The XL Autumn Series, taking place on 888poker, is in full throttle, with players enjoying great value thanks to juicy overlays.
Having kicked off on September 17, the series features 34 numbered events and an assortment of side events featuring $2 million in guaranteed prize money. Buy-ins across the series range from $5.50 and go up to $525 for the High Roller.
This grand return marks the revival of the series after a two-year hiatus, marking it as the second XL-branded tournament series hosted by 888 this year. Back in May, 888poker hosted the highly successful XL Spring Series, where they dished out a staggering $2 million in prize pools across 104 tournaments.
As the XL Autumn Series enters its final weekend, 24 out of the scheduled 34 events have already concluded. These past tournaments have collectively showered players with over $750,000 in prize money (not even counting the side events).
Impressively, these events have attracted more than 10,700 participants, and the best is yet to come, with several significant events left on the docket, including the crown jewel: the $250 buy-in Main Event, which alone guarantees a half-million-dollar prize pool.
The marquee event follows the familiar tournament structure, featuring the ever-popular Mystery Bounty format. Day 1s for the Mystery Bounty Main Event are already underway, with daily starting flights offering players multiple chances to progress to Day 2.
Up to this point, the Mystery Bounty Main Event has drawn in over 425 contenders across multiple Day 1s, covering an impressive 20% of the advertised guarantee. However, it still requires over 1700 more entries to avoid an overlay.
Judging by the turnouts witnessed thus far, there’s a strong possibility that the Main Event might fall short of its guarantee, which would translate to extra value for the participating players.
Series Draws Impressive Turnout But Fell Short of Their Target Guarantees
The series commenced two Sundays ago with a trio of Opening events, all of them boasting ambitious guarantees. While two of these events managed to surpass their respective guarantees, the $120,000 guaranteed Mystery Bounty Opening, with a $109 entry fee, fell slightly short, with 1142 entrants, creating a $5800 shortfall.
On the flip side, the $55 buy-in edition drew 800 entries, generating a $40,000 prize pool, surpassing its guarantee by nearly 15%. Meanwhile, the High Roller edition, featuring a hefty $525 price tag, amassed $44,500 in prize money.
Event #15: Mystery Bounty Mini, with its accessible $11 buy-in, emerged as a fan favorite, luring in 1102 participants and exceeding its guarantee by 10%.
However, the biggest crowd-pleaser thus far has been Event #20: Mystery Bounty, which promised a $200,000 prize pool for a $162 buy-in. Across all its Day 1s, the event managed to draw in 1286 runners. Despite the impressive turnout, it missed its guarantee by $7100.
To date, 10 out of 24 numbered events (41.67%) have fallen short of their guarantees, resulting in overlays totaling $23,152. This means that 888poker had to dip into its own pocket to make up the difference and meet the guaranteed prize money.
All eyes are now firmly fixed on the flagship Main Event, boasting the largest guarantee of the series. With daily Day 1s in full swing, even players with modest bankrolls can secure their entry through online qualifiers, starting at just 1 cent.
Additionally, the operator is generously offering freerolls that award Main Event seats valued at $250.
The XL Autumn Series runs until October 3, with 10 primary events still on the horizon. These events alone promise an additional $684,000 in guaranteed prizes, bringing the total expected payout for the series to close to $1.5 million (excluding side events).
The operator is also running a similar series on 888poker Ontario exclusively for Ontario online poker players with combined guarantees of CAD $300,000.
