Poker Education: World College Poker Partners With PokerStars, Debuts in July

Frat parties, beer, hitting the books, and exams are all part of the college experience for many. Organizers behind the new World College Poker (WCP) hope to add some poker to that mix as well and have now teamed up with PokerStars.

The new league announced a partnership with the site’s free-to-play online poker platform on Tuesday. The WCP Championship plays out on PokerStars.net this year for students 18 and over.

“World College Poker is thrilled to work with PokerStars as our exclusive platform to expand our reach globally with the upcoming Main Event Championship and more events to be announced,” co-founder Craig Tapscott told USPoker. “They have always been a first-class organization with an amazing team of superstar players and customer support.”

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What is World College Poker?

The WCP is the brainchild of Tapscott and Chadwick Pelletier. Both have worked in the poker industry for over a decade, Tapscott as a freelance poker writer and Pelletier as a creative director.

Tapscott’s work writing features about college poker players inspired the idea for the tour. Some of that included interviewing Justin Bonomo and Patrik Antonius.

“There was no world championship for college players,” Tapscott says. “And there are 600 million college students worldwide. It was a no-brainer to collaborate and create a free-to-enter platform for college players to have fun, learn the game, and compete for some amazing prizes.”

Tapscott began playing penny-ante poker in high school and continued his poker life in college. He believes players like himself would embrace the new tour.

“During college I really began to take poker seriously,” he says. “The Moneymaker boom had taken the world by storm.  It wasn’t long before I graduated to higher stakes at the casino and eventually a career in this industry.

“Events like the WCP championship didn’t exist back then, but I would have given anything to learn and compete with my peers during that time.”

Organizers hope to create an online community of student players who have a passion for the game. Online poker and live tournaments have already been popular fixtures on college campuses for years.

Card clubs, fraternities, and sororities host friendly games. Charity tournaments have also been popular on campuses. Some colleges, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, even offer poker theory courses.

Harvard also hosts the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society, a student-led organization with chapters at UCLA, Brown, Stanford, and Yale.

How can students participate?

The WCP College Championship Main Event is open to students 18 and over with a valid student ID. Competitors must be currently enrolled in a college, university, or vocational school.

The championship kicks off online at PokerStars.net beginning July 24. The field is divided into four stages with players in six global regions. Here’s a look at the series schedule:

  • July 24 – Players around the globe compete in a round one regional tournament. Each of those plays down to 50 players who qualify for round two.
  • July 31 – The 300 qualifiers play down to 45 players with chip stacks carried over to round three.
  • Aug. 7 – The remaining players receive PokerStars swag bags and play down to the final six.
  • Final table (date not yet finalized) – The top six finishers compete live or online to crown a champion. All finalists earn a custom gaming chair.

The winner earns an €8,000 European Poker Tour (EPT) package and an engraved PokerStars trophy. The runner-up earns a three-day trip to Las Vegas from the Solve For Why Academy training site. That includes an academy seat and round-trip airfare.

The PLO Quick Pro training site is awarding vacation packages for the top three finishers and hotel packages for all finalists.

Additional prizes include a private lesson with poker coaches Jonathan Little and Alex Fitzgerald. The winner also takes part in a heads-up battle with Antonius.

Organizers plan for three major events in 2022 including the summer Main Event as well as spring and fall series.

Registration is now open for the 2021 championship. All entrants receive a $100 hotel savings gift card from PLO Quick Pro just for signing up. To learn more, visit worldcollegepoker.com. To learn more about PokerStars.net, click here.

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Michigan Gaming Leader Offers Insight About Online Poker Interstate Compact Talks; Connecticut Close to Legalization

With US online poker seeing momentum recently, players got a bit of insight on possible interstate compacts last week. The new executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) said the state is in talks to join other states for online gaming.

That could include agreements reached this year after a federal appeals court ruling on the Wire Act earlier this year. The decision paved the way for interstate agreements regarding online gaming, including poker.

New MGCB executive director Henry Williams expected his state to reach deals with others in 2021.

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“I expect a multi-state poker agreement to be signed,” Henry Williams told Online Poker Report. “The agency has been in discussions with other states and hopes to announce an agreement later this year.”

