December in Las Vegas means one thing for poker players: the WPT World Championship at Wynn. For 2026 the festival is longer than ever. It runs for almost a full month, from November 27 to December 21, with more than 85 tournaments and over $20 million in guarantees.
The headline event is the $10,400 WPT World Championship itself, which plays December 13–20 with $1 million added. But with a $5 million Prime Championship, a brand-new $400 Super Gold Million and a packed mixed-game line-up, there’s something here for every budget.
WPT World Championship 2026 at a glance
| Details | |
| Festival dates | November 27 – December 21, 2026 |
| Venue | Wynn Las Vegas poker room, Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Events | 85+ tournaments |
| Total guarantees | More than $20 million |
| Main Event | $10,400 WPT World Championship, Dec 13–20, $1 million added |
| Biggest guarantee | $1,100 WPT Prime Championship, $5 million |
| New for 2026 | $400 Super Gold Million, $3 million guaranteed |
| Livestream | Daily streams from December 6; the final table is filmed for TV |
Heads up if you’ve seen December 3–23 elsewhere: those were the 2024 dates. The 2026 festival starts November 27.
The $10,400 WPT World Championship
This is the one everyone comes for. The Main Event has three starting flights, and you can enter once per flight, with one last entry allowed just before Day 2. The final table plays on Sunday, December 20.
| Day | Date | Start |
| Day 1A | Sun Dec 13 | 11 a.m. |
| Day 1B | Mon Dec 14 | 11 a.m. |
| Day 1C | Tue Dec 15 | 11 a.m. |
| Day 2 | Wed Dec 16 | 12 p.m. |
| Day 3 | Thu Dec 17 | 12 p.m. |
| Day 4 | Fri Dec 18 | 12 p.m. |
| Day 5 | Sat Dec 19 | 12 p.m. |
| Final Table | Sun Dec 20 | 2 p.m. |
Times as published in the September 2026 schedule (Pacific Time).
What “$1 million added” really means
There’s no official guarantee on the Main Event this year. Instead, ClubWPT Gold is adding $1 million, paid out as mystery bounties. According to WPT’s Tony Dunst, those bounties come entirely from the added million, not from player buy-ins. So the regular prize pool stays intact, and the bounties are pure bonus.
How big has it been?
| Year | Entries | Prize pool | Winner | First prize |
| 2025 | 1,865 | $18,277,000 | Schuyler Thornton | $2,258,856 |
| 2024 | 2,392 | $23,441,600 | Scott Stewart | $2,563,900 |
| 2023 | 3,835 | $40M (guaranteed) | Dan Sepiol | $5,282,954 |
| 2022 | Nearly 3,000 | $29,008,000 | Eliot Hudon | About $4.1M |
Sources: Wikipedia WPT season results, Bleacher Report, PokerListings. 2023 ended in a heads-up deal.
The field has shrunk since the huge $40 million guarantee in 2023, which is exactly why WPT has changed its approach. Rather than a big guarantee that risks an overlay, it’s putting $1 million of real money into the event. A “Golden Ticket” from WPT Global adds even more spice (see below).
The festival’s other big events
| Event | Dates | Buy-in | Guarantee |
| WPT Prime Championship | Dec 5–12 | $1,100 | $5M |
| Super Gold Million (new) | Dec 10–14 | $400 | $3M |
| WPT World Championship | Dec 13–20 | $10,400 | $1M added |
| No Limit Hold’em | Dec 17–20 | $3,000 | $2M |
| No Limit Hold’em | Nov 30–Dec 4 | $800 | $1M |
| NLH Mystery Bounty | Dec 19–21 | $1,600 | $1M |
| PLO | Dec 13–15 | $1,600 | $1M |
| Seniors NLH Championship | Dec 17–19 | $1,100 | $500K |
| Ladies NLH Championship | Dec 13–14 | $1,100 | $250K |
| NLH High Roller | Dec 17–18 | $25,800 | – |
WPT Prime Championship. Last year’s Prime drew a record 9,876 players and nearly doubled its guarantee. With four starting flights and a $1,100 buy-in, it’s the event most recreational players will target.
