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PokerStars PA Summer Series Awards Over $1.1 Million Over 38 Events

The PokerStars PA Summer Series concluded on Sunday. Like other tournament series hosted on what is still the only online poker site up and running in Pennsylvania, it was a success.

Prize pools for the 38 events ultimately totaled $1,175,463.85. That amount was well clear of the $757,000 in total guarantees.

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Big turnouts throughout, Main Event prize pool $242K

All told there were 19,492 total entries over the 11-day series, including 13,638 uniques.

Only one event during the entire series had an overlay. The $100 buy-in Sunday Special SE during the first weekend had over a thousand entries. But it needed about 50 more to hit its guarantee, and so had a $4,436.20 overlay.

Meanwhile turnouts were consistently large for nearly all of the events. About a third of the tournaments on the schedule ended up with prize pools more than twice the size of the guarantees.

The $200 Main Event had a $150,000 guarantee, and with 1,303 total entries the prize pool ballooned to $242,358.

The tournament ended with a three-way deal. “ComecomecomeTD” eventually won, taking a first-place prize of $30,146.23, while both runner-up “rancidpuil” and third-place finisher “Lachoy14” took away more than $27K.

PokerStars New Jersey Summer Series also ends on high note

The PokerStars NJ Summer Series also concluded on Sunday, a nearly identical series featuring 40 events and guarantees that added up to $500,000.

In the end only four events on the schedule failed to reach their guarantees, each having small overlays. On the whole, prize pools for all events added up to more than $640,000.

The PokerStars NJ version of the Summer Series Main Event featured a bigger buy-in of $300. Ultimately the tournament drew 348 total entries to create a $97,440 prize pool, comfortably besting the $75K guarantee.

Summer Series likely delivers June revenue boost for PokerStars PA

The successful Summer Series should help PokerStars PA put up another healthy revenue number in June.

April saw the site top the $5.3 million mark, its biggest month since launching last November. May was also big, with the revenue total of about $4.6 million the second-largest monthly total recorded by the site.

Online poker in Pennsylvania (and elsewhere) has seen a traffic boost since mid-March when the coronavirus forced all of the state’s casinos to shutter their doors.

As of today, all but one of the 12 PA casinos have now reopened. However, none of the casinos’ poker rooms are in operation as of yet. Casinos will follow recommendations from the CDC and the PA Department of Health before reintroducing live poker.

PokerStars PA Summer Series by the numbers

Event Buy-In Guarantee Entries Re-Entries Prize Pool  
Event 1: Summer Series Kick-Off [8-Max] $100 $30,000 544 255 $73,348.20
Event 2: Summer Series Mini Kick-Off [8-Max] $20 $7,500 624 216 $15,288.00
Event 3: Thursday Thrill SE [Progressive KO] $200 $25,000 208 83 $54,126.00
Event 4: Mini Thrill [Progressive KO] $30 $12,500 521 243 $20,857.20
Event 5: NLHE [8-Max] $75 $10,000 200 61 $17,813.25
Event 6: Escalating Antes $50 $10,000 435 198 $28,801.50
Event 7: NLHE [6-Max] $20 $6,000 466 162 $11,429.60
Event 8: NLHE [6-Max] $100 $20,000 233 125 $32,864.40
Event 9: PLO [6-Max] $50 $5,000 211 78 $13,149.50
Event 10: Progressive KO [8-Max] $75 $7,500 210 53 $18,541.50
Event 11: NLHE [6-Max] $75 $20,000 241 105 $23,614.50
Event 12: Sunday Special SE $100 $100,000 678 363 $100,000.00*
Event 13: Mini Special $25 $15,000 583 189 $17,563.00
Event 14: Progressive KO [8-Max] $75 $12,500 326 112 $29,893.50
Event 15: Sunday Supersonic SE $50 $10,000 237 51 $13,536.00
Event 16: NLHE [4-Max] $20 $7,500 504 242 $13,577.20
Event 17: Battle Royale SE [Progressive KO, 6-Max] $50 $15,000 408 195 $27,436.50
Event 18: NLHE [8-Max] $75 $7,500 175 78 $17,267.25
Event 19: Super Tuesday SE $200 $35,000 252 121 $69,378.00
Event 20: Mini Super Tuesday $20 $15,000 681 289 $17,654.00
Event 21: Progressive KO [8-Max] $50 $7,500 266 106 $16,926.00
Event 22: NLHE 6-Max $50 $10,000 263 96 $16,334.50
Event 23: High Roller [6-Max] $500 $35,000 107 39 $68,620.00
Event 24: PLO 8-Max [Progressive KO] $20 $5,000 253 97 $6,370.00
Event 25: Thursday Thrill SE [Progressive KO] $200 $30,000 210 78 $53,568.00
Event 26: Mini Thrill [Progressive KO] $20 $15,000 690 383 $19,528.60
Event 27: NLHE 6-Max $100 $12,500 179 63 $22,215.60
Event 28: NL Omaha Hi/Lo [6-Max] $50 $5,000 134 41 $7,962.50
Event 29: NLHE 6-Max [Progressive KO] $100 $25,000 305 122 $39,198.60
Event 30: NLHE 8-Max $20 $5,000 258 68 $6,128.80
Event 31: $30 NLHE $30 $7,500 406 190 $16,270.80
Event 32: $100 NLHE 8-Max [Progressive KO] $100 $20,000 266 64 $30,294.00
Event 33: $50 PLO 6-Max $50 $3,500 113 42 $7,052.50
Event 34: $20 NLHE 6-Max [Progressive KO] $20 $10,000 509 268 $14,141.40
Event 35: $200 Main Event $200 $150,000 811 492 $242,358.00
Event 36: $50 Mini Main $50 $25,000 729 315 $47,502.00
Event 37: $100 PLO 6-Max $100 $10,000 150 94 $22,399.20
Event 38: $75 Series Wrap-Up [8-Max] $75 $10,000 252 77 $22,454.25

*Event #12 had an overlay of $4,436.20

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WSOP Weekly 2020: A Complete Guide to Online Bracelet Series at WSOP.com, GGPoker

The bracelet hunting begins this week at WSOP.com with plenty of players looking for poker glory. The World Series of Poker may not be live, but WSOP Online begins July 1 and players can take their best shot at gold.

With so much on the line and online poker booming, USPoker once again offers updates throughout the series. Just like during the live summer series, look for WSOP Weekly to offer plenty of insight and stories.

This regular feature now kicks off coverage with a complete preview of the action. Schedules of the action at WSOP.com and GGPoker also follow below.

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Facts about the WSOP Online

Ready to get in the action at WSOP.com and GGPoker? Here’s a quick look at what to expect from the entire series.

WSOP.com

  • Number of bracelet events – 31 
  • Dates – July 1-31 (one event per day)
  • States available to play – Nevada and New Jersey
  • Game formats – Mostly No Limit Hold’em events with three Omaha tournaments
  • Buy-in range – $400 to $3,200
  • Low roller options – Several $400 NLHE events, July 3, 19, 24, 27
  • Main Event – $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship, July 31

GGPoker

  • Number of bracelet events – 54
  • Dates – July 19 to Sept. 16
  • Locations available to players – Around the world including Canada and Mexico
  • Game formats – No Limit Hold’em, Omaha, Short Deck, Mixed Games, Bounty, Heads-up
  • Buy-in range – $50 to $25,000
  • Low roller options – The $100 Opener features a $2 million guarantee with multiple starting flights and Day 2 on July 19. The Big 50 comes with a $50 buy-in, $1 million guarantee, multiple starting flights, and Day 2 on Aug. 23.
  • Main Event – The $5,000 championship features a $25 million guarantee with numerous starting flights beginning Aug. 16. Day 2 is set for Aug. 30.

