2026 WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley
Official Schedule Coming Soon
The complete tournament schedule has not yet been released. Angry Aces Poker will update this guide as soon as the official schedule becomes available.
MAIN EVENT DETAILS
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$1,700
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$500,000
The World Series of Poker Circuit returns to Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California, from September 24 through October 5, 2026. The fall stop features 16 numbered WSOP Circuit events, including a $1,700 Main Event with a $500,000 guarantee, a $400 Monster Stack with a $200,000 guarantee, four non-Hold'em or mixed-game tournaments, bounty events, a Seniors event and a $3,300 High Roller.
Thunder Valley is one of two WSOP Circuit stops held at the Northern California property during 2026, but this guide is based specifically on the September 24-October 5 fall schedule. Details from the January 2026 stop have not been carried forward unless they were independently confirmed for the fall series.
Players can review the official WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley event page for the complete current event listing. Angry Aces Poker also maintains an Upcoming Poker Tournaments calendar and a broader collection of Poker Tournament Guides for players comparing future stops.
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WSOP Circuit Returns to Thunder Valley
The 2026 fall WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley stop begins Thursday, September 24 and runs through Monday, October 5 at Thunder Valley Casino Resort.
Thunder Valley is physically located at 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, California. It is not located in Sacramento, although the resort serves the Sacramento and broader Northern California market.
The published WSOP schedule currently includes 16 numbered Circuit events with buy-ins ranging from $400 to $3,300.
The most important confirmed events include:
$400 Seniors event for players age 50 and older
$250,000-guaranteed Opener
$600 Pot-Limit Omaha
$400 Mirror Mystery Bounty
$600 H.O.R.S.E.
$400 knockout with $100 bounties
$600 Omaha 8
$400 Monster Stack with a $200,000 guarantee
$600 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
$3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller
$1,700 Main Event with a $500,000 guarantee
$1,100 knockout with $500 bounties
$400 Series Finale
The full event-by-event schedule is available through the official WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley schedule.
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2026 Thunder Valley Series Overview
Thunder Valley's fall schedule combines traditional No-Limit Hold'em with several alternative formats.
The published lineup contains four confirmed $600 non-Hold'em or mixed-game ring events:
Pot-Limit Omaha
H.O.R.S.E.
Omaha 8
Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
Big O, which has appeared at previous Thunder Valley Circuit stops, is not listed on the current fall 2026 WSOP schedule.
The schedule also includes two major multi-flight Hold'em tournaments. The Opener carries a $250,000 guarantee and has four starting flights from September 24 through September 26. The Monster Stack has two starting flights and a $200,000 guarantee.
The $500,000-guaranteed Main Event is scheduled for October 2 and October 3 starting flights.
No official overall series guarantee has been published. Individual published guarantees should not be added together and represented as an official series-wide guarantee.
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Schedule Highlights
The fall stop begins September 24 with the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors event at 9:00 a.m. and a separate $400 No-Limit Hold'em Freezeout at 10:00 a.m.
The $250,000-guaranteed Opener begins later that day and continues with additional starting flights on September 25 and September 26.
Several specialty events follow before the Main Event:
September 27: $600 Pot-Limit Omaha
September 27-28: $400 Mirror Mystery Bounty
September 28: $600 H.O.R.S.E.
September 29: $400 No-Limit Hold'em Knockout with $100 bounties
September 29: $600 Omaha 8
September 30-October 1: $400 Monster Stack with a $200,000 guarantee
September 30: $600 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
October 1: $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller
The Main Event begins October 2. The final portion of the schedule includes another $400 No-Limit Hold'em event with a $50,000 guarantee, the $1,100 knockout and the $400 Series Finale.
Players who want news and results from other Circuit stops can follow the Angry Aces Poker WSOP Circuit news section.
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WSOP Circuit Main Event
Event #13 is the $1,700 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event with a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Two starting flights are currently listed:
Flight A: Friday, October 2 at 11:00 a.m.
Flight B: Saturday, October 3 at 11:00 a.m.
WSOP currently lists a 40,000-chip starting stack and allows two re-entries per flight.
The Main Event is an official WSOP Circuit ring event. The winner therefore receives a WSOP Circuit gold ring and, under the 2026 Circuit promotion, qualifies for the WSOP Paradise 2026 package available to gold-ring winners.
