The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is the biggest tournament poker brand in the world, best known for its annual summer series in Las Vegas and the $10,000 WSOP Main Event.
But the WSOP now extends far beyond Las Vegas. Players can compete for bracelets at WSOP Europe and WSOP Paradise, win rings on the WSOP Circuit, play online bracelet events, and qualify for major tournaments through online satellites.
The 2026 WSOP calendar has already included the summer series in Las Vegas and WSOP Europe in Prague. Attention now turns to WSOP Paradise 2026, which runs December 2—17 at Baha Mar in the Bahamas with 20 bracelet events and $120 million in total guarantees.
This guide covers the entire WSOP ecosystem, including the Las Vegas series, Main Event, online bracelets, Circuit, WSOP Europe, WSOP Paradise, and the different ways players can qualify.
World Series of Poker in Las Vegas
The annual summer WSOP in Las Vegas remains the centerpiece of the World Series of Poker calendar.
The WSOP 2026 ran from May 26 to July 15, 2026 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.
The series featured nearly 100 live bracelet events covering No-Limit Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, mixed games, championship events, high rollers, and large-field tournaments designed for recreational players.
Buy-ins ranged from hundreds of dollars to six figures, giving players with very different bankrolls opportunities to compete for a WSOP bracelet.
Popular tournament formats included:
- No-Limit Hold’em
- Pot-Limit Omaha
- Omaha Hi-Lo
- Seven Card Stud
- HORSE and other mixed games
- Mystery bounty events
- Deepstack tournaments
- High rollers
- Championship events
The summer series remains the largest concentration of WSOP bracelet tournaments on the calendar and attracts players from around the world.
WSOP Main Event
The $10,000 WSOP Main Event is the signature tournament of the World Series of Poker and one of the most prestigious events in the game.
Players start with 60,000 chips and compete through multiple starting flights and several days of play before the field is reduced to the final table.
Unlike many modern high-profile poker tournaments, the Main Event remains a freezeout: players eliminated from the tournament cannot simply re-enter.
That structure, combined with the $10,000 buy-in, enormous field, and history of the event, makes winning the Main Event one of poker’s most recognizable achievements.
Players do not necessarily need to pay the full $10,000 entry fee themselves. Online and live satellites provide opportunities to qualify for substantially less.
WSOP Bracelets
A WSOP bracelet is awarded to the winner of an official World Series of Poker bracelet event.
Bracelets are awarded across numerous poker variants and tournament formats, not just No-Limit Hold’em.
Players can now win WSOP bracelets at:
- The summer WSOP in Las Vegas
- WSOP Europe
- WSOP Paradise
- Eligible WSOP Online events
- International online bracelet series
This expansion means bracelet competition now takes place at different times and locations throughout the year rather than being confined to the summer in Las Vegas.
WSOP LIVE App
The WSOP uses its mobile platform to provide players with tournament information and facilitate participation at major live events.
Players can use the WSOP LIVE app for features including tournament schedules, structures, registration information, results, and other event details.
Anyone planning to play a WSOP event should download the current WSOP app and review the registration requirements before arriving at the venue.
WSOP Online Bracelet Events
WSOP Online allows eligible US players to compete for official WSOP bracelets without playing the entire tournament at a live poker table.
The US WSOP Online network currently connects players in Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, creating a shared player pool across four regulated states.
Online bracelet events are held alongside the live WSOP schedule, allowing players located in participating states to compete for bracelets from a computer or mobile device.
Players must be physically located within a participating state while playing. Residency in the state is not necessarily required, but geolocation software is used to verify the player’s physical location.
International players also have opportunities to compete for online WSOP bracelets through GGPoker.
Do Online Bracelets Count for WSOP Player of the Year?
No. Under the current WSOP Player of the Year rules, online bracelet events do not award Player of the Year points.
The tournaments still award official WSOP bracelets, but their results are excluded from the POY standings.
That distinction is particularly important in 2026 because the Player of the Year race extends through WSOP Paradise at the end of the year.
