Am I missing something here?
The World Series of Poker has relented to pressure from players and will award those who won an WSOP Online Circuit ring a $5,000 WSOP Paradise prize package.
The short-lived controversy began last Wednesday, when a player called out the WSOP on social media for telling him he would not receive the WSOP Paradise package for winning a Circuit ring because that ring was earned in an online event.
“Sweet4U” posted a picture of his WSOP Circuit ring along with a screenshot of the WSOP Circuit $5K Package rules. The list of a baker’s dozen bullet points contained no mention that online ring events did not count toward the WSOP Paradise promotion.
World Series of Poker broadcaster and host Jeff Platt replied to the player, saying, “Right, online circuit ring winners don’t win a Bahamas package this year.”
Many poker players sided with Sweet4U, citing official releases by the WSOP that said WSOP Circuit ring winners would receive the WSOP Paradise prize package, without any differentiation between live and online events.
Mike Leah even posted an e-mail he received after winning a WSOP Circuit ring online in March, which specifically said, “As a champion, you are also entitled to a WSOP Paradise Package worth $5,000 USD.”
WSOP listens to players
Official WSOP announcements about the promotion made no mention of live versus online events. A December 4, 2025 tweet announcing the first half of the 2026 WSOP Circuit schedule said, “Each ring winner will receive a $5,000 package, redeemable for next year’s WSOP Paradise or WSOP Europe 2026.”
An accompanying press release included the short paragraph, “All gold ring event winners for the 2026 WSOP Circuit season will receive an exclusive $5,000 WSOP Paradise 2026 package. The package will include tournament buy-in and hotel accommodations.”
If there was any room for interpreting the promotion as not counting for online tournaments it would be that the schedule listed in the press release only included live tour stops. But at best, that just makes the wording unnecessarily vague.
On Friday, the WSOP reversed course, announcing that WSOP Online Circuit ring winners will receive the WSOP Paradise prize package. While it still received criticism for only giving in after players complained, the overall response from players has been positive, giving the WSOP kudos for doing the right thing.
The post WSOP Does the Right Thing, Honors WSOP Paradise Prize Package for Circuit Ring Winners appeared first on Poker News Daily.
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