Former MGCB executive director Richard Kalm announced his resignation in April after 14 years. Williams served as the former deputy director for the agency’s casino operations division. The new director offered some comments about online poker to OPR.

Moving closer to multi-state agreements

A possible interstate compact should be good news to US online poker players. At the same time other states are also considering legalization.

“MGCB representatives continue to meet with representatives from other states regarding multistate poker,” Williams told OPR. “The Michigan statute allows the agency to enter into multi-state poker compacts, but the other states have to agree.

“Further, poker providers actually have to offer the product. As of today, only one provider offers multi-state poker.”

That would be WSOP.com/888poker through the All-American Poker Network. That shared liquidity includes Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.

News from recent months has included online poker going live in Michigan with PokerStars and partypoker US Network’s BetMGM skin. After over a year with PokerStars as the only operator in Pennsylvania, party also launched there in April with the BetMGM and Borgata Poker skins.

Both operators are now in place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Any interstate agreements could pave the way for lower population states like West Virginia. Online poker remains legal in WV, but an operator has yet to launch there.

These plans could make player and prize pools much bigger. New states considering legalization, such as Connecticut and Illinois, could add to that significantly.

Connecticut closing in on legalization

In regards to legalization, Connecticut came one step closer to legalized online poker last week. The state’s house of representatives approved a bill authorizing online gaming including poker, casino, and sports betting.

The bill passed easily along bipartisan lines. It allows the state’s two casinos, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, to offer online gaming and sports betting. The state lottery could also offer sports wagering as well.

The state senate is expected to approve the legislation on Tuesday before heading to the governor’s desk. Gov. Ned Lamont (D) is expected to sign the bill.

“I look forward to this measure’s swift passage in the Senate, so we can start the federal process of ensuring this legislation and agreement is authorized,” Gov. Ned Lamont (D) told the Connecticut Mirror.

That would make Connecticut the sixth state to legalize online poker along with:

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • Nevada
  • Delaware
  • Michigan
  • West Virginia (no operators have launched)

A timetable hasn’t been offered on when gaming and poker would debut online in the state. Connecticut has only 3.6 million, so an interstate compact might be necessary for a successful market. However, Nevada has fewer people and hosts WSOP.com in the state.

Illinois still working toward regulated online poker, gaming

Online gaming has also seen broad support in Illinois so far. But passing bills through state governments is always a tenuous proposition.

However, legislators generally seemed receptive during a House Executive Committee meeting in April.

The Internet Gaming Act would legalize online casino gaming and poker. Online sports wagering is already legal.

Gaming industry consultant John A. Pappas estimates the industry could produce $1 billion in revenue over the first five years.

“We know a good bill when we see it,” Pappas told the committee, according to OPR.

While there seems to be support so far, Illinois online gaming legislation isn’t as far along as in Connecticut. The state’s entrance into any potential online poker compact would be a nice addition.  

Illinois brings a population of 12.7 million to the US online poker market. That would make it the second-largest state with legalized online poker, just behind Pennsylvania.

Bill co-sponsor Jonathan Carroll told USPoker in February: “I believe this will be huge for us and people will enjoy the experience.”

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Real Life Rounder: WSOP.com Winner Jerod Smith Shifts From Legal Briefs to Poker Champ

It’s a real Rounders story – life as an attorney or strike out for life as a professional poker player? Like the fictional Mike McDermott in the film, Las Vegas poker pro Jerod Smith faced that same decision. 

After graduating from law school in 2012 and passing the California bar exam a year later, Smith worked for himself practicing landlord-tenant law. All the while, he also played poker on the side.

“Eventually it got to the point where I felt I could sustain myself by playing poker,” he says, “and much preferred that to practicing law. So I slowly shifted to full time poker player.”

In May of 2020, Smith packed his bags and headed to Sin City. In April, Smith added to his poker resumé by winning the $215 Monster Stack in the WSOP.com Spring Online Super Circuit. He took home $22,848 and a championship ring.

