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Las Vegas, Nevada (September 28, 2026) - The World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit recently wrapped up nearly two weeks of tournament action at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, with 18 gold rings awarded and several of the Circuit’s most accomplished players adding to their career totals.

Connor Hayward emerged as the Main Event champion, earning his first WSOP Circuit ring and a career-best $76,797 payday. Hayward topped a field of 232 entries to create a $351,480 prize pool, defeating John Ypma heads-up for the title. Ypma, who already owns a Circuit ring from a victory at Texas Card House Social Austin earlier this year, earned $50,593 for his runner-up finish, while Matthew Riffel took third place for $34,304.

Hayward entered heads-up play facing a significant challenge, beginning the final duel with Ypma holding approximately a 2-to-1 chip disadvantage. He battled back before ultimately securing the victory when his king-three offsuit connected with the board against Ypma's jack-ten of spades. The win capped a memorable Main Event performance for the Kansas City cash-game player, who has only recently begun making a larger push into tournament poker.

The Main Event was the final major highlight of a series that also featured historic performances from two of the WSOP Circuit's most decorated players. Daniel Lowery captured his 21st career Circuit ring in Event #7: $400 Big O, topping the field and earning $8,607. Ari Engel finished third in that event before returning the following day to claim his own 21st ring.

Engel defeated all opponents in Event #9: $400 No-Limit Hold’em, earning $6,613 and joining Lowery at 21 career rings. Engel entered the final day as the chip leader and eventually defeated Theresa Morley heads-up after overcoming a substantial chip deficit.

The back-to-back victories made Lowery and Engel the latest players to reach the 21-ring milestone, adding another notable chapter to the all-time WSOP Circuit ring race.

With Hayward claiming his first ring in the $1,700 Main Event and Engel and Lowery each reaching 21 career rings, the Horseshoe Council Bluffs series provided plenty of memorable moments from start to finish. The stop also continued the 2026 Circuit tradition of awarding a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package to every ring winner, giving each champion an opportunity to continue their Circuit journey at WSOP Paradise in The Bahamas.

The 18-ring series at Horseshoe Council Bluffs once again showcased the depth of the WSOP Circuit, bringing together established champions, emerging tournament players, and regional poker enthusiasts for nearly two weeks of competition.

Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Final Table. (Photo courtesy of Poker.Org)

Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Main Event Final Table Results:

1st place: Connor Hayward - $76,979
2nd place: John Ypma - $50,593
3rd place: Matthew Riffel - $34,304
4th place: Jake Flores - $23,961
5th place: Nick Barksdale - $17,257
6th place: Nicholas Stille - $12,828
7th place: Robert Wilson - $9,852
8th place: Kevin Berhelsen - $7,826
9th place: Ryan Brown - $6,438

Congratulations to every Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Ring Winner

Congratulations to Connor Hayward on becoming the latest Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Main Event champion. Hayward and every WSOP Circuit ring winner at Horseshoe Council Bluffs have not only accomplished the feat of securing WSOP Circuit rings, but they have also punched their ticket to one of the biggest poker events of the year: WSOP Paradise 2026.

All 2026 WSOP Circuit ring winners are awarded an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise 2026 package, which includes a seat in the 2026 WSOP Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty ($2,750 buy-in) and complimentary accommodations at Baha Mar Resort in The Bahamas. The added prize gives every WSOP Circuit ring winner the opportunity to compete on one of poker's biggest international stages while enjoying a world-class tropical resort experience.

The value of this promotion was showcased at WSOP Paradise 2025, where Mark Darner turned his qualification into a career-defining victory. Darner captured the $2,750 WSOP Circuit Championship No-Limit Hold'em Mystery Bounty title, earning his second WSOP gold bracelet along with the tournament's $350,000 first-place prize. His success demonstrates the incredible opportunities available to WSOP Circuit ring winners and highlights the path from winning on the Circuit to competing for major titles on poker's global stage.

Be sure to check out the full list of WSOP Circuit ring winners from the Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit series:

WSOPC Event #1: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack - Ryan Remmes - $18,849
WSOPC Event #2: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Mini Main Event - John Juby - $23,117
WSOPC Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Jacob Long - $8,061
WSOPC Event #4: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 40/40/40 - Jon Marsa - $18,675
WSOPC Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Jacob Long - $6,401
WSOPC Event #6: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Seniors Event - Jeffrey Pierce - $17,996
WSOPC Event #7: $400 Big O - Daniel Lowery - $8,607
WSOPC Event #8: $400 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Max - Roger Eggers - $9,776
WSOPC Event #9: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Ari Engel - $6,613
WSOPC Event #10: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack - Matthew Alexander - $14,929
WSOPC Event #11: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha - Jared Ward - $5,962
WSOPC Event #12: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em - Jonathan Lawson - $16,637
WSOPC Event #13: $500 No-Limit Hold’em Black Chip Bounty - Matthew Serefko - $10,641
WSOPC Event #14: $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event - John Hayward - $76,797
WSOPC Event #15: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Nicholas Rife - $8,337
WSOPC Event #16: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Deepstack - Kenneth Gregory - $9,523
WSOPC Event #17: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Closer - Jamar Adams - $9,860
WSOPC Event #18: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - John Rogers - $5,630