Pick 3 SCOOP 2026: Top picks, sleepers, and strategy

February 25, 2026

Poker

by Jack Stanton

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4 Minute Read

Pick 3 is a new fantasy-style format run by our friends at PokerOrg, which lets poker fans around the world pick their own three-player squad and send them to battle throughout the series–with a $5,000 Irish Open package going to the winner.

The deadline to pick or change your team is Sunday, March 1, at 8 am ET, so make sure you get your picks in soon.

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Here’s a close look at those tipped to do well, i.e., the most drafted players so far, plus a few picks people are currently sleeping on.

MOST DRAFTED BIG HITTERS (SO FAR)

PATRICK ‘PADS1161’ LEONARD

There’s a good reason that Patrick ‘pads1161’ Leonard is currently the most drafted player from the Big Hitters field. Actually, there are several.

Firstly, Leonard has 10 SCOOP titles under his belt, making him one of the series’ all-time greats. Secondly, he plays all the games superbly, and he’s guaranteed to play all the stakes too (that’s important in a series like this with multiple buy-in tiers).

And finally, Leonard–perhaps moreso than any other player on the list–is an absolute dead-cert, lock-it-in, won’t-miss-a-day grinder who has confirmed his intentions on social media and provides daily updates of his play.

KING153246

We don’t know for certain that ‘King153246’ is going to play a full SCOOP series, but if they do, it feels like titles, deep runs, and leader board points are guaranteed.

That’s not something we’d say lightly (we all know how brutal tournament variance can be). But this Albanian crusher always seems to find a way and has proved themselves time and time again, not only in the big SCOOP and WCOOP series, but also in series like WCOOP Bootcamp and New Year Series.

The King is currently the second most-drafted Big Hitter and looks certain to add to their six COOP titles this year.

FAL1st

No player has won more COOP titles and maintained more mystery around them than Thailand-based Russian crusher ‘FAL1st’.

A mixed games master, FAL1st has picked up 14 COOP titles in the past two years alone (20 overall: 9 SCOOPs and 11 WCOOPs).

They’re always a force on any leader board, so it’s no surprise to see them currently sit third on the most-drafted list.

DON’T SLEEP ON:

KELVIN ‘Kelvin_FP:AR’ KERBER

It seems absurd that Kelvin “Kelvin_FP:AR” Kerber is the least drafted Big Hitter so far, but then again, this list of players is absurd.

But you’d be a fool to bet against Kerber. He’s got nine SCOOP titles and two WCOOPs, and scored more leader board points than other, more-drafted players on this list. 

FONBET_RULIT

We have no idea who FONTBET_RULIT is, but we do know that we end up writing about them every single series.

The mysterious player from Bosnia and Herzegovina has four SCOOP titles and five WCOOPs, but it’s their prominence on leader boards that should swing it. A perennial series performer, FONBET_RULIT plays all the games well and could be the sleeper pick. 

TALAL ‘RAIDALOT’ SHAKERCHI

There’s no way a billionaire has the drive of a pro poker player, right?

Wrong. Talal “raidalot” Shakerchi might not need the money, but he craves the glory and battles harder than most during a series like SCOOP. You’ll see him playing everything from the lowest buy-ins to the biggest, and he’ll do well across the board.

He’s got six SCOOPs already (plus seven WCOOPs) but sits in the middle of the Big Hitter pack. He could help your team stand out.

MOST DRAFTED FROM ‘THE FIELD’ (SO FAR)

BEN ‘BENMILLER500’ MILLER

He might only have one SCOOP and one WCOOP, but both of Ben ‘BenMiller500’ Miller’s titles came in 2025 and he also put up exceptional leader board campaigns.

THIAGO ‘TGRIGOLETTI’ GRIGOLETTI

Brazil’s Thiago ‘tgrigoletti’ Grigoletti is in fine form right now–but you might not be familiar with him. That’s because he tends to ply his trade in the Low and Medium SCOOP events, finishing in the top 10 in both over the past couple of years. He’s got one SCOOP title so far but this could be the year he becomes a multiple champ.

XIDIX

Bulgaria’s “Xidix” (listed as ‘Zidix’) burst onto the COOP scene in 2025, winning two SCOOPs and two WCOOPs, all in events outside of no limit hold’em. It’s safe to say, then, that he’s a mixed game wizard and sits third on the most-drafted list so far.

DON’T SLEEP ON:

RENAN ‘AZIZ.MANCHA’ AZIZ

One of the screen names we always end up writing about. Brazil’s Renan “Aziz.Mancha” Aziz has six SCOOP wins, two WCOOP wins, and has amassed plenty of leader board points in recent years.

GERARD ‘SUSPICIOUSCAT’ RUBIRALTA

Fresh off his victory in the PokerStars Live League Medium board, Spain’s Gerard ‘’SuspiciousCat’’ Rubiralta is in fine form. Now based in Andorra, Rubiralta has won two SCOOPs and one WCOOP so far, and they’ve proved they know how to top leader boards.

Time to Pick your 3!

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MORE FROM SCOOP 2026 AND PICK 3

INTRODUCING PICK 3 + HOW TO PICK YOUR TEAM
SCOOP’S ALL-TIME WINNER LIST
SCOOP 2026 COVERAGE HUB