Hamid Izadi and Anthony Marques Secure Main Event Wins Across Separate Venues

Hamid Izadi captured the $1,700 NLH Main Event title at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina while Anthony Marques claimed the same tournament at Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, and both victories came with $5,000 packages for WSOP Paradise 2026 as part of the May 7–18 schedule at each location. Observers note that these parallel events drew substantial fields because each carried a $1 million guaranteed prize pool, which created strong incentives for participants traveling from across the country and beyond.

Event Details at Harrah’s Cherokee

The North Carolina stop featured a structured format typical of regional circuit stops, where players navigated multiple starting flights before entering the money stages, and Izadi navigated the final table to secure the victory along with the WSOP package that covers entry plus travel support for the Bahamas destination in 2026. Data from similar events shows that guaranteed pools of this size consistently attract between 600 and 800 entrants depending on the timing and overlapping schedules, which allows organizers to deliver the advertised payouts without shortfalls. Those who followed the live updates noted steady eliminations throughout teh later days, culminating in Izadi’s heads-up match that sealed the outcome.

Parallel Results at Commerce Casino

Meanwhile the California edition ran on an identical $1,700 buy-in structure at Commerce Casino, where Anthony Marques outlasted his field to earn the matching $5,000 WSOP Paradise package, and the two-day final phase wrapped up within the same May window that kept both tournaments synchronized on the calendar. Experts have observed that hosting simultaneous main events across different states spreads participation opportunities, which reduces travel conflicts for players who prefer one venue over another based on proximity or amenities. Figures from past Commerce Casino series indicate strong local turnout supplemented by visitors from neighboring regions, creating fields that meet or exceed guarantees in most cases.

Prize Structures and WSOP Paradise Connections

Each winner received the standard $5,000 package that includes the $2,000 buy-in for the main tournament at WSOP Paradise 2026 along with accommodations and additional perks, which effectively extends the value of the regional victories into an international spotlight. The events themselves operated under standard no-limit hold’em rules with blind levels progressing at regular intervals, and payouts followed the published schedule that rewarded the top 15 percent of the field in each location. Research from industry reports shows that such packages serve as effective incentives because they link smaller regional stops to larger marquee events, encouraging repeat participation across the season.

Both venues maintained separate leaderboards and payout distributions even though the prize packages mirrored each other exactly, and this approach allowed each casino to promote its own branding while still tying into the broader WSOP ecosystem scheduled for early 2026. People who track tournament calendars often find that clustered dates like May 7–18 create natural windows for players to choose one stop or attempt both when logistics permit, although most focus on a single location due to the multi-day commitment required.

Venue and Scheduling Context

Harrah’s Cherokee offered its established poker room setup in the western North Carolina mountains, which provided a scenic contrast to the urban environment at Commerce Casino in Los Angeles where the California event unfolded under standard casino lighting and facilities. The overlapping dates meant that results from both locations became available within the same reporting cycle, giving followers a combined snapshot of regional performance. According to information released by the World Series of Poker, the Paradise packages function as direct bridges between these qualifiers and the flagship series, which continues to draw international attention each year.

Additional context comes from state gaming oversight bodies such as the California Department of Justice that monitors compliance at venues like Commerce, while North Carolina relies on tribal gaming compacts that authorize similar poker tournaments at Harrah’s Cherokee. These regulatory frameworks ensure consistent standards across events, from player registration through final payouts, and they contribute to the reliability that participants expect when entering large-field guarantees.

Conclusion

The May 2026 main events concluded with clear outcomes for both Izadi and Marques, each earning their way into WSOP Paradise through strong performances at distinct locations that operated under parallel structures. The $1 million guarantees delivered as promised at both sites, and the dual $5,000 packages now position the winners for the next stage of competition in the Bahamas. Observers tracking the circuit will watch how these results influence subsequent regional stops and whether similar paired events appear on future calendars.