Players in the bracelet mix

With so much gold on the line, there are numerous players heading to Nevada and New Jersey to get in the action. WSOP regulars Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth have already planned to play the entire series at WSOP.com and GGPoker.

Two-time WPT champion Brian Altman plans on playing after winning a Super Online Circuit Series event in March. He has two WSOP Circuit rings and is still looking for his first bracelet.

“I’m not sure of my exact schedule, but I plan on playing some of the events,” Altman says. “I think it’s great the WSOP is adapting to these unique times and running online events across two different sites.”

Three-time bracelet winner Ben Yu plans on playing as does 2019 WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic champion Dylan Linde. Shaun Deeb and Olivier Busquet spoke with the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week about the series. Both appear to be playing.

“Would I like to win a World Series of Poker bracelet?,” Busquet told the newspaper. “Of course. Yeah, sure. I’m not going to turn it down. It would be great. Would I view it any differently from a normal (live) bracelet? No, I don’t think so. It’s not easy to win these tournaments, no matter what the format is.”

 

There should be plenty of other well-known pros ready to get in the action. That includes GGPoker ambassadors Fedor Holz, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Felipe Ramos, and Brynn Kenney.

Four-time World Poker Tour champion Darren Elias will also be looking for his first bracelet.

“I plan on playing most of the bigger no limit events,” he says. “I’m really looking forward to some of the big guaranteed events on GG as well.”

Mum’s the word – no chatting allowed

Many players have wondered about the decision to curtail the WSOP.com chat box feature at tables. Some players have expressed frustration at not being able to talk at the tables during the WSOP Online.

 

Series officials tell USPoker that the decision was actually made before the WSOP Online. WSOP.com apparently decided it wasn’t necessary.

“The disabling of the chat box was a WSOP.com decision made independently of WSOP Online but in effect prior to the series,” WSOP executive director Ty Stewart says. “We feel it is a dated concept not beneficial to the customer experience.”

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Leaderboard offers a shot at an extra $100K; satellites also underway

The Player of the Year at the WSOP has become quite a race in recent years. WSOP Online players will also have some extra incentive to battle it out.

The Online Bracelet Series Leaderboard offers players a nice payout of $100,000 for topping the standings. That’s quite an added reward.

Those looking to get in some of the bracelet-hunting action can also jump in a satellite for as little $1. The action gets underway at WSOP.com on Wednesday and at GGPoker on July 19. Here’s a look at the complete schedules on both sites.

2020 WSOP.com Online bracelet series

Event Date Time (PT) Game Buy-In
1 July 1 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Kick-Off $500
2 July 2 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Deepstack $1,000
3 July 3 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
4 July 4 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo $500
5 July 5 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $1,000
6 July 6 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO8 6-Handed $600
7 July 7 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout Deepstack $800
8 July 8 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $500
9 July 9 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Max $1,000
10 July 10 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack $600
11 July 11 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $500
12 July 12 (Su) 3:00 p.m. The BIG 500 No Limit Hold’em $500
13 July 13 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout $1,500
14 July 14 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller $3,200
15 July 15 (W) 3:00 p.m. PLO 8-Max HR $1,000
16 July 16 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo $500
17 July 17 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’emÊ $777
18 July 18 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack $1,000
19 July 19 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
20 July 20 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO 6-Handed $500
21 July 21 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $777
22 July 22 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack $500
23 July 23 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout $500
24 July 24 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed $400
25 July 25 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Summer Saver $500
26 July 26 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Grande Finale $500
27 July 27 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $400
28 July 28 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. Omaha 8 6-Max $1,000
29 July 29 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $600
30 July 30 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Seniors Event $500
31 July 31 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000

2020 GGPoker WSOP Online bracelet series

Date Event Number Tournament Buy-in Prize Guarantee Notes
Sunday, July 19, 2020 1 $100 The Opener [Final Day], $2M GTD $100 $2,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, July 19, 2020 2 $1,111 Every 1 for Covid Relief [Caesars Cares] $1,111 2-Day Event
Sunday, July 19, 2020 3 $525 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $525
Tuesday, July 21, 2020 4 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship $5,000
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 5 $1,500 FIFTY STACK No Limit Hold’em $1,500
Thursday, July 23, 2020 6 $1,050 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha $1,050
Saturday, July 25, 2020 7 $600 Monster Stack No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $600 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, July 26, 2020 8 $1,500 No Limit Hold’em $1,500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, July 26, 2020 9 $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha $2,500
Sunday, July 26, 2020 10 $400 COLOSSUS [Day 2], $3M GTD $400 $3,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, July 26, 2020 11 $400 PLOSSUS [Day 2], $1M GTD $400 $1,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 12 $10,000 Short Deck No Limit Hold’em Championship $10,000
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 13 $2,500 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $2,500
Thursday, July 30, 2020 14 $840 Bounty No Limit Hold’em $840
Saturday, August 01, 2020 15 $500 Deepstack No Limit Hold’em $500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 02, 2020 16 $1,000 Short Deck No Limit Hold’em $1,000 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 02, 2020 17 $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER [Day 2], $5M GTD, $1M to 1st $1,500 $ 5,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 02, 2020 18 $500 Turbo Deepstack No Limit Hold’em $500
Tuesday, August 04, 2020 19 $2,100 No Limit Hold’em Bounty Championship $2,100
Wednesday, August 05, 2020 20 $400 Pot Limit Omaha $400
Thursday, August 06, 2020 21 $1,000 No Limit Hold’em $1,000
Saturday, August 08, 2020 22 $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha $800 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 09, 2020 23 HK$8,000 No Limit Hold’em Asia Championship [Final Day], HK$8M GTD HK$8,000 HK$8,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 09, 2020 24 $150 GGMasters WSOP Edition [Freezeout], $1M GTD $150 $1,000,000 Freezeout
Sunday, August 09, 2020 25 $10,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship [No Late Reg, 128 Cap] $10,000 2-Day Event, Freezeout
Tuesday, August 11, 2020 26 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Championship $5,000
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 27 $2,500 Double Stack No Limit Hold’em $2,500
Thursday, August 13, 2020 28 $525 Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $525
Saturday, August 15, 2020 29 $300 Monster Stack No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $300 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 16, 2020 30 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
Sunday, August 16, 2020 31 $500 Mini Main Event [Final Day], $5M GTD $500 $5,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 16, 2020 32 $840 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em $840
Tuesday, August 18, 2020 33 $600 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship $600
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 34 $800 Pot Limit Omaha $800
Thursday, August 20, 2020 35 $500 Limit Hold’em $500
Saturday, August 22, 2020 36 $500 Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em $500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 23, 2020 37 $1,500 Marathon No Limit Hold’em $1,500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 23, 2020 38 $25,000 NLH POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD $25,000 $10,000,000 2-Day Event
Sunday, August 23, 2020 39 BIG 50 [Final Day], $1M GTD $50 $1,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 40 $1,500 Limit Hold’em Championship $1,500
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 41 $1,000 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $1,000
Thursday, August 27, 2020 42 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
Saturday, August 29, 2020 43 $300 Double Stack No Limit Hold’em $300 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 30, 2020 44 $400 FORTY STACK No Limit Hold’em $400
Sunday, August 30, 2020 45 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event [Day 2], $25M GTD $5,000 $25,000,000 3-Day Event, Feezeout Flights
Sunday, August 30, 2020 46 $1,000 Turbo No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $1,000
Tuesday, September 01, 2020 47 People’s Choice Event [Most Popular] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Wednesday, September 02, 2020 48 People’s Choice Event [Pros Vote] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 2020 49 People’s Choice Event [Spin the Wheel] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 2020 50 People’s Choice Event [Most Popular] TBA TBA Asia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 2020 51 $1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty] $1,050
Sunday, September 06, 2020 52 $10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD $10,000 $5,000,000 2-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 2020 53 $100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD $100 $2,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 2020 54 $500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE] $500

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Massive GGPoker Guarantees Could Pull Players From US WSOP.com Series

There will be no 2020 World Series of Poker at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this summer. But the 85-event 2020 WSOP Online series schedule lasting from July through September is now all set.

