Upcoming Poker Tournaments 2026: WPT, APT & Jeju Schedule (Oct–Dec)
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Last Updated on October 14, 2026 by Bala Kumar
The last three months of the year are the busiest stretch of the poker calendar. Between now and December, the World Poker Tour, the Asian Poker Tour and Jeju’s biggest festival will hold some of the largest live events of the season. The run ends with the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas in December.
This guide lists the major events from October to December 2026, with dates, buy-ins, guarantees and qualifying routes. Each event links to its official schedule. We update the page as events finish, adding results and changing each event’s status.
Quick Calendar: October–December 2026
| Event | Dates | Location | Main Event Buy-in | Guarantee | Status |
| WPT Prime Cyprus Championship | Oct 15–19 | Chamada Prestige, Northern Cyprus | $1,100 | $1,000,000 | 🔜 Starts Oct 15 |
| Lions of the East (Day 2) | Oct 18 | Borgata, Atlantic City | $600 | $2,000,000 | 🟢 Day 1 flights running |
| WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship | Oct 23–27 | Bay 101 Casino, San Jose | $5,300 | Not published | 🔜 Upcoming |
| Jeju Poker Festival 2026 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | LES A Casino, Jeju | KRW 1.3M (KPC Main Event) | KRW 880M | 🔜 Upcoming |
| WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship | Nov 5–9 | INSPIRE Resort, Incheon | KRW 1.75M (~$1,185) | KRW 1 billion (~$677,000) | 🔜 Upcoming |
| WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship | Nov 5–10 | The Venetian, Las Vegas | $5,000 | $2,000,000 | 🔜 Upcoming |
| APT Championship Main Event | Nov 23–27 | Red Space, Taipei | $10,000 | $5,000,000 | 🔜 Upcoming |
| WPT Prime Championship | Dec 5–12 | Wynn Las Vegas | $1,100 | $5,000,000 | 🔜 Upcoming |
| WPT World Championship | Dec 13–20 | Wynn Las Vegas | $10,400 | No prize pool guarantee ($1M added in mystery bounties) | 🔜 Upcoming |
Guarantees are the minimum prize pools organisers have promised. Final prize pools depend on entries. Amounts in USD next to KRW figures are approximate and depend on exchange rates.
Running Right Now
| Series | Ends | What’s Left | Our Coverage |
| Poker Masters 2026 (Las Vegas) | Oct 23 | Remaining events, ending with the $50K finale and the Purple Jacket | Myles Mullaly wins Event #1 |
| KPC Poker Series (Jeju) | Oct 21 | KPC Main Event, plus the King’s Main Event from Oct 17 | Yan Wen Yee wins King’s Debut |
| APT Online 2026 (GGPoker) | Nov 2 | Remaining trophy events, including the $5M Main Event on Nov 1 | APT Online 2026 schedule & results |
October Events
WPT Prime Cyprus Championship
October 15–19 · Chamada Prestige Hotel & Casino, Northern Cyprus · Official WPT event page
| Detail | Information |
| Festival | October 7–19 |
| Championship | October 15–19 |
| Buy-in | $1,100 |
| Guarantee | $1,000,000 |
| Starting flights | 5 |
| Final table | Livestreamed |
| 2025 result | Omar Lakhdari won $200,830 from a field of 1,391 entries |
The event was originally planned for March but was postponed because of the conflict in the Middle East, which disrupted regional flights. It’s the next WPT Prime stop after the Lodge Championship in Texas, won by Shrikant Pillamarapu.
Why it’s worth watching: the 2025 edition drew close to 1,400 entries, well above the number needed for a $1M prize pool. Five starting flights make it easier to fit around travel plans.
Lions of the East Day 2
October 18 · Borgata, Atlantic City · Our full Lions of the East guide
| Detail | Information |
| Buy-in | 600(500 to the prize pool) |
| Guarantee | $2,000,000 |
| Starting flights | 16 (MGM National Harbor and Borgata) |
| Day 2 | Sunday, October 18, 12:00 PM ET (9:30 PM IST) |
| 2025 result | Kareem Cowart won $305,000 from a field of 3,693 entries |
Will there be an overlay? With $500 of each buy-in going into the prize pool, the field needs 4,000 entries to reach 2,000,000onitsown(2,000,000 ÷ $500). Last year’s 3,693 entries fell just short. Whether there’s an overlay this year depends on the final count.
WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship
October 23–27 · Bay 101 Casino, San Jose, California · Official WPT event page
| Detail | Information |
| Festival | October 16 – November 1 |
| Championship | October 23–27 |
| Buy-in | $5,300 |
| Special feature | “Shooting Star” bounties worth $2,500 each |
| 2026 guarantee | Not yet published |
| 2025 result | Kharlin Sued won 480,700from672entries(3,225,600 prize pool) |
Bay 101 has a long WPT history. Phil Gordon won the first WPT edition in 2004. Every starting table has at least one “Shooting Star”, a well-known pro with a $2,500 bounty. Eliminate one and you collect the bounty.
Jeju Poker Festival 2026
October 28 – November 11 · LES A Casino, Jeju Shinhwa World, South Korea · Schedule coverage
| Detail | Information |
| Organisers | KPC Poker and Red Dragon Poker Tour |
| Trophy events | 123 over 15 days |
| Headline guarantees | KRW 3.88 billion across three flagship events |
| Opening event | KPC Main Event, KRW 1.3M buy-in, KRW 880M GTD |
| Largest guarantee | Red Dragon Plus Championship (about $1.33M) |
| 2025 festival | Paid out more than $9.66 million in 12 days |
This year’s festival has 36 more trophy events and three more days than in 2025. KPC Poker runs the first part of the schedule before the Red Dragon Poker Tour takes over. It begins a week after the KPC October series ends, at the same casino.
📖 Related: Yan Wen Yee wins $247,600 at KPC Poker Series Jeju
November Events
WPT Seoul INSPIRE Championship
November 5–9 · INSPIRE Entertainment Resort, Incheon, South Korea · Official WPT event page
| Detail | Information |
| Festival | October 30 – November 9 (46 events over 11 days) |
| Championship | November 5–9 |
| Buy-in | KRW 1,750,000 (~$1,185) |
| Guarantee | KRW 1 billion (~$677,000) |
| Festival buy-ins | KRW 300,000 to KRW 8,000,000 |
| Venue | New 70-table poker room, opening with this festival |
Note: despite the name, the event is at INSPIRE in Incheon, near Incheon International Airport, not in Seoul city. Players who held tickets for the cancelled WPT Tokyo can exchange them for a KRW 100,000 voucher towards WPT Seoul.
WPT Venetian Las Vegas Fall Championship
November 5–10 · The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas · Official WPT event page
| Detail | Information |
| Festival | October 28 – November 15 |
| Festival guarantees | Nearly $4,000,000 |
| Championship | November 5–10 |
| Buy-in | $5,000 |
| Guarantee | $2,000,000 |
| Starting stack | 50,000 chips |
| Level length | 60 minutes |
| Requirements | 21+, Venetian Rewards card |
For comparison, the Venetian’s spring 2026 Championship drew 488 entries and a prize pool of more than $2.2 million, beating the same $2M guarantee.
APT Championship 2026
November 13–29 · Red Space, Taipei, Taiwan · Official APT schedule
| Festival Detail | Information |
| Trophy events | 210 (plus 26 satellites) |
| Championship events | 23 |
| Total Championship guarantees | Over TWD 256 million (~$8.1 million) |
| 2025 festival | More than 28,000 entries and over $34 million in prize money |
Key Championship Events
| Event | Buy-in | Guarantee | Dates |
| National Cup Championship | TWD 16,000 (~$510) | TWD 20,000,000 | Nov 13–15 |
| Mystery Bounty Championship | TWD 35,000 (~$1,100) | TWD 15,000,000 | Nov 15–16 |
| Ultra Stack Championship | TWD 25,000 (~$800) | TWD 25,000,000 | Nov 16–18 |
| Natural8 Cup Championship | $3,300 | $1,000,000 | Nov 18–21 |
| Super High Roller Championship | $25,000 | — | Nov 20–22 |
| Superstar Championship | $50,000 | — | Nov 22–23 |
| APT Championship Main Event (Freezeout) | $10,000 | $5,000,000 | Nov 23–27 |
| High Roller Championship | $15,000 | — | Nov 26–28 |
Last year: the 2025 Main Event drew 671 entries and a prize pool of about $6.2 million. Indian pro Nishant Sharma won it for about $1.2 million.
How players win Main Event seats:
- APT Online: each of the 20 APT Online 2026 trophy winners receives a $10,000 seat (promotion terms).
- Earlier APT stops: APT Incheon and APT Jeju awarded seats.
- At the festival: 15 seats are awarded through Championship events, plus 2 more through two High Roller events.
