WSOP will bring circuit tour to the Bicycle Club in Los Angeles

For the first time, the World Series of Poker Circuit tour will make a stop in Los Angeles.

Tournament officials announced plans to bring the tour to the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles with 34 events running from Jan. 1 through Jan. 12.

World Series of Poker Executive Director Ty Stewart said 12 of the events would be official ring events. On the circuit tour, winners earn championship rings as opposed to the gold bracelets awarded at the World Series of Poker.

“It was finally the right time to come to LA for a signature mid-season event,” Stewart said. “We’re pleased to enter a multi-year agreement with the Bicycle Casino for what is certain to be one of our largest annual events.”

The 2011-12 World Series of Poker Circuit schedule includes 17 official tour stops that count toward the $1 million National Championship free-roll tournament, which takes place next summer at the Rio.

The Bicycle Club is one of the oldest card rooms in Southern California. It has 150 poker tables in its smoke-free poker room.

Events for the World Series of Poker Circuit tour are held around the country, typically in casinos owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp., including Atlantic City, San Diego, Tunica, Miss., St. Louis, Council Bluffs, Iowa, New Orleans and Philadelphia. Lately, the tour has gone into non-Caesars locations in Oklahoma and Florida.

“The process of bringing the World Series of Poker to Los Angeles has been a long time in the making, and we are very pleased with the finalization of our partnership,” said Bicycle Club Managing Partner and CEO Hashem Minaiy.

Each stop on the World Series of Poker Circuit tour includes a $1,600 buy-in Main Event Championship.