Earlier this month, the WSOP announced the plan to run the series on both the WSOP.com and GGPoker platforms. At the time, the WSOP also shared the first part of the schedule, 31 events playing out once per day from July 1-31 on WSOP.com.

Today the international online poker site GGPoker announced the other half of the WSOP Online schedule, with 54 bracelet events scheduled from July 19-Sept. 6.

The WSOP is calling the 2020 WSOP Online tournaments “bracelet events.” That means poker players seeking to win a coveted WSOP bracelet this summer will in most cases have to make a choice between playing on WSOP.com or GGPoker.

Geolocation restrictions force players to make a choice

Theoretically speaking, players could play tournaments in both parts of the series, although only before July 19, at which point the schedules begin to overlap.

The WSOP.com events will be open to players on both WSOP NV in Nevada and WSOP NJ in New Jersey. Players in Delaware who play on the WSOP.com sister site 888 Poker are not able to play the events.

The GGPoker events will be open to players in all of the many countries served by the GGPoker network, including on the Natural8 and BestPoker skins. The network serves dozens of countries in Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas. However, the United States is one of the countries where GGPoker is not available.

That means those playing events on WSOP.com will necessarily be unable also to play on the non-U.S. serving GGPoker site at the same time.

GGPoker schedule features bigger buy-ins, prize pools than WSOP.com

Beyond geographical differences, there are some significant qualitative differences between the WSOP.com and GGPoker schedules. Most notably, the GGPoker events on average feature much bigger buy-ins. Also, with larger player pools GGPoker events will no doubt have bigger prize pools as well.

WSOP.com events

Buy-ins for the WSOP.com events range from $400 to $3,200. Most events (27 of 31) allow players to re-enter either two or three times. All are one-day events.

The big buy-in event is the $3,200 High Roller scheduled for July 14. It is possible some poker pros may play that event before traveling out of the U.S. to play the GGPoker portion of the schedule.

During the final week (and after GGPoker’s events will have begun), there is a $500 Grande Finale on July 26 that will function as a kind of Main Event for the WSOP.com part of the series.

WSOP.com does not spread stud or draw games. Thus 27 of 31 events are no-limit hold’em. The other four are Omaha variants (two pot-limit Omaha, one PLO8, and one Omaha hi/lo).

GGPoker events

Buy-ins for the GGPoker events range from $50 to $25,000, with the average buy-in being close to $2,200. Exactly half of the events (27 of 54) have buy-ins of $1,000 or more, compared to just nine $1K or higher events on WSOP.com.

Unlike at WSOP.com, there are several multi-day events on the GGPoker schedule. Additionally, a dozen of the GGPoker events have guaranteed prize pools of $1 million or more. These include:

  • the $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER, $5M GTD, at least $1M for first
  • the $500 Mini Main Event, $5M GTD
  • the $10,000 WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD
  • the $25,000 NLHE POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD

The marquee event is the $5,000 buy-in Main Event with a $25 million guaranteed prize pool. The event features multiple starting flights that begin Aug. 16. With that whopping guarantee, the tournament will have the largest prize pool in online poker history.

GGPoker also does not have stud or draw games, although players can play short-deck hold’em, a.k.a. 6+ hold’em. There are two short deck events on the schedule, including one $10,000 buy-in event.

A total of 42 of the 54 events on the GGPoker schedule are no-limit hold’em. The other non-NLHE events are eight PLO events and two fixed-limit hold’em events.

Other tournament considerations

There will be other considerations for poker players as well. One will be international travel restrictions still in place in many countries currently in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. That might also force some players’ hands, so to speak, when choosing whether to play on WSOP.com or GGPoker.

Familiar WSOP event “brands” like the Colossus, the Millionaire Maker, the Big 50, the Poker Players Championship (in this case NLHE-only), and the Closer make the GGPoker schedule appear to resemble the traditional WSOP schedule more closely than the WSOP.com events. There will even be some Twitch streaming of some GGPoker final tables, with a limited schedule of events already announced.

Another interesting difference concerns everyone participating in a GGPoker WSOP Online series event having to supply his or her real name, date of birth, and nationality when registering. Players who reach final tables will then appear under their actual names and not their usernames, which should help make those tables more interesting for spectators.

Some events on the GGPoker schedule are designated “Asia Time Zone” favorable. However, for players in Nevada, those start times won’t be ideal with the first hands being dealt at 5 a.m. Pacific Time.

In any event, players have some decisions to make. It will be interesting to see what the turnouts are for both halves of the WSOP Online series.

2020 WSOP.COM NV/NJ online bracelet schedule (July 1-31)

Event Date Time Event Buy-In
1 July 1 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Kick-Off $500
2 July 2 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Deepstack $1,000
3 July 3 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
4 July 4 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo $500
5 July 5 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $1,000
6 July 6 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO8 6-Handed $600
7 July 7 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout Deepstack $800
8 July 8 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $500
9 July 9 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Max $1,000
10 July 10 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack $600
11 July 11 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $500
12 July 12 (Su) 3:00 p.m. The BIG 500 No Limit Hold’em $500
13 July 13 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout $1,500
14 July 14 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller $3,200
15 July 15 (W) 3:00 p.m. PLO 8-Max HR $1,000
16 July 16 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo $500
17 July 17 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $777
18 July 18 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack $1,000
19 July 19 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
20 July 20 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO 6-Handed $500
21 July 21 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $777
22 July 22 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack $500
23 July 23 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout $500
24 July 24 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed $400
25 July 25 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Summer Saver $500
26 July 26 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Grande Finale $500
27 July 27 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $400
28 July 28 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. Omaha 8 6-Max $1,000
29 July 29 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $600
30 July 30 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Senior’s Event $500
31 July 31 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000

