Stake Poker World KO Championship: $1M+ Guaranteed

The World Cup knockout rounds are here. So it is one of the biggest poker series Stake has ever run. From June 29 to July 20, 2026, every single tournament in the World KO Championship is a knockout – and there’s over $1,000,000 guaranteed waiting to be claimed.

If you like busting opponents and pocketing bounties, this is your series. Here’s everything you need to know and how to get in.

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Stake Poker

crypto-friendly

Rating:4.5

Bonus: 200% Bonus up to $2000

Rakeback: Fixed 3.5%

Bonus code:

SMPBONUS

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Stake Poker World KO Championship

Stake Poker built this series around one idea – knock people out, get paid. No slow grinds for a min-cash. Every table win puts money in your pocket on the spot.

• Dates: June 29 – July 20, 2026 (23 days)
• Format: All knockouts – regular KOs, Progressive Knockouts (PKOs), and Mystery Bounties
• Guaranteed: Over $1,000,000 across the series
• Buy-ins: Just $5 to $50
• Headliner: $100,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event – only $20 to enter

Every event sits in the dedicated World KO Championship section of the poker lobby – or just search “WKC” in the tournament tab to jump straight to it.

Join Stake Poker and play the series

How the Series Works

This isn’t a handful of tournaments thrown together. It’s a full schedule with something running every day. Here’s what makes it different.

Every Tournament Is a Knockout

Bust an opponent, claim their bounty. That’s the whole series. You’ll see three formats:

• Regular Knockouts – flat bounty on every head you take
• Progressive Knockouts (PKOs) – half the bounty is cash, half grows your own price tag
• Mystery Bounties – bust a player, open a random envelope, win anything from small to massive

The $100,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event

This is the one to circle. A phased Mystery Bounty for just $20.

• Play any Day 1 flight across the series
• Bag a stack, and you’re through to the finale on July 20
• Each day, Day 1 ends when 15% of the field remains
• Best Stack Forward Policy applies – only your biggest qualifying stack carries through

That means you can fire multiple flights and keep your best result. Twenty bucks for a shot at a six-figure pool is a rare value.

Bye Day Specials – $705,000+ Combined

On the World Cup rest days (July 8, 12, 13, 16, and 17), Stake runs five headline $30 Progressive Knockouts. Here’s the clever part – the prize pool grows by $500 for every goal scored across the tournament.

• Five events, expected pools of $135,000 – $145,000 each
• Registration stays open a full 12 hours
• More goals in the World Cup = bigger pools for you

Mystery Bounty Special

On July 18, a $50 Mystery Bounty with a $20,000 guarantee. One night, one shot, mystery envelopes in play.

Daily Knockouts

Every day brings more action – $10,000 PKOs, $10,000 Mystery Bounties, plus faster formats like Speed Run PKOs, Deepstack Turbos, and Big Knockout Turbos. Whatever your schedule, there’s an event that fits.

Stake Poker World KO Championship Prize Pools

One Nice Touch – Football Comes First

No World KO Championship tournament starts while a match is being played. So you can watch the knockout stages and play the knockouts without missing either. Smart scheduling for football fans who grind.

Key Things to Know Before You Register

A few rules are worth keeping in mind so nothing catches you off guard.

• Registration: Opens 48 hours before each event. Bye Day Specials open 12 hours before.
• Re-entries: Allowed, up to 10 per player.
• Entry: Use cash or an equivalent-value ticket.
• Main Event: Phased format, Best Stack Forward, finale July 20.

New to poker tournament play? Check out our guide to tournament rules, which covers the basics of MTT play.

Why Play the Series at Stake Poker

Stake Poker has grown fast, and a series this size shows why. Quick takeaways:

• Low buy-ins, huge guarantees, every event is a knockout, crypto-friendly cashier, fast payouts, clean, modern client
• A crypto-first platform may not suit everyone; the schedule is busy if you want to attend every event

Want the full breakdown of the room – banking, software, traffic, and bonuses? Read our complete Stake Poker review before you deposit.

How to Get Started in Minutes

Getting into the World KO Championship is simple:

1. Sign up at Stake Poker through the link below
2. Use code SMPBONUS when you register
3. Fund your account with cash or crypto
4. Open the poker lobby and find the World KO Championship section – or search “WKC” in the tournament tab
5. Register for any event for $5 and start bagging bounties

Claim your seat at Stake Poker now