Philip Chun Wins First WSOP Bracelet in Mini Mystery Millions

Philip Chun has captured his first World Series of Poker bracelet after winning the $550 Mini Mystery Millions event at the 2026 WSOP.

The no-limit hold’em tournament attracted a huge field of 20,488 entries across six starting flights, creating a total prize pool of more than $9.3 million. Chun outlasted the massive field to claim the bracelet and the $400,000 top prize.

The event also delivered one of the most exciting moments of the series when Andrew Shelton pulled the biggest bounty envelope of the tournament, worth $1 million.

Mystery Bounty Format Creates Huge Drama

The Mini Mystery Millions is one of the most dramatic events on the WSOP schedule because of its mystery bounty format. Once the bounty stage begins, each knockout gives players a chance to draw an envelope containing a random cash prize.

This format adds extra tension to the late stages of the tournament, as a single elimination can be worth more than the main event payout.

That proved to be the case this year when Andrew Shelton opened the top bounty envelope and discovered he had won $1,000,000. Although Shelton did not win the bracelet, he left as the biggest financial winner from the event.

Chun Claims Career-Best Score

For Philip Chun, the victory marked a major breakthrough. The California player earned $400,000, the largest live tournament score of his career.

Before this win, Chun’s biggest recorded result was $88,193, earned for winning a $1,100 event at the 2022 Wynn Signature Series. After his WSOP victory, Chun’s live tournament earnings now sit close to $719,000.

The bracelet win also gave Chun 720 Card Player Player of the Year points, marking his second qualifying score of 2026.

Coaching Help Before the Final Day

After the win, Chun credited part of his success to preparation with Kristen Foxen of Chip Leader Coaching.

Foxen, a five-time WSOP bracelet winner and the women’s all-time money leader, reportedly worked with Chun for an hour before the final day of play. Chun said the coaching session helped him significantly and played a major role in his ability to close out the tournament.

Final Day Begins With 13 Players

The event had been reduced to just 13 players by the end of Day 2. By that point, nearly $4.1 million in bounty prizes had already been awarded after the money bubble burst.

Several notable players made deep runs, including Brett Shaffer, Michael Khan, Nitis Udornpim, Barry Shulman and Mike Leah.

David Prociak entered the final day as the chip leader, while Chun started in the middle of the pack. Prociak remained in front when the final table was formed, but the lead changed hands as the table progressed.

Early Final Table Eliminations

Jurgen Pirgu was the first player eliminated at the final table. Kartik Ved’s ace-queen held against Pirgu’s ace-jack, sending Pirgu out in ninth place for $43,000.

Ved then continued building his stack by knocking out Rocco Iati in eighth place. Ved’s ace-king held against Iati’s suited jack-ten, giving Iati the same $43,000 payout.

A three-way all-in later ended Alexander Kaviani’s run. Kaviani held pocket fives against Jalil Houssain’s pocket sevens and Prociak’s ace-queen. Houssain turned a set and won the large pot, sending Kaviani out in seventh place for $72,000.

Joseph Trezzo followed in sixth place for $90,000 after a brutal cooler. He made deuces full of aces in a limped pot, but Houssain had kings full of deuces.

Chun Builds Momentum

Chun began gaining momentum during five-handed play. He doubled through Ved after making a flush with queen-ten suited against pocket nines.

Soon afterward, Chun eliminated Axel Bayout in fifth place. Chun’s ace-ten held against Bayout’s ace-eight suited, reducing the field to four players. Bayout earned $115,000.

David Prociak was next to fall. He moved all in from the cutoff with king-seven suited and was called by Ved in the small blind with pocket sevens. Prociak picked up the nut flush draw on the turn, but the river gave Ved four sevens full, ending Prociak’s tournament in fourth place for $155,000.

Chun Takes Control

Ved looked to be gaining momentum, but his run was slowed when he ran a seven-high straight into Houssain’s eight-high straight.

Chun then won the rest of Ved’s chips in a preflop showdown. Chun’s ace-seven suited held against Ved’s king-queen on a runout of jack-six-six-seven-ace. Ved finished third for $200,000, adding to a career résumé that now includes more than $2.2 million in live tournament cashes.

Chun entered heads-up play with 281 million chips against Houssain’s 230 million.

Second Hand of Heads-Up Decides the Bracelet

The heads-up match was short and decisive.

On just the second hand, Chun three-bet shoved with ace-queen, and Houssain called with ace-ten suited. The flop came nine-seven-three, keeping Chun ahead.

The turn gave Houssain both a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw, creating one final moment of drama. However, the river paired the board with an eight and missed Houssain’s draws.

Chun’s ace-queen held, securing the bracelet and the $400,000 first-place prize.

Houssain finished runner-up for $265,000, by far the biggest score of his career.

Final Table Results

A Breakthrough WSOP Victory

Chun’s win in the Mini Mystery Millions gives him his first WSOP bracelet and the biggest tournament payday of his career.

The event also highlighted why mystery bounty tournaments remain so popular. With a huge field, a seven-figure bounty, and a bracelet on the line, the $550 Mini Mystery Millions delivered one of the most exciting stories of the 2026 WSOP.