After announcing the new partypoker WPT World Online Championships in mid-May, players were left wondering what would be on the schedule. That was answered in a big way on Friday.
Partypoker will be paying out its biggest prize pool ever before for one series – a guarantee of $100 million. Running from July 17 to Sept. 8, the series is designed to replicate an authentic live poker experience.
The series also revives the WPT World Championship, which was discontinued as a live event after 2015. Asher Conniff took down that event at the Borgata for $974,000. Partypoker officials are pleased to bring back the event online.
“I’m delighted that we have been able to partner with WPT to revive the WPT World Championships and bring the series online for the first time,” partypoker managing director Tom Waters said in a news release.
“We want to give the festival more of a live event feel, so the tournaments will be structured as such, including single re-entry for all NLHE events, freezeouts, limited late registration, and limited Day 1s. Due to popular demand, players will be able to see each other’s real names at the tables.”
Partypoker offers a chance at WPT championship glory
The series will include 12 championship events divided into three categories; Micro, Mini, and Main.
Winners of five of the championship events will join the World Poker Tour Champions Club and receive individual trophies. These players will also win a $15,000 entry and travel accommodations for the WPT Tournament of Champions, presented by Baccarat Crystal.
These five events will be made up of four $3,200 buy-in tournaments, each with $3 million guarantees. Four of those events include:
- 8-Max
- 6-Max
- Mix-Max
- Knockout
The highlight of the series will then be the $10,300 buy-in WPT World Championship Online. The main event runs Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 with a $10 million guarantee. Here’s a look at the complete championship event schedule.
2020 partypoker WPT World Championships Online
| Date | Event | Buy-in | Fee | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 29 | #07 World Championship Main Event Day 1A [4-Day Event] | $10,000 | $300 | $10,000,000 |
| Aug. 30 | #07 World Championship Main Event Day 1B [4-Day Event] | $10,000 | $300 | None |
| Sept. 2 | #08 World Championship Heads Up [No Late Reg, 256 Cap, 2-Day Event] | $3,000 | $200 | $500,000 |
| Sept. 2 | #08 Mini World Championship Heads Up [No Late Reg, 512 Cap, 2-Day Event] | $300 | $20 | $100,000 |
| Sept. 2 | #08 Micro World Championship Heads Up [No Late Reg, 1024 Cap, 2-Day Event] | $30 | $3 | $20,000 |
| Sept. 5 | #09 World Championship Mix-Max Day 1A [3-Day Event] | $3,000 | $200 | $3,000,000 |
| Sept. 5 | #09 Mini World Championship Mix-Max Day 1A [3-Day Event] | $300 | $20 | $1,000,000 |
| Sept. 5 | #09 Micro World Championship Mix-Max Day 1A [3-Day Event] | $30 | $3 | $300,000 |
| Sept. 5 | #10 World Championship Super High Roller Day 1A [3-Day Event] | $25,000 | $500 | $10,000,000 |
| Sept. 6 | #09 World Championship Mix-Max Day 1B [3-Day Event] | $3,000 | $200 | None |
| Sept. 6 | #09 Mini World Championship Mix-Max Day 1B [3-Day Event] | $300 | $20 | None |
| Sept. 6 | #09 Micro World Championship Mix-Max Day 1B [3-Day Event] | $30 | $3 | None |
| Sept. 6 | #10 World Championship Super High Roller Day 1B [3-Day Event] | $25,000 | $500 | None |
| Sept. 7 | #11 World Championship Super High Roller [2-Day Event] | $100,000 | $2,000 | $5,000,000 |
| Sept. 8 | #12 World Championship Turbo | $3,000 | $200 | $1,000,000 |
| Sept. 8 | #12 Mini World Championship Turbo | $300 | $20 | $300,000 |
| Sept. 8 | #12 Micro World Championship Turbo | $30 | $3 | $100,000 |
| *** All events allow one re-entry per Day 1 |
Something for every level of player
Beyond those championship events, WPT and partypoker promise a series appealing to all different bankrolls. Buy-ins range from $33 to $102,000.
That includes a range of satellites throughout the series including satellites for $4.40, $22, and $109. The $109 qualifiers are for the $1,050 buy-in Sunday Final wrapping up the series.
All major disciplines of poker will be included within the championship events: 8-Max NLHE, 6-Max NLHE, Mix-Max NLHE, Knockout NLHE, PLO, PLO8, and Heads Up. There will be at least one micro championship and mini championship event for each of these.
“After the tremendous success of the first-ever WPT Online Championship, the series is back again and trust me, it’s a series you don’t want to miss,” Team partypoker’s Mike Sexton said. “There will be buy-ins for all bankrolls and the series will be massive.”
Players can use their partypoker Live Passport to enter the World Championship and receive the $300 registration fee free.
Series becomes just the latest from partypoker, World Poker Tour
The World Online Championships offer yet another major series from the two companies. In May, the tour and partypoker teamed up for the WPT Online Championships and they continue to make news.
That event featured 94 events and smashed the $30 million guarantee. The series ultimately paid out $52 million. Sweden’s Christian Jeppsson won the $3,200 main event for $6.4 million. That handily beat the $5 million guarantee.
The World Online Championships comes just two days after announcing another big event for US-based players. The new WPT Online Poker Open is for players in New Jersey and runs June 21-28.
The series features 12 events plus a $400 championship on June 28 with $300,000 guaranteed. In New Jersey, the network includes BorgataPoker and BetMGM and players can participate on any of the three sites.
With live poker still on ice because of the Coronavirus pandemic, operators including partypoker, PokerStars, GGPoker, 888poker, and WSOP.com continue to ramp up events and promotions.
That’s led to record numbers of players and prize pools. The World Online Championships have a chance to be another massive event.
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