Nathan Gamble Wins WSOP PLO8 Championship for Third Bracelet

Nathan Gamble adds another WSOP title in his strongest game

Nathan Gamble has turned Pot-Limit Omaha eight-or-better into a true signature event. With his latest run, the 36-year-old Texan won his third World Series of Poker bracelet, and all three victories have come in PLO8. That kind of specialization is rare at the highest level, and it says a lot about how deeply he understands split-pot poker.

In the 2026 WSOP $10,000 PLO8 Championship, Gamble outlasted a field of 390 entries and collected a career-best $767,395. For a player already respected in mixed-game circles, this result moves him into a different conversation: not just as a solid professional, but as one of the most accomplished PLO8 tournament players in the world.

For readers who follow the game across poker rooms and live poker clubs, this event is a reminder that some of the most technically demanding poker battles still happen in formats that reward patience, hand reading, and precise equity calculation.

Why this WSOP PLO8 win matters beyond the money

Gamble said moments after the victory that he could hardly find the words. He also noted that he had been checking the standings the night before and believed he was already the No. 1 player in the world for PLO8 bracelet cashes. After this win, he said he now knows he is unequivocally the No. 1 player in the world for PLO8 bracelets — a legacy statement that reflects exactly how much this title means to him.

That kind of quote matters because it frames the win as more than a payday. In poker, especially at the WSOP, bracelets are history markers. They separate one-off heaters from sustained excellence. Winning three bracelets in the same discipline is the sort of achievement that shapes how the poker community remembers a player years later.

Gamble also spoke about watching Negreanu, Ivey, and other legends as a 12-year-old kid. That personal detail gives the result emotional weight: this was not just a trophy chase, but the fulfillment of a long-term dream that started before he was even a teenager.

The $10,000 PLO8 Championship final table story

The event generated a $3,627,000 prize pool, with the top 59 finishers making money. The field included a long list of recognizable names, among them John Hennigan, Phil Hellmuth, Brad Owen, Jason Daly, Mike Gorodinsky, Joao Vieira, Dylan Weisman, David Coleman, Ryan Hughes, Shota Nakanishi, Matt Vengrin, Jason Mercier, Matthew Schreiber, and Jarod Minghini.

By the time the final day began, only five players remained. Two-time bracelet winner Justin Liberto held a massive chip lead, sitting on nearly four times as many chips as the next-largest stack, Gamble. On paper, that looked like a control spot for Liberto, but PLO8 is rarely that simple. Because the game is built around high and low shares, one big pot can swing momentum dramatically.

• Nino Pansier was the first player eliminated on Day 4.
• Martin Zamani scored a huge double-up and briefly moved into contention.
• Gamble and Liberto traded major pots for the lead.
• The title ultimately came down to who could convert the biggest equity spots.

The hands that decided the bracelet

One of the earliest pivotal hands saw Martin Zamani double through Nino Pansier in a three-bet pot. Zamani had top two pair plus the nut low draw against Pansier’s top pair and second-nut low draw. He held for the high and made his low as well, scooping the pot and climbing into second in chips. That hand was a perfect example of why PLO8 punishes players who overvalue only one side of the board.

Pansier, who finished fifth for $174,981, soon found himself all-in with K♥K♣8♠4♠ against Zamani’s A♦J♥10♣4♥. The board ran out Q♦10♥3♥10♦3♦, giving Zamani trip tens with an ace kicker and ending the Dutch pro’s run. Pansier’s result pushed his lifetime live earnings past $3.1 million.

Zamani then became the next player to fall. He got in with A♥K♣7♠2♦ against Justin Liberto’s J♣4♣3♠2♣. The flop of A♦Q♥2♠ gave Zamani aces up, while Liberto picked up the nut low draw and wheel outs. The 9♥ turn changed nothing, but the 5♣ river gave Liberto a five-high straight to scoop the pot. Zamani finished fourth for $245,467, bringing his career live earnings to $8.7 million.

Expert analysis: what Gamble’s win says about modern PLO8

This win is a strong case study in what elite PLO8 strategy looks like today. The best players do not treat high and low as separate games; they build ranges that can win both halves of the pot or at least deny their opponents clean scoops. Gamble’s path through the final table showed that exact mindset.

His ability to overtake Liberto despite starting from behind is especially instructive. In split-pot formats, chip leaders can feel comfortable, but that comfort disappears quickly when an opponent keeps showing up with nut-heavy, multi-way equity. Gamble’s hands suggest patience, discipline, and a willingness to apply pressure only when the structure of the hand supports it.

The broader lesson for players is simple: in PLO8, big stack poker is not just about aggression, it is about hand composition. You need redraws, low coverage, and the ability to avoid getting quartered or scooped. That is why study matters so much. Players who want to improve in these spots should combine live experience with education from a poker school, where the split-pot dynamics can be broken down in a structured way.

Another takeaway is the continuing value of niche expertise. Even in a WSOP schedule dominated by Hold’em, events like this prove that deep knowledge of less mainstream formats still creates real edges. That is good news for specialists, and it also keeps mixed-game poker relevant for the broader ecosystem. If you are building a bankroll around live play, understanding the landscape of promotions & bonuses can help you find better value when you move between series and venues.

Final table finish and the bigger picture

Marco Johnson exited in sixth place for $127,208, and then the final three emerged: Gamble, Liberto, and Matthew Beinner. Beinner finished third for $351,037 after his A♥Q♣J♥3♣ fell to Liberto’s A♠K♥9♥7♣. Beinner flopped real equity with a pair of threes, the nut flush draw, and a wrap, but he could not improve on the runout.

From there, Gamble took control. He won several major pots against Liberto, including one where both his nut flush draw and nut low draw got there after the chips went in on a 10♣8♣4♠ flop. Liberto had a pair of eights and the second-nut low draw, but Gamble’s A♣7♣4♣2♣ improved on the 5♥ turn and K♣ river to complete the flush and the scoop.

That final stretch is what separates bracelet winners from runners-up. Gamble did not merely survive a tough final table; he adjusted, found the right pressure points, and turned a deficit into a defining victory. For PLO8 players, that is the blueprint: stay patient, respect the math, and attack when both halves of the pot are working in your favor.

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