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Calling his shot in Vegas

One of the advantages of being a pro in Nevada is having access to plenty of poker.  That includes live tournaments and cash games as well as regulated online poker

Since moving to Vegas, Smith has racked up over $60,000 worth of online tournament winnings on WSOP.com. In the recent win, he outplayed some impressive competition at the final table including one player who knew him well. 

“Interestingly enough, my girlfriend Melissa Bryne was also at the final table with me,” Smith says. “She ended up getting sixth.”

What’s more impressive is Smith called his shot a day before and said he would win the event. Or maybe it’s not so impressive, the way he tells the story.

“Yeah, the shot call was kind of funny,” he says. “I’ve somewhat infamously been getting smoked on WSOP.com since I moved out to Vegas last year, and it’s kind of a running joke”

Recently Smith also had luck on the live felt as well. On April 29, he took runner-up in a $600 Wynn Signature Series event for $62,500.

Smith is showing he’s no one hit wonder and ready to grind. Here’s a look at some other impressive live cashes:

  • $1,100 Wynn Series (May 2021)  – fifth for $34,374 
  • $1,700 WSOP Circuit event (September 2019)  – fifth for $32,271
  • $10,000 WSOP Main Event (July 2019) – 158th for $58,295 
  • $1,000 WSOP Tag Team (June 2019) – runner-up with Lawrence Chan and Matthew Moreno for $34,675

WSOP ready and working as a poker instructor at Tournament Poker Edge

Like many poker players, Smith is anticipating getting in on the action when the WSOP returns this fall. The series’ return also means more live poker in general for a player like Smith.

“I’m typically not a huge WSOP guy outside of the really good value events as I prefer some of the outside venues like Wynn and Venetian in the summer,” he says. “This will be interesting in the fall as I’m not sure what the competition will look like, though I’m sure some other properties will figure out a way to capitalize on the WSOP traffic.”

When Smith isn’t playing events, he creates videos and content for the Tournament Poker Edge training site. He credits the site for helping him advance his own skills.

“I think that TPE is one of the best places to get a very wide variety of information because they have videos from so many coaches on so many different concepts,” he says.

Smith specializes in multi-table tournament strategy, offering hand history reviews of players making deep runs and ICM (Independent Chip Model) spots.

What’s one piece of advice from this lawyer turned rounder for other up-and-coming players?

“Surround yourself with people better than you who are willing to talk strategy,” he says. “It’s pretty invaluable to be able to get advice on a hand at all hours of the day.”

That’s something Mike McDermott could certainly agree with.

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Summer Poker: A Complete Tournament Guide for Las Vegas and Beyond

The warmer weather is almost here and poker players should be ready to get back in the live tournament mix as summer approaches. The World Series of Poker has been moved to the fall, but many tournament series are on tap in Las Vegas and beyond.

USPoker offers players a complete guide to heading back to Sin City. Here are previews of each series as well as complete schedules and links. Players will also find World Poker Tour events planned this summer as well as online poker events from the WSOP.

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Wynn Summer Classic

The Wynn is hoping to fill the void left by the WSOP. The property has announced the new “Wynn Millions” tournament as the highlight of the Wynn Summer Classic.

The series runs May 27 to July 12 with more than 30 events and a varied schedule with some major guarantees. The $10,000 Wynn Millions highlights the series and runs June 25 to July 2 with a $10 million guarantee. The property offers one of the nicest poker rooms in Las Vegas and traditionally awards trophies to winners.

“In its inaugural year, we expect the Wynn Millions to attract professional and seasoned amateur players from around the world,” Wynn executive director of poker operations Ryan Beauregard said.

“We’re hopeful that the super-sized guarantee of $10 million emphasizes our goal of making the Wynn Millions a staple event for years to come, adding to our already world class tournament schedule.”

Wynn Summer Classic Schedule

The entire Wynn Summer Classic guarantees more than $16 million. Players will find tournaments featuring Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, HORSE, and there are also seniors and ladies events. A few other highlights include:

  • $1,100 NLHE  (May 28) – $1 million guaranteed
  • $600 NLHE (June 7) – $250,000 guaranteed
  • $1,600 NLHE (June 17) – $1 million guaranteed
  • $500 NLHE (June 10) – $500,000 guaranteed

Most events feature multiple starting flights. CLICK HERE for a complete schedule

Venetian DeepStack Championship Poker Series

The Venetian is long known for its poker scene – from major tournament series to cash games. This summer, the property once again runs the popular DeepStack Series.

