EPT Barcelona 2026: Jason Wheeler Wins PokerStars Open Main Event as Main Event Kicks Off

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EPT Barcelona 2026: Jason Wheeler Wins PokerStars Open Main Event as Main Event Kicks Off

Jason Wheeler wins the €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event at EPT Barcelona 2026, while the €5,300 Main Event begins with Michael Dwyer leading Day 1A.

The European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona 2026 festival is in full swing at Casino Barcelona, with the prestigious €5,300 Main Event kicking off and the first major champion already crowned. American pro Jason Wheeler took down the massive PokerStars Open Main Event, while high rollers battle for six-figure payouts.

Jason Wheeler Triumphs in PokerStars Open Main Event

The €1,650 PokerStars Open (PSO) Main Event delivered a spectacular start, drawing 4,333 entries and building a prize pool of €6,239,520. The early paid stages were dominated by American WSOP Main Event finalist Han Feng, but his final day in Barcelona didn't go as planned. After a string of unlucky hands, Feng exited in 6th place for €148,610.

The heads-up battle came down to Wheeler and Sweden's Alexander Ivarsson. Wheeler emerged victorious, claiming €731,000 — a new personal best in his tournament career and pushing his total earnings past $6 million. The win also marked his seventh EPT trophy, further proving his prowess on European soil.

Final Table Results: €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event

    1. Jason Wheeler (USA) — €731,000
    1. Alexander Ivarsson (Sweden) — €457,000
    1. Darko Svesko (Serbia) — €326,200
    1. Bogdan Petrascu (Romania) — €251,120
    1. Mahersh Selvakumaran (Netherlands) — €193,190
    1. Han Feng (USA) — €148,610
    1. Gregoire Jarry (France) — €114,290
    1. Felipe Boianovsky (Brazil) — €87,910

Eychenne Chases Barcelona Double in High Roller

The €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller has attracted a fiercely competitive field, with 1,551 entries creating a prize pool of €3,761,175. The winner will take home €589,395. After Day 2, only 14 players remain, with Frenchman Thomas Eychenne leading the pack with 7,100,000 chips.

Eychenne has a unique opportunity to craft an incredible story: he won the Barcelona EPT Main Event last year and now aims for another coveted trophy. However, notable contenders like Scott Margereson, Zdeněk Žížka, and the last woman standing, Marte Sandberg, are determined to halt his progress.

Standings Before Final Day: €2,700 PokerStars Open High Roller

    1. Thomas Eychenne (France) — 7,100,000
    1. Marwan Walid Salamoun (Lebanon) — 7,050,000
    1. Virgile Turchi (France) — 5,850,000
    1. Christian Kaufmann (Switzerland) — 3,625,000
    1. Lars Tungel (Sweden) — 3,225,000
    1. Scott Margereson (UK) — 2,650,000
    1. David Djian (France) — 2,325,000
    1. Anatoly Korochenskiy (Russia) — 1,950,000
    1. Zdeněk Žížka (Czech Republic) — 1,825,000
    1. Damien Gayer (France) — 1,650,000
    1. Marte Sandberg (Norway) — 1,550,000
    1. Maxim Ventura (Spain) — 1,500,000
    1. Hak-Hyun Lee (Sweden) — 1,500,000
    1. Gilles Simon (Netherlands) — 485,000

Main Event Underway with an Irish Touch

The highlight of the festival, the €5,300 EPT Main Event, has successfully started with Day 1A. The opening flight recorded 635 entries, with the preliminary prize pool already reaching €3,079,750 — a figure expected to soar during Flight 1B. After ten levels, 193 players advanced to Day 2.

Irishman Michael Dwyer leads the pack with a stack of 363,500 chips. Veteran Mark Teltscher, champion of EPT London 2005, also performed brilliantly, securing the third spot.

Top 10 Players After Day 1A: €5,300 EPT Main Event

    1. Michael Dwyer (Ireland) — 363,500
    1. Matteo Cecchetti (Italy) — 345,000
    1. Mark Teltscher (UK) — 324,000
    1. Andrija Cvetkovic (Croatia) — 287,500
    1. Eros Calderone (Italy) — 282,000
    1. Vito Recchimurzo (Venezuela) — 262,500
    1. Ivo Colaco (Portugal) — 260,500
    1. Eduardo Escada (Brazil) — 251,500
    1. Jose Criado (Spain) — 224,500
    1. Remi Derossi (France) — 223,000

Omaha Elite Battles for Hundreds of Thousands

For lovers of four-card and high stakes, the exclusive €25K PLO High Roller was on the schedule. Day 1 recorded 26 entries, raising the prize pool to €624,260. Late registration remains open until the start of Day 2, so there's room for growth. The opening day filtered the field down to the top 15 players.

Leading the provisional rankings is Austrian player Klemens Roiter, who also dominated the €25K NLH event earlier in the series. Interestingly, Finnish players have shown great success, with five making it into the top ten.

Current Standings Top 10 After Day 1: €25,000 PLO High Roller

    1. Klemens Roiter (Austria) — 1,013,000
    1. Laszlo Bujtas (Hungary) — 798,000
    1. Marcus Dieleman (Netherlands) — 797,000
    1. Samuli Sipila (Finland) — 533,000
    1. Aku Joentausta (Finland) — 456,000
    1. Lauri Saaskilahti (Finland) — 450,000
    1. Andras Nemeth (Hungary) — 370,000
    1. Eelis Parssinen (Finland) — 361,000
    1. Lauri Varonen (Finland) — 309,000
    1. Espen Myrmo (Norway) — 302,000

Stay tuned for more updates from EPT Barcelona 2026 as the Main Event continues and the High Roller crowns its champion.

FAQ

Jason Wheeler won the €1,650 PokerStars Open Main Event, defeating Alexander Ivarsson heads-up to claim €731,000.