The WSOP Circuit just wrapped up an insane stop at Planet Hollywood, and now it's time for the WPT to take center stage. The Lucky Hearts Poker Open begins tomorrow at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, and it's shaping up to be one of the best festival openings in years.

Pack your bags, degenerates. Florida is calling.

The Quick Hit

• What happened: WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open runs January 6-20 at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood
• The damage: $3,500 Championship with $3 million guaranteed prize pool
• Why you should care: First WPT title event of 2026, massive fields expected
• The move: Get down there if you can. Satellites are running daily.

The Main Event Details

The Lucky Hearts Poker Open Championship is the crown jewel of the festival:

• Buy-in: $3,500
• Guarantee: $3,000,000
• Structure: Three starting flights (January 16-18)
• Final table: January 20

Last year's event crushed its guarantee with over 1,200 entries. With Florida's poker scene continuing to boom, this year should be even bigger.

The winner will join the Mike Sexton Champions Cup, earn a seat at the WPT World Championship, and pocket what could easily be a seven-figure payday.

The Festival Schedule

The Lucky Hearts isn't just about the main event. There's two weeks of action with buy-ins ranging from $400 to $25,000:

Early Festival Highlights:

• $400 NLH events (daily)
• $600 PLO bounty
• $1,100 NLH deepstacks

Mid-Festival:

• $2,200 NLH events
• $1,600 PLO Championship
• $5,300 High Roller

Championship Week:

• $3,500 Lucky Hearts Championship (Jan 16-20)
• $10,400 High Roller (Jan 17-18)
• $25,000 Super High Roller (Jan 18-19)

If you're making the trip, there's literally an event for every bankroll and skill level.

Why This Festival Matters

Florida has become one of the hottest poker markets in the country. Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood hosts some of the biggest fields outside of Vegas, and the facility is world-class.

The WSOP Circuit just saw massive turnout at Planet Hollywood, with the Main Event crushing its guarantee. The WPT should see similar demand.

Players who grind the Florida circuit know: the fields are soft, the structure is player-friendly, and the money flows.

The Value Play: Satellites

If $3,500 is too rich for your blood, satellites are running daily at the Hard Rock poker room and online through WPT Global.

The value in satellites is insane. A $400 satellite might send three players to the main event. That's effectively an 8:1 discount on your buy-in if you can navigate a single-table field.

Online satellites on WPT Global are running right now through January 15. You can win your seat from your couch for a fraction of the direct buy-in cost.

The Competition

Expect the usual cast of characters:

• Florida regulars who crush these fields annually
• WPT title hunters looking for Champions Cup points
• High rollers making the trip from Vegas
• International players who love the South Florida scene

The final table will feature a mix of grinders and pros. That's what makes WPT events so interesting - the guaranteed money draws recreational players, but the title brings out the sharks.

Schuyler Thornton shipped the WPT World Championship for $2.1 million last month. Whoever wins Lucky Hearts joins that elite company.

Logistics for Traveling Degenerates

Where: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, FL When: January 6-20, 2026 Room rates: The Hard Rock hotel often has poker player rates. Book early - they fill up. Poker room: 45+ tables, 24/7 cash games, daily tournaments

South Florida in January is a hell of a lot nicer than wherever you're reading this. The weather alone is worth the trip.

The Bottom Line

The WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open is the first major WPT title event of 2026, and it's going to be a monster. The $3M guarantee is beatable, the festival has action at every level, and Florida poker continues to boom.

If you're a tournament grinder looking for your spot in January, this is it. The WSOP Circuit continues at Choctaw for those who prefer that path, but the WPT brings a different energy.

Bigger buy-ins, bigger guarantees, bigger prestige. The Mike Sexton Champions Cup is waiting.

See you at the felt, degenerates. Let's run it up.