Super Gold Million. The newest addition, powered by ClubWPT Gold. It’s a $400 mystery bounty event with a $3 million guarantee, so you could hit a big bounty for a very small buy-in.
Mixed games. Fans of HORSE, TORSE, Big O, Limit Omaha 8 and triple draw are well looked after, right up to the $1,600 Wynn Mixed Championship and TORSE Championship.
How to qualify for less
Online at WPT Global
WPT Global is running a satellite campaign for a $12,400 package. It includes your $10,400 Main Event seat, $2,000 for travel credited to your account, and VIP extras like Player Lounge access and express registration.
• Micro route: starts at $1.10, then $11 and $110 steps
• Low route: starts at $5, then a $55 step
• Mid route: starts at $22, then $220 steps
• Final: every route leads to a $1,060 weekly satellite final, held every Sunday until late November
The first 30 players to win a package online get a “Golden Ticket.” If one of them wins the Main Event, WPT Global adds $100,000 to their first-place prize. Package winners must complete ID verification by December 3.
Live at Wynn
Wynn is running Milestone Satellites throughout the festival. $1,100 satellites award World Championship seats almost every day from December 8 to 15, and $200 satellites feed into the Prime Championship and Ladies Championship.
Planning your trip
• Venue: the Wynn Las Vegas poker room, on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.
• Getting there: fly into Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), about a 15-minute drive away.
• Weather: December days are mild, often in the high 50s °F, but nights get cold. Bring a jacket.
• Meet-up game: WPT is hosting a 1/3 and 2/5 Meet Up Game with giveaways on December 1.
Full 2026 WPT World Championship schedule
Here’s every event by start date. Multi-flight events are listed once. A 600NLHTurbo(50K guaranteed) also runs most nights at 9 p.m.
| Starts | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee |
| Nov 27 | No Limit Hold’em (6 flights) | $600 | $400K |
| Nov 27 | TORSE | $600 | – |
| Nov 27 | PLO | $400 | – |
| Nov 28 | Mixed Triple Draw (A-5, 2-7, Badugi) | $600 | – |
| Nov 30 | No Limit Hold’em (6 flights) | $800 | $1M |
| Nov 30 | Limit Omaha 8 | $600 | – |
| Dec 1 | Limit Omaha 8 / Stud 8 | $600 | – |
| Dec 1 | PLO | $1,100 | – |
| Dec 3 | No Limit Hold’em | $1,600 | $1M |
| Dec 4 | HORSE | $600 | – |
| Dec 5 | WPT Prime Championship (4 flights) | $1,100 | $5M |
| Dec 6 | PLO Mystery Bounty | $1,600 | $500K |
| Dec 7 | HORSE (2 day) | $1,100 | – |
| Dec 7 | PLO $500 Bounty | $1,600 | $100K |
| Dec 9 | No Limit Hold’em (2 day) | $1,600 | $1M |
| Dec 9 | PLO $1,000 Bounty | $3,000 | $250K |
| Dec 9 | Limit Omaha 8 | $800 | – |
| Dec 10 | Super Gold Million (Mystery Bounty, 4 flights) | $400 | $3M |
| Dec 12 | No Limit Hold’em | $800 | $100K |
| Dec 12 | PLO | $3,000 | $250K |
| Dec 13 | WPT World Championship ($1M added) | $10,400 | – |
| Dec 13 | Ladies NLH Championship (2 day) | $1,100 | $250K |
| Dec 13 | TORSE (2 day) | $1,100 | – |
| Dec 13 | No Limit Hold’em | $800 | $500K |
| Dec 13 | PLO | $1,600 | $1M |
