WSOP Circuit Launches 18-Event Series at Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary

The WSOP Circuit has opened an 18-tournament series at Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary, Alberta, with play scheduled to continue through October 12, 2026, and Canadian professionals such as Mike Leah, DJ Sharma, and bracelet winner Pei Li among the confirmed participants.

Organizers have structured the schedule around daily events that build toward the $2,300 Main Event, where projections call for more than 1,000 entries and a prize pool that exceeds $2 million, while total entries across the full series are expected to reach nearly 9,000.

Schedule and Venue Details

Deerfoot Inn and Casino serves as the sole host for every tournament on the calendar, with each ring event feeding into a larger qualification path that awards a $5,000 package to the WSOP Paradise 2026 series for every ring winner; the venue's poker room has adjusted table counts and dealer shifts to accommodate the projected volume without interrupting regular cash-game play.

Events run on a rotating daily format that includes no-limit hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, and mixed-game variants, while satellite qualifiers have already begun feeding players into the higher buy-in stops.

Featured Players and Field Composition

Mike Leah and DJ Sharma headline the list of Canadian entrants who have committed to multiple stops, and Pei Li, whose bracelet came from a prior WSOP Circuit event, joins them for the opening week; additional bracelet winners and regional circuit regulars have also registered in advance.

Player lists released by the circuit show a balance between established professionals and recreational entrants who qualified through local satellites, with early registration numbers indicating strong participation from both Alberta residents and visitors from neighboring provinces.

Main Event Projections and Prize Structure

The $2,300 Main Event carries the largest guarantee of the series, with forecasts pointing to a field larger than 1,000 and a resulting prize pool above $2 million; payout structures follow standard WSOP Circuit guidelines that distribute 15 percent of the field, and the champion receives both the ring and the $5,000 Paradise package.

Across the 18 events, cumulative entry projections of nearly 9,000 translate to total prize pools that exceed historical benchmarks for this stop, according to preliminary figures released by the circuit; ring winners from every event gain direct entry into the Paradise festival scheduled for later in 2026.

Qualification Path and Additional Incentives

Players who capture a ring during the Calgary series receive the $5,000 package that covers travel, lodging, and entry into WSOP Paradise 2026, creating an immediate bridge between the regional circuit and the international festival; this incentive has already prompted several multi-event participants to extend their schedules.

Satellite tournaments feeding into the Main Event continue daily at lower buy-ins, and any remaining seats will be awarded through last-minute qualifiers held on-site through the first week of the series.

Conclusion

The 18-tournament WSOP Circuit series at Deerfoot Inn and Casino therefore combines a full slate of ring events with a headline Main Event whose projected field size and prize pool set new local records, while the Paradise package for every ring winner adds a direct pathway to the 2026 international stop. Data from early registration and the confirmed presence of Leah, Sharma, and Li provide concrete indicators that the series will meet or surpass the stated entry targets.