Canadians have long been able to play poker on PokerStars, but had been denied access to its casino and sportsbook until last week.
Poker Eases Toward Normalcy With Plexiglass Removal, Mask Optional Approach
The US live poker scene is slowly returning to normal. As Americans continue getting vaccinated and COVID-19 cases and deaths decline, the casino industry is seeing major changes.
That includes the poker world as more players head back to the tables. This is welcome news to players across the country as they get back to the betting, bluffing, and riffling chips.
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Ready for poker action
COVID-19 certainly put a major damper on the live poker scene since last mark. Many rooms were closed for months with some not returning at all.
Major tours like the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and World Poker Tour (WPT) cancelled numerous events and have only recently returned.
The WSOP shifted the annual summer series to the fall this year. The WPT only recently began running live events and is currently finishing TV final tables from last year.
Online poker around the world saw surges during the pandemic. That includes the US market, which has seen historical highs since March 2020.
Poker rooms across the country have now begun removing Plexiglass and some have even made masks optional. The Nevada Gaming Control Board recently approved several casinos to operate at 100% capacity.
The Wynn was one of the first to remove Plexiglass dividers and move to full capacity. With the WSOP moved to the fall, the property recently announced a new tournament series to fill some of that void.
The $10,000 “Wynn Millions” tournament runs June 25 to July 2 with a $10 million guarantee. The event becomes the pinnacle of the annual Wynn Summer Classic poker series, which runs May 27 to July 12.
The Wynn Millions is expected to utilize 90 poker tables, the largest poker tournament ever hosted by Wynn Las Vegas. This kind of event was unthinkable for many in the industry only a few months ago.
More casinos 86 the Plexiglass
Other properties have followed Wynn’s lead in recent days. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, casinos with poker rooms now without Plexiglass include:
- Caesars properties (Bally’s, Caesars Palace, Flamingo and Planet Hollywood Resort)
- MGM Resorts properties (Aria, Bellagio and MGM Grand)
- Station Casinos properties (Boulder Station, Red Rock Resort and Santa Fe Station)
- Orleans (Boyd Gaming)
These properties are also operating at full capacity, but some rooms are keeping eight-handed play as of now. Masks are optional for fully vaccinated players at some properties, including the Orleans.
Aria director of poker operations Sean McCormack seemed pleased to see things return to normal.
“Driver roll up the partition please”
-Beyoncé“Poker room pull the partitions down”
–@ARIAPokerLETS GO!!!! @LasVegasLocally @VitalVegas pic.twitter.com/y5rQoyLJhe
— Sean McCormack (@ThePokerBoss) May 13, 2021
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Reviving an industry
Beyond the player aspect of the return to normalcy, the moves also impact businesses and employees. Some dealers have struggled in recent months finding work. Poker’s revival means more positions to fill.
Bellagio director of poker operations Mike Williams has even reached out to prospective dealers at the property.
https://twitter.com/MikeWPokr/status/1391181293057159168?s=20
According to the American Gaming Association, the gaming industry has rebounded from the pandemic. In the first quarter, the industry produced revenue of more than $11 billion.
That’s a 21% increase from the fourth quarter of 2020 – a good sign for the industry and for poker.
While poker has been available for the last several months, many weren’t interested in playing behind Plexiglass. Poker is a friendly, social game and some saw the dividers as inhibiting.
That appears to be changing. Reports from Aria indicate players generally seem happy with the return to a Plexiglass-free environment.
Other states have also loosened restrictions including poker rooms in Florida, Maryland, and Texas. Many are happy with the changes.
Vegas feels like back to normal again. From what I saw, about 30% of people are still wearing masks and 90% of the plexiglass is gone. Walked by a few poker rooms as well and most people were not wearing masks. Restaurants are all at 80% capacity & no more big lines. #VisitVegas
— Eric Mizrachi (@EricMizrachi) May 16, 2021
Jerry Carl played in a tournament on Sunday night at the Hollywood Casino in Perryville, Maryland. The 32-year-old business owner from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was glad to be back at the tables without glass or masks.
