Borgata Poker Open: The Ultimate Player Guide
Your full guide to the Borgata Poker Open series, including dates, schedules, results, and online qualifiers for upcoming events.
Last updated: January 21, 2026
The Borgata Poker Open is one of the largest and most popular live poker events in the United States, traditionally taking place at least three times a year at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
With US online poker regulated in several states, players can now qualify for Borgata Poker Open tournaments via online satellites regularly hosted at BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker.
The main festivals held at the Borgata are:
- Borgata Winter Poker Open — January 2–18
- Borgata Spring Poker Open — usually in April–May
- Borgata Summer Poker Open — doesn’t happen every year, but takes place mid-July
- Borgata Poker Open — in September
- Borgata Fall Poker Open — in November, returned to the circuit after five years.
On this page, you’ll find all the details about the Borgata Poker Open festivals happening throughout the year, including results, schedules, and online satellites for upcoming tournaments.
| Borgata Poker Open Key Facts | |
|---|---|
| 📅 Dates | January, April – May, July and November |
| 🏛️ Location | Borgata Hotel & Casino, Atlatnic City, NJ |
| 🤜🤛 Number of Events | 20+ | 💸 Buy-ins | $200 – $5,300 |
| 💻 Online Qualifiers | BetMGM Poker & Borgata Poker |
| 🔞 Age to Compete | 21+ |
What is The Borgata Poker Open?
The Borgata Poker Open is a common name for a live tournament festival series taking place multiple times a year at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The series usually takes place in winter (January), spring (April–May), summer (July–August), and fall (November).
Borgata Winter Poker Open 2026
The Borgata Winter Poker Open kicked off the New Year in style, with over $8 million in guarantees spread over 75 events.
- When: January 2–18
- Where: Borgata in Atlantic City
- What: 75 events, including live satellites
- Guarantee: $8,000,000 guaranteed
The 2026 Borgata Winter Open Championship event was the highlight of the festival. With a buy-in of $3,500, it attracted 895 entries, coming close to its $3,000,000 guarantee.
The title went to Blake Vodges, who was the last player standing, after outlasting a formidable field that saw the likes of Darren Elias, Olivier Busquet, Paul Volpe, and many other high-profile players join the action. For his efforts, Vodges picked up the trophy and $457,980 in prize money.
2026 Winter Poker Open Championship Results
| Place | Player | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Blake Vodges | $457,980* |
| 2nd | Jack Kwon | $407,110* |
| 3rd | Zachary Fischer | $243,245 |
| 4th | Duane Mitchell | $159,570 |
| 5th | Benjamin Morgan | $109,925 |
| 6th | Olivier Busquet | $85,300 |
| 7th | Kyle Grupp | $67,655 |
| 8th | Greg Himmelbrand | $53,995 |
Borgata Fall Poker Open 2025
After a five-year hiatus, the Borgata Fall Poker Open (BFPO) made its return in 2025. It ran November 4 to 18 at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. The long-awaited comeback marked the completion of Borgata’s full annual poker calendar, now covering all four seasons — Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
The return of the BFPO came hot on the heels of a highly successful summer edition and strong demand from the East Coast poker community. While recent Novembers had been reserved for the Fall Mini-Series, 2025 saw the revival of the full-scale Fall Poker Open, last held in 2019. That final edition featured nearly two dozen events, including a $2,700 Championship, and drew major attention before the series was halted due to the pandemic.
There was $2 million in guaranteed prize pools for the series. The return of fan-favorite formats such as the Almighty Stack, Deepstack Mystery Bounty, Survivor, Black Chip Bounty, and a Main Event with a guarantee approaching $1 million were all scheduled.
As with other Borgata events, BetMGM Poker served as the exclusive online partner, offering both real-time registration and online satellites for players in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, with buy-ins starting as low as $5.
Borgata Poker Open Online Satellites
Players can qualify for Borgata Poker Open events and/or buy in for select tournaments online via BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker Online.
Qualifiers are usually available several weeks prior to the start of a series, giving players plenty of time to satellite their way into the Championship event and a few other big-guarantee tournaments.
Online satellites are readily available on both sites in all three states (New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania), usually starting as low as $2.
Big Big Buy-In Event Marks Opening of New BetMGM Poker Tournament Room
To celebrate the launch of a brand new BetMGM Poker sponsored poker room, the Borgata hosted a new series called the Big Big Buy-In Event.
The series ran September 8–17, 2025, and featured over $6.5 million in guarantees. Buy-ins started at $580 and went up to $10,000 for the Big Big Baller High Roller tournament that guaranteed $500,000.
Not only that, but there was a special Big Stay & Play Bonus where if you booked a 10-night stay at the Borgata before August 22, the stay worked out to less than $1,000.
A brand-new, 18-table, cross-branded poker room at Borgata in Atlantic City, created through a collaboration between BetMGM and MGM Resorts International, opened in early September 2025.
BetMGM’s Senior Manager of Poker Operations, David Mileaf, promised players “bigger buy-ins, larger prize pools and a diverse tournament structure,” and those ambitions came to life with three major poker series: Borgata Big, Big Buy Series (September 8–17), Lions of the Atlantic (October 8–19), and the Borgata Fall Poker Open (November 3–17). These events offered a mix of online and live access, including qualifying opportunities on the BetMGM Poker app, same-day live registration, and the chance to earn redeemable Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Rewards points.
Where to Watch
If you can’t make it to the Borgata Poker Open, don’t worry, you can find some of the livestream action over on YouTube. The schedule for the currently-running Borgata Winter Poker Open is as follows:
| Date | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 7 | Almighty Million Winter Kick Off final table | 1 p.m. ET |
| Jan 8 | BetMGM Hybrid Championship live final table | 6 p.m. ET |
| Jan 11 | Deepstack Main Event final table | 1 p.m. ET |
| Jan 13 | BWPO Championship feature table | 12 noon ET |
| Jan 14 | BWPO Championship feature table | 12 noon ET |
| Jan 15 | BWPO Championship final table | 12 noon ET |
| Jan 16 | PKO Bounty final table | 1 p.m. ET |
Borgata Poker Open FAQ
When does Borgata Poker Open take place?
Borgata Poker Open usually takes place three times a year — in winter (January), spring (April–May), summer (July–August), and fall (November).
How old do I have to be to play in a Borgata Poker Open tournament?
All players have to be at least 21 years old.
Where does Borgata Poker Open take place?
The Borgata Poker Open series takes place at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Can I qualify online for the Borgata Poker Open Championship?
Yes, you can qualify online for Borgata Poker Open Championship events as well as other flagship tournaments. Online satellites are hosted by BetMGM Poker and Borgata Poker.
When is the next Borgata Poker Open edition?
The next Open should take place in January as part of the Winter Poker Open.