Benny Sarnelli Wins Mini Main Event Ring at WSOP Circuit Calgary

By Mrinal Gujare

13 Jan 2026

Mrinal Gujare 13 Jan 2026

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Benny Sarnelli wins first WSOP Circuit ring in Calgary's Mini Main Event.
Bradley Bishop claims the Mystery Bounty ring amid a marathon final.
Larger fields indicate growing participation in Calgary WSOP series.

Image Credit: Poker.pro

Benny Sarnelli won his first WSOP Circuit ring by taking down the Mini Main Event in Calgary. The series also saw Bradley Bishop win the Mystery Bounty, while Shawn Johnson, Mehmet Siginc, and Claire Leclerc claimed early titles.

Benny Sarnelli claimed his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring after defeating Samson Mesenegeeshik in the Mini Main Event at WSOP Circuit Calgary January 2026. The victory capped a large-field event that drew strong local and regional participation.

Mini Main Event Final Table Recap

The Mini Main Event final table featured a mixed lineup that included Skyler York, Michael Khan, Michael Malm, Regan Duong, and Harp Padda. Stack control shifted frequently through the early stages of the final table.

Michael Malm and Michael Khan carried most of the chips during the opening levels. Malm lost momentum soon after final table play began, allowing Khan to take command through five handed and into four handed play.

At four handed, chip counts moved back and forth. Skyler York exited first at that stage. Khan still held the lead but soon dropped to the short stack, while Benny Sarnelli moved into first position. Khan secured a double up but could not rebuild further and finished in third place.

Sarnelli closed out the event against Samson Mesenegeeshik to secure the title and his first career WSOP Circuit ring.

Before this win, Sarnelli had recorded around $56,000 in live tournament earnings, mostly from events in Edmonton. The Mini Main Event payout nearly doubled his lifetime earnings and marked his most significant result to date.

Mystery Bounty Event Results

The Mystery Bounty event produced another first time ring winner and ran deep into the night due to a large field and slow final table play.

Mystery Bounty Event Details

Entries: 457
Total Prize Pool: $229,175
Regular Prizes: $137,775
Bounty Pool: $91,400
Winner: Bradley Bishop ($29,254)

Long Final Table Session

Play stretched close to 15 hours from the opening hand to the final pot. The final table stalled at six handed for multiple levels, with average stacks hovering around ten big blinds once the field finally thinned.

After Benny Bruneau was eliminated in sixth place shortly before 6 AM, eliminations accelerated. The tournament concluded within an hour of that exit.

Several finalists faced scheduling pressure. Harp Padda, who finished fourth, and champion Bradley Bishop both returned later the same day for Day 2 of the Mini Main Event. Bruneau and Jack Vaccarello planned to enter the Seniors event scheduled for Sunday morning.

Bradley Bishop earned his first WSOP Circuit ring in the Mystery Bounty event. Available records suggest this may be his first recorded live tournament cash, though it is possible his results appear under a different name.

The opening stretch of WSOP Circuit Calgary January 2026 also produced early ring winners including Shawn Johnson, Mehmet Siginc, and Claire Leclerc. Initial events reported larger fields compared to the October stop, continuing a trend of growing participation at the Calgary series.