Los Angeles, California (10 December 2022) - The World Series of Poker Circuit has returned to the Bicycle Casino, and while there are still plenty of poker chips and poker tables about, holiday trees and festive snowflakes now accompany them as we are well into the holiday season. During the season of gift-giving, not only have 8 lucky poker players been gifted with luck, they have also been given some new, shiny WSOP Circuit rings.
The first tournament of the Bicycle WSOP Circuit series was won by California native Wissam Gahshan, who took down the $26,470 top prize in the $500 No-Limit Hold'em Mammoth Stack. Gahshan secured his third WSOP cash and his first career WSOP Circuit ring by winning the kickoff tournament of the series. Accompanying Gahshan at the final table was runner-up Chih-Hang Terence ($16,355 prize) and 3rd place finisher Hermilo Vargas ($11,795 prize).
In the standalone Omaha tournament of the Bicycle WSOP Circuit series, Bicycle regular Anthony Pitesa secured his first career WSOP Circuit ring in the $600 Omaha 8 or Better ($11,630 top prize) with it being his 24th career WSOP cash. Taking first place at the final table, Pitesa not only had to go through 2nd place finisher Ahmed Mohamed ($7,160 prize), but also 3rd place finisher and three-time WSOP bracelet winner Frankie O'Dell, who has won two of his three bracelets via Omaha tournaments.
Other than the Bicycle WSOP Circuit Main Event, the $400 Monster Stack stood as the only other multi-flight tournament of the series. Offering players not only a hefty stack of starting chips but also four flights to choose from, eventual winner Anh The Nguyen outlasted a field of 549 players to secure $53,735 and his first career WSOP Circuit title.
Here are all of the WSOP Circuit champions that have been crowned so far:
Event #1: $500 No-Limit Hold'em Mammoth Stack - Wissam Gahshan
Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Stefan Bean
Event #3: $250 No-Limit Hold'em - Madhav Goyal
Event #4: $600 Omaha 8 or Better - Anthony Pitesa
Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack - Anh The Nguyen
Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - Brenton Gill
Event #7: $250 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack - Andres Garcia
Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Turbo - Grant Stoker
The first flight of the $1,700 Main Event of the Bicycle Casino WSOP Circuit series will begin Sunday, December 11th with cards in the air at 12 PM local time. The second flight will begin at the same time the following day, Monday, December 12th. Earlier this year, local pro Michael Jozoff took down the previous Bicycle Circuit Main Event winning $161,500 and his first WSOP Circuit ring. Will Jozoff enter the fray to defend his title? We will have two flights to see.
Any official gold ring winners from this WSOP Circuit stop will qualify for the new invitation-only “Tournament of Champions”. The $1 million freeroll event will be held during the 2023 World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas. 2022/23 online and live bracelet winners will also be eligible to compete in the new signature event.
For a complete schedule of remaining events, click here.