Texas grinder Winston Djonli received the WSOP Circuit Choctaw 2026 Principal Occasion for $232,680, capping off a exceptional two-month heater. The victory at Choctaw On line casino Resort marks Djonli’s first Circuit ring and his greatest profession rating, as his lifetime earnings jumped from round $72,000 in November 2025 to over $453,000.
The WSOP Circuit Choctaw 2026 Principal Occasion attracted 922 entries with a $1,700 buy-in, producing a prize pool of $1.25 million and surpassing the $1 million assure. Djonli defeated Matthew Barnett heads-up on the last desk.
Djonli’s Two-Month Run
Earlier than this win, Djonli was comparatively unknown on the match circuit with simply $72,000 in recorded earnings. That modified in late November 2025 when he completed thirteenth in a $1,200 buy-in occasion on the Texas Card Home Trailblazer Poker Tour for $7,060—a career-best on the time.
The momentum continued into December. Djonli cashed the $10,000 WPT World Championship in Las Vegas for $25,000, then adopted it up with a runner-up end in a $3,000 occasion that paid $115,682. These outcomes set the stage for his breakthrough Circuit win in January.
In simply over two months, Djonli has added greater than $380,000 to his match resume—a textbook instance of what a scorching streak appears like on the stay circuit.
WSOP Circuit Choctaw Principal Occasion Last Desk
The ultimate desk featured a mixture of skilled circuit regulars and lesser-known grinders, with Djonli rising because the champion after heads-up play in opposition to Matthew Barnett.
PlacePlayerPrize1stWinston Djonli$232,6802ndMatthew Barnett$155,0103rdVenkat Nagabha$107,3604thChris Vickrey$75,7005thKenneth Lemer$54,3606thDustin Schoonover$39,7707thJeremy Kennon$29,6508thTodd Tucker$22,5409thAlejandro Reynoso$17,470
Choctaw Circuit Sequence Highlights
The WSOP Circuit cease at Choctaw ran from January 8-19, 2026, and featured 18 ring occasions that paid out over $2 million mixed. Past the Principal Occasion, a number of different tournaments drew sturdy fields and strong prize swimming pools.
William Hesser kicked off the sequence by profitable Occasion #1: $500 Monster Stack for $41,310 from a area of 545 gamers. The occasion generated a $177,320 prize pool—one of many largest of the cease outdoors the Principal Occasion.
Jason Royman took down Occasion #13: $500 No-Restrict Maintain’em for $38,800, whereas Daxton Alexander received the $400 Monster Stack (Occasion #16) for $27,660 from a area of 428 entries.
The sequence additionally featured specialty occasions together with a $250 Women Occasion received by Cammie Allen for $7,920. That last desk included content material creator Ashley Frank, including some recognizable faces to the cease.
Different Notable Ring Winners
Gregg Merkow – Occasion #4: $400 No-Restrict Maintain’em Double Stack ($21,990)Glen Goldsmith – Occasion #3: $500 Large O ($16,530)Eric Bunch – Occasion #15: $400 No-Restrict Maintain’em ($18,880)Jeffrey Whittle – Occasion #8: $250 Seniors ($23,310)Srinivasa Vadlamudi – Occasion #18: $400 No-Restrict Maintain’em ($20,530)
What Makes WSOP Circuit Stops Useful
WSOP Circuit occasions stay probably the greatest choices for mid-stakes grinders seeking to construct bankrolls and achieve match expertise. The Choctaw cease is an ideal instance of why these sequence work.
The $1,700 Principal Occasion buy-in is inexpensive sufficient to draw leisure gamers whereas nonetheless providing six-figure payouts on the high. The 922-player area reveals sturdy native and regional participation, which generally means softer competitors in comparison with high-stakes tour stops.
For gamers like Djonli, Circuit stops present alternatives to show modest investments into career-changing scores. His $1,700 entry turned a $232,680 payday—a 137x return that illustrates the worth proposition these occasions supply.
Past the Principal Occasion, facet occasions with $400-$500 buy-ins give grinders a number of alternatives to fireside all through the sequence. With 18 ring occasions unfold over almost two weeks, gamers can maximize quantity whereas managing bankroll variance throughout decrease buy-in tournaments.
Subsequent WSOP Circuit Stops
The WSOP Circuit continues all through 2026 with stops scheduled throughout the US and worldwide venues. Upcoming home stops embody locations in Florida, Pennsylvania, and California, every that includes related buildings with Principal Occasions within the $1,500-$2,000 vary.
For grinders evaluating the place to play, Circuit stops supply constant worth: confirmed buildings, accessible buy-ins, and prize swimming pools that frequently exceed ensures. The mixture makes them a staple of the stay match calendar for gamers constructing their resumes and bankrolls—monitor upcoming stops and stay outcomes on our WSOP Hub.
