Pennsylvania online poker players waited a year-and-a-half for a second site to come challenge PokerStars PA‘s monopoly in the state. Finally in late April, two new online poker sites arrived – BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker – sharing player pools in Pennsylvania on the partypoker US network.
Last month the fledging sites announced their first major tournament series, although they withdrew the series before it could take place. Following some extra tinkering, the partypoker US network Online Series is now back on the schedule, with the 10-tournament series set to run June 20-27.
Partypoker plans ten tournaments with $270k in total guarantees
When the series had originally been announced for late May, it also featured ten tournaments. The new schedule keeps many of the same events in place. Most are no-limit hold’em, with one pot-limit Omaha tournament included. There is one progressive knockout event as well, plus a $20 tournament for lower stakes players.
The new schedule introduces a short-stacked “40 big blinds” tournament. Guarantees for several events have been adjusted as well. Guarantees for the cancelled May series had added up to $320,000. The new schedule’s guarantees total $270,000.
The series-ending big buy-in event has changed, too. Previously the series ended with a $535 buy-in event with a $100,000 guarantee. The new schedule culminates with a $1,060 buy-in event that sports a $75,000 guarantee.
Partypoker US Network Online Series schedule for BetMGM, Borgata PA
| No. | Date | Time (ET) | Event (Gtd.) | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 20 (Su) | 5:00 p.m. | $50K Gtd. NLH 8-Max | $535 |
| 2 | June 21 (M) | 8:00 p.m. | $20K Gtd. NLH 8-Max | $215 |
| 3 | June 22 (Tu) | 8:00 p.m. | $20K Gtd. NLH 6-Max | $215 |
| 4 | June 23 (W) | 8:00 p.m. | $10K Gtd. PLO 6-Max | $109 |
| 5 | June 24 (Th) | 8:00 p.m. | $20K Gtd. 40 Big Blinds NLH | $215 |
| 6 | June 25 (F) | 8:00 p.m. | $20K Gtd. NLH 8-Max Progressive KO Bounty | $320 |
| 7 | June 26 (Sa) | 8:00 p.m. | $20K Gtd. NLH 8-Max | $215 |
| 8 | June 27 (Su) | 5:00 p.m. | $5K Gtd. NLH 8-Max | $20 |
| 9 | June 27 (Su) | 5:00 p.m. | $30K Gtd. NLH Sunday 1/2 Price 8-Max | $109 |
| 10 | June 27 (Su) | 5:00 p.m. | $75K Gtd. NLH 8-Max | $1,060 |
The schedule resembles a similar series BetMGM Poker in Michigan is hosting over the same eight-day period. Guarantees were lowered in Michigan also after a previous running of a BetMGM Online Series encountered several overlays in May.
BetMGM, Borgata to face off against PokerStars PA Summer Stacks
As noted, Pennsylvania poker players can access the partypoker US network via either BetMGM Poker or Borgata Poker sites. Both use the same software platform, making the player experience similar regardless of the site chosen.
The series will compete with the final week of PokerStars PA’s Summer Stacks Series that starts tomorrow and runs June 12-28.
That said, the PokerStars series will perhaps attract a different segment of PA player pool as all of the events feature buy-ins of $100 or less. Aside from the one $20 event, the partypoker US network Online Series buy-ins range from two $109 events to the $1,060 finale.
It will be interesting to see how the partypoker US network Online Series performs on the Pennsylvania sites. During the first six weeks of operation, some of the sites’ marquee tournaments with guaranteed prize pools have had overlays.
For example, the $215 buy-in Sunday $40,000 GTD on June 6 drew 151 entries, resulting in a $9,800 overlay. The $12,000 guaranteed Mega $535 Tuesday on June 8 came closer, though with 23 entries still had a $500 overlay. Other smaller tournaments with lower buy-ins have been exceeding their smaller guarantees.
Satellites into partypoker US Network Online Series events should also help increase field sizes. Similar series in New Jersey and Michigan have featured such qualifying tournaments with buy-ins for many events starting as low as $5.