“It felt better,” he said. “It was like I could read my opponent better and was just better overall with the game play of being able to talk to people and see the cards and players’ chips.”
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American Casinos Rebound Strongly From The Pandemic, Starting 2021 With A Nearly Record-Breaking Quarter
According to the AGA’s Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, Q1 was a virtual tie for the best quarter on record for US casinos.
Isaac ‘KingBoss93’ Vasquez Talks About Earning PokerStars PASCOOP Crown, Poker Life, & More
Two months later, the feeling of finishing runner-up in the PokerStars Pennsyl-Mania event still didn’t sit right with Isaac “KingBoss 93” Vasquez. The 31-year-old from Reading, Pennsylvania, came so close to the title and longed for another chance.
When PokerStars announced the Pennsylvania Spring Championship of Online Poker (PASCOOP) for April and May, Vasquez felt it was time for the KingBoss to shine. Feeling so good about the event, he even Tweeted PokerStars that he’d be taking down a title.
On May 3, the KingBoss did just that – winning the $300 Main Event, which included a $300,000 guarantee. Vasquez took the biggest share of that for $46,410.
“Honestly, it felt incredible and to win hours before my birthday on May 4, it’s almost like it wasn’t real,” he told USPoker. “I was still thinking about last month’s second-place finish in the Pennsyl-Mania. I’ve been waiting for a score like that and to follow it up with a main event win, emotions hit me hard. It’s surreal.”
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Punching his ticket in PASCOOP, celebrating with some Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Looking back on the tournament, one hand stands out for Vasquez. Just before going into the second and final day of action, he picked up pocket Queens and raised the action.
The player next to him then moved an all for not much more than Vasquez’s initial raise. However, the next player then also moved all in for even more.
“A call wouldn’t cripple me,” says Vasquez, who works as an order filler when not playing poker. “I called and my opponents are holding pocket Kings and pockets Tens. I flopped a set of Queens to get the double knockout.”
It's a wrap for #PASCOOP 🔔
Thanks to everyone that participated 🤝 and congratulations to everyone that scooped a 🏆.🥳 Congrats to kingboss93 @isaacG_rimes for taking down the Main Event for 💰 $46.4K 🏆, calling their own shot, after finishing 2nd in Pennsyl-MANIA 😮 pic.twitter.com/P1pUOJTg45
— PokerStarsUSA (@PokerStarsUSA) May 4, 2021
That moved him to more than 3 million in chips and Vasquez went into day two second in chips with over 4.5 million.
As he battled at the final table Vasquez set up on his apartment’s balcony. On the final hand, his K♠6♠ held up when he caught another Six on the board. It was quite a celebration after he’d finally booked the nice five-figure score.
“I had a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label open once I made it to the final table,” he says. “I made the call on the last hand and when it held, I was jumping and yelling. Some expletive words out. – I’m sure the neighbors above heard it.
“I took a shot of Blue Label to calm my nerves and sat and just thought about what had transpired in the last month. I was coming for this and it actually happened.”
Life of a PA online poker grinder
Hitting the virtual tables is a regular routine for this poker grinder. Vasquez loves being able to play some legal online poker in his home state.
“I think online poker in Pennsylvania is awesome and was waiting for a regulated site,” he says. “I was happy when PokerStars decided to come in 2019 and now we have a couple more sites [partypoker US Network skins Borgata Poker and BetMGM] making their way to the state. It’s definitely looking promising.”
What’s his own poker routine? Vasquez likes being alone when he plays. A huge movie and TV buff, Vasquez hits play on a film or show for some background entertainment. Some days he may even take in a poker stream while he’s playing himself.
Outside of poker, Vasquez enjoys music and is a big sports fan. He loves basketball, football, and baseball, cheering on the Portland Trailblazers, Atlanta Falcons, and New York Yankees.
Like many poker players in regulated markets, Vasquez is a part-time player but gets plenty of time at the tables. If he’s not at a home game, he’ll be playing in a tournament online.
Occasionally, Vasquez even does both – playing live while hopping in a tournament on his phone. His poker routine usually involves playing some at night and on weekends. He loves tournaments with buy-ins of $50 and above, but also plays Hold’em cash games in the $1/$2 to $2/$5 range.