The festival features 121 events and runs through Aug.1. The entire series features more than $15 million in guaranteed prize pools. Beyond the big guarantees, many events also award trophies or bronze coins to winners.

The $5,000 WPT Venetian tournament highlights the series from June 2-7 with $3 million guaranteed. A $2,400 WPTDeepStacks event is also set for June 9-13 with $2 million guaranteed. Here’s a look at a few other highlights.

  • $600 UltimateStack (May 27-30) – $250,000 guaranteed
  • $1,100 Mid-States Poker Tour (June 2-7) – $1.5 million guaranteed
  • $1,600 MSPT (June 10-14) – $2 million guaranteed
  • $800 UltimateStack (June 28 – July 1) – $400,000 guaranteed

The series also features seniors and ladies events as well as some events for Omaha players. CLICK HERE to check out the complete.

World Poker Tour

Beyond the Venetian events listed above, the WPT also has some events in store for players this summer outside Las Vegas. The $3,500 Seminole Hard Rock Tampa kicks things off in Florida from June 18-22 with a $2 million guarantee.

The $3,700 WPT Choctaw then runs in Oklahoma from July 23-27 with a $1 million guarantee. More events will be added here as they are announced. Here’s a look at the complete schedule of what’s coming up.

WPT Summer 2021 Events

Date Event Buy-in Guarantee Location
June 2-7 WPT Venetian $5,000 $3,000,000 Las Vegas
June 9-13 WPTDeepStacks Venetian $2,400 $2,000,000 Las Vegas
June 18-22 WPTSeminole Hard Rock Tampa $3,500 $2,000,000 Tampa, Florida
July 23-27 WPT Choctaw $3,700 $1,000,000 Durant, Oklahoma

 

US Poker Open (Aria/PokerGO)

Aria will host all the US Poker Open high stakes action from June 3-15. The casino will showcase multiple big buy-in events. Fans can expect to see all their favorite big name players in these tournaments.

The 12 events are part of the recently announced PokerGO Tour and will play out from inside the PokerGO Studio.

All tournaments are two-day events with each final table streamed exclusively on PokerGO at 4 pm (ET). Some highlights include: 

  • $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha  (Event 2, June 4) 
  • $10,000 Eight-Game (Event 6, June 8) 
  • $50,000 High Roller (Event 12, June 14) 

Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

2021 USPoker Open

Starts Event Buy-In
June 3 #1 – $10,000 No Limit Hold’em $10,000
June 4 #2 – $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha $10,000
June 5 #3 – $10,000 No Limit Hold’em $10,000
June 6 #4 – $10,000 Big Bet Mix $10,000
June 7 #5 – $10,000 No Limit Hold’em $10,000
June 8 #6 – $10,000 8-Game $10,000
June 9 #7 – $10,000 No Limit Hold’em $10,000
June 10 #8 – $10,000 Pot Limit Omaha $10,000
June 11 #9 – $10,000 No Limit Hold’em $10,000
June 12 #10 – $10,000 Short Deck $10,000
June 13 #11 – $25,000 No Limit Hold’em $25,000
June 14 #12 – $50,000 No Limit Hold’em $50,000

PokerGo Cup & Heads Up Championship (Aria/PokerGO)

Aria continues the action with another high roller series, the new PokerGO Cup. The festival features eight events and runs July 1-8 and PokerGO will stream each tournament.