2020 GGPoker online bracelet schedule (July 19-Sept. 6)

Event Date Time Event Buy-In
1 Jul 19 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – The Opener [Final Day], $2M GTD $100
2 Jul 19 (Su) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Every 1 for Covid Relief [Caesars Cares] $1,111
3 Jul 19 (Su) 1 p.m. No Limit Hold’em – Super Turbo Bounty 6-Max $525
4 Jul 21 (Tu) 11 a.m. Pot-Limit Omaha – Championship $5,000
5 Jul 22 (W) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – FIFTY STACK $1,500
6 Jul 23 (Th) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha – Bounty $1,050
7 Jul 25 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Monster Stack 6-Max $600
8 Jul 26 (Su) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em $1,500
9 Jul 26 (Su) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha $2,500
10 Jul 26 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – COLOSSUS [Day 2], $3M GTD $400
11 Jul 26 (Su) 12 p.m. Pot Limit Omaha – PLOSSUS [Day 2], $1M GTD $400
12 Jul 28 (Tu) 11 a.m. Short Deck No Limit Hold’em – Championship $10,000
13 Jul 29 (W) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max $2,500
14 Jul 30 (Th) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Bounty $840
15 Aug 1 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack $500
16 Aug 2 (Su) 5 a.m. Short Deck No Limit Hold’em $1,000
17 Aug 2 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – MILLIONAIRE MAKER [Day 2], $5M GTD, $1M 1st $1,500
18 Aug 2 (Su) 1 p.m. No Limit Hold’em – Turbo DeepStack $1,000
19 Aug 4 (Tu) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Bounty Championship $2,100
20 Aug 5 (W) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha $400
21 Aug 6 (Th) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em $1,000
22 Aug 8 (Sa) 5 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha – Double Stack $800
23 Aug 9 (Su) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Asia Championship [Final Day], HK$8M GTD HK$8,000
24 Aug 9 (Su) 10 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – GGMasters WSOP Edition [Freezeout], $1M GTD $150
25 Aug 9 (Su) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Heads Up Championship $10,000
26 Aug 11 (Tu) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max Championship $5,000
27 Aug 12 (W) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack $2,500
28 Aug 13 (Th) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Bounty 6-Max $525
29 Aug 15 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Monster Stack 6-Max $300
30 Aug 16 (Su) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
31 Aug 16 (Su) 11:30 a.m. Mini Main Event [Final Day], $5M GTD $500
32 Aug 16 (Su) 1 p.m. No Limit Hold’em – Super Turbo Bounty $840
33 Aug 18 (Tu) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack Championship $600
34 Aug 19 (W) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha $800
35 Aug 20 (Th) 11 a.m. Limit Hold’em $500
36 Aug 22 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Deepstack $500
37 Aug 23 (Su) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Marathon $1,500
38 Aug 23 (Su) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD $25,000
39 Aug 23 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – BIG 50 [Final Day], $1M GTD $50
40 Aug 25 (Tu) 11 a.m. Limit Hold’em – Championship $1,500
41 Aug 26 (W) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – 6-Max $1,000
42 Aug 27 (Th) 11 a.m. Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
43 Aug 29 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Double Stack $300
44 Aug 30 (Su) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – FORTY STACK $400
45 Aug 30 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – MAIN EVENT [Day 2], $25M GTD $5,000
46 Aug 30 (Su) 1 p.m. No Limit Hold’em – Turbo 6-Max $1,000
47 Sep 1 (Tu) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Most Popular] TBA
48 Sep 2 (W) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Pros Vote] TBA
49 Sep 3 (Th) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Spin the Wheel] TBA
50 Sep 5 (Sa) 5 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – People’s Choice Bracelet Event [Most Popular] TBA
51 Sep 5 (Sa) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Beat the Pros [Bounty] $1,050
52 Sep 6 (Su) 11 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – Super MILLION$, $5M GTD $10,000
53 Sep 6 (Su) 11:30 a.m. No Limit Hold’em – MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD $100
54 Sep 6 (Su) 1 p.m. No Limit Hold’em – The Closer [LAST CHANCE] $500

All times PT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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IT’S GO TIME: WSOP Online Schedule Set with Release of GGPoker Events

The release of the GGPoker WSOP Online schedule may have many Americans considering a vacation. The site released its schedule of 54 events on Friday with plenty of players around the world taking note.

The events add to the schedule of 31 events for American players at WSOP.com. Those events begin on July 1 with one bracelet event daily throughout the month.

With the traditional summer World Series of Poker postponed until the fall, the online bracelet hunting should be a massive series. The GGPoker portion allows players outside the US the first time to win a bracelet online.

Massive Main Event for WSOP Online

One of the key tournaments for the series will obviously be the $5,000 Main Event at GGPoker. With a $25 million guarantee, the tournament will be the largest in the history of online poker.

The tournament includes multiple Day 1 starting flights beginning on Aug. 16 with Day 2 on Aug. 30. This is a similar strategy the site held throughout the WSOP Online Circuit Super Series, which smashed guarantees.

Other highlights on the schedule include:

  • WSOP Event #1: $100 The Opener – July 19 (Day 2), $2 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #2: $1,111 Every 1 for COVID Relief  – July 19 ($111 from each entry goes to the Caesars Cares fund)
  • WSOP Event #10: $400 COLOSSUS – July 26 (Day 2), $3 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #17: $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER – Aug. 2 (Day 2), $1 million first prize guarantee
  • WSOP Event #25: $10,000 Heads Up NLHE Championship – Aug. 9 (limited to 128 players)
  • WSOP Event #31: $500 Mini Main Event – Aug. 16 (Day 2), $5 million guarantee 
  • WSOP Event #38: $25,000 NLH Poker Players Championship –  Aug. 23, $10 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #39: $50 BIG 50 – Aug. 23 (Day 2), $1 million guarantee
  • WSOP Event #52: $10,000 WSOP Super MILLION$ – September 6 – $5,000,000 prize pool guarantee

“This reminds me of poker’s boom years,” GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu said in a news release.  “Anyone who has dreamed of winning a real WSOP bracelet can now do so across the globe. There’s no feeling like winning a WSOP bracelet, and GGPoker is opening that opportunity to the masses.”

Here’s a look at the complete schedule.

