The 2021 WSOP Online series hits the halfway point this weekend. The first batch of online events from this year’s series saw a few familiar names finish at the tops of the payout structures.
Poker pros like Ryan Leng, Bryan Piccioli, and Manig Loeser all took down WSOP Online events in the first half of July. The 2021 WSOP Online series kicked off July 1 and finishes on August 1.
Through Thursday, 15 of 33 WSOP Online bracelets events played to their completion. The 2021 WSOP Online series is accessible to players in Nevada and New Jersey on WSOP.com.
After the current series ends, Pennsylvania players will get a shot at a Pennsylvania-only slate of online bracelet events. The newly-launched WSOP PA runs the Gold Bracelet Series Aug. 8-15, with eight WSOP bracelets up for grabs in Pennsylvania.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the 2021 WSOP Online series so far:
2021 Online Bracelet Event Winners (Through 15 Events)*
EventWinnerFirst-Place PrizeEntries Prize Pool
Event #1: $500 NLH Big 500 Kick-OffJose “deposit” Noboa$105,1611,277$574,650
Event #2: $600 Monster StackManig “Ohio77” Loeser$104,3131,038$560,520
Event #3: $500 NLH TurboDonnell “Spreezy52” Dais$90,801950$427,500
Event #4: $500 NLH TurboJeffery “Steelvikes7” Hoop$73,861850$382,500
Event #5: $1,000 NLH 8-MaxJeremiah “freestylerr” Williams$130,600459$648,700
Event #6: $2,000 NLH DeepstackTyler “ShipTheShip” Denson$175,700416$769,600
Event #7: $777 NLH Lucky 7’s Michael “stiliwalk” Mercaldo$123,574888$621,600
Event #8: $888 NLH Crazy EightsCarlos “CarlosWelch” Welch$124,369782$625,600
Event #9: $400 NLH 6-MaxPhilip “wingsuiter” Beck$81,534788$438,120
Event #10: $333 NLHMichael “njnj17” Leib$81,6451,517$455,100
Event #11: $400 NLH Ultra DeepstackVijay “Eclypzed” Para$86,2101,417$510,120
Event #12: $500 NLH Turbo DeepstackBryan “Pellepelle” Piccioli$83,332959$431,550
Event #13: $1,000 NLH FreezeoutRyan “Adopt_aDogg0” Leng$108,654561$504,900
Event #14: $500 NLHGionni “COLDWARKID” Demers$90,203673$466,200
Event #15: $500 NLHJustin “Jsaliba2” Saliba$253,800188$940,000
*Real player names courtesy of PokerNews
Manig Loeser Earns First Career WSOP Bracelet
With more than $11 million in career live earnings, a European Poker Tour title, and a Triton Poker Super High Roller championship to his name, Manig Loeser doesn’t have a whole lot to prove in terms of poker accomplishments. The elite German pro added his first WSOP bracelet to that resume last week.
Loeser took the win in WSOP Online Event #2: $600 NLH Monster Stack. He topped a field of 1,038 entries, taking away a $104,313 winner’s prize.
The win marks a breakthrough for Loeser, after coming close to winning a WSOP bracelet on several occasions. Prior to his win in Event #2, Loeser finished in the top three in five different WSOP events over the course of his career.
None of those previous deep runs ended in a win. Loeser’s latest big finish in a WSOP bracelet tournament finally resulted in a gold bracelet for the longtime poker pro.
Bryan Piccioli, Ryan Leng Each Pick Up WSOP Bracelet No. 2
The 2021 WSOP Online series crowned a pair of two-time bracelet winners, with Bryan Piccioli and Ryan Leng picking up wins on back-to-back days.
Piccioli earned the victory in Event #12: $500 NLH Turbo Deepstack. He emerged through a field of 959 entries, winning a $83,332 first-place prize.
The Las Vegas-based poker pro is well familiar with success at the WSOP. Piccioli’s biggest career live cash came at the 2017 WSOP Main Event, with Piccioli finishing sixth for a $1,675,000 payday.
Piccioli’s previous bracelet was earned at the 2013 WSOP Asia-Pacific $1,100 Accumulator event.
Ryan Leng made it two straight two-time bracelet winners the following day, taking the win in Event #13: $1,000 NLH Freezeout. Leng topped a field of 561 entries to cash for $108,654.
Leng’s other bracelet win came in the 2018 WSOP $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty event. He’s been active in the WSOP’s online events, cashing 11 times in the 2020 WSOP Online series.
Leng has cashed twice in this year’s online series, including the Event #13 win.
Outlook For The Remainder Of The 2021 WSOP Online
Some of the biggest prize pools from the 2021 WSOP Online should emerge from the second half of the series.
Thursday’s Event #15: $5,300 NLH High Roller Freezeout, yield the biggest prize pool and first place from any event in the series so far. Justin “Jsaliba2” Saliba took the win in that tournament for $253,800, with the prize money hitting $940,000.
An even larger buy-in awaits players in Event #25: $7,777 NLH Lucky 7’s High Roller. The July 25 tournament features the highest buy-in for any online event in WSOP history.
The final two tournaments on the WSOP Online schedule could turn out as the most lucrative events of the series. Event #32: $1,000 NLH Championship plays out on July 31, and functions as the Main Event of the 2021 WSOP Online.
The series closes with Event #33: $500 NLH Grand Finale on Aug. 1. That tournament offers a $1 million guarantee, the only guaranteed prize pool of any tournament in the series.
