888poker launched its signature XL Winter Series with a bang on January 16. Thus far, 30 of the scheduled 44 events have been completed, with just a few days to go.
The Series promised $1.5 million in guarantees, but with $1,086,510 already awarded, it seems like a fair bet that the overall payouts of the poker series will be higher than originally projected.
The first 30 events saw 22,643 entries take to the felt and battle it out in a variety of poker formats, including full-ring, 6-max, 8-max, and progressive knockout, with buy-ins ranging from just $16.50 to $250 for the Main Event.
The XL Winter Series now heads into its final days, with the grand Main Event expected to kick off on Sunday, January 30, guaranteeing $500,000 in prizes.
Before we look at the tournaments that lay ahead, let’s take a look at how the Series has progressed so far and whether or not it has lived up to expectations.
What’s Happened So Far?
The 888poker XL Winter Series launched on January 16 with the first three events all happening that day, including the $100,000 Opening Event which featured a $55 buy-in. Things kicked off well for the poker operator, who was able to meet the guarantee on that one as well as the other two events of the day.
For the most part, the Series reached its expectations in terms of entry numbers, with the majority of events meeting the guaranteed prize pool. Only events #22, #27, and #30 underperformed in terms of guarantees, with all three events actually coming very close and the operator able to compensate for the loss from the rake paid by the entries.
In terms of winners, Event #22, the $200,000 Tune-Up was the biggest of the Series thus far, with Maltese player Farrugia_1 taking home the lion’s share of a three-way deal for $22,000.
In the remaining tournaments, it was the Russian, British, and German poker players who had the most success, with a total of four titles each, followed closely by players from Brazil, Ukraine, and Belarus with three each, Sweden with two, and Ireland, Canada, Malta, Finland, and Turkmenistan with one each.
With just five days to go, the 888poker Series will feature another 14 events before it closes out, offering plenty of opportunity for success to those who have fallen short thus far.
XL Winter Series Stats So Far:
Tournaments Completed — 30
Prize Pool Awarded — $1,086,510
Entries Attracted — 22,643
Overlays — 3/30 (10%)
Total Overlay Amount — $15,160
Tournaments Remaining — 14
XL Winter Series Main Event Approaching
On Sunday, January 30, 888poker will host the XL Winter Series Main Event which will be a two-day event, with the final table live-streamed and commentated by David Tuchman and Nick Wealthall on January 31.
The $500,000 guaranteed Main Event has attracted 659 entries so far, most of whom have qualified for it through the numerous qualifiers offered on the platform.
A number of other XL Winter Series events are still in store, the most notable of which is the $50,000 Mini Main Event, which will also be starting on Sunday and offering a chance to play for big money for an entry fee of just $33.
It is not too late to join the 888poker XL Winter Series action, as the coming days are bringing some exciting events. The biggest tournament of the Series is still ahead and poker players looking to take their shot at the big win can head over to 888poker and get in on the action.