“I like playing the bigger guarantees as well because they just give me a better sense of focus,” he says.
Bigger bankroll, ready for more
Now with a nice poker score, what’s Vasquez have planned for his winnings?
“I’ll invest some of the money in the market, to give a boost to my portfolio,” he says. “I have a poker bankroll for sure to keep grinding away and mom, of course, will get some.”
Vasquez loves poker and is glad the win enables him to play even more. Playing online in the Keystone State has been a welcome diversion and has certainly been paying off lately.
“It feels great and for it to be legal and regulated is a big plus,” he says. “Especially since the pandemic, I’ve been playing online mostly. Hopefully there are more great things to come.”
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Partypoker US Network Brings Online Series to New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania
The month of May brings plenty of tournament action to partypoker US Network for players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. The platform is hosting its regular Online Series in all three states.
Players in each state will find 10 events and a six-figure overall guarantee. There are events for every bankroll and should offer plenty of action.
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A look at the Online Series in New Jersey
Players in New Jersey can access the series via the partypoker, BetMGM, or Borgata Poker skins. The series runs May 16-23 with $315,000 guaranteed across all tournaments.
The largest event takes place on May 23 with a $1,060 buy-in and a $100,000 guarantee. Players will also find multiple progressive knockout (PKO) events.
In a PKO, when a player is knocked out only a part of his bounty goes to his opponent. The other portion is placed on the winning player’s head.
The more a player eliminates other players, the more that player’s own bounty is valued. These tournaments make for some interesting dynamics. PKOs have become extremely popular in recent years.
“I prefer bounty-style poker tournaments,” says Frankie Russo Jr., a poker player from Moorestown, New Jersey. “It allows me to play in some bigger events and still have a better chance of winning money back when I take someone out.”
Some other highlights from the New Jersey series include:
- $535 NLHE 8-Max (Event 1, May 16) – $50,000 guaranteed
- $215 NLHE 8-Max (Event 2, May 17) – $20,000 guaranteed
- $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO (Event 7, May 21) – $25,000 guaranteed
- $109 Half Priced NLHE (Event 9, May 23) – $35,000 guaranteed
Here’s a look at the complete schedule.
Partypoker/BetMGM/Borgata Poker Online Series NJ
| Date | Event | Buy In | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16 | #1: $50K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $535 | $50,000 |
| May 16 | #2: $10K GTD 8-MAX MINI NLHE | $20 | $10,000 |
| May 17 | #3: $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $215 ($100 bounty) | $20,000 |
| May 18 | #4: $20K GTD 8-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 ($150 bounty) | $20,000 |
| May 19 | #5: $20K GTD 6-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $320 | $20,000 |
| May 20 | #6: $20K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 ($100 bounty) | $20,000 |
| May 21 | #7: $25K GTD 8-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 | $25,000 |
| May 22 | #8: $25K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 | $25,000 |
| May 23 | #9: $35K GTD $109 1/2 PRICE NLHE | $109 | $35,000 |
| May 24 | #10: $100K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $1,060 | $100,000 |
Freeroll awards $25,000
On May 30, New Jersey players will have a chance to play in the $25,000 Invitational Freeroll. Players can win entries by simply playing online.
Those earning 25 reward points playing poker between May 10-30 receive a free entry to the freeroll. The $25,000 will be shared by the top 333 finishers.
Michigan Online Series preview
Even though the Michigan and New Jersey Online Series are similar, they feature different events. The BetMGM skin is available for players in Michigan. As in NJ, the MI festival runs May 16-23 with $315,000 guaranteed.
The $1,060 main event runs on May 23 and comes with a $100,000 guarantee. Some other highlighted tournaments include:
- $109 Half Price NLHE (Event 2, May 16) – $35,000 guaranteed
- $109 PLO (Event 6, May 20) – $10,000 guaranteed
- $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO (Event 7, May 21) – $25,000 guaranteed
- $20 Mini NLHE Championship (Event 10, May 23) – $10,000 guaranteed
Check out the complete schedule below.