Aria also hosts the $100,000 PokerGO Heads-Up Championship featuring a field of 32 players on July 12. Other notable PokerGO Cup events include:

  • $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha  (Event 2, July 2) 
  • $25,000 Short Deck (Event 4, July 4) 
  • $100,000 High Roller (Event 8, July 8) 

Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

2021 PokerGO Cup

     
Jul 01 #1 – $25,000 No Limit Hold’em $25,000
Jul 02 #2 – $25,000 Pot Limit Omaha $25,000
Jul 03 #3 – $25,000 No Limit Hold’em $25,000
Jul 04 #4 – $25,000 Short Deck $25,000
Jul 05 #5 – $25,000 No Limit Hold’em $25,000
Jul 06 #6 – $25,000 Big Bet Mix $25,000
Jul 07 #7 – $50,000 No Limit Hold’em $50,000
Jul 08 #8 – $100,000 No Limit Hold’em $100,000
Jul 12 PokerGO Heads-Up Championship $100,000

 

Orleans Summer Poker Series

Located just minutes from The Strip, the Orleans Casino offers summer action for anyone’s bankroll size. The Summer Series offers buy-in ranges from $150-$600 and comes with over $2.5 million in guaranteed prize money. 

The series runs from June 11 to July 22 and includes many different styles of poker. Players can expect to see No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha (including Hi/Lo), HORSE, and Seven Card Stud

The Orleans caters to players of all levels and also hosts a $400 Seniors Championship on June 13. Some other highlighted events include:

  • $400 PLO Hi/Lo Championship (multiple days, June 15) – $50,000 guaranteed
  • $400 Pot Limit Omaha (two-day event, June 26) – $50,000 guaranteed
  • $400 HORSE Championship (two-day event, June 27) – $40 ,000 guaranteed
  • $300 NLHE (July 11) – $50,000 guaranteed
  • $600 NLHE Championship (multi-day flights, July 15) – $500,000 guaranteed

Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

Orleans Summer Poker Series

Date Tournament Buy-in Guarantee
June 11 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 11 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 12 NLHE $ 300 $ 50,000
June 12 NLHE Bounty ($50) $ 200 $ 15,000
June 13 NLHE Seniors Day 1 $ 400 $ 50,000
June 13 O/8 $ 150
June 14 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 14 NLHE Seniors Day 2
June 14 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 15 PLO/8 Day 1 $ 400 $ 50,000
June 15 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 16 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 16 PLO/8 Day 2
June 16 NLHE $ 150 $ 10,000
June 17 Mixed Triple Stud Day 1 $ 400 $ 40,000
June 17 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 18 NLHE Day 1A $ 300 $ 222,222
June 18 Mixed Triple Stud Day 2
June 18 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 19 NLHE Day 1B $ 300 $ 222,222
June 19 NLHE Day 1C $ 300 $ 222,222
June 20 NLHE Day 1D $ 300 $ 222,222
June 20 NLHE Day 1E $ 300 $ 222,222
June 21 NLHE Day 2
June 21 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 22 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 22 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 23 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 23 PLO/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
June 24 PLO Bounty ($100) $ 300 $ 20,000
June 24 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 25 NLHE Bounty ($100) $ 300 $ 20,000
June 25 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 26 PLO Day 1 $ 400 $ 50,000
June 26 NLHE Bounty ($50) $ 200 $ 15,000
June 27 HORSE Day 1 $ 400 $ 40,000
June 27 PLO Day 2
June 27 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 28 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 28 HORSE Day 2
June 28 ROSE $ 150 $ 10,000
June 29 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 29 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
June 30 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
June 30 PLO/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
July 1 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 1 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 2 Mixed Triple Draw $ 200 $ 10,000
July 2 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 3 NLHE $ 300 $ 50,000
July 3 NLHE Bounty ($50) $ 200 $ 15,000
July 4 NLHE $ 300 $ 50,000
July 4 HORSE $ 150 $ 10,000
July 5 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 5 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 6 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 6 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 7 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 7 PLO/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
July 8 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 8 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 9 8-Game $ 300 $ 20,000
July 9 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 10 NLHE $ 300 $ 50,000
July 10 NLHE Bounty ($50) $ 200 $ 15,000
July 11 NLHE $ 300 $ 50,000
July 11 O/8-Stud/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
July 12 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 12 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 13 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 13 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 14 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 14 PLO/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
July 15 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 15 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 16 NLHE Main Day 1A $ 600 $ 500,000
July 16 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 17 NLHE Main Day 1B $ 600 $ 500,000
July 17 NLHE Main Day 1C $ 600 $ 500,000
July 18 NLHE Main Day 1D $ 600 $ 500,000
July 18 NLHE Main Day 1E $ 600 $ 500,000
July 19 NLHE Main Day 2
July 19 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 20 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 20 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000
July 21 NLHE $ 200 $ 25,000
July 21 PLO/8 $ 150 $ 10,000
July 22 NLHE Final Table Freeroll $ 15,000
July 22 NLHE $ 150 $ 20,000

 

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WSOP Online

For players in Nevada and New Jersey this summer, WSOP.com hosts the WSOP Online from July 1 to Aug. 1. The series awards 33 championship gold bracelets and is meant to fill the void with the WSOP moved to the fall.

