved, who came agonisingly close to glory with a $200,000 third-place finish.
A Record-Breaking Field and a $1 Million Surprise
The Mini Mystery Millions has grown into one of poker’s most beloved opening events, and the 2026 edition blew past all expectations. With 20,488 runners, the tournament generated a $9,352,772 prize pool plus a separate $4,097,600 bounty pool — the crown jewel of which was a $1,000,000 mystery bounty claimed by Andrew Shelton, who became an instant millionaire without even needing to reach the final table. The $550 buy-in made the event accessible to grinders at every level, and the numbers proved it: this was poker at its most democratic.
Thirteen players returned for the final day, with the field condensing to a nine-handed final table inside an hour. Chun, who had advanced via the Turbo flight, started the day in the middle of the pack but quickly made his move — sending Sheldon Phelps to the rail in 12th place before doubling up early to seize the chip lead.
Kartik Ved’s Near-Miss Makes History for India
For APAC poker fans, the most compelling narrative belonged to Kartik Ved of India. Already a WSOP bracelet winner from the online felts, Ved was chasing his first live bracelet in Las Vegas and he nearly delivered. He drove deep into the final table, eliminating both Jurgen Pirgu (9th) and Rocco Iati (8th) along the way. With three players left, Ved was still very much in the hunt — until Chun’s patient play paid off. Holding ace-suited, Chun made the call against Ved’s king-queen shove, flopped the nut advantage, and held. Ved exits in third for $200,000 — a brilliant result that cements his status as one of Asia’s premier tournament players on the global stage.
Runner-up Jalil Houssain (Palestine) took home $265,000 after a courageous heads-up battle. Chun, who entered play third in chips, credits his bracelet win in part to a late-night coaching call with WSOP bracelet winner and Chip Leader Coaching founder Kristen Foxen. “I would not be here holding the bracelet if it wasn’t for Kristen as my coach,” Chun told PokerNews after the victory.
What This Means for Asian Players
The Mini Mystery Millions is exactly the kind of event that illustrates why the WSOP remains the ultimate bucket-list destination for Asian players. With a $550 buy-in and a nine-figure prize pool ecosystem, it’s a tournament where a satellite win through GGPoker or Natural8 can genuinely change your life — as Kartik Ved’s $200,000 score proves. Qualification paths from Asia are open year-round, and the 2026 WSOP still has over six weeks of action remaining. There’s no better time to be grinding your way towards Las Vegas.
Want to know more about playing in WSOP satellites from Asia, or need help getting set up on GGPoker or Natural8? Message @PAGDaddyBot on Telegram — our 24/7 support bot is ready in English, Korean, and Thai.
