The 2026 WSOP Circuit stop at Horseshoe Council Bluffs is in the books, with 18 coveted rings awarded to 17 players. Kansas City’s Connor Hayward entered the final day of the $1,700 Main Event as the short stack heads-up against John Ypma and walked out with his first gold ring, the $76,797 top prize and a $5,000 WSOP Paradise package. The series ran September 16-28, with milestones along the way from two of the most decorated names in circuit history.
- Read more: WSOP Circuit Ring #21 for Engel and Lowery Earned in Back-to-Back Days at Horseshoe Council Bluffs
Hayward Comes Back to Win the Main Event
The Main Event drew 232 entries and built a $351,480 prize pool. Hayward navigated the field all the way to heads-up play against John Ypma, who already owned a WSOP Circuit ring from a 2026 win at Texas Card House Social Austin.
According to WSOP.com, Ypma held roughly a 2-to-1 chip advantage when the two faced off heads-up, but Hayward ground back into it. He ended the match when his king-three offsuit connected on the board against Ypma’s jack-ten of spades, earning his first WSOP Circuit ring. Ypma collected $50,593 as runner-up. Matthew Riffel of the United States finished third for $34,304.
Hayward had built momentum heading into Council Bluffs. On September 17, 11 days before the final, he finished third in the RunGood Poker Series Main Event in Oklahoma for $23,758, the standout cash on his live resume going into the week. He left Iowa with $76,797 more and his first ring.
Connor Hayward Wins the $1,700 WSOP Circuit Main Event
Hayward’s Hendon Mob profile reflected a player just starting to build his poker resume with $23,758 in career earnings from a single cash before this event. The $76,797 Main Event prize more than tripled that total and moved his career live earnings past $100,000.
$1,700 buy-in | 232 entries | $351,480 prize pool
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Connor Hayward | United States | $76,797 |
| 2 | John Ypma | United States | $50,593 |
| 3 | Matthew Riffel | United States | $34,304 |
| 4 | Jake Flores | United States | $23,961 |
| 5 | Nick Barksdale | United States | $17,257 |
| 6 | Nicholas Stille | United States | $12,828 |
| 7 | Robert Wilson | United States | $9,852 |
| 8 | Kevin Berhelsen | United States | $7,826 |
| 9 | Ryan Brown | United States | $6,438 |
Engel and Lowery Reach Ring 21 on Back-to-Back Days
The headline story from midway through the series came on consecutive days. Arkansas’s Daniel Lowery captured his 21st career WSOP Circuit ring on September 22 in Event #7, the $400 Big O, winning $8,607. At that final table, Canada’s Ari Engel finished third for $3,672. Less than 24 hours later, Engel won Event #9, the $400 No-Limit Hold’em, for $6,613 and his own 21st ring. Two players reaching 21 rings at the same stop, a day apart, is the kind of moment the circuit rarely produces.
Engel and Lowery now sit among the most decorated players in WSOP Circuit history. Maurice Hawkins leads all players with 26 rings. Engel’s Hendon Mob profile shows more than $10 million in live earnings and a ranking of 195th on the all-time money list. Lowery’s profile shows $4.2 million in earnings and first place on the Arkansas all-time money list. Their back-to-back wins at Council Bluffs are covered in full on poker.pro.
Jacob Long Wins Two Rings at the Same Stop
Jacob Long turned one series into two titles. Long won Event #3, a $400 No-Limit Hold’em, for $8,061, then came back to take Event #5, another $400 No-Limit Hold’em, for $6,401. Winning two rings at the same circuit stop is a rare achievement.
Long’s Hendon Mob profile showed a whopping $851,236 before this event, with these scores pailing in comparison to his recent MSPT Festival St. Charles $1,110 Main Event victory worth $97,282, won at the beginning of September.
2026 Horseshoe Council Bluffs WSOP Circuit Ring Winners
| Tournament | Winner | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event #1: $400 NLH Monster Stack | Ryan Remmes | United States | $18,849 |
| Event #2: $400 NLH Mini Main Event | John Juby | United States | $23,117 |
| Event #3: $400 No-Limit Hold’em | Jacob Long | United States | $8,061 |
| Event #4: $400 NLH 40/40/40 | Jon Marsa | United States | $18,675 |
| Event #5: $400 No-Limit Hold’em | Jacob Long | United States | $6,401 |
| Event #6: $400 NLH Seniors Event | Jeffrey Pierce | United States | $17,996 |
| Event #7: $400 Big O | Daniel Lowery | United States | $8,607 |
| Event #8: $400 NLH 6-Max | Roger Eggers | United States | $9,776 |
| Event #9: $400 No-Limit Hold’em |  Ari Engel | Canada | $6,613 |
| Event #10: $400 NLH Double Stack | Matthew Alexander | United States | $14,929 |
| Event #11: $400 Pot-Limit Omaha | Jared Ward | United States | $5,962 |
| Event #12: $1,100 No-Limit Hold’em | Jonathan Lawson | United States | $16,637 |
| Event #13: $500 NLH Black Chip Bounty | Matthew Serefko | United States | $10,641 |
| Event #14: $1,700 Main Event | Connor Hayward | United States | $76,797 |
| Event #15: $400 No-Limit Hold’em | Nicholas Rife | United States | $8,337 |
| Event #16: $600 NLH Deepstack | Kenneth Gregory | United States | $9,523 |
| Event #17: $400 NLH Double Stack Closer | Jamar Adams | United States | $9,860 |
| Event #18: $400 No-Limit Hold’em | John Rogers | United States | $5,630 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Photos and information courtesy of WSOP.
- Article originally produced at poker.pro.
