Joseph Liberta Wins 2026 WSOP Millionaire Maker with Record-Breaking Prize

Joseph Liberta has made history by winning the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Millionaire Maker event, securing his first WSOP bracelet and a career-best score of $1,250,000. This victory is a significant milestone for the 37-year-old poker player, who has been active in the live tournament circuit for nearly 20 years.

The tournament, which began on June 17, 2026, attracted a massive field of 11,769 entries, making it one of the largest poker events ever. Notable players who made it deep into the tournament included Matt Affleck, Will Givens, Harrison Gimbel, Robert Kuhn, Scott Stewart, Vincent Moscati, Mark Newhouse, and Ryan Eriquezzo. The final table started with nine players, with Yifu He finishing in ninth place and Garry Gurevich in eighth.

Liberta's victory included 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year points, boosting his ranking to inside the top 175. His previous best score was $124,463, making this win a significant increase in his earnings. With this seven-figure windfall factored in, Liberta’s lifetime haul now sits at $3.1 million. The final table results saw Jacob Gagnon finishing in seventh place, earning a career-best score of $245,000, Alex Kim in sixth place with $315,000, Joseph Baghdadlian in fifth place with $410,000, Halford Fairchild in fourth place with $530,000, and Bradley Gafford in third place with $750,000. Michael Monroig finished in second place, earning $1,000,000.