Backlash for an online WSOP-C ring winner controversy
Not all WSOP-C rings are the same, we have learned, after a controversial decision by the World Series of Poker.
Quite a big controversy is brewing over WSOP Circuit winners and the WSOP Paradise this year. In previous years, online WSOP-C winners would win a $5,000 package to play in the WSOP Paradise Circuit Championship.
However, yesterday Jeff Platt confirmed that this would no longer be the case, and only live WSOP-C winners would qualify.
Right, online circuit ring winners don’t win a Bahamas package this year
— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) July 30, 2026
This is despite there being no marketing messaging or terms and conditions changes that appear to have specified this. Indeed, at the time of writing, the current landing pages for this promotion still seem to suggest that any WSOP-C winner would be eligible.
I don’t have a dog in this but the website says “Every WSOP ring winner in 2026”
Quite messed up to exclude online ring events. https://t.co/6YY6KFh1hq pic.twitter.com/GvfljmaAvw
— Ben (@brnt2470) July 30, 2026
Public pressure to back track
Online WSOP-C events have taken place both on WSOP.com and GGPoker. It seems like, at a minimum, the WSOP should call out this new change on their landing pages, given that these online winners qualified for the same event in 2025.
Understandably, the poker community is outraged at this particular decision, especially as it seemingly has been announced ad hoc and quite late into the poker year. There is currently a lot of public pressure to get this revoked, so we may see a decision by the WSOP to backtrack on this.
This promotion was a replacement for the Tournament of Champions, which invited all bracelet winners and circuit ring winners, live and online, to play just before the WSOP.