Several important structural details remain Not Published on the current fall event page:
Day 1 blind-level lengths: Not Published
Late-registration cutoff: Not Published
Day 2 date and start time: Not Published
Final-day date and start time: Not Published
Detailed payout schedule: Not Published
Livestream information: Not Published
Live-reporting arrangements: Not Published
Separate fall 2026 structure sheet: Not Published
Players should verify those details through the official WSOP Thunder Valley event page and WSOP+ before registering.
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Monster Stack
Event #10 is the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack with a $200,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Two starting flights are listed:
Flight A: Wednesday, September 30 at 10:00 a.m.
Flight B: Thursday, October 1 at 10:00 a.m.
WSOP lists a 40,000-chip starting stack and two re-entries per flight.
The Monster Stack is one of the largest guaranteed supporting events on the published fall schedule and gives players a lower-cost multi-flight option before the Main Event.
The following details were not published in a separate fall structure sheet when this guide was prepared:
Blind-level lengths: Not Published
Late-registration cutoff: Not Published
Day 2 time: Not Published
Players should not reuse structures from January 2026 or previous Thunder Valley Monster Stack events.
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Mixed Games at Thunder Valley
Thunder Valley's fall 2026 schedule again gives mixed-game and non-Hold'em players several ring opportunities.
Four $600 events are confirmed.
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$600 Pot-Limit Omaha
The $600 Pot-Limit Omaha event begins Sunday, September 27 at 3:00 p.m.
Pot-Limit Omaha gives each player four private cards. Players must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three community cards to make their final five-card hand.
Current published information:
Buy-in: $600
Date: September 27
Start time: 3:00 p.m.
Guarantee: Not Published
Circuit ring: Yes
Detailed fall structure sheet: Not Published
Players should verify starting-stack, level-length, late-registration and re-entry details through WSOP before play because those details should not be inferred from earlier Thunder Valley PLO events.
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$600 H.O.R.S.E.
The $600 H.O.R.S.E. event begins Monday, September 28 at 3:00 p.m.
H.O.R.S.E. rotates through five games:
Limit Hold'em
Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better
Razz
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better
WSOP currently lists:
Buy-in: $600
Starting stack: 25,000
Re-entry: One
Guarantee: Not Published
Circuit ring: Yes
Detailed fall blind levels and the late-registration cutoff are Not Published.
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$600 Omaha 8
The $600 Omaha 8 event begins Tuesday, September 29 at 3:00 p.m.
Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better is a split-pot game. Players make a high hand using exactly two hole cards and three board cards, while a qualifying low hand can receive half the pot.
WSOP currently lists:
Buy-in: $600
Starting stack: 25,000
Re-entry: One
Guarantee: Not Published
Circuit ring: Yes
Detailed blind levels and late-registration information are Not Published.
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$600 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw
The $600 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw event begins Wednesday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m.
In Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw, players compete to make the lowest five-card hand. Aces are high, and straights and flushes work against the player. Participants can draw cards three times.
WSOP currently lists:
Buy-in: $600
Starting stack: 25,000
Re-entry: One
Guarantee: Not Published
Circuit ring: Yes
Detailed level lengths and the registration cutoff are Not Published.
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Is Big O Scheduled?
No Big O event appears on the current September 24-October 5 WSOP schedule.
Thunder Valley has offered Big O during previous Circuit festivals, but those historical schedules should not be used to describe the fall 2026 lineup.
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Other Ring Events to Watch
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Seniors Event
Event #1 is the $400 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors event.
It begins Thursday, September 24 at 9:00 a.m.
WSOP specifically lists the event for players age 50 and older.
Current details:
Buy-in: $400
Age requirement: 50+
Starting stack: 20,000
Re-entry: One
Guarantee: Not Published
Blind levels: Not Published
Thunder Valley itself restricts casino gaming areas to guests age 21 and older.
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High Roller
Event #12 is the $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller.
It begins Thursday, October 1 at 3:00 p.m.
WSOP currently lists:
Buy-in: $3,300
Starting stack: 40,000
Re-entry: Unlimited
Guarantee: Not Published
Field cap: Not Published
Day 2 schedule: Not Published
Detailed blind levels: Not Published
The winner receives an official WSOP Circuit ring.
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Bounty Events
The fall schedule includes three bounty-oriented tournaments.
