The World Series of Poker (WSOP), the world’s most prestigious brand in poker, awarded $2,130,847 million during its most recent Circuit tour stop at the Hard Rock Tulsa, which ran March 5-16, 2026. The poker festival drew local talent and players from across the US, highlighted by the triumphant return of car salesman, Robert Shuptrine, who claimed the Main Event title and a six-figure payday.
The $1,700 buy-in Main Event attracted 478 entries, building a prize pool of $724,170. Bentonville, Arkansas’ Shuptrine outlasted a competitive field and dominated his final three opponents – John Reynolds, Christy Cranford, and Christopher Stewart – earning $142,758 for first place, while runner-up Stewart took home $95,254.
After a multi-year break from the felt, Shuptrine’s return to the tables marks a full-circle moment in his poker career. His last recorded cash came nearly three years ago at a $1,500 Badugi event during the WSOP, and his previous Main Event cash was in 2019, where he finished 44th at the Hard Rock Tulsa. This time, however, Shuptrine’s return to the poker scene was nothing short of spectacular, culminating in a WSOP Circuit Main Event victory at the same venue.
The champion opened up to PokerOrg about his time away from the game: “Kids. Life. Family. Trying to get things squared away and my head in the right direction. Now I’m back at it.” Shuptrine explained that now that his son has grown older, it was the right time to return to the felt. “He’s got his own mind, and he’s his own self. He told me to go play, so I went and played.”
Beyond the Main Event, other players had standout results, including Daniel Lowery, who earned his 20th WSOP Circuit ring during the series, tying for the second-most all time.
| Tournament | Winner | Hometown | Prize |
| Event #4 Mini Main | Joshua Brower | Tulsa, OK | $52,750 |
| Event #5 Seniors | Daniel Lowery (20th WSOP Circuit ring) | Booneville, AR | $21,789 |
| Event #11 Monster Stack | Iman Al-Saden | Kansas City, MO | $38,527 |
Fans were able to follow the WSOP Circuit Tulsa Main Event action throughout the tournament via PokerOrg’s live coverage, interviews, and highlights.