Partypoker/BetMGM Online Series MI
| Date | Event | Total | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 16 | #1: $50K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $535 | $50,000 |
| May 16 | #2: $35K GTD $109 1/2 PRICE NLHE | $109 | $35,000 |
| May 17 | #3: $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 18 | #4: $20K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 19 | #5: $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 20 | #6: $10K GTD 8-MAX PLO | $109 | $10,000 |
| May 21 | #7: $25K GTD 8-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 ($100 bounty) | $25,000 |
| May 22 | #8: $25K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 | $25,000 |
| May 23 | #9: $10K GTD MINI CHAMPIONSHIP NLHE | $20 | $10,000 |
| May 23 | #10: $100K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $1,060 | $100,000 |
Pennsylvania Online Series preview
Pennsylvania residents can take part in the action May 23-30 with $360,000 guaranteed. Players in the state can access partypoker US Network via the Borgata Poker of BetMGM skins.
Like in NJ and MI, the Keystone State festival includes 10 different events with buy-ins ranging from $20 to $535. The $535 main event is set for May 30 with $100,000 guaranteed Some other highlights include:
- $535 NLHE8-Max (Event 1, May 23) – $50,000 guaranteed
- $109 Half Priced NLHE (Event 2, May 23) – $40,000 guaranteed
- $109 8-Max PLO (Event 6, May 27) – $10,000 guaranteed
- $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO (Event 7, May 28) – $25,000 guaranteed
- $20 Mini NLHE Championship (Event 9, May 30) – $10,000 guaranteed
Here’s the complete PA schedule.
Partypoker/BetMGM/Borgata Poker Online Series PA
| Date | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23 | $50K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $535 | $50,000 |
| May 23 | $40K GTD $109 1/2 PRICE NLHE | $109 | $40,000 |
| May 24 | $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 25 | $20K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 26 | $20K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 |
| May 27 | $10K GTD 8-MAX PLO | $109 | $10,000 |
| May 28 | $25K GTD 8-MAX PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 ($100 bounty) | $25,000 |
| May 29 | $25K GTD 6-MAX NLHE | $215 | $25,000 |
| May 30 | $10K GTD MINI CHAMPIONSHIP NLHE | $20 | $10,000 |
| May 30 | $100K GTD 8-MAX NLHE | $535 | $100,000 |
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Daily promotions and Sunday Special
During the Online Series, players can still look for big Sunday events and daily promotions. This includes weekly Sunday specials including the $10 and $20 Deepstack events with $250 and $500 guarantees. Partypoker also hosts a $20 daily bounty tournament with a $1,000 guarantee and nightly PLO tournaments as well.
The popular nightly $10,000 guaranteed tournament will also run daily and is available in Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Jersey. Here’s a quick look at that event:
- Start time: 7 pm (ET)
- Buy-in: $109
- Starting chips: 50,000
- Late registration: re-entries allowed until the end of Level 15
A look at some recent winners
Partypoker US network is coming off another big series in April. In New Jersey, Partypoker ran the $1,060 two-day Borgata Open Online main event with a $150,000 guarantee.
Jaime “ Mooseman1710” Reyes came into the final table fourth in chips. He climbed the ladder and defeated Michael “Gags30” Gagliano heads up to take home the top prize.
Reyes scored his second largest online win of all time by raking in $34,497.
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Legalization Update: A Look at US States Considering Regulated Online Poker
US online poker players have seen some big news in recent months. Five states offer legal, regulated online poker and several others have made some moves toward legalization.
Illinois and Connecticut remain strong possibilities, but others have also at least shown some interest in the last few months. Online poker is currently legal in:
Here’s a look where some of these states stand regarding online poker.
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Illinois efforts at online gaming continue
The state’s House Executive Committee met in late April to consider the proposed Internet Gaming Act. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Robert Rita (D) and Jonathan Carroll (D).
Online Poker Report notes that the bill generally received a positive reception from lawmakers. The timeline for launch seemed the biggest concern in getting online gaming up and running.
