GARDEN STATE GRINDING: WPT Teams Up with Partypoker, Borgata for NJ Online Series (Updated with Schedule 9/2)
After success with the first New Jersey partnership between the WPT and partypoker, the two companies are back for more. Partypoker officially announced the WPT Online Borgata Series on Tuesday including $275,000 in total guarantees.
Party partners with MGM in New Jersey for online poker and has added its premier Atlantic City casino and poker property to the mix. The casino usually runs the WPT Borgata Poker Open in September and the online series, set for Sept. 13-21, now takes that event’s place.
“The partnership is great because it gives players the opportunity to compete in large WPT events from the comfort of their own homes,” WPT executive tour director Matt Savage told USPoker. “The WPT is proud to partner with a trusted regulated site like partypokerUS Network.”
Another big WPT/partypoker addition to the US online poker scene
The Online Borgata Series comes on the heels of a record-breaking WPT/partypoker event in June. The WPT Online Poker Open attracted 868 entries, producing a prize pool of $317,540. That was a nice turnout, topping the $300,000 guarantee.
Other US operators have also seen great results in recent months as players look for action during the Coronavirus pandemic.
In recent months, the WPT has shifted to partner for online events with partypoker on the international market. The site has also heavily promoted its own sweepstakes poker site, ClubWPT.
With Atlantic City poker rooms closed, including the Borgata, another WPT event may be popular with players. The festival showcases three premier poker brands in a single series for rounders across New Jersey.
“Partypoker US Network continues to identify opportunities to provide the best online poker experience for our players,” partypoker US director of poker Ray Stefanelli said in a news release. “We are proud to expand our relationship with the World Poker Tour and provide players across New Jersey with another state-of-the-art offering.
“The WPT Online Borgata Series combines the live prestige of the WPT and Borgata to the online poker community across the partypoker US Network.”
WPT Online Borgata Series highlights
The new series is expected to offer players 11 events. While an official schedule hasn’t been released yet, there are a few highlights that have been announced.
The two-day $1,060 WPT Online Borgata Series Main Event highlights the series on Sept. 20. The final table will be live streamed on Sept. 21.
Organizers haven’t announced a main event guarantee, but this story will be updated if there is one. Another big event is the $215 Kickoff to begin the series on Sept. 13. The Sunday No Limit Hold’em event features a $100,000 guarantee.
Other highlights include:
- $535 Heads Up – This event is set for Sept. 19 and capped at 32 players. Players registering by Sept. 16 receive their $35 registration fee back after participating in the event.
- Progressive Knockout Bounties – Organizers promise a few of these popular events on the schedule.
- Main Event qualifiers – Partypoker will be offering numerous satellites throughout the series. Players can win their way into the Main Event for as little as $5. Score well in $5 qualifiers and move on to $45 and $215 satellites. It’s a shot at a nice tournament score for only a few bucks.
Players may also “phase” into the Main Event for $109. Phase tournaments have become popular events at partypoker NJ.
A phase tournament differs a little from a traditional satellite. Satellite winners enter into the target event with that event’s starting chip stack. In a phase event, remaining players from Phase 1 enter the target event with the chip stack previously accumulated.
Partypoker and the WPT promise a nice mix of events and buy-ins.
“Our partners have worked diligently to ensure that the schedule has something for everyone at differing buy-in levels,” Savage says, “and gives players so many ways to qualify and satellite into the Main Event.”
Getting in the WPT Borgata action
In New Jersey, the partypoker network also includes BorgataPoker.com and BetMGM. Players can participate on any of the platforms, but must physically be in New Jersey to register and play.
A full WPT Online Borgata Series schedule is expected to be announced later this week. USPoker first made note of the new series on Monday.
Fresh off another Online Series, partypoker that saw that main event top the $50,000 guarantee. That championship ended up paying out more than $64,000.
Partypoker and WPT officials are hoping the Garden State success continues with the new Borgata event.
WPT Vice President of Global Tour Management Angelica Hael said: “WPT and partypoker US Network have created a unique festival for players of all bankrolls across New Jersey to compete in a weeklong series that combines the best of the live and online realm.”
Here’s a look at the complete schedule:
WPT Online Borgata Series
Date | Time | Event | Total BuyIn | Bounty | Guarantee |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 13 | 5 pm | #1: SUNDAY NLHE | $215 | $100,000 | |
Sept. 14 | 7:30 pm | #2: NLHE R+A | $109 | $10,000 | |
Sept. 15 | 7:30 pm | #3: 8-MAX FREEZEOUT | $320 | $30,000 | |
Sept. 16 | 7:30 pm | #4: NLHE | $215 | $25,000 | |
Sept. 17 | 7:30 pm | #5: PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $535 | $250 | $25,000 |
Sept. 18 | 7:30 pm | #6: SIX-MAX NLHE | $215 | $20,000 | |
Sept. 19 | 7:30 pm | #7: HEADS UP - 32 MAX BRACKET | $535 | ||
Sept. 20 | 7:30 pm | #8: PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $320 | $150 | $30,000 |
Sept. 20 | 5 pm | PHASE 2 – Main Event powered by partypoker US Network | $1,060 | ||
Sept. 20 | 8 pm | #9: TURBO PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 | $75 | $20,000 |
Sept. 21 | 7 pm | PHASE 2 – DAY 2 LIVE STREAMED FINAL TABLE | |||
Sept. 21 | 8 pm | #10: TURBO PROGRESSIVE KNOCKOUT BOUNTY | $215 | $100 | $20,000 |
Check back to USPoker when a complete schedule is announced.
Players looking to get in on the WPT Online Borgata Series action can take advantage of some nice exclusive USPoker bonuses. Click these links to find out more and take advantage: partypoker NJ, BorgataPoker.com, BetMGM.
Borgata poker photo courtesy WPT/Joe Giron.