Poker players in the Northeast are gearing up for the much-anticipated Borgata Winter Poker Open set to run in Atlantic City at the start of the new year.
The series, running Jan. 1-26, will feature 22 main events and a jaw-dropping $10 million in guarantees – which players can earn seats at via buy-in or NJ online poker satellite events.
Kellie DeCelis, director of poker operations, expressed the excitement surrounding the event.
“Borgata is the premier gaming destination on the East Coast, and that includes our world-class poker tournaments. After the success of last year’s tournament, ‘The Return,’ we’re excited to offer a Poker Open series and provide so many options for Championship poker at Borgata once again.”
Coolest highlights of Borgata Winter Poker Open
Hosted by Borgata Atlantic City, the series has events that will appeal to players of all bankroll sizes. Buy-ins will range from $200 up to the $5,300 main event. The Eight-Max Main Event will come with a $3 million guarantee and will run Jan 21-25.
The schedule will include mixed games, Seniors tournaments and Ladies events. Plus, the Saturday Series is coming back. This will be the largest series the Borgata has run since the pandemic.
Some of the stand-out tournaments include (the full schedule is available here):
- $800 NLH DeepStack Kickoff: $2 million guaranteed, Jan. 2-6
- $500 NLH Almighty Stack: $1 million guaranteed, Jan. 7-11
- $2,200 NLH Mystery Bounty: $2 million guaranteed, Jan. 14-18
- $1,100 PLO Championship: $100,000 guaranteed, Jan. 17-18
- $560 NLH Mini Mystery: $250,000 guaranteed, Jan. 23-25
BetMGM NJ poker online satellites and buy-ins
If some of these buy-ins might be a little too big for players pockets, online satellites will be available.
In partnership with the Borgata, BetMGM Poker NJ is set to offer weekly Borgata Winter Poker Open packages from Dec. 2023 to Jan. 2024. Prize packages will include entries to multiple tournament events, a Borgata hotel stay and other travel benefits.
Online qualifiers for the Kickoff, Almighty Million, Mystery Bounty and Championship events will be available nightly, with entry fees starting as low as $2. Players can secure their Borgata Winter Poker Open seats online through the BetMGM Poker app starting Dec. 3.
Luke Staudenmaier, director of poker at BetMGM, emphasized the accessibility of the event in a press release.
“With online qualifiers as low as $2, we are expecting new and seasoned players alike to get in on the action.”
Online registration will be available starting Dec. 3. Players can easily register online and skip the lines on the day of the tournaments. In the past, Borgata has generally given bonuses for registering online ahead of time, like free tournaments and swag. The promotion has not been announced yet, but poker players can expect Borgata to have something good up their sleeves.
Poker director breaks the ice on Winter Open
In a recent episode of the Nerdthusiast Poker Podcast, DeCelis dropped some major announcements regarding the upcoming poker events.
During the podcast, DeCelis shared insights into the poker series, disclosing the addition of nine live-stream events, creating an immersive experience for poker players at home. Four of the final tables will be live-streamed. Viewers can catch all the action from the comfort of their homes on YouTube.
Beyond the main events, DeCelis revealed that special cash games would also be streamed live each week. The live cash game events will highlight a high-roller game, ladies game and Borgata’s bread-and-butter cash game, 2-5 NLH. These streams will feature notable players from the area, adding a star-studded flair to the poker broadcasts.
For those who missed the podcast, the entire conversation can be listened to below.
