WSOP Montreal: The Ultimate Player Guide

The World Series of Poker hosts numerous Circuit stops both in the US and around the globe, and one of the most exciting international destinations is Playground in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. First introduced in 2016, the Montreal stop has since become a staple of the International WSOP Circuit, now held at least two times a year.

Following a very successful festival that concluded in April, WSOP Montreal came back for second time in 2026, with another series running May 10 – 25. Once more, the series was a big success, attracting players in droves.

The next up is the WSOP Super Circuit Series, taking place August 24 – September 9, and this stands to be the largest WSOP event ever held in Canada!

Playground Poker Club, recently named the World’s Best Poker Room at the GPI Awards, is located just minutes from downtown Montreal, offering a world-class setting for live tournament action.

The WSOP Montreal Circuit uses the WSOP LIVE app for registration of tournaments, an app which debuted in Las Vegas during the 2025 WSOP summer series and will continue to be used for the 2026 WSOP.

WSOP-C Montreal 2026 in May

The World Series of Poker brought back the WSOP Circuit to the Playground Casino for second time in 2026, with another festival, running May 10 – 25.

The full schedule featured 18 ring-awarding events, with the standard range of buy-ins, starting at C$400 on the low end, and going up to C$5,000 on the high end of the spectrum. The Main Event had a buy-in of C$2,500 and a hefty guarantee of C$2.2 million.

By the time the series wrapped up, it dished out over C$6 million in prize money and there were 8,391 entries across the board.

The Main Event drew a crowd of 1,022 entries, which was more than enough to break the guarantee. The tournament ended up paying just over C$2.6 million to the top 148 finishers.

The winner, Daniel Ghionoiu, banked C$370,001. An interesting fact about the May Main Event is that three of the nine players making it to the final table qualified for the tournament via $75 satellites on GGPoker, and they ended cashing out for just shy of C$460,000 combined.

Qualify Online with Satellites on GGPoker

Thanks to the World Series’ close association with GGPoker, players looking to qualify for the 2026 WSOPC Montreal series in August – September will have ample opportunities to do so, both on the international version of the site and on GGPoker Ontario.

Three of the nine players making final table of the 2026 WSOPC Montreal Main Event in May won their seats on GGPoker.

For players willing to invest a small amount, satellites usually start from just C$1. These low-cost step satellites progress to a C$10 step, leading to a C$75 step. Winning a seat in the C$75 satellite secures a direct entry into the Main Event, valued at C$2,500. All of these satellites used the Target Stack format, where players qualify by reaching a specific chip stack rather than by outlasting the field.

Ontario online poker players have their own dedicated path on GGPoker Ontario, with step satellites beginning at C$3 and culminating in a C$250 final step. Freerolls are also part of the mix, ensuring multiple ways to win a spot in the Main Event.

WSOP LIVE App at WSOP-C Montreal

WSOP LIVE, the new official app from the World Series of Poker designed to elevate the live tournament experience, has become an integral part of the Montreal festival. Originally launched at the WSOP Paradise 2023 festival and later rolled out at the 2025 WSOP summer series in Las Vegas, the app is now a standard feature across all WSOP and WSOP Circuit events.

Developed by NSUS Group, the parent company of GGPoker, WSOP+ has quickly become an integral part of WSOP events. Following its use in Las Vegas, organizers are now requiring players to use the app for both WSOP and WSOP Circuit stops.

Packed with features, WSOP+ offers players access to a tournament clock, real-time chip counts, updated player rankings, prize pool statistics, blind and payout structures, total entry numbers, buy-in breakdowns, and countdowns to scheduled breaks. It also includes the complete event schedule, detailed structure sheets, official rules, and daily results, putting all essential tournament information at players’ fingertips.

Push notifications keep participants informed with instant updates, while the app’s “Story” feature, modeled after popular social media platforms, provides a dynamic way to follow the action.

