By Alex Drummond, Editor-in-Chief · April 12, 2026 · Fact-checked by Maya Chen
The WSOP Circuit returned to Calgary in January 2026, running January 7-19 at Deerfoot Inn & Casino, 11500 35 St SE, Calgary. The series featured 18 ring events. Toronto's Senthuran Vijayaratnam won the Main Event, taking home $400,000. Event #1 (Big 30 Stack, $400 buy-in) drew 404 entries; Shawn Johnson won for $28,013.
A Second Calgary Stop Is Expected
The January 2026 stop appears to be the first of at least two Calgary Circuit stops this year. A second stop is widely expected in late 2026 or early 2027. No official dates have been confirmed. The Deerfoot Inn & Casino poker room (403-723-4039) hosted the January series and is Calgary's primary live tournament venue.
Why Calgary Has Become a Major Live Poker Destination
The January 2026 series demonstrated that Calgary can host a full-scale WSOP Circuit stop with strong attendance. Deerfoot Inn & Casino's poker room runs daily tournaments at 10:20am and 6:30pm on a reservation basis, making it the most active poker room in Calgary.
The Broader 2026 Circuit Picture
The 2026 WSOP Circuit has continued at other Canadian venues. Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Kahnawake ran a spring 2026 stop from late March through early April. American Circuit stops at Harrah's Cherokee, ARIA Las Vegas, and other venues have also continued through the first quarter of the year.
If a second Calgary stop is confirmed in the second half of 2026, Alberta players would have two significant live Circuit events in the province within the calendar year. Deerfoot Inn & Casino is the likely venue again, given that it hosted January's series.
What to Expect at a Future Stop
Based on the January 2026 stop, Alberta's WSOP Circuit events feature multiple ring events across roughly 12 days. GGPoker has run online satellites for Circuit events in Alberta, providing qualifying paths for players who don't want to pay full buy-in. When a new stop is confirmed, satellite schedules will appear in the GGPoker Alberta tournament lobby. Players who want to prepare in advance can review the WSOP satellite qualification guide.
The Alberta poker tournament schedule will be updated when Deerfoot Inn & Casino and the WSOP release official dates for a second 2026 stop.