2026 Player of the Year Scoring Criteria

• In most cases, events must have a buy-in equal or greater than 400 in local currency.* Buy-ins will be calculated with entry fee.
• Events must have at least 50 entrants or generate a prize pool equal or greater than $250,000. Events that qualify based on prize pool must have a minimum of 10 entrants.
• Events must be open to the public. Speciality events, such as invitationals, survivors, ladies, seniors, and partnership events will not qualify.
• Regularly scheduled daily or weekly events, that are not part of a series, do not qualify.
• Events that qualified the previous year will not automatically qualify for POY in the current year, unless they meet the minimum criteria.
• Players must make the money to earn POY points. All qualifying tournaments will award points to only the official final table, which is determined by game type.
• Online events will not qualify for POY

* This rule applies toward more or less congruent currencies such as the U.S. Dollar, the Euro, the Australian Dollar, the New Zealand Dollar, the Canadian Dollar and the British Pound. Other currencies will only qualify if when converted to U.S. Dollars, the buy-in is equal or greater than $400. As applicable, when converting international currency, the database manager may use their discretion to round up to the higher multiplier within 10-15% of the next level.

There are three criteria when calculating points. Points are calculated by multiplying the following three factors.

1. Place finished at the final table.

• Only players at the official final table will earn points, with a couple exceptions.
• In heads-up events with up to 64 entries, the top four will receive points. In heads-up events with 65 entries or more, the top eight will receive points.
• In events with at least 2,000 entries, the final three tables will receive points.

2. Amount of the buy-in.

3. Number of entrants.