WSOP Circuit Events
The WSOP Circuit brings WSOP-branded tournament poker to casinos around the United States and internationally.
Instead of bracelets, winners of designated Circuit events receive WSOP Circuit rings.
Circuit events generally feature smaller buy-ins than the headline bracelet tournaments in Las Vegas, making them an important part of the WSOP ecosystem for recreational and mid-stakes tournament players.
The 2026 Circuit moved to a calendar-year schedule and includes stops at casino properties in the US and around the world.
Main Events at 2026 Circuit stops generally use a $1,700 buy-in, while individual stops offer numerous lower-priced side events and ring tournaments.
2026 WSOP Circuit Ring Winner Paradise Package
Winning a Circuit ring in 2026 comes with an additional benefit.
All qualifying 2026 WSOP Circuit ring winners receive a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package.
The package includes:
- Entry into the $2,750 WSOP Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty at WSOP Paradise
- Accommodation in the Bahamas
The Circuit Championship carries a $5 million guarantee and brings together ring winners from throughout the 2026 Circuit season.
This gives Circuit players a direct pathway from regional WSOP events to the year-ending WSOP Paradise festival.
How to Qualify for the WSOP
You do not necessarily need to pay the full tournament buy-in to play a major WSOP event.
Satellites and qualifiers provide opportunities to win seats and packages for the WSOP Main Event and other major tournaments.
Qualifying for the WSOP Main Event
There are various ways to qualify for the WSOP Main Event.
Eligible US players can qualify through WSOP Online, while international players can qualify through GGPoker.
Online satellites can begin at very small buy-ins and feed into larger qualifiers that award Main Event seats or complete packages.
Some promotions also award packages containing expenses beyond the tournament entry, although the exact contents vary by qualifier.
GGPoker WSOP Satellites
GGPoker is the exclusive international online partner of the WSOP and provides qualification routes for players outside the US.
Its satellite systems allow players to start at relatively low stakes and advance through multiple stages toward seats or packages for major WSOP events.
The exact qualification structure changes from one series to another.
For WSOP Paradise 2026, GGPoker is running WSOP Express satellites for the $25,000 Super Main Event, with qualification starting from as little as $0.50.
WSOP Online Satellites
Players in eligible US states can use WSOP Online to qualify for live WSOP tournaments.
Satellite schedules change throughout the year and become particularly important in the run-up to the summer series.
Players must be physically located in a state supported by WSOP Online when participating.
WSOP Europe
WSOP Europe provides another opportunity to win official WSOP bracelets outside the United States.
The 2026 WSOP Europe moved to Prague, Czechia, after previous editions had been held at King’s Resort Rozvadov.
The series ran from March 31 to April 12, 2026 at King’s Casino / Hilton Prague and featured 15 bracelet events.
The schedule included:
- €5,300 WSOP Europe Main Event
- €20,800 Super High Roller
- €8,400 GGMillion$ High Roller
- €5,300 PLO European Championship
- €1,500 European Circuit Championship
- Mixed games and bounty events
The move to Prague placed WSOP Europe in a major European city while maintaining the King’s Casino connection.
WSOP Paradise 2026
WSOP Paradise is the year-ending major festival on the World Series of Poker calendar.
The 2026 series runs December 2—17 at Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas.
This year’s festival features:
- 20 WSOP bracelet events
- $120 million in total guarantees
- $50 million guaranteed Super Main Event
- $20 million guaranteed GGMillion$ Championship
- $5 million guaranteed Circuit Championship
- High roller and super high roller events
- Mixed games
- Pot-Limit Omaha events
- Daily side events and satellites
The centerpiece is the $25,000 Super Main Event, which carries a $50 million guarantee.
Another major addition is the $2,750 Circuit Championship Mystery Bounty. The event brings together qualifying Circuit ring winners and carries a $5 million guarantee.
GGPoker Qualifiers for WSOP Paradise
International players can qualify for WSOP Paradise through GGPoker.
