Vegas Sports Lineup in August Is Stacked: Poker, Football, Boxing

^{Football season starts in August with two Raiders games at Allegiant Stadium. (Photo: courtesy of Las Vegas Raiders)}

August is a pivotal month in the Las Vegas sports calendar. This is the beginning of the busiest sports season and the return of visitors traveling to Las Vegas to see their favorite teams play.

Football season returns, and it's not only the most-watched programming on TV, but it's the most-bet-on sport in Las Vegas casinos. The Raiders start preseason games this month, and the UNLV Rebels will kick off their regular season.

As usual, the Las Vegas sports calendar is a mix of traditional and combat sports. The month begins with a casino game that's also considered a sport.

WSOP To Crown Main Event Champion

Cards were in the air for the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) that started on July 2 at Horseshoe and Paris. The $10,000 Buy-in Main Event is the culmination of 100 events at this year's tournament.

The Main Event began with 9,208 entrants, and the final table of nine poker players will be played from Aug. 3 to 5. American Lucas Jumalon enters the table with a massive chip lead, holding 194 million chips, more than double second-place Rami Hammoud’s 79 million.

The winner will take home a $10 million prize.

Fun fact: watching the WSOP in person is free and does not require tickets! The Main Event will be held at the Horseshoe Events Center starting at 6 p.m. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early.

Raiders and Rebels Kicking Off Football Season 

The Las Vegas Raiders training camp started in late July. The next step before the regular season begins is practice games.

The Raiders have two home preseason games at Allegiant Stadium this month.

• Aug. 13 vs. Arizona Cardinals 
• Aug. 27 vs. San Francisco 49ers 

The UNLV Rebels' regular season also begins this month with a game against the Memphis Tigers on Aug. 29 at Allegiant Stadium. Even if you're not a huge fan of either team, this is an opportunity to pay $45 for a ticket to an event at the stadium that charges $69.95 for just a tour.

Aces Storm Into Second Half of the Season

The Las Vegas Aces finished the first half of the WNBA season with the third-best record. The winners of three of the last four WNBA championships are looking to add another trophy. Star player A'ja Wilson is looking to be the first player in the league to win three consecutive MVP awards.

The team heads into the second half of the season with a handful of games at the Michelob Ultra Arena inside Mandalay Bay. This month, games will be held on:

• Aug. 11, 13 vs. Washington Mystics
• Aug. 15 vs. Minnesota Lynx
• Aug. 18 vs. Atlanta Dream
• Aug. 20 vs. Connecticut Sun
• Aug. 28 vs. Toronto Tempo

The WNBA season will end in late September.

Boxing Takes Center Stage for Combat Sports

There are UFC and boxing events this month, but the boxing action is the only one taking place on the Vegas Strip. WBA welterweight world champion Rolando "Rolly" Romero will take on two-division world champion Teófimo López at T-Mobile Arena on Aug. 22.

Earlier in the month, at the Meta Apex on Aug. 8, UFC Fight Night will feature six matches with up-and-coming MMA fighters.

July had one of the most notable combat sports announcements: Las Vegas will maintain its long-standing Mexican Independence Day weekend boxing tradition, with Ryan Garcia set to face Conor Benn on Sept. 12 at T-Mobile Arena.

As July came to an end, Caesars also announced that Iron Mike Legacy is slated to open on Nov. 19 at Flamingo. The immersive Mike Tyson experience will feature seven rooms that tell his life story through virtual and augmented reality, holograms, and more. The new entertainment venue will be open Thursday through Sunday.