“If there’s any remaining cause for skepticism, it’s mainly about the launch date,” OPR reports. “Although Illinois sports betting became legal in spring 2019, the first app only launched on June 18 the following year. The state is hoping for a much faster timeline from iGaming legalization to launch.”
The bill’s authors are hoping to circumvent a long launch delay. The legislation gives the gaming board 90 days to adopt emergency rules for the industry. The bill calls for issuing temporary licenses to companies already holding sports betting licenses in the state.
The IGA allows casinos and racetracks to offer up to three online gaming skins. Those properties could partner with other online gaming companies as seen in other states.
Online gaming would be taxed at 12% of gross gaming revenue with $10 million set aside to treat problem gambling. If approved, Illinois would become the sixth state to legalize online poker.
Industry experts predicted $250 million in online gaming revenue for the first year. That could reach a financial benefit of $1 billion within five years, industry experts believe.
“There’s a definite pent-up demand for iGaming,” said Brendan Bussmann, a partner at Global Market Advisors – a gaming and entertainment research and consulting firm.
While online gaming efforts appear to be going well in Illinois, poker players know that legalization efforts can easily get derailed. That’s been the case in other states recently.
Connecticut sees momentum for online gaming
Gov. Ned Lamont (D) has reached agreements with the state’s two major tribes, the Mohegan and the Mashantucket Pequot. With lawmakers and the tribes on board, iGaming (including poker) seems like it can reach the finish line this year.
State efforts to legalize online gaming also include sports betting. Some details remain to be worked out including the number of operators/skins allowed in the state.
Lamont has already included potential online gaming revenue in his new state budget. He expects the state to reap as much as $50 million in revenue by 2022.
“Our neighboring states are moving forward with sports betting,” Lamont said during his budget address to the state legislature, “and iGaming and Connecticut should not leave these opportunities for other states to benefit from our inaction.”
Indiana bill dies in committee
Sen. Jon Ford (R) introduced an online gaming bill in January which would have also included poker.
“We’re estimating between $65 to $80 million in annual tax revenue, so that certainly helps the argument,” Ford told Play Indiana. “Also, our casinos are still at 50% capacity with no food and beverage. We should want to do this bill to help the casino industry that has been down quite a bit this year.”
Despite his efforts, the bill died in committee. The senator believes that a limited number of committee sessions because of the Coronavirus pandemic didn’t help his cause.
Those in the industry remain positive about the issue’s passage next year.
“I still think there’s interest in legalizing iGaming in the legislature,” Casino Association of Indiana CEO Matt Bell told Play Indiana. “I think it’s a matter of timing, not policy. We will continue to educate lawmakers and make a great case for iGaming in 2022.”
Kentucky delays online gaming efforts
As reported by USPoker in February, online gaming efforts in Kentucky have stalled. A differing gaming issue may have played a role.
In September 2020, the state’s supreme court ruled that historical horse racing (HHR) games violated the state constitution. HHRs are slot machine-like games based on real historical races.
Several states have these machines, which complement live horse racing and offer tracks additional revenue. The ruling left state legislators and the horse racing industry scrambling to legalize the machines.
“Our top priority for the 2021 legislative session is maintaining the status quo to ensure historical horse racing can continue operating in Kentucky as it has for the past decade,” Churchill Downs Vice President of Communications Tonya Abeln told the Courier-Journal. “The preservation of the associated $5.2 billion economic impact statewide as well as the direct and indirect jobs of 60,000 Kentuckians impacted by HHR is now in the hands of the Kentucky General Assembly.”
The state legislature recently approved just such a bill, which was signed by Gov. Andy Beshear (D). How does this affect online gaming and poker?
With priorities shifted, an online gaming bill has been delayed. State Rep. Adam Koenig (R) introduced a bill in January that would legalize online gaming
However, the HHR issue looks to have delayed any possible passage to 2022. The state’s legislative session has now closed. But Beshear has been a supporter of expanded gaming, including online.
“This bill is on hold while we deal with a state supreme court ruling on our historical horse racing machines,” Koenig told USPoker recently. “Until that is settled no action will occur on my bill.”
