WCOOP, MiniFTOPS Smash Opening Weekend Guarantees WCOOP, MiniFTOPS Smash Opening Weekend Guarantees
Key Takeaways
  • PokerStars and Full Tilt both running big tournament series’ this week.
  • WCOOP is off to a big start as the first three events alone have shattered their combined guarantee of $3M by $1.78M.
  • MiniFTOPS also smashes guarantees for its first events.

A pair of high profile online poker series kicked off over the weekend as both PokerStars and Full Tilt look to reel in players with some of their biggest tournaments, with massive guarantees at a variety of buy-in levels.

PokerStars annual headlining event, the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), returned this past Sunday and continues through the better part of the month. It consists of 66 events—the biggest WCOOP in its 13-year history—spread over a variety of disciplines with a massive total guarantee of $40M.

There are at least 3 events running each day, and buy-ins range from $215 to the $5200 NLHE Main Event (and two $10,300 High Rollers). The series is off to an big start: The first three events have shattered their combined guarantee of $3M by $1.78M. Satellites are running for every event in the series as well.

PokerStars’ sister site, the resurrected Full Tilt Poker, is also running its MiniFTOPS XXIII which provides players the shot at over $3M in guaranteed prizepools for a fraction of the buy-in.

The MiniFTOPS format brings 2-3 events with healthy guarantees each day, with most being in the $10-$30 buy-in range. The series has a $70+$5 Main Event that promises a $750,000 prizepool as well as their high-roller event, a 2-day $200+$15 affair.

Much like the WCOOP, the MiniFTOPS event is off to a fast start with day 1 action eclipsing the initial guarantees by over $100k.

More information and scheduling on both the WCOOP as well as MiniFTOPS XXIII can be found on their respective homepages.