A WSOP bracelet is the official trophy awarded to the winner of each World Series of Poker tournament event. It is the most prestigious prize in poker and, according to the WSOP, the most valuable trophy in professional sports, with the Main Event edition appraised at up to $500,000.
The event has grown in prominence since debuting at Binion's Horseshoe in 1970, with the gold bracelet introduced in 1976 becoming the defining symbol of poker achievement.
How the WSOP Bracelet Began
The WSOP gold bracelet was introduced in 1976 by Benny Binion, founder of Binion's Horseshoe in Las Vegas, to add prestige to the growing tournament series. At the time, gold was priced at roughly $134 an ounce and each bracelet was valued at around $500.
The earliest designs were deliberately simple. As Benny Binion's daughter Becky Behnen told the Associated Press in 2006, "The band looked like gold nuggets kind of hammered flat."
That look persisted through the 1980s and into the 1990s, when more jewels began appearing on larger pieces. By the 2000s, winners could expect sturdier designs with crisper, more modern lettering. Just as Super Bowl rings have grown bolder over the decades, so too have the WSOP bracelets.
What Does a Modern WSOP Bracelet Look Like?
The Main Event bracelet is the most elaborate piece of jewellery in the WSOP series. It is custom-crafted each year by Jostens, a leading American championship jewellery company, and no two editions are identical.
The 2025 Main Event bracelet, won by Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi, was crafted from 367 grams of 10-karat yellow gold and features more than 2,250 round diamonds. Four polished card suit symbols and the iconic horseshoe surround the centrepiece, which carries the "2025 World Champion" title and "Est. 1970", a nod to the year the WSOP was first held.
Not every bracelet is equal. Smaller events receive simpler hardware; the Main Event bracelet is significantly larger and more valuable than any other in the series. Design varies each year, but the Main Event edition always represents the pinnacle of WSOP jewellery.
How Much Is a WSOP Bracelet Worth?
The WSOP Main Event bracelet is appraised at up to $500,000. The WSOP officially considers it the most valuable trophy in professional sports. Unlike conventional trophies, it cannot be purchased, it can only be won.
As Seth Palansky, Caesars vice president of corporate communications, has said: "The value is priceless as you can't buy one, you must win one."
Occasionally, bracelets do come up for sale on the secondary market. In 2013, Jamie Gold's 2006 Main Event bracelet, containing more than seven carats of diamonds and 120 grams of white and yellow gold, sold at auction for $65,725. Gold stated publicly that the sale was out of his hands. Bracelets from non-Main Event tournaments have also appeared on eBay, though such listings are rare.
Who Has Won the Most WSOP Bracelets?
Phil Hellmuth holds the all-time record with 17 WSOP bracelets, won across five different decades. He is the only player in history to win the Main Event in both Las Vegas (1989) and Europe (2012).
Hellmuth's first bracelet came at age 24, when he won the 1989 Main Event for $755,000. As he later recalled: "Winning the Main Event was my number one life goal. Luckily, I pulled it off early in my career."
As of 2025, the all-time WSOP bracelet leaderboard stands as follows:
- 1st - Phil Hellmuth: 17 bracelets (most recent: 2023)
- 2nd - Phil Ivey: 11 bracelets (most recent: 2024)
- 3rd - Doyle Brunson: 10 bracelets (most recent: 2005)
- 3rd - Johnny Chan: 10 bracelets (most recent: 2005)
- 3rd - Erik Seidel: 10 bracelets (most recent: 2023)
In 2025, Michael Mizrachi won both the $50,000 Poker Players Championship and the Main Event in the same summer – widely considered one of the greatest individual WSOP performances in history – bringing his total to eight bracelets and earning him immediate induction into the Poker Hall of Fame.
Key Takeaways
- A WSOP bracelet is the official trophy for each WSOP event winner and cannot be purchased, it must be won.
- The Main Event bracelet is appraised at up to $500,000 and is considered the most valuable trophy in professional sports.
- The bracelet was introduced in 1976 by Benny Binion; early editions were simple gold bands worth around $500.
- The Main Event bracelet is custom-crafted annually by Jostens from 10-karat yellow gold with thousands of diamonds and gemstones.
- Phil Hellmuth holds the all-time record with 17 bracelets; Phil Ivey is second with 11.
- Bracelets occasionally appear on the secondary market: Jamie Gold's 2006 Main Event bracelet sold for $65,725 in 2013.
WSOP Bracelets FAQ
How many WSOP bracelets are awarded each year?
The 2025 WSOP awarded 100 bracelets across its live summer series in Las Vegas, plus 30 in online events and 15 at the WSOP Europe festival, bringing the annual total to over 145. The 2026 WSOP, scheduled from May 26 to July 15 at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, will once again feature 100 live bracelet events. The number has grown significantly over the decades: in 1990, only 14 bracelet events existed.
What is the difference between a WSOP bracelet and a WSOP ring?
A WSOP bracelet is awarded at official World Series of Poker events, including the main Las Vegas series, WSOP Europe, and WSOP Paradise. A WSOP ring is awarded at WSOP Circuit events, a separate series of regional tournaments held throughout the year at various casinos. Rings carry prestige but are considered a step below bracelets in terms of recognition and value.
Who won the most recent WSOP Main Event?
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi won the 2025 WSOP Main Event, earning $10,000,000 and his eighth career bracelet. His victory was historic: he had already won the $50,000 Poker Players Championship earlier that same summer, making him the first player to win both events in a single year. He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame immediately after his win.
Has anyone ever refused or given up a WSOP bracelet?
Yes. Doyle Brunson famously said his first bracelet "didn't mean anything" to him and did not collect two of his ten bracelets in the early years of the series, when the trophy carried little prestige. More recently, Jamie Gold's 2006 Main Event bracelet was sold at auction in 2013. Gold stated publicly that the sale was out of his hands.