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West Virginia online poker remains legal, but no platforms have launched
While online poker is technically legal in West Virginia, no operator has launched. The state does have online casino gaming, but no poker yet.
Online poker needs a larger player pool, and as a rural state WV just doesn’t have the numbers to support a ringer-in market.
The good news is the recent federal appeals court ruling regarding the Wire Act paves the way for interstate compacts. The bad news is that it remains unknown it will take for that process to play out. Until then, WV poker players will be in a waiting game.
WSOP.com coming to Pennsylvania and Michigan?
The Keystone State now has two online poker options – PokerStars and partypoker US Network’s BetMGM and Borgata Poker skins. Stars and BetMGM are also operating in Michigan.
Could a third operator be launching soon in both states? Rumors have swirled in recent days that a WSOP.com launch is approaching. The World Series of Poker’s online platform is operated by 888poker. On April 28, 888 Holdings CEO Itai Pazner updated the situation in a call with investors.
“We are excited about the US, where we plan to roll out sports into further states in the next few months, and launch our upgraded poker platform into further states in partnership with Caesars and their leading and hugely popular WSOP brand,” Paznar said.
“We’re planning to launch in the first half of this year, which basically means in the next couple of months.”
That would allow players in both states to compete on the platform, but likely in ringed-in environments. Unless interstate compacts are finalized, players will only compete against others in the state.
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Partypoker US Network Sees Overlays in PA, MI Sunday Majors; Online Series in the Works
Partypoker US Network entered the Pennsylvania market on April 29. For the first time, the state had multiple online poker options.
Players can now make use of the BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker skins. The sites combine player pools and Sunday brought the second week of major tournaments.
USPoker took a look at some of the results to gauge how things are going so far. Partypoker is also now in Michigan via the Borgata Poker skin, and USPoker also took a look at those Sunday majors.
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Results at partypoker PA
Partypoker offers just a fraction of the PokerStars player pool in Pennsylvania, but that site had quite a head start. As of Monday, party/BetMGM was seeing an average of 26 cash game players with 24-hour peaks of 55.
Tournament players have found some overlays as well. The $215 Sunday $40K fell $13,800 short of the $40,000 guarantee. “DrFuzzyBottom” took the win for $9,199.
The $109 Daily $10K attracted 84 entries for an $8,400 prize pool, $1,600 below the guarantee. “Until_Wilted” took the top spot for $2,950.
Partypoker sees several overlays in Michigan on Sunday
The Michigan market continues to see some growth at partypoker. The first week saw a seven-day average of 55 cash game players and a 24-hour peak of 121 players.
That’s grown to an average of 75 players and peaks in the 140 range. Several of the Sunday majors this week brought overlays as the platform still works to add players.
The $215 Sunday $40K fell $1,600 short of the $40,000 guarantee. The event attracted 192 entries with “ParryGreenstein” taking the top spot for $8,000.
The $55 Sunday Starter features a $3,000 guarantee and fell $650 short of that. The tournament brought in 47 entries with “Pollan” winning for $1,200.
Sunday’s $109 Daily $10K brought in 81entries to fall $1,900 short of the guarantee. “Farmhand” took the win for $2,950.
More to come at partypoker
Partypoker has some ground to make up in Pennsylvania and Michigan, but It’s still early in both states. Some upcoming tournament series may help bring more rounders tot he player ranks.
The platform’s popular Online Series begins on BetMGM in Michigan on May 16. That series features 10 events and more than $300,000 guaranteed. That includes a $1,060 main event with $100,000 guaranteed.
A similar Online Series begins in New Jersey on May 16 with 10 events and an overall guarantee of $325,000. NJ players will also find a $1,060 main event with.
In Pennsylvania, the Online Series kicks off on May 23 with a $109 tournament featuring $100,000 guaranteed Check back to USPoker on Tuesday for a complete preview these series.
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Three’s A Crowd For Michigan And Pennsylvania Online Poker As WSOP Prepares Its Long-Awaited Expansion
WSOP will soon become the third poker room in two new states – PA and MI – and transition to 888’s new Poker 8 platform at the same time.