History of WSOP-C Montreal

The WSOP Circuit has established itself as a recurring highlight on Montreal’s poker calendar, drawing both local talent and international contenders eager to compete for prestigious WSOP rings and big prize pools. In recent years, the Playground Poker Club, widely regarded as one of Canada’s top poker venues, has been the event’s primary host. Its reputation was further cemented when it was named “Best Poker Room” at the 2024 Global Poker Awards.

Over time, the series has steadily grown in stature, offering a diverse mix of tournaments with impressive guarantees. Alongside the flagship Main Event and High Roller, players have been treated to popular formats such as the Mystery Bounty and the Colossus, each adding variety and excitement to the festival.

The WSOP Circuit made its Montreal debut in 2016 at Casino de Montreal, where the C$1,675 Main Event attracted 520 entries and generated a C$780,000 prize pool. Subsequent editions moved to Playground Poker Club, beginning in 2018 and continuing in 2019. After a five-year hiatus, the series returned in 2024 to the same venue, reclaiming its place as a must-play event in Canadian poker, and is now held two to three times a year.

One of the most recent editions, held from March to April 2025, was another standout success. The C$1,700 Main Event drew 1,414 entries, and produced a C$2,121,000 prize pool, reaffirming WSOP-C Montreal’s reputation as one of the premier stops on the international circuit.

WSOPC Montreal – May 2026

The second WSOPC Montreal festival of 2026 ran May 10 – 25, featuring a total of 18 ring events, with the usual span of buy-ins. The series ended up attracting a very solid crowd, with nearly 8,400 entries across the board.

The Main Event saw 1,022 entries, breaking its C$2.2 million guarantee and bringing the final prize pool to just over C$2.6 million. A total of 148 players got paid.

Daniel Ghionoiu was the last player standing, claiming the title and the C$370,001 first-place money.

WSOPC Montreal – March – April 2026

The first of the three WSOPC Montreal festival taking place at Playground Poker in 2026 played out from March 23 to April 7. There were a total of 18 ring events on the docket, with buy-ins ranging C$300 – C$2,500.

The C$2,500 Main Event attracted a huge crowd, with a total of 1,781 entries. This resulted in a prize pool of C$4,144,323, absolutely blowing the original guarantee of C$2.5 million out of the water.

Allen Shen of Canada walked away with the title and a massive C$605,001 first place prize. A total of 253 players made the money, with everyone surviving past the bubble taking home at least C$5,180.

All Ring Winners

WSOP-C Montreal 2025 August Edition

The penultimate WSOP-C Montreal 2025 edition ran from August 18 to September 2 at Playground Poker, located in Kahnawake, just a short drive from downtown Montreal. The schedule featured 18 official WSOP Circuit ring events, with buy-ins starting at C$400 and reaching as high as C$5,000.

At the heart of the festival was the WSOP-C Main Event, offering a C$2.2 million guarantee and a C$2,500 buy-in. The Main Event included three starting flights, held from August 28 to 30, with the tournament concluding on September 1.

Beyond the Main Event, the series was packed with notable tournaments. Kicking off the action was the C$400 Mini Main Event, the very first of the 18-ring schedule. It ran from August 18 to 23, featuring six starting flights and carrying a generous C$500,000 guarantee.

Several other C$400 buy-in events offered attractive, more modest guarantees:

• Event #2: 6-Max — August 18, C$35,000 guarantee.
• Event #3: Progressive Bounty — August 19, C$40,000 guarantee.
• Event #4: Mega Stack — August 20, C$35,000 guarantee.
• Event #5: Hold’em Bounty — August 21, C$40,000 guarantee.

Also featured was the C$400 Mystery Bounty (Event #6), which came with three starting flights and a C$200,000 guarantee. The final day was played on August 25.

Other festival highlights included:

• Event #7: C$1,000 The Colossus — C$800,000 guaranteed, four flights from August 24 to 27.
• Event #13: Mega Stack High Roller — C$5,000 buy-in, C$500,000 guarantee.
• Event #15: NLHE Mystery Bounty — C$1,000 buy-in, C$150,000 guarantee.