2020 GGPoker WSOP Online Series

Date Event Number Tournament Buy-in Prize Guarantee Notes
Sunday, July 19, 2020 1 $100 The Opener [Final Day], $2M GTD $100 $2,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, July 19, 2020 2 $1,111 Every 1 for Covid Relief [Caesars Cares] $1,111 2-Day Event
Sunday, July 19, 2020 3 $525 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $525
Tuesday, July 21, 2020 4 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Championship $5,000
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 5 $1,500 FIFTY STACK No Limit Hold’em $1,500
Thursday, July 23, 2020 6 $1,050 Bounty Pot Limit Omaha $1,050
Saturday, July 25, 2020 7 $600 Monster Stack No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $600 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, July 26, 2020 8 $1,500 No Limit Hold’em $1,500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, July 26, 2020 9 $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha $2,500
Sunday, July 26, 2020 10 $400 COLOSSUS [Day 2], $3M GTD $400 $3,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, July 26, 2020 11 $400 PLOSSUS [Day 2], $1M GTD $400 $1,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 12 $10,000 Short Deck No Limit Hold’em Championship $10,000
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 13 $2,500 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $2,500
Thursday, July 30, 2020 14 $840 Bounty No Limit Hold’em $840
Saturday, August 01, 2020 15 $500 Deepstack No Limit Hold’em $500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 02, 2020 16 $1,000 Short Deck No Limit Hold’em $1,000 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 02, 2020 17 $1,500 MILLIONAIRE MAKER [Day 2], $5M GTD, $1M to 1st $1,500 $ 5,000,000 3-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 02, 2020 18 $500 Turbo Deepstack No Limit Hold’em $500
Tuesday, August 04, 2020 19 $2,100 No Limit Hold’em Bounty Championship $2,100
Wednesday, August 05, 2020 20 $400 Pot Limit Omaha $400
Thursday, August 06, 2020 21 $1,000 No Limit Hold’em $1,000
Saturday, August 08, 2020 22 $800 Double Stack Pot Limit Omaha $800 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 09, 2020 23 HK$8,000 No Limit Hold’em Asia Championship [Final Day], HK$8M GTD HK$8,000 HK$8,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 09, 2020 24 $150 GGMasters WSOP Edition [Freezeout], $1M GTD $150 $1,000,000 Freezeout
Sunday, August 09, 2020 25 $10,000 Heads Up No Limit Hold’em Championship [No Late Reg, 128 Cap] $10,000 2-Day Event, Freezeout
Tuesday, August 11, 2020 26 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed Championship $5,000
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 27 $2,500 Double Stack No Limit Hold’em $2,500
Thursday, August 13, 2020 28 $525 Bounty No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $525
Saturday, August 15, 2020 29 $300 Monster Stack No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $300 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 16, 2020 30 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
Sunday, August 16, 2020 31 $500 Mini Main Event [Final Day], $5M GTD $500 $5,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, August 16, 2020 32 $840 Super Turbo Bounty No Limit Hold’em $840
Tuesday, August 18, 2020 33 $600 No Limit Hold’em Deepstack Championship $600
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 34 $800 Pot Limit Omaha $800
Thursday, August 20, 2020 35 $500 Limit Hold’em $500
Saturday, August 22, 2020 36 $500 Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em $500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 23, 2020 37 $1,500 Marathon No Limit Hold’em $1,500 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 23, 2020 38 $25,000 NLH POKER PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP, $10M GTD $25,000 $10,000,000 2-Day Event
Sunday, August 23, 2020 39 BIG 50 [Final Day], $1M GTD $50 $1,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 40 $1,500 Limit Hold’em Championship $1,500
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 41 $1,000 No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $1,000
Thursday, August 27, 2020 42 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha $1,500
Saturday, August 29, 2020 43 $300 Double Stack No Limit Hold’em $300 Asia Time Zone
Sunday, August 30, 2020 44 $400 FORTY STACK No Limit Hold’em $400
Sunday, August 30, 2020 45 $5,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event [Day 2], $25M GTD $5,000 $25,000,000 3-Day Event, Feezeout Flights
Sunday, August 30, 2020 46 $1,000 Turbo No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $1,000
Tuesday, September 01, 2020 47 People’s Choice Event [Most Popular] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Wednesday, September 02, 2020 48 People’s Choice Event [Pros Vote] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Thursday, September 03, 2020 49 People’s Choice Event [Spin the Wheel] TBA TBA TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 2020 50 People’s Choice Event [Most Popular] TBA TBA Asia Time Zone, TBA by Vote
Saturday, September 05, 2020 51 $1,050 Beat the Pros [Bounty] $1,050
Sunday, September 06, 2020 52 $10K WSOP Super MILLION$, $5M GTD $10,000 $5,000,000 2-Day Event
Sunday, September 06, 2020 53 $100 WSOP MILLION$ [Final Day], $2M GTD $100 $2,000,000 2-Day Event, 1-RE Flights
Sunday, September 06, 2020 54 $500 The Closer [LAST CHANCE] $500

American players get in the action next week

The GGPoker portion may be on the horizon, but players in the US begin bracelet hunting next week. Players in Nevada and New Jersey have plenty to look forward to. Many American players have already made plans to head to one of the two states to play.

Most events will be in Texas Hold’em with a handful of Omaha tournaments thrown in. Event buy-ins range from $400 to $3,200. 

WSOP.com events begin on Tuesday with the $500 NLHE Kick-off. The highlight of the series is the $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Championship on July 31. 

Fifteen-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth planned on staying in Las Vegas for the American portion. He then hoped to head to Canada or Mexico for the international schedule.

“I think online poker is legitimate,” he told USPoker. “I’m looking forward to battling tens of thousands of poker players for WSOP gold this summer.”

Here’s a look at the complete US schedule.

2020 WSOP.com Online Series

Event Date Time (PT) Event Buy-In
1 July 1 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Kick-Off $500
2 July 2 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Deepstack $1,000
3 July 3 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
4 July 4 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Super Turbo $500
5 July 5 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $1,000
6 July 6 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO8 6-Handed $600
7 July 7 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout Deepstack $800
8 July 8 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $500
9 July 9 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Max $1,000
10 July 10 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em MonsterStack $600
11 July 11 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $500
12 July 12 (Su) 3:00 p.m. The BIG 500 No Limit Hold’em $500
13 July 13 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller Freezeout $1,500
14 July 14 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em High Roller $3,200
15 July 15 (W) 3:00 p.m. PLO 8-Max HR $1,000
16 July 16 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo $500
17 July 17 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’emÊ $777
18 July 18 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed Turbo DeepStack $1,000
19 July 19 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em $400
20 July 20 (M) 3:00 p.m. PLO 6-Handed $500
21 July 21 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 6-Handed $777
22 July 22 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack $500
23 July 23 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Knockout $500
24 July 24 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em 8-Handed $400
25 July 25 (Sa) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Summer Saver $500
26 July 26 (Su) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Grande Finale $500
27 July 27 (M) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Freezeout $400
28 July 28 (Tu) 3:00 p.m. Omaha 8 6-Max $1,000
29 July 29 (W) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Turbo Deepstack 6-Handed $600
30 July 30 (Th) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Seniors Event $500
31 July 31 (F) 3:00 p.m. No Limit Hold’em Championship $1,000

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Masks Now Required Inside All Nevada Casinos

During a press conference on Wednesday night, Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a mandate that Nevada residents and visitors must wear a face covering in public beginning Friday, June 26.

Casino guests anywhere in the Silver State must wear a mask that covers their mouths and nose unless they’re eating or drinking.

Barring a few exemptions, anyone in Nevada must wear a mask in public.

Evolution of face coverings in Nevada

Wearing a face mask is new to most people across the US.

Using a mask or other form of face covering started as a way to help slow the spread of the coronavirus earlier this year. When Nevada casinos reopened, face coverings were recommended but not required.

However, giving guests the option to wear a face mask was fairly meaningless. Anecdotally, the majority of casino guests were choosing to not wear a mask.

Last week, the requirement for face masks changed. The new plan required gamblers to wear a face covering at table games without protective Plexiglas barriers.

The latest change came on the same day when Nevada set a record high for coronavirus cases. The new mandate states that all guests inside of a casino must wear a mask or face covering regardless of a protective barrier between players and dealers.

A Caesars Entertainment representative told Bailey Schulz, a reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

 

National mask policy for Caesars/MGM Resorts

The news from Gov. Sisolak didn’t come as much of a surprise. Last week, he teased that he was already looking into new options for face coverings.

Prior to Sisolak’s press conference, Caesars Entertainment announced a national mask requirement. Everyone indoors at a Caesars Entertainment property in the US must wear face masks at all times unless they’re eating or drinking.

“We promised that Caesars would continue to evaluate the latest recommendations, directives and medical science regarding the COVID-19 public health emergency and modify our enhanced health and safety protocols accordingly,” said Tony Rodio, the CEO of Caesars Entertainment.

“As a result, we are immediately requiring everyone in our properties to wear masks, because the scientific evidence strongly suggests that wearing masks and practicing social distancing may be the most important deterrents to spreading COVID-19 from person to person.”

MGM Resorts had a similar announcement shortly after Gov. Sisolak revealed the new mask requirements. While the policy is similar to Caesars, there’s one additional statement:

“We hope that our guests will do their part to help the collective efforts to curtail the spread of the virus. Guests who do not wish to comply will be asked to leave the property.”

Wynn Resorts lauded Sisolak’s mandate on face masks. It wouldn’t be surprising to see other national casino operators with properties in Las Vegas make similar announcements.

Sometimes mandates like this are easier to implement throughout a company instead of piecemeal by regions.

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POKER POST-LOCKDOWN: An Insider’s Look at the Reopened Bellagio Poker Room

With live poker reopening, one of MGM’s major poker properties is taking a lead in the efforts for the game’s return. The Bellagio became the second Las Vegas Strip property to reopen its poker room last week.

