WPT Global Turns the Year-End Grind Into a Numbers Game

For most people, the final stretch of December is about switching off. For tournament players, it’s often the opposite. Fewer distractions, softer fields, and now, thanks to WPT Global, a series that quietly tilts the math in players’ favor.

The site has unveiled its Countdown to 2026 series, a 12-day run designed to close out 2025 with a simple promise. Extra money goes into prize pools every single day, no conditions attached. The schedule runs from December 20 through December 31, and the structure avoids the usual promotional gymnastics.

The setup doesn’t try to reinvent tournament poker. Over 12 consecutive days, WPT Global has selected 12 tournaments per day, creating a total of 144 events across the series.

Each of those tournaments receives the same treatment. Once late registration closes, 10% is added directly to the prize pool, on top of the existing guarantee. There’s no cap on that added amount, and it applies regardless of buy-in size or field strength.

In short, the volume stays familiar. The value quietly increases.

Most added-value promotions come with an asterisk. Hit a certain number of entries. Avoid an overlay. Register before a specific cutoff. Countdown to 2026 skips all of that.

Whether a tournament barely reaches its guarantee or flies past it, the 10% boost is applied all the same. There’s no opt-in required and no scenario where the extra money suddenly disappears. If the tournament runs, the added cash is there.

The easiest way to understand the structure is through a simple example.

Take a tournament with a $100,000 guarantee.

The result is the same in both cases. Every event carries extra value, independent of turnout.

With 144 tournaments spread across the final 12 days of the year, Countdown to 2026 creates a long runway rather than a single headline event. For regular grinders, it’s a steady stream of improved spots. For casual players dipping into holiday schedules, it’s a chance to get more out of standard buy-ins without chasing special formats.

The series begins December 20 and runs straight through to New Year’s Eve, ending the year with consistency rather than fireworks. Sometimes, the cleanest edges are the ones that don’t ask for much attention at all.