Nikita Kalinin won a WSOP Online bracelet and $276,239 on GGPoker

Nikita Kalinin became the WSOP Online 2026 champion by winning Event #3: $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship, earning $276,239 and a Super Pass to WSOP Paradise.

As part of the prestigious WSOP Online 2026 series on GGPoker, the third bracelet has been awarded. The winner was Nikita Kalinin, who claimed victory in the Event #3: $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship tournament. This triumph brought the Russian player not only the status of World Series of Poker champion, but also an impressive cash prize of $276,239 , as well as a special $30,000 Super Pass for entry into the main event of WSOP Paradise 2026. About the Tournament: Format and Structure Event #3: $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship was played in a No-Limit Hold'em format with progressive bounties—a type of poker where players receive additional cash rewards for knocking out opponents, and part of the bounty is added to their own head, increasing the incentive for aggressive play. The buy-in was $2,500 , which attracted a significant number of entries: 781 entries created a total prize pool of $1,854,875 . The first day ended when only 20 contenders remained in the tournament. Nikita Kalinin finished the day with the second largest stack , giving him a strong chance going into the final stage. Final Table: Details of the Battle for the Bracelet The final day saw an intense fight for the title and big prizes. Here’s how the final table placements and payouts were distributed: 9th place: "Rinat M" (Belarus) — $41,670 8th place: Luigi Soncin — $44,689 7th place: Ivan Ilichev — $50,056 6th place: "firfir" (Serbia) — $75,739 5th place: Arsenii Karmatckii — $87,363 4th place: Pedro Neves — $97,558 3rd place: Leandro Bianchini (Argentina) — $120,744 2nd place: Audrius Stakelis — $136,074 1st place: Nikita Kalinin — $276,239 and WSOP bracelet, plus a $30,000 Super Pass The first eliminations from the final table came quickly: Belarusian "Rinat M" finished in ninth place, and Luigi Soncin exited in eighth. Ivan Ilichev, who invested $2,500, boosted his bankroll to $50,056 for seventh place. After the Serbian player "firfir" was knocked out in sixth, the battle for the title intensified. The chip leader at the start of the day, Arsenii Karmatckii, finished fifth, earning $87,363. After dangerous opponent Pedro Neves ($97,558) was eliminated, only three players remained, each already guaranteed a six-figure payout including bounties. Leandro Bianchini from Argentina took third place ($120,744), after which the heads-up duel began between Nikita Kalinin and Audrius Stakelis. Both had already secured at least $127,887, but the final payouts, including the last bounties, could significantly increase the total amount. In the decisive showdown, Kalinin came out on top and added another $148,351 for knockouts to his main prize, bringing his total winnings to $276,239. In addition to the cash prizes, Kalinin received his first WSOP gold bracelet and the right to participate in the 2026 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event thanks to the $30,000 Super Pass. What’s Next: The Upcoming Series Tournament In the coming days, the WSOP Online series on GGPoker continues with a new event— Event #4: $1,000 Mystery Bounty Pot-Limit Omaha . The tournament kicks off on August 20 at 19:00 BST. Day 1 will end after 30 levels or when the final table is set, whichever comes first. Well-known pros are already registered to play: Lex "LexVeldhuis" Veldhuis, Rainer Kempe, Jessica Teusl, and Nick Maimone. The tournament is expected to attract many star players and become one of the highlights of the series. Who Are the Final Table Heroes The tournament finalists represented different countries and poker schools. Nikita Kalinin has now written his name into the history of the World Series of Poker, while Audrius Stakelis, who finished second, added $136,074 to his bankroll. Other prize winners included players like Arsenii Karmatckii, known for his performances in major online tournaments, and Ivan Ilichev, who managed to turn his buy-in into a solid prize. It’s worth noting that the final table was international, highlighting the global nature of WSOP Online and the high level of competition on the GGPoker platform. Final Payout Table for Event #3: $2,500 Bounty NLH Championship 1st place: Nikita Kalinin — $276,239 + WSOP bracelet + $30,000 Super Pass 2nd place: Audrius Stakelis — $136,074 3rd place: Leandro Bianchini — $120,744 4th place: Pedro Neves — $97,558 5th place: Arsenii Karmatckii — $87,363 6th place: "firfir" — $75,739 7th place: Ivan Ilichev — $50,056 8th place: Luigi Soncin — $44,689 9th place: "Rinat M" — $41,670 What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Nikita Kalinin’s victory in the prestigious WSOP online tournament on GGPoker is a clear example that players from the Russian-speaking community can achieve outstanding results on the world stage. For PPPoker club members, this is an inspiring signal: even in tournaments with large buy-ins and the toughest competition, success is possible if you build your strategy wisely and take advantage of the bounty format. As this tournament showed, progressive bounty formats allow you not only to compete for the main prizes but also to significantly increase your payouts through aggressive play against opponents. By practicing these formats in PPPoker clubs, players can improve their skills and be ready to compete in major international series. Keep an eye on the online event schedule, experiment with different disciplines, and don’t miss your chance to make a name for yourself in the poker world—just like Nikita Kalinin, who started his journey in online tournaments and made it all the way to a WSOP gold bracelet.