News

Las Vegas, Nevada (September 24, 2026) - The WSOP Circuit returns to Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, today, launching nearly two weeks of tournament poker that will run through October 5, 2026.

The latest Thunder Valley stop features 16 official WSOP Circuit ring events, giving players from Northern California and throughout the West Coast plenty of opportunities to compete for coveted WSOP Circuit rings.

The stop also arrives at an important point in the 2026 Circuit season. Every player who wins a Circuit ring during the 2026 season receives an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise package, creating an additional incentive for players competing throughout the series.

Thunder Valley WSOP Circuit Main Event Begins October 2

The flagship event of every WSOP Circuit series, the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, begins Friday, October 2, at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

The tournament features two starting flights and a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, giving players multiple opportunities to enter the Main Event and pursue a WSOP Circuit Main Event title.

The Thunder Valley Main Event Day One schedule is:

Flight A: Friday, October 2 at 11 A.M.

Flight B: Saturday, October 3 at 11 A.M.

Players can find tournament details and the complete series lineup on the Thunder Valley WSOP Circuit schedule and the WSOP Live app.

16 Ring Events Across Nearly Two Weeks

While the Main Event is the marquee tournament, the Thunder Valley schedule provides plenty of opportunities to compete for a gold ring before and after the $1,700 centerpiece.

The series gets underway with a $400 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors event for players age 50 and older, a $400 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout and the opening flights of the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Opener, which carries a $250,000 guaranteed prize pool.

The schedule continues with a wide variety of formats and buy-ins designed to provide something for players throughout the tournament field. The lineup includes a $400 No-Limit Hold'em event with a $50,000 guarantee, a $600 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament and a $400 NLH Mirror Mystery Bounty.

Players looking to test themselves in mixed games can also compete in the $600 H.O.R.S.E. event, while the schedule features additional No-Limit Hold'em options including a $400 Knockout tournament with $100 bounties and a $400 Monster Stack event carrying a $200,000 guarantee.

The $600 Omaha 8 and $600 Deuce to Seven Triple Draw events provide additional opportunities for players to compete outside of traditional No-Limit Hold'em. For players seeking a higher buy-in, the $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller is scheduled for October 1, immediately before the Main Event begins.

After the Main Event, the series continues with three additional ring opportunities. A $400 No-Limit Hold'em event and a $1,100 NLH Knockout tournament with $500 bounties are scheduled for October 4, before the series concludes with the $400 NLH Series Finale on October 5.

By the time the series concludes, 16 official Circuit ring events will have been contested at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

Ring Winners Earn a WSOP Paradise Package

Beyond the prestige of winning a gold ring, every 2026 WSOP Circuit ring winner receives an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise package.

The package includes entry into the $2,750 WSOP Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty at WSOP Paradise 2026, along with complimentary accommodations in the Bahamas.

That creates a direct connection between Circuit success at regional casinos and one of the year's biggest international poker festivals. WSOP Paradise 2026 will take place at Baha Mar in Nassau from December 2 through December 17, featuring 20 gold bracelet events and $120 million in guaranteed prize pools.

The Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty will open the festival, with a $2,750 buy-in and a $5 million guaranteed prize pool. More than 1,000 2026 Circuit ring winners are expected to converge in The Bahamas for the event, giving Thunder Valley champions an opportunity to compete against fellow Circuit winners from around the world.

For players arriving at Thunder Valley, that opportunity adds significance to every ring event on the schedule. A victory provides not only a WSOP Circuit championship and gold ring, but also a pathway to compete at WSOP Paradise with the tournament entry and accommodations included in the package.

Follow the Action on Poker.Org

Poker.Org is the official media partner of the WSOP Circuit and provides coverage of Circuit stops throughout the season. The partnership includes on-the-ground coverage and the site's Instant coverage, keeping poker fans updated on the biggest moments from Circuit events.

As the Thunder Valley Main Event approaches, poker fans can follow the action through the Poker.Org Instant Live Feed and the site's social media channels.

With 16 gold rings, a $1,700 Main Event and a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package awaiting every ring winner, the Thunder Valley stop offers plenty of incentive for tournament players from Northern California and throughout the surrounding region.

By the conclusion of the stop, 16 new Circuit champions will have been crowned, each earning a place in the WSOP Circuit record books and an opportunity to continue their 2026 journey toward WSOP Paradise.

For players heading to Thunder Valley, the objective is clear: make a deep run, capture a WSOP gold ring, and earn a ticket to the next stage of the Circuit journey in The Bahamas.

The action is coming to Thunder Valley Casino Resort, and the road to WSOP Paradise 2026 continues in California.