BetMGM Hosting Inaugural Online Poker Series in Michigan

Less than a month after debuting in Michigan, BetMGM is set to host its first online poker tournament series in the state.

The BetMGM Online Series will consist of 10 events and run from Sunday through April 25. The series will wrap up with a $75,000 Main Event, which includes a $535 entry cost — a $500 buy-in and $35 entry fee.

The series has a total of $305,000 in guarantees for Michigan players.

No-Limit Hold’em Most Used Format

Most of the events in the BetMGM Online Series will be played with No-Limit Hold’em varieties. Nine of the 10 events are No-Limit Hold’em, with Pot-Limit Omaha the one that’s different. The Pot-Limit Omaha tournament is the third one of the series.

Most of the events have buy-ins between $109 to $215, but there is one “mini” tournament that costs players only $20 to enter. A majority of the contests have a standard format with unlimited re-entry periods, but the second and sixth events are progressive knockouts.

Daily satellites are also running for all of the events, giving players who may not be able to make the buy-ins for all the tourneys a chance to still qualify. There are Opening Weeks Daily Freeroll Invitational tournaments that give players the chance to qualify. Freerolls take place at 6 p.m. each day and are open to 3,500 runners. Each one has 15 prizes up for grabs with the total prize money eclipsing $1,500.

Competition in Michigan

BetMGM Poker launched in Michigan on March 22 to join PokerStars as the two operators offering online poker to residents within the state. BetMGM's launch came exactly two months after the state officially went live with mobile sports betting and online casinos on Jan. 22.

PokerStars also held a commemorative series when it launched, called the Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP). The MICOOP ended up generating over $2 million in prize money after it continually reset guarantees for its events.

BetMGM’s new series is launching on a smaller scale, with just 10 events compared to the MICOOP’s 60. Still, having BetMGM gives players the opportunity to compete in more events and will continue to breed competition between the two operators in the state. This will benefit players in Michigan as both operators attempt to gain a foothold in the online poker market in the state.