Event #6 is a $400 Mirror Mystery Bounty with three starting flights beginning September 27 and continuing September 28.
Event #8 is a $400 No-Limit Hold'em Knockout on September 29 with $100 bounties.
Event #15 is a $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Knockout on October 4 with $500 bounties.
Players entering the Mirror Mystery Bounty should check the eventual structure sheet for the exact bounty-phase rules and qualification procedure rather than relying on mystery-bounty rules from another event.
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Satellites and Ways to Qualify
A detailed fall 2026 satellite schedule was Not Published in the official WSOP event listing when this guide was updated.
That means the following information remains Not Published:
Satellite buy-ins
Dates and start times
Number of seats guaranteed
Qualification ratios
Starting stacks
Blind levels
Re-entry rules
Main Event direct-entry procedures
Transferability rules
Online qualification options specific to Thunder Valley
Thunder Valley's official poker page lists a September 21-October 5 series-schedule period, which begins before the September 24 WSOP Circuit ring schedule. Players should monitor the official Thunder Valley Poker Room page for any pre-series satellites or qualifiers that are added.
Do not use January 2026 or previous fall satellite schedules as a substitute.
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WSOP Circuit Rings and Championship Implications
A WSOP Circuit ring is the championship award presented to the winner of an official Circuit ring event.
For 2026, WSOP changed the Circuit to a January-through-December calendar-year season.
WSOP also announced an additional benefit for 2026 gold-ring winners. Every 2026 WSOP Circuit gold-ring winner receives a $5,000 WSOP Paradise 2026 package that includes tournament entry and hotel accommodations.
Players can review the official WSOP 2026 Circuit announcement and the official WSOP Circuit $5K Package terms before relying on the benefit.
Important package conditions include:
A qualifying winner must have a WSOP LIVE account
The package is non-transferable
The package is non-refundable
The package has no cash value
It must be used for the designated 2026 WSOP Paradise event
A qualifying player can redeem a maximum of one package during the 2026 promotion
The official 2026 materials reviewed for this guide do not publish an additional Thunder Valley-specific championship seat, Main Event bonus or separate added prize beyond the ring-winner package.
A current Thunder Valley-specific points qualification system was also not published on the event page. Players should rely on current WSOP rules rather than older Circuit National Championship or Casino Champion systems from previous eras.
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Tournament Structures and Registration
WSOP announced that confirmed 2026 Circuit stops use WSOP+ for tournament registration, payout information and real-time event data.
Players planning to enter Thunder Valley events should have access to WSOP+ and should confirm the exact event or starting flight before registering.
The fall event page currently provides starting-stack and re-entry information for several events, but a separate complete structure packet has not yet been published or linked for the fall stop.
That matters because structure sheets normally determine details such as:
Blind and ante progression
Level lengths
Break schedule
Late-registration cutoff
Re-entry deadline
Day 1 stopping point
Day 2 restart time
Payout procedures
Multi-flight advancement rules
Do not assume these details match January 2026.
Players should also bring valid government-issued identification and confirm any Thunder Valley or WSOP account requirements before attempting to register.
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Thunder Valley Poker Room
The Poker Room at Thunder Valley Casino Resort is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Thunder Valley describes the room as a 28-table poker room that can expand to as many as 48 tables for major events.
Practical information:
Poker Room: The Poker Room at Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Address: 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA 95648
Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Standard room size: 28 tables
Expanded tournament capacity: Up to 48 tables
Poker Room phone: 916-408-9095
Online waiting list: Available
Thunder Rewards points: Available in the poker room
Smoking: The Poker Room is non-smoking
Casino gaming age: 21+
Thunder Valley also publishes regular daily tournament information on its poker page.
Specific cash-game stakes and games can change, so players who need a particular game should call the Poker Room instead of assuming that a previous lineup is still running.
Tournament-specific cashier and registration procedures for the September series should be confirmed with staff or WSOP+ when the complete fall rules are published.
More information is available through the official Thunder Valley Poker Room page.
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Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Thunder Valley Casino Resort is located at 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, California.
For tournament players, the most relevant on-property features include:
On-site hotel
24-hour Poker Room
Multiple quick-service and sit-down dining choices
24-hour coffee
Large parking garage
Thunder Rewards
Accessible hotel accommodations
Non-smoking Poker Room
Thunder Valley says the resort hotel has 408 rooms, including 40 suites.