In addition, the schedule included a Seniors Event and a Ladies Event, each with a C$400 buy-in, along with a C$600 Pot Limit Omaha (No Ante), a C$400 PKO on August 31, and a final C$400 Mystery Bounty to close out the series.

Every tournament on the schedule offered a guaranteed prize pool ranging from C$20,000 to C$2,200,000, with overall guarantees adding up to nearly C$5 million. All events allowed unlimited re-entries.

The festival also introduced milestone satellites, also known as target stack or landmark satellites, where players win a seat into a larger event by reaching a specific target chip stack rather than by surviving to the bubble. These satellites were available for the Main Event, The Colossus, and the High Roller, with buy-ins ranging from C$150 to C$600, depending on the target event.

2025 WSOP Montreal August Main Event

The 2025 WSOP-C Montreal Main Event was a multi-day tournament featuring three starting flights, with Day 1A scheduled for August 28, Day 1B on August 29, and Day 1C on August 30. The event promised a C$2,200,000 guaranteed prize pool, with each entry costing C$2,500, plus a C$230 tournament fee. To meet the guarantee without an overlay, the tournament needed to draw at least 970 entries.

Players began with a 50,000 starting stack, and blinds increased every 40 minutes during the opening flights. Late registration remained open until the start of Level 13. Each flight had a capped number of seats: 235 players plus alternates for Day 1A, 360 plus alternates for Day 1B, and 540 plus alternates for Day 1C.

From Day 2 onward, blind levels extended to 60 minutes, providing a deeper structure for the remaining contenders. The tournament concluded on September 1.

For those looking to secure a seat at a lower cost, milestone satellites were available with a C$300 buy-in. These ran on August 22, August 23, August 27, August 28, and twice on August 29. Each satellite guaranteed between four and ten seats into the Main Event, and players earned their entry by reaching a 280,000 chip stack rather than simply surviving to the end of play.

WSOP-C Montreal August Final Numbers

The August edition set new records, with the Main Event drawing 1,978 entries across three starting flights. With a C$2,500 buy-in, the event generated a massive C$4,450,500 prize pool—over $3.2 million USD. Hundreds of players won their spots through online qualifiers on GGPoker, available to Canadian players, including those in Ontario.

In the end, it was Ontario’s Jacob Hobday who took down the Main Event, claiming the top prize of C$446,400 and earning his second WSOP Circuit gold ring. Impressively, Hobday qualified through a C$75 satellite on GGPoker. His win also came with a $5,000 package to the upcoming WSOP Paradise in the Bahamas.

The series as a whole attracted over 11,000 entries and awarded nearly C$10 million in prize money (C$9,632,570). A key factor behind the strong turnout was the debut of the WSOP Plus app, introduced at this Circuit stop for the first time.

WSOP Circuit Montreal FAQ

When does the 2026 WSOP Circuit Montreal take place?

The next WSOP-C Montreal will take place from August 24 – September 9, 2026. This will be a WSOP Super Circuit event with a guarantee of C$10,000,000 across the board.

Where can I qualify online for the WSOP Montreal series?

Online qualifiers for the WSOP-C Montreal Main Event are available at GGPoker and GGPoker Ontario.

How many tournaments are there on the WSOP Montreal 2026 schedule?

There are usually 18 ring events with buy-ins ranging from C$400 – C$5,000.

How many times does WSOP Montreal typically run?

In the past, it only ran once a year, but in 2024, it ran twice. In 2025, there were three WSOP-C Montreal circuits with the first one held in March-April, the second one in August-September, and the third one scheduled to run in November. In 2026, there are three WSOPC Montreal stops, the third one being the WSOP Super Circuit festival.

Which province will the WSOP Montreal take place in?

As the festival takes place in Kahnawake, just a short drive from Montreal, players will be in Quebec.

Does WSOP Montreal award WSOP bracelets or rings?

As this is a WSOP Circuit event, WSOP Rings are given to winners at WSOP Montreal.

Will I need to use the WSOP LIVE app?

Yes, WSOP LIVE (formerly WSOP+) is mandatory for the WSOP Montreal circuit festival.