Daniel Negreanu dropped his WSOP Fantasy knowledge in a video this week, offering up some helpful insider tips – plus a chance to grab a piece of his 2026 WSOP action later this week, when 20% goes live May 15 at 9am PT on PokerStake.
The seven-time WSOP champ spends a lot of time preparing for the big $25K Fantasy auction every year, and his video breakdown of the best bets for building a winner roster is a must-see for fantasy players.
In a full breakdown of WSOP Fantasy strategy, Negreanu touches on budget management, volume, bargains, and the best players to grab when you're choosing a fantasy team.
Our own WSOP Fantasy Freeroll will also be returning this year, so you can start your prep now with Negreanu's expert advice.
PokerOrg Fantasy Freeroll player prices are based on the results of the annual $25K WSOP Fantasy Draft, where poker’s biggest names are auctioned off. Every roster gets $200 to spend across eight players. The draft place on May 25 this year – and you can watch it live on the PokerGO YouTube channel.
When in doubt, draft Negreanu (says Negreanu.)Core strategy
Negreanu breaks down his overall WSOP Fantasy strategy into several key factors.
- Budget management: Don't blow half your budget on one player without understanding the risk. They need to perform at a high rate, or you're dead meat. Aim for at least 2 points per dollar spent.
- Volume: Players who sit down for a lot of events are valuable. Look for the players who play a lot of mixed games in a high-volume schedule. Mixed-game specialists are a fundamental piece of any WSOP Fantasy team.
- Recency bias: A big 2025 does not necessarily predict a big 2026. Look further back and keep an eye out for those comeback players.
- Bargains: $1 players are a key part of a winning roster. Look for low-cost players who sit down for a lot of tournaments. My former colleague TJ Reid would want me to mention him here.
Players to watch
Negreanu also divides players into tiers based on last year's performance. The first tier deals with big-budget players, and the list works its way down to the bargain bin.
Players like Jeremy Ausmus and Scott Seiver went for big bucks last year, but they didn't return well on the investment. But a player like Negreanu did. Negreanu says his "floor is high." And his ceiling is high, too.
Shaun Deeb was "too cheap" at $99 in 2025. A second tier of players includes those who were bought between $91 and $99, and that group can be a boon or a bust. Shaun Deeb, who went for $99 last year, returned massive value with 3.6 points-per-dollar. "[Deeb] was too cheap," Negreanu said. "He punished everyone who didn't have faith."
By way of contrast, Jesse Lonis underperformed in mixed events, and it hurt his overall performance. But Benny Glaser returned 2.7 points-per-dollar – and that's where you want to be.
Down the list you have players between $81 and $89, like Joao Vieira and his big returns on a full schedule, and Chance Kornuth, who Negreanu expects to bounce back in 2026. Other big names to keep an eye out for are Josh Arieh, who was one of the bigger busts of 2025, and Alex Foxen, who returned over 3 points per dollar on a bid in the 60s.
As for the bargains, players like Marco Johnson were big point-getters in 2026, along with Viktor Blom, who surprised with 310 points on just $22. $1 sleepers who stole the show were Andrew Ostapchenko (234 points) and Josh Turner (183 points).
A player's schedule is everything in WSOP Fantasy. Schedule, schedule, schedule
It's all about the schedule, says Negreanu.
"No matter how good a player is, if they’re not putting together a full schedule, they’re not worth too much in terms of an investment."
Do your research and find out how much a player is going to play this year. Keep an eye out for those $1 sleepers – and if you are in doubt, just draft Negreanu.
“With the schedule I play, I’ve been a performer," he says. "I’ve accrued more points in this thing than any other player since the inception. Pretty consistent.”
We’ll have full coverage of the $25K WSOP Fantasy Draft in Las Vegas on May 25 – plus everything you need to build your PokerOrg Fantasy Freeroll team.
