There were over $1.5 million in prizes when the blizzard ended, and the sun came out on the 888poker XL Winter Series this week. The massive $500k Main Event finished on Tuesday, Jan 31, with over 2000 entries for the biggest field and prize pool of the entire series.
The total guarantees for the recent XL Winter Series on 888poker were just over $1.46 million, but when the snow stopped, the total prizes piled up to just above $1.5 million for an increase of almost 3%. With close to $110k in fees collected across all events, the XL Winter Series was an excellent success for 888poker.
The biggest game on the schedule was the $500k guaranteed Main Event. While that game failed to hit the guarantee, with only $483,865 in total money collected, the difference was quickly covered by more than $30k in fees from that tournament alone.
Even with the missed guarantee, the Main Event played out in the mystery bounty format with a $50k top bounty, was the biggest game of the series with the largest guarantee, the biggest prize pool, and the most entries.
2023 XL Winter Series Summary
| Total Events | 28 |
| Total Guaranteed | $1,461,500 |
| Total Prizes | $1,504,935 |
| Diff from Gtd | $43,435 |
| % Diff from Gtd | 2.97% |
| Average Buy-In | $269.84 |
| Median Buy-In | $109.00 |
| Total Entries | 16,168 |
| Games above Gtd | 20 |
| Games missed Gtd | 8 |
| Total Fees | $107,664 |
Winter Series Heats Up
With 20 games breaking the guarantee across the 28-game series, guarantees were surpassed in 60% of the games. For the eight games that missed the guarantee, about $35k in overlay needed to be paid out, but the series collected $107,664 in fees, so the balance was in the green.
The Main Event was the most extensive field of the entire series, with over 2050 entries across many Day 1 flights. That wasn’t enough to hit the guarantee, but it was enough to lead the series in entries by about 100.
Several other games cracked the 1000-entry barrier, however. XL Winter 13 came shy of 2000 entries but barely missed its guarantee, while XL Winter 17 had 1380 entries and an extra $7k in prizes over the guarantee.
2023 XL Winter Series Best Entries
| Event | Buy-In | Guarantee | Total Entries | Prizes | % Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL Winter 28 | $250 | $500,000 | 2,059 | $483,865 | -3.23% |
| XL Winter 13 | $11 | $20,000 | 1,957 | $19,570 | -2.15% |
| XL Winter 17 | $160 | $200,000 | 1,380 | $207,000 | 3.5% |
| XL Winter 11 | $6 | $5,000 | 1,306 | $6,530 | 30.6% |
| XL Winter 02 | $109 | $120,000 | 1,174 | $117,400 | -2.17% |
The Main Event topped the lists in nearly every category in this series, including the total prize pool. That was hardly a surprise, given the guarantee was $500k, more than double the next highest guaranteed game.
Three other games had more than $100k in the prize pool, but only half the $100k+ prize pools hit their guarantees. The fifth-best game by prize pool, the $50k guaranteed XL Winter 25 with $57,150 in prizes, also found a spot on the Best Increase on Guarantee list at 14.3% for fourth place.
2023 XL Winter Series Biggest Prize Pools
| Event | Buy-In | Guarantee | Total Entries | Prizes | % Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL Winter 28 | $250 | $500,000 | 2,059 | $483,865 | -3.23% |
| XL Winter 17 | $160 | $200,000 | 1,380 | $207,000 | 3.5% |
| XL Winter 02 | $109 | $120,000 | 1,174 | $117,400 | -2.17% |
| XL Winter 26 | $2,100 | $100,000 | 51 | $102,000 | 2% |
| XL Winter 25 | $55 | $50,000 | 1,143 | $57,150 | 14.3% |
The high rollers came in best as far as boosting the promised prizes. The $1050 XL Winter 24 High Roller event only had 50 entries, but that was enough to put almost 43% extra into the final prize pool of $50,000.
Two $109 games saw more than 30% above their guarantees. XL Winter 04 and the guaranteed $20k collected more than $27k each by the time the registration period was over. The fifth-biggest prize pool game, XL Winter 25, comes fourth, with almost 15% extra in the prize pool.
