Phil Hellmuth Eyes High-Stakes Cash Games in 2026
Summary:
- Phil Hellmuth plans to play major cash games in 2026, including the Million Dollar Game at Hustler Casino Live.
- The poker pro, who set aside a $1.5 million bankroll, is pushing back against critics of his cash game skills.
- Now officially based in Las Vegas, Hellmuth is fully committed to playing more high-stakes poker this year.
Nearly four decades have passed since a young Phil Hellmuth shocked the poker world by winning the 1989 WSOP Main Event. A lot has changed since then.
The game is tougher, the money is bigger, and many of the players now sitting across from him were not even alive when he won his first bracelet. Still, Hellmuth keeps showing up, and in 2026, he is not easing off the gas.
Ready to Play
Despite talking in the past about cutting back, including saying he might skip the 2025 Main Event before changing his mind, Hellmuth is clearly in the mood to play.
This time, his focus is not on tournaments. It is on cash games, and not just any cash games. He has his eye on the Million Dollar Game at Hustler Casino Live, one of the most watched and talked-about live cash games in poker.
Hellmuth recently confirmed he plans to play, saying he has set aside $1.5 million specifically for cash games this year. He is fully aware of the risks at that level, but he does not sound worried.
If the blinds are $500/$1,000, that’s a thousand big blinds… I’ve lost a thousand big blinds before in a session, but it’s rare.
He also made it clear he believes his style stretches that bankroll further than people expect.
A million the way I play poker is a lot more than a million the way other people play poker.
“There Are Some Who Still Think That I Am Horrible With Cash”
His appearance alone is likely to bring extra attention to the Million Dollar Game, and maybe a few new faces looking to test themselves against the us poker all-time WSOP bracelet leader.
That said, Hellmuth knows he has something to prove. While his tournament record is untouchable, critics have long questioned how well that success translates to elite cash games.
He is clearly tired of hearing it.
Let’s be honest. I’ve made at least $10 million playing in cash games but there are some who still think that I am horrible with cash.
Away from the tables, life is treating him just as well. Hellmuth recently benefited from the $4.1 billion sale of PrizePicks, where he was an investor. He has also put money into Under Armour and bought a new home in Las Vegas. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, he paid $2.8 million for a four-bedroom condo at Park Towers, a property once owned by Elaine Wynn.
He and his wife officially moved to Las Vegas in December.
Vegas has been very, very good to me, and I love it here
The Poker Brat is settled, well-funded, and ready to battle. The only question now is which cash game will feel it first.
