WPT Prime is a tournament series organized by the World Poker Tour that appeals to a broad field of players with lower buy-ins. In October 2026, the WPT tournament series will return to Texas. From October 8 through 12, the major WPT Championship tournament will take place at The Lodge Card Club in Austin. With a buy-in of $1,100, a prize pool of $1 million is guaranteed.
The WPT Prime Lodge Championship is part of an extensive poker festival that has been running since September 24 and will feature numerous other events through October 12. The No-Limit Hold’em Main Event offers four starting flights, including a Turbo flight on Saturday. Registration closes at the start of Level 10; re-entries are permitted until then. The $1,100 buy-in consists of $970 for the prize pool and $130 in fees.
On regular starting days, blind levels initially last 40 minutes. On the turbo starting day, the levels are shortened to 20 minutes. On the second day of the tournament, the level duration increases to 60 minutes, as it does at the final table, as long as there are still nine players remaining. Once only two players remain, the level duration is reduced to 30 minutes. In total, approximately 12.5 percent of the entries are expected to be paid out.
The first edition of the WPT Prime Lodge Championship in 2025 drew 1,648 entries. This resulted in a prize pool of $1,598,560, which significantly exceeded the $1 million guarantee at the time. After four days of play, Harvey Castro emerged victorious. The winner received $225,020 and the WPT Prime title.
The festival has been underway since September 24. The schedule includes, among other things, several flights of the “Half Milly” event with a $500,000 guarantee, the “100K” tournament with a $100,000 guarantee, as well as various championship events, satellites, and Omaha tournaments. There are also other major tournaments surrounding the Main Event. On October 11, a WPT Prime Lodge High Roller with a $2,000 buy-in and a $100,000 guarantee will kick off. Also on the same day, a Mystery Bounty tournament with a $50,000 guarantee is on the schedule. October 12 marks the conclusion of the festival with the third day of the Prime Main Event.
Further information can be found on the WPT website.