Smoking is permitted in designated gaming areas, but Thunder Valley identifies the Poker Room, hotel, restaurants, The Venue, Bingo Room and Spa among its non-smoking areas.
Players can review current property policies through the official Thunder Valley FAQ.
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Where to Stay
Thunder Valley has an on-site hotel, making it possible for tournament players to stay at the same property where they are playing.
The official Thunder Valley hotel page lists deluxe rooms and one-bedroom suites, with ADA accommodations available on request.
Thunder Valley publishes:
Check-in: 4:00 p.m.
Check-out: 11:00 a.m.
Early arrival: Subject to availability
Late departure: Subject to availability
No official WSOP Circuit room block, dedicated poker-player rate, promotional code or booking deadline for the September 24-October 5 series was verifiably published when this guide was prepared.
Those fields should therefore be treated as Not Published rather than copied from an earlier Thunder Valley stop.
Players who do not stay on property can also review Thunder Valley's official partner-hotel options in the surrounding area.
Hotel prices and cancellation rules vary by reservation, so check the specific booking terms before committing.
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Dining and Amenities
Thunder Valley has both quick-service and sit-down dining options, which is useful during a multi-day tournament series.
The official Thunder Valley dining-outlets page lists Peet's Coffee as open 24 hours a day with coffee, tea, pastries and select food items.
Quick-service options include:
Fatburger
Subway
Panda Express
Pizza Hut
For players with more time between sessions, the resort also operates restaurants including Thunder Cafe, High Steaks and Red Lantern.
Thunder Cafe is currently listed as open 24 hours a day.
Hours and menus can change, so players on a short tournament break should check current operating times before leaving the poker area.
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Thunder Rewards
Thunder Valley operates the Thunder Rewards loyalty program.
The Poker Room specifically advertises Thunder Rewards earning for poker players, while the broader rewards program allows members to accumulate benefits that can be used around the resort subject to program terms.
Players can review current benefits through the official Thunder Rewards page.
Tournament players should not assume that a hotel discount, tournament entry discount or WSOP-specific benefit is included unless Thunder Valley separately publishes one.
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Getting There and Parking
Thunder Valley Casino Resort is in Lincoln, northeast of Sacramento.
The resort's published directions route Sacramento-area drivers toward Interstate 80 and Highway 65 before continuing to the property on Athens Avenue.
The official Thunder Valley directions and parking page states that the parking garage has space for more than 4,000 vehicles and provides complimentary EV charging stations on multiple floors.
Thunder Valley's FAQ separately describes a 3,700-space parking structure, so the resort's dedicated current parking page should be treated as the more specific source for present parking capacity.
Players traveling in recreational vehicles can also review Thunder Valley's published 72-hour RV parking-permit policy.
Specific valet terms for the poker series were Not Published in the sources reviewed for this guide.
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Flying to the Sacramento Area
Sacramento International Airport is the primary major commercial airport serving the Sacramento region.
SMF provides:
Rental cars
App-based rideshare
Taxis
Shuttle options
Public transportation
The airport has designated pickup locations for Uber, Lyft and other app-based rideshare providers.
Players flying in can review Sacramento International Airport ground transportation before making travel arrangements.
Travel time between the airport and Thunder Valley depends on traffic and the time of day, so players should use current navigation information rather than relying on a fixed drive-time estimate.
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Lincoln and the Sacramento Area
Thunder Valley Casino Resort is physically located in Lincoln, California.
Thunder Valley describes the property as approximately 30 miles east of Sacramento.
That distinction matters when booking travel. A hotel advertised as being in Sacramento is not necessarily close to Thunder Valley, while Lincoln, Rocklin and Roseville may provide more convenient off-property options depending on the specific location.
The Circuit stop serves the Sacramento, Placer County and wider Northern California poker market, but the casino itself should always be identified as being in Lincoln.
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Historical Thunder Valley Context
Thunder Valley is an established WSOP Circuit venue and hosted another Circuit series in January 2026.
That earlier series is useful only as historical context.
The September 24-October 5 fall schedule has been independently published by WSOP and must be treated as a separate tournament series. January buy-ins, guarantees, flights, satellites, structure sheets and hotel offers should not be substituted for fall information.