The casino joins the Venetian and Caesars Palace, which opened the same day as Bellagio on June 18. Players will find six-handed poker with plexiglass partitions between players in a more spacious table and room environment.

On June 20, USPoker spoke with Bellagio poker room manager Mike Williams on site. The property is making an effort to return to normal as much as possible.

Live poker post-pandemic

After months of casino closings, poker room managers are moving to get players back to the tables. State guidelines call for five-handed play at poker rooms without dividers or plexiglass partitions.

However, the  Nevada Gaming Control Board approved Bellagio’s request for six-handed poker games with partitions.

Upon entering the poker room, guests are greeted by service staff at an open and spacious entryway. Players are seated by staff when a table has an opening, often with no wait depending on game and time.

There is a waiting list screen mounted to the wooden wall structure outside the poker room entryway. Players can also get poker room and game updates on the Bravo Poker app.

The poker room now has 23 poker tables, down from 37, and is open for play 24 hours a day. On Saturday, the spacious room had 16 tables running with more than half spreading $1-3 and $2-5 No-Limit Hold’em.

The Bellagio is one of the few Vegas rooms regularly offering more high-limit games. There were also $5-10, $10-20, and $20-40 No Limit Hold’em games and a $1-2 Pot Limit Omaha (PLO). Staff also offered a waiting list for high-limit mixed games.






Players returning to a safe environment

Williams noted a number of regular players have returned. The property has numerous cleanliness protocols in place. Dealers are wearing masks and sanitizing the playing area and seats for new players. 

“The feedback has been very positive from the players and guests,” Williams said. “The poker room is swapping playing cards every four hours. The cards and poker chips are disinfected by the property on schedule.”

The plexiglass partitions provide better health and safety measures while meeting social and physical distancing guidelines.

One Bellagio guest said the clear dividers are “less intrusive and preferred” over no partition.

On June 24, the state added a mandate for players to wear masks. The previous rule called for masks if there are no plexiglass partitions. Nearly half the players at Bellagio wore masks on Saturday before the new rule.

New perks welcome Bellagio players

Expensive parking fees have long been a complaint of casino players. Williams noted guests will now find free self parking and free cocktail service. However, no food or non-playing poker guests are allowed in the poker room per safety guidelines.

Williams previously worked as poker room manager at Aria, another MGM property on the Las Vegas Strip. Aria hasn’t announced a reopening date yet.

While at Aria, Williams noted the growing interest in PLO and plans to offer more games at Bellagio. 

“It’s better when a poker room can expand and have more games,” he said. “We want to grow the $1-2 PLO game at Bellagio.”    

TV screens remain mounted throughout the Bellagio poker room. Sports bettors are in luck with one of Las Vegas premier sportsbooks adjacent to the facility. 

Checking out the day’s sports action, horse racing, and odds screens is simple. Wagering windows are available and bettors can also use the BetMGM app while playing poker.

The sports bar lounge is right outside the poker room and was also active on Belmont Stakes day, but with fewer masks noted. Guests enjoyed cocktails and some spacious interaction.

Live poker’s return comes after major online growth

While online poker has seen substantial growth during the COVID-19 crisis, it’s encouraging to see live poker return. Poker is the ultimate social game, and while tournaments are not yet in play at Bellagio, patience is the protocol just as it is when playing poker. 

The same goes for those hoping for the return of a live World Series of Poker at the Rio. That property is currently closed and the live WSOP is delayed until fall. 

However, players in Nevada and New Jersey can play for bracelets beginning July 1 at WSOP.com. The WSOP Online tournaments feature one bracelet event daily.

Buy-ins range from $400 to $3,200 and players can qualify for events in multiple daily online satellites. On July 19, the series expands for international players on GGPoker.

Live poker may not have returned completely, but the WSOP Online adds even more buzz to the industry as a whole.

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PokerStars PA Summer Series Off To Hot Start With $533K Awarded Thus Far

Spring has turned to summer, and PokerStars PA has continued to stay hot with big turnouts and prize pools for its first ever Summer Series.

The 11-day, 38-event tournament series crossed its halfway point last night. So far through 21 events prize pools have totaled more than $533,000.

That’s more than $150,000 above what the total guaranteed prize pools for those events. It is also well over halfway to the $750,000 in total guarantees for the PokerStars PA Summer Series.

Big prize pools as guarantees met, often doubled

Thus far 20 of 21 completed events have exceeded their guarantees. The only event to have an overlay was the one with the largest guarantee thus far.

The $100 buy-in Sunday Special SE had a $100,000 guarantee. With 1,041 entries, it needed about 50 more to hit its guarantee, thus making for a $4,436.20 overlay.

Meanwhile all other events have consistently exceeded their guarantees. In fact, 10 of the 21 have had prize pools adding up to more than twice the guarantees.

Five more days of summer fun in the PokerStars PA Summer Series

The PokerStars PA Summer Series continues through this weekend. It culminates with five tournaments this Sunday, June 28. Of those five, the highlight will be the $200 Main Event that features a $150,000 guarantee.

Other highlights on the remaining schedule include tonight’s $500 High Roller (6-Max) with a $35,000 guarantee and tomorrow’s $200 Thursday Thrill Special Edition (Progressive KO) with a $30,000 guarantee.

There is also a Mini Main Event on Sunday for the lower-stakes crowd, a $50 buy-in event with a $25,000 guarantee.

Click here for a look at the full PokerStars PA Summer Schedule.

Similar story in New Jersey for PokerStars NJ Summer Series

PokerStars NJ is simultaneously running its own Summer Series for players in New Jersey. The Garden State version is almost identical, with 40 total events and lower guarantees adding up to about $500,000.

The PokerStars NJ Summer Series has been very similar thus far. Prize pools have exceeded guarantees for 21 of 22 events completed to this point. So far around $325,000 has been awarded in PokerStars NJ Summer Series events.

In fact, the lone outlier was again the largest one in terms of its guarantee, the Sunday Special SE event. The PokerStars NJ version had a $45,000 guarantee, and they came very close — just three entries shy — of hitting that mark, making for a small overlay of just over $500.

PA casinos reopening, but online still only poker option

PokerStars PA remains the only online poker site up and running in Pennsylvania. During recent months the site enjoyed its highest ever traffic and revenue, most certainly a consequence of casino closures in PA due to the coronavirus.

After launching last November, PokerStars PA broke a record in March with $3.1 million in revenue. The site promptly obliterated that mark with a new revenue high of almost $5.3 million in April.

Things settled a bit in May for PokerStars PA when the site’s revenue totaled about $4.6 million.

Meanwhile the Keystone State’s land-based casinos are starting to reopen. Following the mid-March closures, Rivers Casino Pittsburgh and The Meadows opened back up on June 9.

Lady Luck Nemacolin welcomed back guests on June 12, and Hollywood Casino reopened June 19. Then both Mohegan Sun Pocono and Mount Airy Casino reopened June 22.

The state’s other six retail casinos are all scheduled to reopen as well by the end of the month.

Worth noting, however — no poker rooms are reopening in any of the casinos as yet. Poker room operations will be reconsidered going forward, with casinos following guidelines issued by the CDC and the PA Department of Health. Thus online poker will remain the only option for PA poker players at least for the near future.

