The World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) returns to Chicagoland this week for its second series of the year at the Grand Victoria Casino on the shores of the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois.
Kicking off on November 5, another 18 prestigious WSOP Circuit rings will be up for grabs, with some of the final $5,000 packages to WSOP Paradise attached to them.
Big guarantees, big bets, and Big O
All of the regular Circuit favorites will be on the schedule, including a $250K guaranteed $400 Mini Main Event, a $200K guaranteed Monster Stack, a $300 Ladies event, and a pair of $400 Seniors events.
Chicagoland has a healthy history of mixed-game stars, including Poker Hall of Famer Barry Greenstein, who was born in Chicago; legendary music producer and poker player, the late Steve Albini, who hosted a regular game with some of the biggest poker names in the area; and current stars like bracelet winners Brandon Shack-Harris and Scott Bohlman.
WSOP bracelet and Circuit ring winner Scott Bohlman is a fixture of the Chicago poker scene.There's also plenty to get excited about on the schedule for fans of the four-and five-card Omaha variants, with a $400 Pot-Limit Omaha, PLO 8 or Better, and Big O events on the schedule as well.
A rich history of Circuit Main Event champions
This part of the country is an absolute hotbed of poker, with many great players coming from the region, as illustrated by recent WSOP Circuit Main Event champions like Josh Reichard, Stephen Song, and more.
Recent WSOPC Grand Victoria Main Event champions:
- April 2026: Grant Juric – 593 entries ($167,608)
- November 2025: Mihai Taizs – 693 entries ($188,095)
- April 2025: Stephen Buell – 637 entries ($175,684)
- November 2024: Jeremy Lenz – 757 entries ($194,977)
- April 2024: Kevin Andriamahefa – 606 entries ($173,593)
- November 2023: Stephen Song – 652 entries ($183,508)
- April 2023: Josh Reichard – 954 entries ($253,073)
- November 2022: Frank Lagodich – 1,070 entries ($275,896)
Grant Juric is WSOPC Grand Victoria's most recent Main Event champion.The upcoming edition of the Main Event gets cards in the air on Thursday, November 12, for the first of three Day 1 starting flights.
And with a $600,000 guarantee, another big prize and another great champion are to be expected.
Great poker-playing reporters also come from the area
PokerOrg’s own two-time-ring-winning reporter, Liam Gannon, who won an event at Grand Victoria back in April, will take a few days off the felt to bring the action of the Main Event to you via our Instant Live feed.
PokerOrg live reporter Liam Gannon won a Circuit ring of his own at Grand Victoria. He’ll have coverage from the floor, along with our rockstar, award-winning photographer Hayley Hochstetler, who’s a heck of a player in her own right too.
It’s an all-star series all around, and it all gets underway this Thursday. Join us for the excitement of the WSOP Circuit at the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, Illinois.