📖 Related: Asian Poker Tour 2026 guide
December Events
WPT World Championship Festival at Wynn Las Vegas
November 27 – December 21 · Wynn Las Vegas · Official WPT World Championship page
The WPT season ends with more than 85 events over 25 days and over $20 million in guarantees.
| Event | Dates | Buy-in | Guarantee | Official Page |
| WPT Prime Championship | Dec 5–12 | $1,100 | $5,000,000 | View |
| ClubWPT Gold Super Gold Million (new) | Dec 10–14 | $400 | $3,000,000 | View |
| WPT Ladies Championship | Dec 13–14 | $1,100 | $250,000 | View |
| WPT World Championship | Dec 13–20 | $10,400 | No prize pool guarantee | View |
About the World Championship’s $1 million: the $1M is added money paid as mystery bounties. It is not a prize pool guarantee, and the main prize pool depends entirely on entries. For comparison, the 2025 World Championship drew 1,865 entries and a $18,277,000 prize pool. The final table is on December 20.
Players who won a $10,400 seat this season, such as WPT Prime Lodge champion Shrikant Pillamarapu, are eligible to play.
Competing event: WSOP Paradise at Baha Mar in the Bahamas (December 2–17) overlaps with the Wynn festival, so some players will have to choose between them.
Buy-in Guide: Which Events Fit Your Bankroll?
| Budget | Options | Main Event Buy-in |
| Under $700 | Lions of the East, Super Gold Million, APT National Cup | 400–600 |
| About 1,000–1,300 | WPT Prime Cyprus, WPT Seoul, WPT Prime Championship, Jeju KPC Main Event | ~950–1,185 |
| $5,000+ | Bay 101 Shooting Star, WPT Venetian Fall | 5,000–5,300 |
| $10,000+ | APT Championship Main Event, WPT World Championship | 10,000–10,400 |
Travel, hotel and food costs can be as much as the buy-in. Check which buy-ins suit your bankroll with our free Poker Bankroll Calculator.
How to Qualify Online
| Event | Qualifying Route | Details |
| WPT Prime Cyprus | WPT Global satellites | Ladder from $1.10 to $2,000 packages (entry + $900 expenses) · |
| WPT Seoul | WPT Global satellites | Ladder from $1.10 to $1,500 packages (entry + $250 expenses + VIP access). Qualifiers run until Oct 25 · |
| WPT Venetian Fall | Live milestone satellites | From $550 at The Venetian · |
| APT Championship | Win an APT Online trophy event | $10,000 seat for each of the 20 trophy winners · Terms |
How the satellite ladders work: the $1.10 entry is the first step of a satellite ladder. You win your way up through higher-level qualifiers until you reach the satellite that awards the full package. Most players at the $1.10 level don’t reach a package, so think of it as a low-cost long shot.
WPT Global “Golden Ticket”: players who qualify for WPT Prime Cyprus through WPT Global’s $108 satellite and then win the Championship receive a $100,000 bonus (source).
Compare online poker sites that offer live qualifiers on our poker site reviews page.
Tips for Travelling Players
- Check entry rules. LES A and INSPIRE in South Korea are foreigner-only casinos, so bring your passport. US venues require players to be 21+.
- Book hotels early. Jeju, Incheon and Las Vegas hotels fill up quickly during festivals.
- Use multi-flight events. Choose the starting day that fits your travel plans.
- Plan for time zones. Many final tables are livestreamed, and some finish late at night in Asia.
- Prepare for long bubbles. Big fields mean big pay jumps near the money. Read our ICM guide and practise with our free Preflop Decision Trainer.
What to Watch Next
WPT Prime Cyprus starts October 15, Lions of the East crowns its champion on October 18, and the Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship begins on October 23. As each event finishes, we’ll add the results here and change its status from “Upcoming” to “Completed”.
Browse more events in our tournaments hub or follow results in poker news.
FAQs
What are the biggest poker tournaments from October to December 2026?
Major upcoming poker tournaments in 2026 include the WPT Prime Championship and APT Championship Main Event, each with a $5 million guarantee, the WPT World Championship with a $10,400 buy-in and $1 million in added mystery bounties, and the Jeju Poker Festival, featuring KRW 3.88 billion in combined guarantees across three headline events.
When is the WPT World Championship 2026?
The $10,400 WPT World Championship runs December 13–20, 2026, at Wynn Las Vegas, within a festival that runs from November 27 to December 21.
Does the WPT World Championship have a guarantee?
No. The WPT is adding $1 million paid as mystery bounties, but there’s no prize pool guarantee. The prize pool depends on entries.
When is the APT Championship 2026?
November 13–29, 2026, in Taipei, with 210 trophy events. The $10,000 Main Event, with a $5 million guarantee, runs November 23–27.
How can I qualify online for WPT Prime Cyprus or WPT Seoul?
WPT Global runs satellite ladders that start at $1.10 and lead to full event packages.
What is special about the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star?
Well-known pros called Shooting Stars sit at every starting table with a $2,500 bounty on their heads.
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[…] Looking for the biggest tour stops? The WPT, APT and Jeju festivals from October to December are covered in detail in our complete October–December 2026 poker tournament schedule. […]