PokerStars PA Summer Series by the numbers (through Event #21)

Event Buy-In Guarantee Entries Re-Entries Prize Pool
Event 1: Summer Series Kick-Off [8-Max] $100 $30,000 544 255 $73,348.20
Event 2: Summer Series Mini Kick-Off [8-Max] $20 $7,500 624 216 $15,288.00
Event 3: Thursday Thrill SE [Progressive KO] $200 $25,000 208 83 $54,126.00
Event 4: Mini Thrill [Progressive KO] $30 $12,500 521 243 $20,857.20
Event 5: NLHE [8-Max] $75 $10,000 200 61 $17,813.25
Event 6: Escalating Antes $50 $10,000 435 198 $28,801.50
Event 7: NLHE [6-Max] $20 $6,000 466 162 $11,429.60
Event 8: NLHE [6-Max] $100 $20,000 233 125 $32,864.40
Event 9: PLO [6-Max] $50 $5,000 211 78 $13,149.50
Event 10: Progressive KO [8-Max] $75 $7,500 210 53 $18,541.50
Event 11: NLHE [6-Max] $75 $20,000 241 105 $23,614.50
Event 12: Sunday Special SE $100 $100,000 678 363 $100,000.00*
Event 13: Mini Special $25 $15,000 583 189 $17,563.00
Event 14: Progressive KO [8-Max] $75 $12,500 326 112 $29,893.50
Event 15: Sunday Supersonic SE $50 $10,000 237 51 $13,536.00
Event 16: NLHE [4-Max] $20 $7,500 504 242 $13,577.20
Event 17: Battle Royale SE [Progressive KO, 6-Max] $50 $15,000 408 195 $27,436.50
Event 18: NLHE [8-Max] $75 $7,500 175 78 $17,267.25
Event 19: Super Tuesday SE $200 $35,000 252 121 $69,378.00
Event 20: Mini Super Tuesday $20 $15,000 681 289 $17,654.00
Event 21: Progressive KO [8-Max] $50 $7,500 266 106 $16,926.00

*Event #12 had an overlay of $4,436.20

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CRYSTAL BALL: Catena Media Team Forecasts the Future of the US Online Poker Market

It’s a good time to be an online poker player in the US. As states begin to open up after the Coronavirus pandemic, live poker may be the last part of the casino that flourishes.

Major tournaments remain out of the mix and online operators continue adding to their offerings. When live poker does begin to gain some momentum, where is the US online market headed? Can the current trend be a springboard to better things to come?

Michigan and West Virginia have now legalized and have made moves to come online sooner than expected. Can the current positivity in the industry keep going?

 

USPoker spoke with the Catena Media poker reporting team to get some views on some of these questions. The team includes:

Keeping the online poker train rolling

The US online poker market has seen record fields and prize pools in recent months. While there’s no way to keep the current number of players, what can online poker operators do to keep the momentum?

Valerie: I think big guarantee weekly and monthly tournaments are key, like the Pennsyl-Mania one PokerStars did in PA. It was two days long and drew a massive $515,000 prize pool for a $200 buy-in.

Big series are also attractive to players, and it’s important that operators include a good range of buy-in levels so small-stakes players have many good value tournaments to choose from.

Many new players have recently joined the market with live poker options halted, so keeping those players interested and motivated to play is probably key.

Alex: The new traffic is presumably coming from players who normally prefer live play, moving online due to the shutdown. The fundamental problem with that is that the caliber of live play has been much lower than online in the last decade-plus.

Even without the resumption of live play, we already see traffic dropping. That’s probably due to these players getting chewed up by tough online competition.

One thing sites can do to help with that is to run promotions that encourage casual players to play short, daily sessions, and reward them generously for doing so. Even if you’re returning more money to those players than you’re collecting in rake from them, improving their longevity helps the ecosystem. The money they lose to more experienced opponents will eventually get raked back from those players.

Build it and they will come

Dustin: I would hope they are building on what has worked during the pandemic. Tournament series with large guarantees have always been the bread and butter of online poker and is important in getting the critical mass of players necessary to create a successful ecosystem.

“It’s also clear that the influx of people is largely casual players who were bored while stuck at home. Finding out why they turned to poker during this time and continuing to provide the experience those players want is perhaps the most important thing the sites can do.”

Sean: It seems there has been kind of a “flood the zone” approach with so many players at home. Players respond to big guarantees.

I think more series overall helps. But smaller one-off events and series like the PokerStars Pennsyl-Mania and WSOP.com Online Circuit Season Finale can add momentum.

Promotional efforts are key. The events I mentioned above work well. Extras like trophies and championship hardware add some unique elements. Bounty events also seem to be popular.

I like bells and whistles, and sweepstakes site Global Poker does well with its trophies and promotion. That Pennsyl-Mania event had a wrestling theme. It would have been cool to see the winner score a championship belt like Hulk Hogan. Creativity goes a long way in enticing players.

Growing the overall player pool

How can sites work to grow the pie in the US in regards to online poker and add more states?

Valerie: The success of online poker in other states is a good start. But I think the missing link is the clear path to shared liquidity for all states. As it stands now, the Department of Justice’s position on the Wire Act is still in limbo with regard to sharing player pools across states.

Until that’s in the clear, many jurisdictions may be less motivated to cross the regulatory hurdles it takes to get online poker up and running.

Alex: “Online poker is harder to sell lawmakers on than other verticals because there’s so little money in it. Operators looking to lobby for online poker in more states need to identify and focus on non-monetary advantages, such as the far greater player safety of legal sites versus illegal offshore sites.”

Wire Act woes

Dustin: I am not sure there’s much they can do, unfortunately. The good news is that online gambling has been a bright spot for the states that have legalized it. That should be a compelling narrative of additive revenue.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania online casinos have done very well. If other states look at that data, that should help spread the growth of online gambling. Any state legalizing online casinos is also legalizing online poker.

Unfortunately interstate poker beyond the three states that have it (NJ, Nevada, Delaware) has stalled, until and if Pennsylvania joins the compact among those states. There’s some hope that Michigan and/or West Virginia will join, but there are also potential legal headaches for online poker during the ongoing federal case about the Wire Act.

Sean: I think it’s incumbent on operators to stress safety and security. That means securing player funds and meeting regulatory requirements. Efforts at stopping bots, cheaters, and collusion go a long way in assuring players and legislators of a fair game.

 

Following the lead of sports betting’s growth

Can the success of sports betting help slowly pull online poker along?

Valerie: “I think so. For example, PA and NJ would not likely have online poker if it weren’t for the incentive to get online sports betting. Online poker is coming along for the ride in Michigan too. It’s a smaller revenue generator, so it isn’t the highest priority for states. But I think many states will include it within comprehensive gambling expansion packages anyway, because why not?”

If you let people bet on sports and also play casino games online, why shouldn’t those same people have the choice to play online poker for real money? Obviously they make more if those people are playing online slots, but there’s plenty of crossover among customers to make offering more games profitable. (i.e. People join because of poker and eventually try some other games.)

Alex: Possibly, though I think there’s more movement the other way. What the two have in common is the appeal of being potentially beatable, unlike other gambling products. At one time, poker was the easier of the two, but these days it’s hard to recommend online poker as a potentially money-making endeavor for anyone who hasn’t already been playing for many years.

Poker lags behind

Dustin: We’d like to think that it could. Unfortunately, the only states that have purposefully legalized poker alongside sports betting were Michigan and West Virginia. Lots of states legalized just sports betting. In places like New York and California, where we had seen some traction for online poker, sports betting has become the topic du jour and online poker is now on the back burner or off the table entirely.

Sean: Online poker seems to be the little brother right now to online sports betting and gaming. I think eventually more states will open up, but it’s going to be a long slog. I think the Coronavirus pandemic may speed up states like New York.

Online poker may eventually be kind of an addendum. Lawmakers may see sports betting doing okay, so why not throw in online gaming and poker as well.

Seeing the future of online poker

Where do you see the US market in five years?

