News

Las Vegas, Nevada (September 17, 2026) - The WSOP Circuit returns to Horseshoe Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa, today, launching nearly two weeks of tournament poker that will run through September 28, 2026.

The latest Horseshoe Council Bluffs stop features 18 official WSOP Circuit ring events, giving players from Iowa, Nebraska, and the surrounding region 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 a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package, creating an additional incentive for players competing throughout the series.

Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Main Event Begins September 25

The flagship event of every WSOP Circuit series, the $1,700 No-Limit Hold’em Main Event, begins Friday, September 25, at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.

The tournament features two starting flights, giving players multiple opportunities to enter the Main Event and pursue a WSOP Circuit Main Event title.

The Horseshoe Council Bluffs Main Event Day One schedule is:

Flight A: Friday, September 25 at 11 A.M.

Flight B: Saturday, September 26 at 11 A.M.

Players can find tournament details and the complete series lineup on the Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit schedule and the WSOP Live app.

18 Ring Events Across Nearly Two Weeks

While the Main Event is the marquee tournament, the Horseshoe Council Bluffs schedule provides plenty of opportunities to compete for a gold ring before and after the series' $1,700 centerpiece.

The opening events include a $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack and a $400 Mini Main Event, with the Mini Main featuring four starting flights. The schedule also includes a $400 40/40/40 event for players age 40 and older, a $400 Seniors event for players age 50 and older, and a variety of additional No-Limit Hold'em tournaments.

Players looking to branch out beyond No-Limit Hold'em can also find Pot-Limit Omaha and Big O events on the schedule. Other formats include a six-max No-Limit Hold'em tournament, a Double Stack event, and a Black Chip Bounty tournament.

The $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em event on September 24 provides another opportunity for players to compete at a higher buy-in before the Main Event begins the following day.

After the Main Event, the series continues with additional opportunities to capture a ring, including a $600 No-Limit Hold'em Deepstack event and two final No-Limit Hold'em tournaments. The final ring event, a $400 NLH Double Stack Closer, is scheduled for Sunday, September 27.

By the time the series concludes on September 28, 18 official Circuit ring events will have been contested at Horseshoe Council Bluffs.

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 Council Bluffs champions an opportunity to compete against fellow Circuit winners from around the world.

For players arriving at Horseshoe Council Bluffs, 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 Horseshoe Council Bluffs Main Event approaches, poker fans can follow the action through the Poker.Org Instant Live Feed and the site's social media channels.

With 18 gold rings, a $1,700 Main Event and a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package awaiting every ring winner, the Horseshoe Council Bluffs stop offers plenty of incentive for tournament players from Iowa, Nebraska and throughout the surrounding region.

By the conclusion of the stop, 18 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 Council Bluffs, 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 Horseshoe Council Bluffs, and the road to WSOP Paradise 2026 continues in Iowa.