For 2026, GGPoker is offering WSOP Express satellites starting from $0.50, with more than 1,000 $30,000 Super Passes available for the Super Main Event.
Players can therefore qualify for one of poker’s largest buy-in events without paying the $25,000 entry fee directly.
WSOP Paradise Player of the Year Race
WSOP Paradise has added another dimension in 2026: the WSOP Player of the Year race will be decided in the Bahamas.
That means the annual POY competition does not end with the summer series in Las Vegas.
Eligible bracelet results from WSOP Paradise count toward the standings, giving players in contention another opportunity to earn points late in the year.
Online bracelet events, however, do not count toward the Player of the Year standings.
WSOP FAQ
What is the World Series of Poker?
The World Series of Poker is a global series of poker tournaments best known for its annual summer festival in Las Vegas and the $10,000 WSOP Main Event.
The wider WSOP ecosystem also includes WSOP Paradise, WSOP Europe, the WSOP Circuit, and online bracelet events.
When was the 2026 World Series of Poker?
The 2026 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas ran from May 26 through July 15, 2026 at Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.
When is the next World Series of Poker?
The next major WSOP bracelet festival is WSOP Paradise 2026, running December 2—17 at Baha Mar in the Bahamas.
It features 20 bracelet events and $120 million in total guarantees.
What is the buy-in for the WSOP Main Event?
The WSOP Main Event has a $10,000 buy-in.
Players can also win their way into the tournament through online and live satellites rather than paying the entire entry fee directly.
How can I qualify for the WSOP Main Event?
US players can qualify through WSOP Online where available, while international players can access WSOP qualification opportunities through GGPoker.
Satellite structures and package details change from year to year.
What is a WSOP bracelet?
A WSOP bracelet is the trophy awarded to the winner of an official World Series of Poker bracelet event.
Bracelets can be won at the summer WSOP in Las Vegas, WSOP Europe, WSOP Paradise, and designated online bracelet events.
What is the difference between a WSOP bracelet and a Circuit ring?
Bracelets are awarded for winning official WSOP bracelet events.
WSOP Circuit winners receive rings instead. In 2026, qualifying Circuit ring winners also receive a $5,000 package to WSOP Paradise.
Can international players compete in the WSOP?
Yes. International players can enter live WSOP events in Las Vegas as long as they meet the tournament’s eligibility requirements.
GGPoker also provides international players with online satellites and online bracelet opportunities.
Can I win a WSOP bracelet online?
Yes.
WSOP Online awards official bracelets to eligible US players, while GGPoker hosts online bracelet events for international players.
Online bracelet events do not currently count toward WSOP Player of the Year standings.
Which states have WSOP Online?
WSOP Online currently shares liquidity among Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
Players must be physically located in one of the supported states to play.
What is WSOP Paradise?
WSOP Paradise is a major World Series of Poker bracelet festival held in the Bahamas.
The 2026 series runs December 2—17 at Baha Mar, with 20 bracelet events and $120 million in total guarantees.
Where is WSOP Europe held?
The 2026 WSOP Europe was held at King’s Casino / Hilton Prague in Prague, Czechia.
The festival ran March 31—April 12 and awarded 15 WSOP bracelets.
Where can I watch WSOP coverage?
Where to Watch the WSOP provides details on streaming and broadcast options for major World Series of Poker events.
Coverage varies by series and event. WSOP has announced that WSOP Paradise 2026 coverage will stream daily on the official WSOP YouTube channel beginning December 5.
How old do I have to be to play the WSOP?
Players must generally be at least 21 years old to participate in WSOP events in Las Vegas.
Age requirements for events elsewhere can depend on the jurisdiction and venue, so players should check the rules for the specific series they plan to enter.
Are there WSOP events outside Las Vegas?
Yes.
The WSOP now includes Circuit stops around the world, WSOP Europe, WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas, and online bracelet events in addition to the traditional summer series in Las Vegas.