2026 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star

The 2026 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star brings one of the World Poker Tour’s most recognizable bounty-format stops back to Bay 101 Casino in San Jose, California. The festival is listed by WPT for Oct. 16–Nov. 1, 2026, with the $5,300 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship scheduled for Oct. 23–27.

This guide gives players a practical overview of the venue, Championship structure, bounty format, schedule highlights, registration notes and planning details before traveling to Bay 101.

Players should review the official WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star player guide for the complete event-by-event schedule, structures and official rules before entering any event.

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WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Overview

The WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star is a World Poker Tour Main Tour festival hosted by Bay 101 Casino in San Jose. The series combines standard tournament events with the stop’s signature Shooting Star bounty format.

The headline event is the $5,300 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship. Players compete for a WPT title, a place on the Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup and additional bounty prize money connected to designated Shooting Star players.

The overall festival schedule includes No-Limit Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha 8, Pot-Limit Omaha, Action Clock events, turbo freezeouts, satellites, bounty events and one-day tournaments.

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Venue and Location

Bay 101 Casino is located at 1788 North First Street in San Jose, California. The casino is one of the best-known cardrooms in Northern California and has a long history with the Shooting Star brand.

Players traveling for the series should confirm room hours, tournament check-in procedures, parking information and current venue policies directly with Bay 101 before arrival.

Useful official links:

• Bay 101 Casino official website

• WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship event page

• Official WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star player guide

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Main Event Details

The $5,300 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship is scheduled for Oct. 23–27, 2026.

The Championship buy-in is listed as $5,300, made up of $4,800 toward the prize pool and a $500 registration fee. The event starts with 50,000 tournament chips and uses two opening flights.

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Key Championship Details

• Event: WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Championship

• Venue: Bay 101 Casino

• Location: San Jose, California

• Dates: Oct. 23–27, 2026

• Buy-in: $5,300

• Starting stack: 50,000 chips

• Day 1A: Friday, Oct. 23

• Day 1B: Saturday, Oct. 24

• Day 2: Sunday, Oct. 25

• Day 3: Monday, Oct. 26

• Day 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27

• Main Event guarantee: Not announced

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Shooting Star Bounty Format

The Shooting Star format is the defining feature of this WPT stop.

A $2,500 bounty is awarded to the player who eliminates a designated Shooting Star from the Championship. WPT also lists a $5,000 bonus for the chip leader at the conclusion of each Day 1 flight.

This format changes the dynamic of the Championship because certain players carry additional value beyond their tournament chips. It also gives recreational players and tournament regulars a clear reason to pay attention to the player draw, table assignments and bounty-player announcements.

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Championship Structure Notes

The Championship begins with 50,000 tournament chips. According to WPT’s official event information, players who register on Day 1A or Day 1B have one optional re-entry.

Players may also register at the beginning of Day 2 before the restart. No refunds are listed.

The Action Clock by Poker Atlas is scheduled to be used starting at Level 15 on Day 2. WPT states that time extension chips will accumulate and will not reset.

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Additional Structure Details

• Big blind ante format is used.

• Players receive a 15-minute break every two levels each day.

• The event pays approximately one in eight entries.

• The event starts nine-handed.

• Play becomes eight-handed at the start of Day 3.

• Play becomes six-handed at 36 players.

• The final six players are scheduled for a televised final table.

• The WPT Main Tour event is eligible for the WPT Player of the Year race.

WPT also states that $10,400 will be withheld from the prize pool and issued to first place as an entry to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas.

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Festival Schedule Highlights

The complete schedule includes several ways to play before and after the Championship. Players should use the official WPT player guide for the full listing, but the following events are among the key highlights.

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Opening Events and Early Satellites

The festival begins with a $600 Shooting Star Opener on Oct. 16, with another opening flight on Oct. 17 and Day 2 scheduled for Oct. 18.

The early schedule also includes multiple $600 Shooting Star Satellites, giving players a lower-cost path toward the Championship.

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Mixed and Alternative Formats

The schedule includes more than standard No-Limit Hold’em. Players can also find Omaha, Omaha 8, Pot-Limit Omaha, Limit Hold’em and Action Clock events across the series.

Notable formats listed in the official schedule include:

• $600 NLH 30/30

• $600 Omaha 8

• $600 Action Clock NLH

• $600 PLO

• $600 Limit Hold’em

• $600 Action Clock Freeze Out

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Higher Buy-In Side Events

The schedule includes several larger buy-in events around the Championship.

One of the biggest side events before the Championship is the $2,200 No-Limit Hold’em event scheduled for Oct. 21. The schedule also lists $1,100 One Day $1K events and $1,150 Shooting Star Satellites around the Championship portion of the series.

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Mystery Board Bounty Events

The post-Championship portion of the schedule includes a $1,100 Mystery Board Bounty with opening flights listed for Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, along with $200 Mystery Board Bounty Satellites.

Players should check the official schedule closely because the player guide includes event listings dated Nov. 2 even though WPT’s festival date range is listed as Oct. 16–Nov. 1.

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Registration and Player Requirements

Players should confirm all registration requirements directly with WPT and Bay 101 before traveling.

WPT states that players must sign the mandatory WPT Player Release Form to play the Championship. The event page directs players to pre-register through the WPT website.

Players should also bring valid identification, review payment and payout procedures with the venue, and confirm whether any event-specific rules or house rules apply.

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Travel Planning for Bay 101

Bay 101 Casino is located in San Jose, making the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star a practical stop for players in Northern California and a destination series for traveling tournament players.

Because the series runs across multiple weeks and includes a $5,300 WPT Championship, players should plan around more than just their preferred starting flight. Useful planning considerations include:

• Which Championship starting flight fits best

• Whether to play satellites before the Championship

• Whether to arrive early for the Shooting Star Opener

• Whether to stay through the Mystery Board Bounty and closer events

• How much time to allow for registration and player-release requirements

• Whether nearby lodging and transportation should be booked early

There is no confirmed Angry Aces Poker Where to Stay page for Bay 101 or San Jose in the current internal URL map, so players should use their preferred hotel-booking source and confirm travel logistics directly.

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Who Should Play the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star?

The WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star is best suited for players who want a major live tournament experience with a distinctive bounty component.

The $5,300 Championship is a serious Main Tour event, but the broader festival gives players multiple entry points. Recreational players may target the $600 opening events, satellites and daily side events, while experienced tournament players may build a schedule around the Championship and higher buy-in side events.

Players who enjoy bounty formats should pay particular attention to the Shooting Star structure because designated bounty players create extra incentives and table dynamics that are not present in a standard freezeout or re-entry event.