By Alex Drummond, Editor-in-Chief · April 6, 2026 · Fact-checked by Maya Chen
Grey Eagle in Montreal has just done it again. The venue recorded a $4,042,870 CAD prize pool for its latest WSOP Circuit Main Event, making it the second-largest in the tour's history and the biggest of 2026 by a wide margin.
With 1,781 total entries across three starting flights, including a final-day surge of 902 entries on Saturday, the series confirms what many in the poker world already suspected: Grey Eagle has become the go-to destination for high-volume North American tournament poker.
The Numbers Behind the Record
The $4,042,870 CAD figure (approximately $2,899,093 USD) tops the $2,763,360 prize pool generated by Harrah's Cherokee in February, which had held the 2026 record up to this point. It also comfortably clears every other WSOP Circuit Main Event prize pool in recent memory, outside of one.
This week's champion is guaranteed $600,000 CAD, making it one of the richest paydays available anywhere on the Circuit calendar.
Jacob Hobday's Satellite Story
The record that still stands above this one also belongs to Grey Eagle. Last August, the venue drew 1,978 entries and built a $4,450,500 CAD prize pool, equivalent to $3,237,454 USD.
The winner of that event was Jacob Hobday of Calgary, Alberta, who took home $620,000 CAD ($448,000 USD) after qualifying through a $75 satellite on GGPoker. That story got a lot of attention: a player who spent $75 to enter a qualifier walked away with over half a million dollars from one of the largest poker tournaments Canada had ever seen at that point.
Hobday's win was a real-world demonstration of how online qualifiers on regulated platforms like GGPoker can serve as a legitimate path into major live events. The August 2025 series also reinforced just how seriously the poker community takes Grey Eagle as a venue.
What Andrew Johnson Said
Grey Eagle's Assistant Director of Poker Operations, Andrew Johnson, didn't hide his satisfaction. "We did it again, and we're going to continue to do it," he said after the field closed.
Johnson framed the current series as part of a deliberate longer-term plan. "We have a strategy, and this first quarter Circuit series is part of the bigger scope and the bigger strategy we have going forward. So, we're really proud and excited for this event and this prize pool specifically and the events coming forward."
Players are travelling from across Canada and the United States to compete, and the numbers back that up.
The $10M Super Circuit Coming in August
The biggest announcement attached to this event is what comes next. In August 2026, Grey Eagle will host the first-ever Canadian WSOP Super Circuit series. The centerpiece is a $5,000 Main Event with a $10,000,000 CAD guaranteed prize pool.
Johnson was direct about its scale. "It's going to be the biggest tournament Canada has ever seen, and that's a fact."
For Alberta players, this is significant. The series sits less than two hours from Calgary, and given how strongly Alberta players have performed at Grey Eagle in previous years, the Super Circuit will attract a large contingent from the province. Players looking for a qualifying route can register for online satellites at GGPoker, the same platform Hobday used to enter last August's record-breaking event.
There's also another WSOP Circuit series at Grey Eagle scheduled in less than six weeks, giving players a chance to warm up before the August flagship.
Leading WSOP Circuit Prize Pools Since 2025
| Event | Location | Date | Prize Pool (CAD) | Prize Pool (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP Circuit Main Event | Grey Eagle, Montreal | August 2025 | $4,450,500 | $3,237,454 |
| WSOP Circuit Main Event | Grey Eagle, Montreal | April 2026 | $4,042,870 | $2,899,093 |
| WSOP Circuit Main Event | Great Canadian, Calgary | April 2025 | $3,743,250 | $2,691,614 |
The Calgary entry in that table is worth noting. The Great Canadian Casino in Calgary generated $3,743,250 CAD in April 2025, the third-largest figure in the list. Alberta players have demonstrated they can fill a room, and the August Super Circuit will put that to the test at an entirely different scale.
What This Means for Alberta Poker
Grey Eagle sits in Kahnawake, Quebec, just outside Montreal, roughly 500km from Calgary. For Alberta players, it's a regular destination during major series. The overlap between Alberta's regulated online poker scene and the live tournament circuit in Quebec is well established, with players who grind the six regulated Alberta rooms often making the drive for WSOP Circuit stops.
The $10M Super Circuit in August will be the biggest draw yet. Check the Alberta poker tournament schedule for upcoming live and online events as the calendar builds toward August.