Two highlights include the $777 Lucky Sevens tournament on July 7 and $888 Crazy Eights on July 8. On July 25 , players will find the $7,777 Lucky Sevens High Roller and $500 Big 500 Encore.

The $1,000 PLO Championship is set for July 26 and the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship runs July 31. Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

2021 WSOP Online

Date Event Tournament Buy-in
July 1 1 No Limit Hold’em The BIG 500 Kick-Off $500
July 2 2 WSOP Event #2 No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack $600
July 3 3 No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack $500
July 4 4 No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo $500
July 5 5 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max $1,000
July 6 6 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack $2,000
July 7 7 No Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s $777
July 8 8 No Limit Hold’em Crazy Eights $888
July 9 9 No Limit Hold’em 6-Max $400
July 10 10 No Limit Hold’em $333
July 11 11 No Limit Hold’em Ultra Deepstack $400
July 12 12 No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack $500
July 13 13 No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $1,000
July 14 14 No Limit Hold’em $500
July 15 15 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout $5,300
July 16 16 PLO8 6-Handed $600
July 17 17 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max $400
July 18 18 No Limit Hold’em North American Open $1,000
July 19 19 PLO Crazy Eights – 8 Handed $888
July 20 20 No Limit Hold’em High Roller $3,200
July 21 21 PLO 6-Handed $600
July 22 22 No Limit Hold’em Knockout $600
July 23 23 No Limit Hold’em Turbo $500
July 24 24 No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack $400
July 25 25 No Limit Hold’em Lucky 7’s High Roller $7,777
July 25 26 No Limit Hold’em The BIG 500 Encore $500
July 26 27 PLO Championship $1,000
July 27 28 No Limit Hold’em High Roller Championship $3,200
July 28 29 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max Turbo Deepstack Championship $800
July 29 30 No Limit Hold’em 6-Max Championship $600
July 30 31 No Limit Hold’em Summer Saver $500
July 31 32 No Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000
Aug. 1 33 No Limit Hold’em Grand Finale $500

WSOP Online Circuit Series

WSOP.com is also hosting Online Circuit events each month throughout the year. The series awards players with championship gold rings and replaces traditional live WSOP Circuit series.

Dates have been posted for the online circuits but events have not been scheduled at this time. Here’s a look at the coming schedules:

  • Summer Online Circuit (June 10-27) – 18 ring events
  • Bally’s Online Circuit (July 16-27) – 12 ring events
  • Rio Online Circuit (Aug. 20-31) – 12 ring events

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US Online Poker Numbers Dip Slightly Overall For April, Remain Strong Year Over Year

Legal online poker states held strong in revenue reports for April despite some small dips. The US market continues to show nice year over year revenue in legal states. 

Operators also continue to push advertisements and promotions as additional states open up regulated poker. Online poker is currently legal and operating in:

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WSOP.com reports $1 million month in New Jersey, state slips overall

According to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), total online poker revenue brought in $2.4 million in revenue in the month of April. That’s down slightly from almost $2.5 million in March.

Three online poker platforms operate in New Jersey:

After months of dipping below the million-dollar mark, WSOP.com reported a 6.4% increase month over month. The company finished slightly above $1 million in revenue for April. 

WSOP.com has been running monthly circuit events each month that have hit almost every guarantee posted to date. It’s the only regulated site in the US sharing liquidity with Nevada and 888poker in Delaware.

Partypoker US Network saw the biggest loss month over month, down 19.4% from March.  Partypoker posted $746,795 in poker revenue. 

The network is currently promoting a monthly Online Series with a main event featuring a $100,000 guarantee. The operator is hoping this will boost numbers for May. 