| Dec 14 | Mixed Triple Draw (2 day) | $1,100 | – |
| Dec 14 | PLO Turbo | $1,100 | $100K |
| Dec 15 | Big O | $1,100 | – |
| Dec 15 | PLO Progressive Bounty (PKO) | $3,000 | $250K |
| Dec 15 | NLH $500 Bounty Turbo | $1,600 | $100K |
| Dec 16 | No Limit Hold’em | $1,100 | $1M |
| Dec 16 | PLO Double Board Bomb Pot | $800 | – |
| Dec 16 | PLO 6-Max | $10,500 | – |
| Dec 16 | HORSE | $800 | – |
| Dec 17 | Seniors NLH Championship (3 day) | $1,100 | $500K |
| Dec 17 | Wynn Mixed Championship (2 day) | $1,600 | – |
| Dec 17 | No Limit Hold’em | $3,000 | $2M |
| Dec 17 | NLH High Roller (2 day) | $25,800 | – |
| Dec 18 | Limit Omaha 8 Championship (2 day) | $1,600 | – |
| Dec 18 | No Limit Hold’em | $600 | $100K |
| Dec 18 | NLH 6-Max | $10,500 | – |
| Dec 18 | NLH Turbo | $1,100 | $100K |
| Dec 19 | Seniors High Roller (3 day) | $5,000 | $250K |
| Dec 19 | NLH Mystery Bounty (4 flights) | $1,600 | $1M |
| Dec 19 | PLO | $10,500 | – |
| Dec 19 | NLH 6-Max | $3,000 | $500K |
| Dec 19 | TORSE Championship (2 day) | $1,600 | – |
| Dec 19 | NLH 6-Max Turbo | $600 | $50K |
| Dec 20 | No Limit Hold’em | $600 | $50K |
| Dec 20 | NLH 8-Max | $10,500 | – |
| Dec 20 | Mixed Triple Draw | $600 | – |
| Dec 20 | 5-Card PLO Turbo | $600 | $50K |
| Dec 21 | No Limit Hold’em | $1,100 | $100K |
Compiled from the official schedule published September 14–15, 2026, via Casinos.com and Pokerfuse. Check the Wynn and WPT websites for final times and late changes.
Live updates
The festival hasn’t started yet. Once cards are in the air on November 27, we’ll update this section with results from the Prime Championship, the Super Gold Million and every day of the Main Event.
| Date | Event | Result / Update |
| Dec 12 | WPT Prime Championship final table | Coming soon |
| Dec 14 | Super Gold Million final table | Coming soon |
| Dec 13–15 | WPT World Championship Day 1 flights | Coming soon |
| Dec 20 | WPT World Championship final table | Coming soon |
Sources
• Pokerfuse: 2026 WPT World Championship returning to Las Vegas (Sep 15, 2026)
• Casinos.com: 2026 WPT World Championship schedule (Sep 2026)
• SoMuchPoker: $1 Million in Added Value Awaits at WPT World Championship
• PokerNews: WPT Global launches WPT World Championship satellite campaign (Sep 2026)
• Wikipedia: World Poker Tour season 23 results (2025)
• Wikipedia: World Poker Tour season 22 results (2024)
• Bleacher Report: Dan Sepiol wins 2023 WPT World Championship
• PokerListings: Eliot Hudon wins 2022 WPT World Championship
FAQs
When is the WPT World Championship 2026?
The festival runs November 27 to December 21, 2026. The $10,400 Main Event plays December 13–20.
Where is it held?
At the Wynn Las Vegas poker room.
Is the Main Event guaranteed?
No. Instead, $1 million is added as mystery bounties.
What’s the biggest guarantee?
The $1,100 WPT Prime Championship, with $5 million guaranteed.
Who won in 2025?
Schuyler Thornton, for $2,258,856, from a field of 1,865.
Can I qualify online?
Yes. WPT Global satellites start at $1.10 and lead to a $12,400 package.
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