Valerie: I think it will continue to be slow getting off the ground nationwide, largely because of the murky Wire Act interpretation and lack of major revenue incentive. As long as states are ring-fenced, the prize pools will never come anywhere near those of unregulated sites that many US players are pouring money into these days, unfortunately.

I don’t think many state reps are aware of the online poker revenue potential, funds currently going straight to the pockets of offshore companies. These players play at their own risk of course. But it’s unfortunate there is this demand and no supply in most US states. This results in players putting their money at risk with shady sites and few/no consumer protections.

Alex: “A lot depends on what happens with the Wire Act and the possibility of interstate shared liquidity. Without that, it’s unlikely that online poker will ever again be big business in the US.”

However, an interstate network, especially one including some big states like New York or California, would almost certainly create a second boom, albeit a shorter, smaller one.

Slow progress ahead

Dustin: Hopefully we’ll have seen a handful more states legalize online poker, but even that’s an optimistic forecast. I really hope and think Pennsylvania will join the interstate compact for poker within that time frame.

Sean: I’m going to go out on a limb and say that there will be at least 10 states offering legal, real-money online poker. I’m a bit of an optimist and think the recent success will help. I think interstate compacts will also hold up as legal in the Wire Act court case.

That clears the way for a nice grouping of eight to 10 states. Hopefully it’s like a snowball rolling downhill. Several states get on board and then more see it as okay.

More thoughts on the future of online poker

Any more thoughts on the future of online poker?

Valerie: I think the whole nationwide shutdown and Coronavirus pandemic is opening some eyes to the appeal and safety of iGaming.

Poker is always the lowest priority in gaming from a business perspective. Think of live poker rooms that have to fight to build a good tournament offering because those are not the big moneymakers. Some see it as wasted space that could go to high revenue games like slots.

“But the demand is undoubtedly there for poker and it helps get more bodies in the door. I think as the online gaming market matures in the US, new states will opt for more well-rounded offerings and include poker. It’s easier to include it up front than try to add it on later.”

Eventually, people like me who live in California won’t be faced with the tough decision to sit out of the game you love playing for fun, or put your money at risk with no guarantee of game integrity whilst contributing to an offshore site that hikes up rake and contributes no taxes to your state.

Losing players, keeping the game fun

Alex: Looking at global trends, it’s hard to be very optimistic about the future of poker. At this point, there are simply too many highly experienced players and too many advanced analysis tools out there.

It’s an extremely brutal environment for new players, and even formerly winning or break-even players are leaving the game on a daily basis due to their inability to keep up with the level of play.

In hindsight, it seems that the boom of the early 2000s could only happen at that exact moment in the history of the internet. The same technological advances that made it possible in the first place began to undermine its viability once they’d progressed a few steps further.

Sean: “Making poker fun is an absolute must. Appeal to guys and gals just looking to play a nice tournament for a few dollars after a long day at work. I think operators have done a great job of this during the pandemic. Give everyone a shot at getting in a series. Poker is fun and that should always be the focus.”

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Poker Wiz Daniel Negreanu Ready for WSOP Online, Offers Tips for Series

Online poker has seen a meteoritic few months with so many poker players staying home during the pandemic. With the annual World Series of Poker postponed until fall, organizers announced a new agreement for 85 gold bracelet events.

The events will allow WSOP.com players the opportunity to win a bracelet beginning July 1. GGPoker will also allow international players the chance to win a bracelet beginning July 19.

Daniel Negreanu is one of the biggest names in poker and now serves as a GG brand ambassador. With so much on the line when bracelet events get underway, Negreanu spoke to PlayUSA about how players can improve their poker games and his own plans to add to his own bracelet collection this summer.

Playing for WSOP bracelets online

Negreanu may be as synonymous with poker as anyone including the WSOP. His poker resumé boasts $42 million in live tournament winnings, six WSOP bracelets, and two World Poker Tour titles.

The new online WSOP series has stoked plenty of debate among poker players. Opinions range from pleased to see online poker’s expansion to lamenting so many online events awarding gold.

Negreanu prefers a pragmatic outlook on the subject.

“I believe an online WSOP is better than no WSOP,” he says. “I’m obviously a mixed game aficionado so not seeing that on the schedule is unfortunate, but as I said, I’m just happy to be able to play something.”

The series includes 31 events beginning at WSOP.com. GGPoker will also begin offering a slate of 54 bracelet events as well as other tournaments beginning July 17.

WSOP.com has seen massive fields since the pandemic began with many big name pros jumping in the action. This has been a boon for the US and international online poker industry.

The two platforms already teamed up in May for the WSOP Super OnlineCircuit Series. That series smashed the $100 million guarantee and paid out $134 milion.

The WSOP Online series offers the first time players outside the US have a chance to win a bracelet online. Many are already working on travel plans for both series — including Negreanu.

“My plan is to grind both fully,” he says. “All of July at home on the WSOP.com platform and then immediately flying to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where I’ve rented a house to play all the GGPoker.com portion.”

Online poker advice from Daniel Negreanu

Originally from Toronto, Canada, and now living in Las Vegas, Negreanu is no stranger to online poker. He represented PokerStars for years and then jumped on board at GG in November.

Negreanu has been a big fan of the site and believes it has the best software in the industry. The bracelet events should attract monster fields and he offered some advice on transitioning from live poker to online.

“Online poker is a better way to improve your skills than live poker by a wide margin,” he says. “Online is all about focusing on the fundamentals and it’s easier to analyze hands you may have played using the hand history feature.”

Those new to playing online should start small, he says. This gives a player some time to adjust to a faster pace and the actual online gameplay.

“Get accustomed to the software and all the bells and whistles available before you jump in for big money,” Negreanu notes.

And while obviously players can’t see opponents online, Negreanu says observation is still important. Player tells can even be picked up on at the virtual poker tables.

“There are lots of tells available in terms of timing, but mainly you are going to focus on betting patterns and tendencies that you should log using the notes feature,” he says. “Anytime your opponent does something outside the norm, it would be a good idea to log that so next time you face them you have some insight into what they are capable of.”

Document those online poker sessions and opponents

Negreanu stresses taking notes and tracking opponents. GGPoker and other sites offer this as well as using the color-coded labeling feature.

“These will help you make better reads during crunch time,” he says.

There’s one aspect of the game he won’t offer much advice on — bankroll management and what percentage of it to risk.

“That’s a personal choice depending on the person and how comfortable you are with risk,” Negreanu says. “Whether live or online, how much gamble a person has is individual to their situation.”

WSOP Online offers the opportunity to win a bracelet with buy-ins starting only at $400. No doubt seasoned pros and recreational players alike will be looking for a shot at online glory.

Looking ahead at WSOP

Negreanu has won on every major poker stage imaginable. In 2015, he even came within a whisker of making the final table of the WSOP Main Event. He finished 11th for $526,778 – all playing out live on ESPN.

Negreanu now has an opportunity to add something new to his poker record — an online bracelet. He thinks those who head outside the country to play will enjoy the GG product and experience.

“The bells and whistles on GGPoker are designed to be the most fun playing experience you will find playing online,” he says. “It is far and away the best software on the market, specifically when it comes to playing on a mobile device.”

A self-confessed poker superfan, Negreanu will be a tough customer at the online tables when bracelet events crank up. He’s hungry for a bracelet – whether online or live at the WSOP’s longtime home — the Rio hotel in Las Vegas.

“A bracelet is a bracelet as far as I’m concerned, and winning an online bracelet is tough due to field size and strength of opponents,” he says. “I’d be proud of any bracelet I won.”

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