A Las Vegas charity tournament on November 1 will give one player a direct entry to the $10,400 WPT World Championship, and it features NFL legend Ray Lewis among its celebrity guests. The "All In For Mental Health" event takes place at the Encore Poker Room at Wynn Las Vegas, with a $500 buy-in and proceeds going to the Inspiring Children Foundation. For recreational players, it is an unusual chance to combine a good cause, a star-studded room and a path to one of the biggest tournaments on the live calendar. This guide covers the structure, the prizes and the practical value of the seat. If you want to see how charity events fit into the wider tournament landscape, check our tournaments page.
Event Details
The tournament is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026 at the Encore Poker Room at Wynn Las Vegas. Registration and cocktails begin at 6 p.m., with cards in the air at 7 p.m. local time. The buy-in is $500, with $200 rebuys and $100 add-ons. That structure matters: rebuys and add-ons are typical of charity formats because they raise more money for the cause, but they also change the strategy. In a rebuy tournament, early aggression is often rewarded, since busting is cheap relative to building a big stack.
The event is sponsored by Coco Love, Stitched, Wynn and the World Poker Tour (WPT). WPT's involvement is the reason the top prize is so attractive.
The Charity
Proceeds benefit the Inspiring Children Foundation, a Las Vegas nonprofit that supports at-risk youth across physical, social, emotional and mental health. The foundation has operated for more than 25 years and offers mental-health support alongside education, leadership, nutrition, athletics and mentorship.
Trent Alenik, CEO of the foundation, said the event lets people enjoy a night at Wynn while helping young people gain "the tools, relationships and opportunities they need" to change their lives. Co-founder Marty Hennessy said that when people unite with open hearts, they can change the direction of a young person's life. The theme of the evening, mental health, resonates in a game that can be mentally taxing. Poker players often talk about tilt and emotional swings, and our tilt explainer addresses the topic from a game perspective.
Celebrity Guests
The announced attendees are:
- Ray Lewis, NFL legend
- Mike Majlak, co-host of Impaulsive
- Deryk Engelland, NHL player
- Jonathan Little, poker pro
- Princess Love, Celebrity Poker Tour champion
Celebrity-heavy charity tournaments tend to draw a mix of recreational players, fans and a few strong regulars. The presence of Jonathan Little is a notable draw for serious players, since he is a poker pro, and sitting at a table with a star athlete or an entertainer is part of the appeal for casual players. Treat the celebrity element as a bonus; the real value for entrants is the prize structure.
Prizes
The prize list is generous for a $500 event:
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | Direct entry to the $10,400 WPT World Championship, or $10,000 cash |
| 2nd | Wynn Tower Suites night and dinner for two at Casa Playa ($1,500 value) |
| 3rd | Wynn Tower Suites night ($800) |
| 4th | Dinner for two at SW Steakhouse and two tickets to Awakening ($800) |
| 5th | Wynn Resort room night and dinner for two at Allegro ($700) |
| 6th and 7th | Dinner for two at SW Steakhouse or Sinatra ($500 each) |
| 8th | Wynn Connoisseur Series masterclass for two ($300) |
| 9th | Dinner for two at Allegro ($250) |
| 10th | Dinner for two at The Buffet ($200) |
| Most rebuys | Two nights in a Wynn Resort room, dinner for two at Sinatra and two tickets to Awakening |
| Chip leader at end of registration | VIP bottle package for up to six at XS Nightclub |
The first-place choice between a $10,400 tournament entry and $10,000 cash is the key decision. The entry has a face value of $10,400, which is $400 higher than the cash alternative. For most players, taking the seat only makes sense if they plan to play the World Championship; otherwise the cash option has the advantage of flexibility. A winner who is not a high-stakes player might prefer cash, since a $10,400 buy-in is a heavy variance proposition. Our bankroll management guide explains why stepping up in stakes can be dangerous.
Is the Event Good Value?
Ten places are listed with prizes, and several additional awards exist for most rebuys and the chip leader at the end of registration. Because the prizes are mostly hospitality, their cash value is uncertain for each recipient, but the published values range from $200 to $1,500 for places two through ten. A $500 entry, plus potential rebuys and add-ons, means a player could spend more than the listed face value of many prizes. That is the nature of charity poker: part of every dollar goes to the cause. If your goal is to maximise expected value in isolation, a charity event is probably not the best use of $500. If you value the cause and the experience, it is a fair trade.
The unknown is the size of the field. The announcement does not give a cap or an expected number of entries. Without that, it is not possible to estimate your chance at the top prize. A larger field with rebuys makes the first-place seat harder to win, but also raises more money for the charity.
Strategy for Rebuy Charity Tournaments
Rebuy events reward a particular approach:
Be aggressive early. If rebuys are open, chips are cheaper than in a freezeout. Many players will gamble in the early levels, so building a stack quickly is valuable. Read our poker strategy hub for the basics.
Plan your rebuys. Decide your total budget before you sit down. With $200 rebuys and $100 add-ons, spending can climb quickly. Our bankroll management guide is a good reference.
Mind the end of rebuy period. Add-ons are typically offered at a break. Mathematically, an add-on is a purchase of chips at a fixed price; our pot odds explainer and equity explainer help evaluate whether the chips are worth the price.
Respect ICM late. Once rebuys end, the structure returns to normal tournament dynamics. Learn how ICM affects final-table decisions.
Why the WPT World Championship Seat Matters
The WPT World Championship is among the biggest events on the WPT calendar, and its $10,400 buy-in places it in the high-stakes category. A direct entry gives the winner a chance to play with the best field of the year without paying the entry fee. If you are curious about the broader televised and streamed poker landscape, our poker on TV guide lists where to watch. For anyone who has never played a major WPT event, a charity seat is an unusually accessible way to get there.
What This Means for Players
Decide in advance whether you want the seat. If you win, choose between the seat and $10,000 cash based on your plans, not your emotions.
Set a total budget. Buy-in, rebuys and add-ons can add up quickly.
Enjoy the experience. Between the celebrity guests and the Wynn setting, this is as much a night out as a tournament. Recreational players should treat it that way.
Support the cause. The Inspiring Children Foundation has operated for more than 25 years, and the event is a straightforward way to contribute while playing a game you enjoy.
Outlook
Charity poker is a long-standing tradition, and this event combines it with a real prize at the high end of the live schedule. With a $500 buy-in, a $10,400 WPT World Championship seat on offer and a cause rooted in youth mental health, the November 1 tournament at Encore is a clear example of how poker can connect with the wider community. Players interested in registering should check the Wynn poker room or WPT for current details and be ready to arrive early for registration at 6 p.m.