News
CURTIS KING VICTORIOUS IN HARRAH'S CHEROKEE WSOP CIRCUIT MAIN EVENT
Las Vegas, Nevada (August 18, 2026) - The latest World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit stop at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina concluded with Curtis King claiming the biggest title of the series and a career-defining payday. King outlasted a field of 1,681 entries in the $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, earning $363,703 and his place as the newest WSOP Circuit Main Event champion.
With a $2 million guaranteed prize pool, the tournament easily surpassed its guarantee, generating $2,307,380 in total prize money. A total of 247 players finished in the money, setting up a deep tournament run for those who survived the two starting flights and subsequent days of action.
King entered the final stages of the tournament in a strong position and ultimately navigated his way through a talented final table. He faced Toby Boas heads-up for the Circuit ring and the lion’s share of the prize pool. Boas finished runner-up for $242,423, while Ryan D’angelo rounded out the top three with a $172,763 score.
Victory in the Harrah’s Cherokee WSOP Circuit Main Event brings King not only the first WSOP Circuit ring of his career, but the largest tournament cash of his poker career.
King's victory capped an action-packed Cherokee series that featured 18 scheduled Circuit ring events. Other notable winners included Donovan Dean, who captured the $400 6-Max event, Preston McEwen, who won the $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em event, and Jordan Schneible, who claimed the $2,200 High Roller.
The Cherokee Main Event continues the property’s reputation as one of the premier stops on the WSOP Circuit. Earlier in 2026, the February Main Event drew a record 1,824 entries and awarded Maxwell Guo $386,231, while the May edition attracted 1,489 entries and was won by Hamid Izadi for $332,405.
With another successful Main Event now in the books, Harrah’s Cherokee once again demonstrated its ability to attract large fields and award substantial prizes to Circuit players.
Harrah’s Cherokee WSOP Circuit Main Event Final Table Results:
1st place: Curtis King - $363,703
2nd place: Toby Boas - $242,423
3rd place: Ryan D’angelo - $172,763
4th place: Kataka Eaton - $124,782
5th place: Donta Moss - $91,361
6th place: Andrew Kelsall - $67,820
7th place: Scott Gronroos - $51,053
8th place: Caio De Lucca Sobral - $38,980
9th place: David Sathue - $30,194
Curtis King shaking hands with runner-up Toby Boas (Photo Courtesy of Poker.Org).
Congratulations to every Harrah’s Cherokee WSOP Circuit Ring Winner
Congratulations to Curtis King on capturing the latest WSOP Circuit Main Event title, as well as every player who earned a coveted WSOP Circuit ring at Harrah’s Cherokee. Winning a Circuit ring is a significant accomplishment, and in 2026, every champion receives an even greater reward.
All 2026 WSOP Circuit ring winners are awarded an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise package, which includes a seat in the 2026 WSOP Circuit Championship and complimentary accommodations in the Bahamas. The added prize gives every Circuit champion the opportunity to compete on one of poker's biggest international stages while enjoying a world-class 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, earning his second WSOP gold bracelet along with the tournament's $350,000 first-place prize. His success demonstrates the incredible opportunities available to Circuit champions 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 Harrah’s Cherokee WSOP Circuit series:
WSOPC Event #1: $400 40/40/40 No-Limit Hold’em - Matthew Kovitch - $51,138
WSOPC Event #2: $400 Mini Main Event No-Limit Hold’em - Brandon Sunshine - $154,267
WSOPC Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Seniors - Matthew Damos - $53,974
WSOPC Event #4: $600 No-Limit Hold’em - Louis Bonnecaze - $42,074
WSOPC Event #5: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha 8 or Better - Dustin Murphy - $26,074
WSOPC Event #6: $400 6-Max No-Limit Hold’em - Donovan Dean - $46,265
WSOPC Event #7: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack - John Kim - $128,450
WSOPC Event #8: $600 8-Max Pot-Limit Omaha - Robert Lupo - $36,252
WSOPC Event #9: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em - Preston McEwen - $130,433
WSOPC Event #10: $400 Ladies Event No-Limit Hold’em - Jennifer Frankenstein - $13,205
WSOPC Event #11: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Dylan Crawford - $31,445
WSOPC Event #12: $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event - Curtis King - $363.703
WSOPC Event #13: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Sean Hampson - $31,445
WSOPC Event #14: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - John Petro - $34,157
WSOPC Event #15: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Seniors - Michael Gregson - $36,535
WSOPC Event #16: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - Jose Alicea - $26,236
WSOPC Event #17: $2,200 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em - Jordan Schneible - $97,831
WSOPC Event #18: $400 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack Closer - Hongxiang Xu - $26,376
