WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley

The WSOP Circuit has returned to Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, opening nearly two weeks of tournament poker that runs through October 5, 2026. The stop features 16 official WSOP Circuit ring events, giving players from Northern California and across the West Coast a full slate of opportunities to compete for a gold ring.

Main Event Runs October 2-3

The flagship tournament of the series, the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event, begins Friday, October 2. It offers two starting flights and a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool, so players have more than one route into the field.

The Day One schedule is:

• Flight A: Friday, October 2 at 11 A.M.
• Flight B: Saturday, October 3 at 11 A.M.

Complete tournament details and the full series lineup are available through the Thunder Valley WSOP Circuit schedule and the WSOP Live app.

A Schedule Built for Different Bankrolls

The Main Event is the centerpiece, but the schedule spreads ring opportunities across a wide range of buy-ins and formats before and after it.

The series opens 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 guarantee.

Other No-Limit Hold'em options include:

• A $400 NLH event with a $50,000 guarantee
• A $400 NLH Mirror Mystery Bounty
• A $400 Knockout tournament with $100 bounties
• A $400 Monster Stack event with a $200,000 guarantee

For players who prefer non-hold'em formats, the schedule includes a $600 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament, a $600 H.O.R.S.E. event, a $600 Omaha 8 event, and a $600 Deuce to Seven Triple Draw event.

Players seeking a larger buy-in can enter the $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller on October 1, immediately before the Main Event begins.

After the Main Event, three more ring events close out the series: a $400 No-Limit Hold'em event and a $1,100 NLH Knockout tournament with $500 bounties on October 4, followed by the $400 NLH Series Finale on October 5.

Every Ring Winner Earns a WSOP Paradise Package

Beyond the gold ring, every player who wins a WSOP Circuit ring during the 2026 season 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, plus complimentary accommodations in the Bahamas.

That structure links results at regional Circuit stops directly to one of the year's largest international poker festivals. WSOP Paradise 2026 is set for Baha Mar in Nassau from December 2 through December 17, with 20 gold bracelet events and $120 million in guaranteed prize pools. The Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty opens the festival with a $2,750 buy-in and a $5 million guaranteed prize pool.

More than 1,000 ring winners from the 2026 Circuit season are expected to gather in the Bahamas for that event, meaning a Thunder Valley victory carries both a championship and a seat against Circuit winners from other regions.

Why the Stop Matters for Circuit Regulars

For tournament players, the Thunder Valley stop combines volume and upside. Sixteen ring events over roughly two weeks means multiple shots at a title, while the Paradise package adds value that goes beyond the prize pool of any single event.

That combination tends to draw a mixed field: local regulars from the Sacramento area, traveling Circuit grinders chasing points and rings, and players who treat the Main Event as the primary target. The two-flight structure of the $1,700 Main Event is a typical Circuit format, allowing players to re-enter or choose the starting day that fits their schedule.

Following the Action

Poker.Org is the official media partner of the WSOP Circuit and provides coverage of Circuit stops throughout the season, including on-the-ground reporting and its Instant coverage. Fans can follow the Thunder Valley Main Event through the Poker.Org Instant Live Feed and the site's social media channels.

By the time the series concludes on October 5, 16 Circuit champions will have been crowned at Thunder Valley Casino Resort, each with a gold ring and a path toward WSOP Paradise 2026.