Will PA Poker Players Soon Be Competing For WSOP Circuit Rings?
Pennsylvania online poker players waited a long 17-plus months for a second and third operator. Now it looks as if they’ll get a fourth.
Borgata and BetMGM Poker sites launched in PA on April. 29, finally ending the PokerStars PA monopoly. And looks as though a WSOP.com PA launch is imminent.
In a Q1 trading update on April 28, 888 Holdings CEO Itai Pazner said:
“We are excited about the US, where we plan to roll out sports into further states in the next few months, and launch our upgraded poker platform into further states in partnership with Caesars and their leading and hugely popular WSOP brand.”
During their Q1 investor call, Pazner confirmed plans to launch poker in two additional states very soon.
“We’re planning to launch in the first half of this year, which basically means in the next couple of months.”
That timeline would mean players in PA, as well as Michigan, could have a WSOP.com site live by the end of June. As for these states sharing player pools with WSOP sites in other jurisdictions, don’t expect any swift movement.
Disclaimer: While a May or June launch is possible, delays on this particular site launching are not unusual, so don’t plan your summer around it just yet. We will continue to update as more information is available.
PA ready to join the ring race at WSOP.com
A WSOP.com launch will be welcome news for PA poker players, who have sat on the sidelines for months as their neighbors in New Jersey enjoyed exciting WSOP Online Circuit events.
In 2015, WSOP added online bracelet events to the live WSOP schedule, which takes place every summer in Las Vegas. When COVID-19 led to the summer festival’s cancelation, Caesars decided to host a full online bracelet series, and another this summer before the live WSOP series in the fall.
Also in response to virus concerns and live poker challenges, Caesars took its popular WSOP Circuit events fully online. The first WSOP Online Circuit event took place in Sept. 2018. But starting in 2020, monthly online festivals for players in the Nevada and NJ markets replaced live regional series.
The 2021 WSOP Online Circuit includes 12 series, one each month. Eight of the festivals would offer 12 ring events while four “Super Circuit” feature an expanded 18 ring events.
The Jan. 6 presser also mentioned, “An additional 13th online circuit event is earmarked pending launch of the WSOP.COM service in a newly regulated market.” Which many took to believe a PA launch was impending.
This month is the Caesars Atlantic City Super Circuit, running May 8-25.
While PA and MI players could very well be competing for Circuit rings soon, they’ll be doing so within their ring-fenced states. Neither state has joined any interstate poker compact, like the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) that exists between NV, NJ, and Delaware.
This could change in the near future, with Michigan most likely to join ahead of PA.
Pennsylvania regulators have been cautious when it comes to uncertainty around Wire Act legislation and litigation. But recent developments including a Jan. 2021 decision in favor of the New Hampshire Lottery provide signs of resolution, which is what it will take for PA to move toward compacting.
A PGCB spokesperson told PlayPennsylvania this week:
“It is still not clear whether the DOJ will pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court of the First Circuit decision regarding interstate gambling. Until there is some finality of the federal decision and whether there will be an appeal of that ruling, that stymies moving forward since a compact would involve a contract with other states and must adhere to federal law, and any agreement like this must be reviewed by other entities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. So, it is not just a PGCB decision. Also, the poker operators need to agree to the provisions of any agreement.”
The window for such an appeal by the DOJ is closing. But don’t expect PA to pool players with other states ahead of this summer’s 2021 WSOP Online bracelet series.
WSOP PA next up in expanding Pennsylvania poker market
The addition of WSOP.com to a growing Pennsylvania online poker market is an exciting prospect. Players will have more options for games and tournaments, solid welcome bonuses and promotions, and soon, bigger player pools and prize pools.
Plus, the PA WSOP site will roll out on 888’s fresh, upgraded Poker 8 client. Either the PA or MI market will be the first stateside to launch the newly designed platform. Other US markets will eventually transition to it as well.
But perhaps what PA players are most excited for is being able to compete for coveted WSOP Circuit rings, and eventually WSOP bracelets, without trekking to NJ and crashing on a friend’s couch.
