2026 Tampa Signature Poker Series
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 10
$2,500 SPS Championship
$500,000 Guaranteed
Entries: 261
Prize Pool: $587,250
July 24 – 27, 2026

The 2026 Signature Poker Series featured 15 trophy events, none bigger than the Championship with its $2,500 buy-in and $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. The tournament attracted 261 entries over two starting flights, and Bill Camp dominated late to take the top spot for $111,490 after a heads-up deal.

The turnout meant they surpassed the guarantee and created a prize pool worth $587,250. The last 32 spots were paid, and the money bubble burst late on Day 2. We had 12 players survive to come back for Day 3 and Camp was right in the middle of the field.

Once we formed our final table with nine remaining, Camp took command and built a huge lead as players started dropping out.

By the time Camp was heads-up with Brian Ray for the title, he was holding a 9-to-1 chip lead, and it looked inevitable. But Ray had something to say about that.

After two doubles and a few big hands, Ray was soon the one with the chip lead and momentum. The two settled into a long grind, Camp built his final lead, and the two decided to end the Championship.

They agreed to a deal which saw Ray walk away with $102,500 as the runner-up and Camp earned $111,490 plus the huge SPS Championship trophy as our winner.

Congrats to Bill and thank you to everyone for coming out.

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

After a long back-and-forth battle, Bill Camp was back in the lead and the two players decided to look at some numbers based on their counts.

Bill Camp – 6,800,000 (54 bb)
Brian Ray – 3,650,000 (29 bb)

After some negotiations, Camp was declared the winner and earned $111,490 while Brian Ray earned $102,500 for the runner-up finish.

1st: Bill Camp  –  $111,490 + SPS Trophy
2nd: Brian Ray  –  $102,500

A great heads-up match as they played tough and swapped the lead several times. Congrats to both.

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 27:  50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

The two players are taking a quick break as the 5K chips are colored off the table.

Brian Ray leads but this heads-up match has been back and forth since it started.

Seat 5: Bill Camp – 3,650,000 (37 bb)
Seat 7: Brian Ray – 6,790,000 (68 bb)

1st: $128,540 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $85,450

3rd: Thomas Shepard – $62,330
4th: Ricardo Rodriguez – $46,040
5th: Jeff Trudeau – $34,450
6th: Peter Walsworth – $26,100
7th: Farhad Kamali – $20,020
8th: Michael Medina – $15,560
9th: Reese Combs – $12,240
10th: Miguel Hernandez – $12,240
11th: Mike Ahmad – $10,030
12th: Justin Swilling – $10,030

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 26:  40,000/80,000 with a 80,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

With about 2.5 million in the pot and the board reading , Bill Camp moved all in and Brian Ray quickly called.

Ray:
Camp:

Ray flopped a set of fours and Camp was second best with aces up.

Another double and another lead change.

Brian Ray – 7,050,000 (88 bb)
Bill Camp – 3,375,000 (42 bb)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

Bill Camp limped his button, Brian Ray raised to 225,000 and Camp called.

The flop was , Ray bet 250,000 and Camp called.

The turn was , Ray bet 350,000, and Camp moved all in for 3,050,000.

Ray thought for several minutes and called with the bigger stack.

Ray:
Camp:

Ray flopped top pair of eights but Camp turned two pair sixes and deuces for the lead. The river was and Camp doubled back into the lead.

Bill Camp – 7,110,000 (119 bb)
Brian Ray – 3,330,000 (56 bb)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

With about 2,500,000 already in the pot and the board reading , Bill Camp bet 1,200,000.

Ray thought for a few minutes and moved all in for 3,105,000.

It was Camp’s turn to think about it. Several minutes went by as he counted out how much to call and how much he would have left and talking to himself.

Camp ended up folding, showing the and Ray took the pot to come all the way back from a big deficit to having the lead for the Championship.

Brian Ray – 6,790,000 (113 bb)
Bill Camp – 3,650,000 (61 bb)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

With the flop reading , Brian Ray bet 200,000 and Bill Camp raised to 600,000. Ray called, the turn was and both players checked.

The river was , Ray checked, and Camp bet 750,000. Ray thought for a few minutes, check-raised all in for 1,995,000 and Camp folded after a minute.

Brian Ray – 3,945,000 (66 bb)
Bill Camp – 6,500,000 (108 bb)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

Brian Ray called from the button, Bill Camp raised to 260,000 and Ray called.

The flop was , Camp bet 175,000 and Ray called.

The turn was , Camp bet 300,000 and Ray moved all in for 960,000. Camp thought for a moment and called with a chance to end it.

Camp:
Ray:

Camp turned an eight but he was behind Ray’s flopped pair of nines. The river was safe to Ray and he doubled up.

Brian Ray – 2,850,000 (48 bb)
Bill Camp – 7,590,000 (127 bb)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 261

On the first hand back from break, Bill Camp opened to 160,000 from the button and Thomas Shepard came along from the big blind.

The flop was , Shepard checked, Camp bet 150,000 and Shepard called.

The turn was and both players checked.

The river was , Shepard checked, and Camp bet 500,000. Shepard thought for a few moments and called for his last 490,000.

Camp showed for jacks full of queens and Shepard’s was no good.

Shepard was eliminated third place and the heads-up match for the title was set.

Bill Camp – 9,310,000 (155 bb)
Thomas Shepard  –  Eliminated in 3rd Place ($62,330)

$2,500 SPS Championship
Prize Pool: $587,250  |  Structure  |  Payouts
Level 25:  30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 261

After Peter Walsworth was eliminated, Thomas Shepard and Brian Ray tried to chip away at Bill Camp’s huge lead but no luck so far.

The three grabbed a quick five-minute break and here are the counts with 10.4 million chips in play.

Seat 1: Thomas Shepard – 860,000 (14 bb)
Seat 5: Bill Camp – 8,450,000 (141 bb)
Seat 7: Brian Ray – 1,105,000 (18 bb)

1st: $128,540 + SPS Trophy
2nd: $85,450
3rd: $62,330