Dusk Till Dawn Winter Schedule: WSOP Circuit, Christmas Cup and the UKPC Grand Final

If you play live poker in the UK, Nottingham is the place to be this winter. Dusk Till Dawn, often called the “Home of UK Poker,” has lined up three big festivals in a row, from early November to the second week of February:

1. WSOP Circuit Nottingham: November 6–16, 2026, with 13 gold rings and a £1,000,000 guaranteed Main Event
2. Christmas Cup: December 21–30, 2026, with a £180 Main Event guaranteeing £200,000
3. UK Poker Championships, including the UKPC Grand Final: January 29 – February 7, 2027, headlined by a £2,200 Main Event

The three festivals cover very different budgets: a £180 holiday tournament, a £1,500 WSOP Circuit Main Event and a £2,200 Grand Final. Here’s what you need to know about each one, plus a few tips to help you plan.

Winter Schedule at a Glance

Festival	Dates	Main Event Buy-in	Guarantee	Highlight
WSOP Circuit Nottingham	Nov 6–16, 2026	£1,500 (£1,350 + £150)	£1,000,000	13 WSOP gold rings
Christmas Cup	Dec 21–30, 2026	£180 (incl. fees)	£200,000	£25,000 first prize
Christmas Shield	Dec 30, 2026	—	£30,000	One-day event
UKPC incl. Grand Final	Jan 29 – Feb 7, 2027	£2,200	Not announced	200,000 starting chips, 60-min levels

1. WSOP Circuit Nottingham (November 6–16, 2026)

The WSOP Circuit returns to Dusk Till Dawn with 13 gold rings, one more than the 12 rings awarded in November 2025. The festival also starts about a week earlier than last year.

The £1,000,000 Main Event

The WSOP-C Main Event costs £1,350 plus a £150 fee, so £1,500 in total, and guarantees £1,000,000. The buy-in and guarantee are the same as in 2025, when the Main Event offered five starting flights, including two turbo flights.

How big is that guarantee?

Here’s a quick calculation. With £1,350 from each entry going to the prize pool, the Main Event needs about 741 entries to reach £1 million. Fewer entries means Dusk Till Dawn pays the difference, called an overlay.

For context, here’s how the Nottingham Circuit Main Event has changed:

Year	Buy-in	Guarantee	Entries	Result
2024	—	£500,000	462	~£20,000 overlay; Dan Charlton won £73,295
2025	£1,500	£1,000,000	—	—
2026	£1,500	£1,000,000	TBD	Nov 6–16

2024 figures from PokerNews. The 741-entry break-even figure is our own calculation.

Two years ago, the £500,000 guarantee wasn’t quite met. The doubled guarantee is a statement of confidence, and it can be good news for players. If the field falls short, the overlay is extra prize money paid by the house.

Other ring events to watch

Last year’s Nottingham schedule included a £300 Mini Main (four flights), a £300 Seniors (50+), a £300 Turbo, a £1,500 PLO High Roller and a £3,000 High Roller. The 2024 Mini Main drew 615 entrants, so it’s a popular, affordable way to chase a ring. Check the official 2026 schedule for the confirmed event list.

Satellites

Satellites are the usual route into the Main Event. In 2025, players could qualify online on GGPoker and through live satellites at the club from £60 to £120. Expect a similar setup this year.

2. Dusk Till Dawn Christmas Cup (December 21–30, 2026)

After the Circuit, the club switches to its festive tournament, the Christmas Cup. It’s one of the best-value events of the winter.

Detail	Info
Main Event buy-in	£180 (including fees)
Guarantee	£200,000
First prize	£25,000
Online flights	From December 21
Live flights at DTD	From December 26
Final day	December 30
Bonus event	Christmas Shield, Dec 30, £30,000 GTD

Why it’s worth playing

• The cost is low. A £180 ticket gives you a shot at a £25,000 top prize, about 139 times your buy-in.
• You can start from home. Online flights begin on December 21, so you can play Day 1 before travelling to Nottingham.
• Boxing Day starts live play. Live flights begin on December 26, which suits players who are off work over the holidays.
• There’s a second chance. If you bust the Main Event, the Christmas Shield on December 30 offers a £30,000 guaranteed pool.

Our estimate: The exact rake split hasn’t been published. If about £150–£160 of each £180 entry goes into the prize pool, the Main Event needs roughly 1,250–1,350 entries to cover the £200,000 guarantee. That’s a big target, so keep an eye out for a possible overlay.

3. UK Poker Championships & UKPC Grand Final (Jan 29 – Feb 7, 2027)

The UK Poker Championships (UKPC) return to Nottingham from January 29 to February 7, 2027, with events for a range of bankrolls. The highlight is the UKPC Grand Final, played over the festival’s last four days.

£2,200 Grand Final Main Event Schedule

Day	Date	Stage
Thursday	Feb 4, 2027	Day 1A
Friday	Feb 5, 2027	Day 1B
Saturday	Feb 6, 2027	Day 2
Sunday	Feb 7, 2027	Final Day

Structure: 200,000 starting chips and 60-minute levels.

Why the structure matters

Most UK festival Main Events use 30–40 minute levels. With 60-minute levels, you get many more hands at each blind level, and 200,000 chips gives you plenty of room to play. That makes the event more about skill and less about having to gamble early.

How it compares with recent UKPC events

The UKPC has grown into one of the club’s biggest brands. The January 2026 UKPC had a £560 Main Event guaranteeing £500,000, with an online Day 1 on GGPoker. At £2,200, the 2027 Grand Final is about four times that price. Expect a smaller but tougher field, aimed at experienced players.

Which Festival Suits You?

Your Situation	Best Option	Why
Small bankroll, holiday fun	Christmas Cup (£180)	Low buy-in, £25K first prize, online flights
Want to win a WSOP ring	WSOPC Mini Main or side events	Affordable ring events
Mid-stakes regular	WSOPC £1,500 Main Event	£1M GTD, possible overlay
Experienced player wanting a deep structure	UKPC Grand Final (£2,200)	60-min levels, 200K stack
Can’t travel on Day 1	Christmas Cup online flights	Start from home from Dec 21

Practical Tips for Playing at Dusk Till Dawn

1. Satellite into the big events. Both the WSOPC Main Event and the UKPC Grand Final are much cheaper to reach through satellites than by buying in directly.
2. Use the online flights. For the Christmas Cup, the online Day 1s save you travel costs and let you play more than once.
3. Book accommodation early. Nottingham fills up during festival weeks, especially over Christmas and New Year.
4. Bring photo ID and register in advance. UK casinos require ID, and pre-registering avoids long queues on busy flight days.
5. Manage your bankroll across all three festivals. It’s tempting to play everything. Pick one main target based on your budget, and use satellites for the rest.

Our Take

Dusk Till Dawn has built a strong winter calendar. There’s a WSOP Circuit stop with a £1 million guarantee, a cheap and festive Christmas Cup, and a deep-structured UKPC Grand Final to start 2027. The £1 million Circuit guarantee is the one to watch. If the field doesn’t reach about 741 entries, players will get an overlay. For most recreational players, though, the £180 Christmas Cup with its £25,000 top prize is the best value of the winter.

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