2023 XL Winter Series Best Increase on Guarantee
| Event | Buy-In | Guarantee | Total Entries | Prizes | % Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL Winter 24 | $1,050 | $35,000 | 50 | $50,000 | 42.86% |
| XL Winter 04 | $109 | $20,000 | 276 | $27,600 | 38% |
| XL Winter 15 | $109 | $20,000 | 272 | $27,200 | 36% |
| XL Winter 25 | $55 | $50,000 | 1,143 | $57,150 | 14.3% |
| XL Winter 17 | $160 | $200,000 | 1,380 | $207,000 | 3.5% |
It was an excellent way for 888poker to kick off its 21st year of operations after spending 2022 celebrating the operator’s 20th birthday. The first online series of 2023 made more than $70k in profit for 888 and awarded $1,539,840 in total prizes for a solid start to the new year.
2023 XL Winter Series Full Results
| Event | Buy-In | Guarantee | Total Entries | Prizes | % Diff | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XL Winter 01 | $55.00 | $50,000 | 1,135 | $56,750 | 13.50% | $56,750 |
| XL Winter 02 | $109.00 | $120,000 | 1,174 | $117,400 | -2.17% | $120,000 |
| XL Winter 03 | $525.00 | $50,000 | 97 | $48,500 | -3.00% | $50,000 |
| XL Winter 04 | $109.00 | $20,000 | 276 | $27,600 | 38.00% | $27,600 |
| XL Winter 05 | $11.00 | $5,000 | 564 | $5,640 | 12.80% | $5,640 |
| XL Winter 06 | $320.00 | $30,000 | 102 | $30,600 | 2.00% | $30,600 |
| XL Winter 07 | $33.00 | $12,000 | 421 | $12,630 | 5.25% | $12,630 |
| XL Winter 08 | $109.00 | $15,000 | 190 | $19,000 | 26.67% | $19,000 |
| XL Winter 09 | $33.00 | $7,500 | 272 | $8,160 | 8.80% | $8,160 |
| XL Winter 10 | $55.00 | $20,000 | 489 | $24,450 | 22.25% | $24,450 |
| XL Winter 11 | $5.50 | $5,000 | 1,306 | $6,530 | 30.60% | $6,530 |
| XL Winter 12 | $1,050.00 | $35,000 | 30 | $30,000 | -14.29% | $35,000 |
| XL Winter 13 | $11.00 | $20,000 | 1,957 | $19,570 | -2.15% | $20,000 |
| XL Winter 14 | $525.00 | $45,000 | 83 | $41,500 | -7.78% | $45,000 |
| XL Winter 15 | $109.00 | $20,000 | 272 | $27,200 | 36.00% | $27,200 |
| XL Winter 16 | $11.00 | $5,000 | 610 | $6,100 | 22.00% | $6,100 |
| XL Winter 17 | $160.00 | $200,000 | 1,380 | $207,000 | 3.50% | $207,000 |
| XL Winter 18 | $320.00 | $30,000 | 93 | $27,900 | -7.00% | $30,000 |
| XL Winter 19 | $33.00 | $12,000 | 455 | $13,650 | 13.75% | $13,650 |
| XL Winter 20 | $109.00 | $15,000 | 176 | $17,600 | 17.33% | $17,600 |
| XL Winter 21 | $33.00 | $7,500 | 299 | $8,970 | 19.60% | $8,970 |
| XL Winter 22 | $320.00 | $20,000 | 79 | $23,700 | 18.50% | $23,700 |
| XL Winter 23 | $33.00 | $7,500 | 337 | $10,110 | 34.80% | $10,110 |
| XL Winter 24 | $1,050.00 | $35,000 | 50 | $50,000 | 42.86% | $50,000 |
| XL Winter 25 | $55.00 | $50,000 | 1,143 | $57,150 | 14.30% | $57,150 |
| XL Winter 26 | $2,100.00 | $100,000 | 51 | $102,000 | 2.00% | $102,000 |
| XL Winter 27 | $22.00 | $25,000 | 1,068 | $21,360 | -14.56% | $25,000 |
| XL Winter 28 | $250.00 | $500,000 | 2,059 | $483,865 | -3.23% | $500,000 |