The fall schedule also confirms that Thunder Valley continues to offer several alternatives to No-Limit Hold'em, with PLO, H.O.R.S.E., Omaha 8 and Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw all appearing as separate $600 events.
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What Players Should Know
Players considering a trip to Thunder Valley should keep these points in mind:
The WSOP Circuit stop runs September 24-October 5, 2026
The venue is Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California
The current schedule contains 16 numbered Circuit events
The Main Event is $1,700 with a $500,000 guarantee
Main Event flights begin October 2 and October 3 at 11:00 a.m.
The Main Event currently lists a 40,000-chip starting stack and two re-entries per flight
The Monster Stack costs $400 and carries a $200,000 guarantee
Four $600 non-Hold'em or mixed-game events are confirmed
Big O is not on the current fall schedule
The Seniors event is for players age 50 and older
The High Roller costs $3,300
Satellite details are still Not Published
The complete fall structure packet is still Not Published
An official WSOP hotel rate is still Not Published
Thunder Valley's Poker Room operates 24 hours a day
The casino is in Lincoln, not Sacramento
Every 2026 WSOP Circuit gold-ring winner is eligible for a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package subject to WSOP terms
Players should perform one final schedule and structure check before traveling because tournament organizers may amend event information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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When is WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley 2026?
The fall WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley series runs from September 24 through October 5, 2026.
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Where is Thunder Valley Casino Resort?
Thunder Valley Casino Resort is located at 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, California 95648.
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Is Thunder Valley in Sacramento?
No. Thunder Valley Casino Resort is physically located in Lincoln, California. Thunder Valley describes the property as approximately 30 miles east of Sacramento.
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Has the full fall 2026 WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley schedule been released?
The event lineup has been released. WSOP currently lists 16 numbered events. A separate complete fall structure packet and detailed satellite schedule were still Not Published when this guide was prepared.
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How much is the WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley Main Event?
The fall 2026 Main Event buy-in is $1,700.
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What is the Main Event guarantee?
The Main Event carries a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool.
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When does the Main Event start?
Flight A begins Friday, October 2 at 11:00 a.m. Flight B begins Saturday, October 3 at 11:00 a.m.
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How many WSOP Circuit events are scheduled?
WSOP currently lists 16 numbered events for the September 24-October 5 series.
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Are mixed games offered at Thunder Valley?
Yes. The published fall schedule includes $600 Pot-Limit Omaha, $600 H.O.R.S.E., $600 Omaha 8 and $600 Deuce-to-Seven Triple Draw.
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Is Big O scheduled?
No. Big O does not appear on the current official fall 2026 event listing.
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Is there a Monster Stack?
Yes. The $400 No-Limit Hold'em Monster Stack has a $200,000 guarantee and starting flights on September 30 and October 1.
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Is there a Seniors event?
Yes. The $400 No-Limit Hold'em Seniors event begins September 24 at 9:00 a.m. and is open to players age 50 and older.
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Is there a High Roller?
Yes. The $3,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller begins October 1 at 3:00 p.m.
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Are bounty tournaments scheduled?
Yes. The schedule includes a $400 Mirror Mystery Bounty, a $400 knockout with $100 bounties and a $1,100 knockout with $500 bounties.
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Are Main Event satellites available?
Specific fall 2026 satellite details were Not Published in the official sources reviewed when this guide was prepared.
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Does Thunder Valley have a hotel?
Yes. Thunder Valley Casino Resort has an on-site hotel with 408 rooms, including 40 suites.
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Is there an official WSOP Circuit hotel rate?
Not Published. No dedicated fall 2026 WSOP room block, player rate or promotional code was verifiably published when this guide was prepared.
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What time is hotel check-in and check-out?
Thunder Valley lists check-in at 4:00 p.m. and check-out at 11:00 a.m. Early arrival and late departure are subject to availability.
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Is parking available at Thunder Valley?
Yes. Thunder Valley's current directions page says its parking garage has space for more than 4,000 vehicles and includes complimentary EV charging stations on multiple floors.
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Is the Thunder Valley Poker Room open 24 hours?
Yes. Thunder Valley lists its Poker Room as open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Which airport is best for Thunder Valley?
Sacramento International Airport is the primary major commercial airport serving the Sacramento region and offers rental cars, taxis, rideshare and other ground transportation.
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Where can players find the official schedule?
Players can view the official WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley schedule on WSOP.com.