Lead image credit: AP Photo/John Locher
The post Will PA Poker Players Soon Be Competing For WSOP Circuit Rings? appeared first on Play Pennsylvania.
PASCOOP Exceeds Guarantee by 30% at PokerStars; ‘Kingboss93’ Prediction Comes True In Main Even
The Pennsylvania Spring Championship of Online Poker (PASCOOP) wrapped up recently at PokerStars. The series produced nice numbers, paying out $2.6 million – a 30% increase over the $2 million guarantee.
The series saw more than 47,000 entries across 41 events and featured three-buy-in levels.
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Inside the PokerStars PASCOOP numbers
Turnout remains high for online poker in Pennsylvania. Players continue to head to PokerStars for major series and that continued with PASCOOP.
The two-day PASCOOP Main Event High ended on May 3 and attracted 1,015 entries. That produced a total prize pool of $284,200, a hefty bump to the $200,000 guarantee.
In the end, “Kingboss93” took the top spot for $46,410 after predicting his victory earlier this year. In April, Kingboss93 placed second in PokerStars’ Pennsyl-Mania tournament.
Upon being congratulated on Twitter, King predicted the PASCOOP win.
Congrats man 2nd here I’m coming for the SCOOP💯💪🏽
— KINGBOSS (@isaacG_rimes) April 7, 2021
Beyond the Main Event, PASCOOP featured two important firsts for PokerStars in Pennsylvania. The series included three buy-in tiers for the first time – High, Medium, and Low.
The approach helped provide opportunities for players of all bankrolls to compete. The series also included a $2,000 high roller event for the first time.
That event garnered 53 entries and awarded a $100,700 prize pool. “Pariszoo11” came out on top for $16,970.
Some other PASCOOP winners
This year’s PASCOOP featured two other main events as well. “fubadbeatbob” won the $75 “mid” event for $9,380 and “s3agoat1” took down the $30 “mini” for $4,485.
The series also produced several doubles winners. Here’s a look at those who claimed two PASCOOP trophies:
- ActuallLy
- CancelChristmas
- garbanzoprince
- hunterm
- iamsmirk
- jbrink22
- KAP1316
- RealizeRealLies
- ThisRealLife?
Three players even topped that feat – scoring a triple scoop this year. ChrundleTheGr8, thewhitesmith, and waltsnotdeadyet all scored three trophies.
PokerStars recently announced the signing of two PA-based poker streams. Both Mark “naigo1” Foresta and Kevin “whoopsboom” Becker made multiple final tables. Each also came close to winning a title.
Foresta finished third in the $300 Super Tuesday (Event 26-H). Fellow Stars ambassador Jennifer Shahade also took ninth.
Becker recorded two third-place finishes and a runner-up in $200 Eigh-Max, Turbo PKO (Event #33-M). It was a nice series for PokerStars’ newest team members.
SCOOP gears up in MI, NJ
The PokerStars SCOOP action now heads to Michigan and New Jersey. The action runs May 8-24 with more than $3 million guaranteed between the two.
In Michigan, players will find $2 million in guaranteed prize pools across more than 120 events. New Jersey players can look for $1.2 million across more than 100 events.
The series feature a variety of tournaments and buy-in levels to suit all bankrolls. Both are highlighted by $300 Main Events set for May 23-24.
The MISCOOP Main Event features a $200,000 guarantee with NJSCOOP awarding $100,000.
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PokerStars Casino plans Mother’s Day promotion
With Mothers Day set for Sunday, PokerStars Casino is offering some extra fun this weekend for those in Pennsylvania and Michigan. The Mother’s Day Race allows players to climb the leaderboard to win cash prizes just for playing the games they enjoy.
In all, 400 players will earn a top prize of $1,000. Races are free to enter and add extra excitement with more opportunities to win.
Casino Races are available across a range of slots or live casino games. Players can opt in and register at any time via the Casino Races lobby or widget. The widget appears in-game when a race becomes available.
Once registered, players simply make winning bets in any eligible games to earn leaderboard points. Points are awarded at a rate of 10 points per net $0.01 won.
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