BetMGM Poker has revealed two tournament series for its US online poker player pool, both scheduled to run over the coming weeks and together offering more than $3.4 million in guaranteed prize money.
One of the two is already in progress, while the marquee festival, the Heart Online Championships, will carry a $3 million guarantee when it runs from April 5 through April 19.
Before that headline-grabbing series gets underway, BetMGM Poker has rolled out March Matchups, a basketball-themed tournament festival. It is a relatively compact series, played out over a single extended weekend after kicking off last Thursday and continuing through Sunday.
Despite spanning just four days, the guarantees are respectable, especially given that the network operates within a ring-fenced player pool across only three states: New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania. In total, $400,000 in prize money is spread across 16 tournaments, averaging roughly $25,000 per event.
Buy-ins begin at $25 and go up to $500, with the bulk of the schedule priced at $100 or below. Each event carries a basketball-inspired name, including First Basket, Hook Shot, Finger Roll, Layup, and others.
- Up to $85 in tournament tickets on top of the bonus
- Frequent MTT series with good guarantees
- Combined player pools in Michigan and New Jersey
Terms & Conditions apply. Must be 21+. PA Only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms. If you or someone you know has a Gambling Problem, help is available, Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In Partnership with Hollywood Casino Penn National Race Course.
Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. Must be 21+. NJ only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit and/or tournament entries. Rewards subject to expiry. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Terms & Conditions apply. Must be 21+. MI Only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable site credit, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Terms.
Bet With Your Head, Not Over It. Must be 21 or over and in Michigan to play. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call the MDHHS Gambling Disorder Help-line at 1-800-270-7117 or visit the MDHHS website.
Series Starts with Overlays, Big Events to Follow
The series has opened with overlays across the board. Four tournaments have already wrapped up, and each failed to meet its guarantee, forcing the operator to cover the shortfall.
That includes the $100 Tip-Off, the opening event of the series, which featured a $30,000 guarantee. It attracted 319 entries, missing the mark by a little over $600.
Next came the $500 First Basket, which carried a $40,000 guarantee but drew only 70 entries, resulting in a sizable $7,100 overlay. A $50 Step Back followed with a $10,000 guarantee, pulling in 193 entries and falling short by more than $1,000. The final tournament of Day 1, a $25 Fast Break Turbo with a $5,000 guarantee, recorded 216 entries and also narrowly missed its target.
At this stage, the series has already proven to offer added value for players, with every completed event overlaying. If the trend continues, further opportunities could emerge over the remainder of the schedule.
Twelve events are still to be played, including several of the biggest tournaments slated for the closing day. Three events are set to run tonight with a combined $40,000 in guarantees, followed by another three on Saturday with an identical total.
The final day features six tournaments carrying the largest share of the prize pool, with combined guarantees of $239,000. Leading the lineup is the $250 Triple Double, the biggest event on the schedule with an $80,000 guarantee. It is followed by the $500 Slam Dunk PKO, played in a bounty format, which comes with a $70,000 guarantee.
Two lower buy-in events, priced at $25 and $50, each offer $12,000 guarantees, while the series concludes with the $250 Post Game PKO, featuring a $30,000 prize pool.
March Matchups Side Prizes
Although the series runs for only four days, it is supported by several promotional incentives. To begin with, each of the 16 event winners will receive a customized basketball jersey in addition to their first-place prize. This is in line with the operator’s approach to sports-themed series, with each jersey personalized using the winner’s screen name and event number.
There is also a leaderboard promotion in place. The top five finishers will share $1,000 in sports Bonus Bets, with points awarded based on tournament buy-in, finishing position, and prize money earned.
In addition, players who enter at least two March Matchups events will qualify for the Spin the Wheel promotion, giving them a chance to win casino bonus prizes.
Heart Online Championships Set for April
Once March Matchups concludes, attention will shift to BetMGM Poker’s flagship festival, the Heart Online Championships. The series comes with a $3 million guarantee, matching the largest tournament offerings on the network, and will be spread across 71 events.
While full details have yet to be released, the schedule includes a number of Trophy events, 19 in total, where winners will earn a physical trophy in addition to the top prize.
The series is anchored by three standout tournaments, each carrying six-figure guarantees. These include the $1,000 Championship event on April 12 with a $350,000 guarantee, followed by the $250 Sunday Main on April 19 offering $100,000. On the same day, the $2,500 Super High Roller will also take place, featuring another $350,000 guarantee.
Winners of all three headline events will receive trophies. Other highlights include a trio of $500 High Roller events scheduled for April 5, April 7, and April 9, each with guarantees ranging from $75,000 to $85,000. A $250 PKO event on April 5 will also offer a $75,000 guarantee.
Further details are expected to be released as the series approaches.
The Heart Online Championships will mark BetMGM’s second Championship series of the year and forms part of its new seasonal concept built around the four card suits. The schedule began with the Spade series in January, followed by the upcoming Heart edition in April, with Club and Diamond set to complete the cycle later in the year.
