What You Need to Know About Thunder Valley Casino’s WSOP Tournament
Published: Sep 27, 2022
Updated: Nov 17, 2022
The World Series of Poker’s regional poker tour (WSOP Circuit) will host its Northern California event Sept. 29-Oct. 10 at Thunder Valley Casino Resort just outside of Sacramento. This will be one of the premier California poker tournaments in 2022.
The WSOP Circuit is in the midst of its 18th season, one that began after the conclusion of July’s World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.
This year’s Main Event was staged at the Bally’s and Paris Hotels & Casinos in Las Vegas and televised by CBS Sports Network. ESPN had been the longtime broadcaster of WSOP’s biggest event before CBS Sports Network took over coverage with a new TV rights deal starting in 2021.
WSOP’s Main Event has surged in popularity throughout the years since its inception in 1970. Binion’s Horseshoe hosted the inaugural Main Event, which was designed by Horseshoe Casino owner Benny Binion to determine a world poker champion.
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WSOP’s Main Event has grown in stature — to say nothing of prize money — over the past five decades, too. There was no prize money for the Main Event until its second year. Seven players ponied up $5,000 apiece, and Johnny Moss claimed the winner-take-all prize.
Fast forward to this year: Espen Jorstad won the World Series of Poker Main Event and its top prize of $10 million. He wasn’t the only player to walk away as a newly minted millionaire. Here are the final results and payouts for this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event:
| Place | Player | Winnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Espen Jorstad | $10,000,000 |
| 2nd | Adrian Attenborough | $6,000,000 |
| 3rd | Michael Duek | $4,000,000 |
| 4th | John Eames | $3,000,000 |
| 5th | Matija Dobric | $2,250,000 |
| 6th | Jeffrey Farnes | $1,750,000 |
| 7th | Aaron Duczak | $1,350,000 |
| 8th | Philippe Souki | $1,075,000 |
| 9th | Matthew Su | $850,675 |
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WSOP Circuit Events Shine Spotlight on Regional Players
Thunder Valley Casino Resort is one of several venues across the country to host its own WSOP Circuit event, and this will be one of the biggest California poker tournaments of the year. The WSOP guarantees that each stop on the regional schedule will feature at least 12 gold ring events beginning at a $250 buy-in.
The Main Event at WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley Casino requires a $1,700 buy-in with $500,000 in guaranteed prize money.
The series unofficially begins with satellite events on Monday, Sept. 26. Here is the complete schedule of upcoming events at Thunder Valley.
| Event | Starts When? | Buy-in | Prize Pool | Other Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOPC Event #1: Seniors Event | Sept. 29, 9 a.m. | $400 | NA | Players must be at least 50 years old |
| WSOPC Event #2: No-Limit Hold’em – The Opener | Flight A: Sept. 29, 3 p.m. Flight B: Sept. 30, 10 a.m. Flight C: Sept. 30, 3 p.m. Flight D: Oct. 1, 10 a.m. | $400 | $250,000 | 15,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #3: No-Limit Hold’em | Oct. 2, noon | $600 | $50,000 | 25,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #4: No-Limit Hold’em 8-Handed | Oct. 3, 10 a.m. | $400 | NA | 15,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #5: H.O.R.S.E. | Oct. 3, 3 p.m. | $600 | NA | 25,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #6: No-Limit Hold’em Knockout Bounty | Oct. 4, 10 a.m. | $400 | NA | $100 bounties |
| WSOPC Event #7: Omaha 8 | Oct. 4, 3 p.m. | $600 | NA | 25,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #8: No-Limit Hold’em Monster Stack | Oct. 5, 10 a.m. | $400 | $50,000 | 30,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #9: Omaha 8/Stud 8 | Oct. 5, 3 p.m. | $600 | NA | $25,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #10: Pot-Limit Omaha | Oct. 6, noon | $600 | NA | Unlimited re-entry |
| WSOPC Event #11: Main Event | Flight A: Oct. 7, 11 a.m. Flight B: Oct. 8, 11 a.m. | $1,700 | $500,000 | 30,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #12: No-Limit Hold’em – Last Call | Oct. 9, 1 p.m. | $1,125 | $100,000 | 30,000 starting chips |
| WSOPC Event #13: No-Limit Hold’em – Series Finale | Oct. 10, 9:30 a.m. | $400 | NA | 15,000 starting chips |
Thunder Valley hosted its most recent WSOP Circuit event in January 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered events for two years. Victor Paredes emerged as the winner of Thunder Valley’s WSOP Circuit Main Event. Paredes collected $169,294 for the victory.
More than 3,600 entrants competed in the WSOP Circuit series at Thunder Valley in January, with over $2 million awarded along with 12 gold rings.
Looking ahead to WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley Casino, regional poker players have an added incentive to win. Gold ring winners will qualify for the “Tournament of Champions” event during the 2024 World Series of Poker tournament in Las Vegas.
Other Than the Main Event, What Else Is There?
For those eyeing a lower level of competition, WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley Casino also features 12 other events before and after the Main Event (which begins Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. PT).
These events have lower buy-ins, either $400, $600, or $1,125. And there’s some serious money to be made.
The Opener, a $400 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament, has $250,000 in guaranteed prize money.
A no-limit hold’em event with a $600 buy-in beginning Oct. 2 has $50,000 in guaranteed prize money.
Beginning Oct. 5, there’s a n0-limit hold’em Monster Stack tournament with $400 buy-in that also has $50,000 in guarantees.
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Kris Johnson
Kris Johnson is a Senior Writer at Gaming Today with more than 15 years of experience as a sports journalist. Kris’ work has appeared in Sports Business Daily, Sports Business Journal, NASCAR Illustrated, and more. Kris also authored a sports betting novel entitled The Endgame.