PokerStars continues to hold the third-place spot. Month over month PokerStars was down 12%. PokerStars reported $641,914. Stars hopes to see a boost from running the popular Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) series in May

Borgata and Harrah’s continue to remain the only two NJ live poker rooms open to the public in Atlantic City.

Borgata brand earns top spot among online casinos

Overall, NJ produced $107.7 million in Internet gaming revenue, up from $80 million one year ago. Borgata Casino inched out Golden Nugget for the second month in a row as the state’s top online casino.

In April, Borgata brought in $32.8 million compared to $32.4 million for Golden Nugget. 

NJ casinos posted $36 million in total gaming tax revenue for the state. Gaming taxes represent 8% of taxable casino gross revenue and 15% of Internet gaming gross revenue.

PokerStars recently celebrated one year in PA with the Anniversary Series.

BetMGM, Borgata Poker launch in PA; market down slightly

Pennsylvania came up just shy of New Jersey online poker revenue numbers, but still produced over $2.3 million. That’s down about $200,000 from March. Currently these online poker options are available to Keystone Stage residents:

  • PokerStars 
  • BetMGM
  • Borgata Poker

The big news was the launch of two new poker skins. BetMGM has partnered with Hollywood Casino and Borgata is now affiliated with Rivers Pennsylvania. Both are part of partypoker US Network.

Borgata and MGM launched on the last days of the month so the additional poker revenue was minimal. Both have already launched an Online Series with $360,000 and running on both skins. Pennsylvania residents can take part May 23-30

PokerStars is partnered with Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania. Up until April 29, the site held the monopoly in the state for online poker.

According to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB), Internet gaming generated $38.6 million in tax revenue  during April. 

Live poker rooms are primarily running cash games still and most games are seven-handed with no food allowed at tables. No major tournament series have been announced to date. The following rooms are open:

  • Parx Casino
  • Mohegan Sun Pocono
  • Mount Airy Casino Resort
  • Rivers Casino Philadelphia 
  • Rivers Casino Pittsburgh
  • Meadows Racetrack and Casino
  • Philadelphia Live Casino

Michigan remains steady in gaming revenue report

Online gaming operators in Michigan reported $94.8 million in gaming revenue for April. That includes $20.3 million for sports betting from a handle of $249.9 million.

“While the sports betting handle dropped 30-plus percent, which we expected the month after March Madness, Internet casino gaming adjusted gross receipts held steady with a slight two-tenths of a percent increase in April,” MGCB executive director Richard S. Kalm said in a news release.

The state doesn’t separate out statistics for online poker but there are currently two operators:

  • PokerStars
  • BetMGM (part of the partypoker US Network)

BetMGM saw month over month growth and led the state in revenue with $36.8 million. FanDuel saw a decrease from last month and came in second with $15.6 million

BetMGM is currently hosting an Online Series with a $100,000 guaranteed main eventStars is promoting the Michigan Spring Championship of Online Poker (MISCOOP) for May.

Internet gaming taxes and fees for April brought in $5.2 million. Michigan casino revenue taxes benefit more funding for the City of Detroit, K-12 education, economic development, and tribal communities.

Currently six brick and mortar poker rooms have re-opened within state borders and include:

  • MGM Grand Detroit
  • Motor City Casino Hotel 
  • Greektown Casino-Hotel
  • Odawa Casino Petoskey 
  • Firekeepers Casino Hotel
  • Island Resort & Casino

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Online poker revenue rebounds  in Delaware

Delaware online poker had a 9% increase in April. The First State reported total revenues of $38,222 for April.

For online poker, 888poker is the only operator in the state. The platform runs through three skins in partnership with the state’s racetrack casinos including:

  • Delaware Park
  • Dover Downs
  • Harrington Casino and Raceway

Delaware Park is the top online skin with April revenue of $22,159. Harrington saw the biggest jump month over month with a 29% increase to $8,369. That’s its best total for 2021 and enough to overtake Dover Downs.

Online poker continues to be the only option for the state’s players. Delaware is one of the last states to have all legal live poker rooms closed. Brick and mortar casino poker rooms have remained closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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