KNOCKOUT: BetMGM Packs a Punch With New PKO Series, Almost $500K Guaranteed
Poker players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania won’t have to throw any punches, but knockouts are encouraged at BetMGM. The Summer PKO Fest runs Aug. 14-21 with 25 events and combined guaranteed prize pools of over $480,000.
The festival features something for everyone one, with buy-ins ranging from $20 to $215. Each night players can jump in the ring and fight it out in three tournaments.
“As we reach poker’s summer months, it becomes more important than ever to offer players what we know will be popular and, right now, progressive knockout events are more popular than ever,” BetMGM director of poker Luke Staudenmaier said in a news release. “This is the sixth BetMGM Poker event to feature PKOs in 2022 and the second to be built completely around the variant.”
In New Jersey, players can get in the action on the partypoker, BetMGM, and Borgata Poker skins. Players in Michigan have the BetMGM option and Pennsylvania players can check out BetMGM or Borgata Poker.
What’s a progressive Knockout (PKO)?
New to a PKO tournament? These are special types of bounty tournaments. When a player eliminates an opponent, that player cashes in for 50% of the opponent’s bounty.
Those funds go directly into the winning player’s own account. The other half is added to the player’s own bounty. This makes bounties increase throughout the tournament, providing for some interesting dynamics later in the event.
BetMGM Summer PKO Fest highlights
The Main Event in the series is the Summer PKO Finale tournament. In all three states, the $215 event takes place on Aug. 21. Each state’s championship comes with these guaranteed prize pools: New Jersey ($30,000), Michigan ($25,000), and Pennsylvania ($20,000)
Besides the PKO Finale, BetMGM is offering many other interesting tournaments. Other events that stand out include:
- $215 Summer PKO (Event 1, Aug. 14) – $20,000 guaranteed in NJ; MI; $15,000 in PA
- $100 Slam PKO (Event 7, Aug. 16) – $15,000 guaranteed in NJ; $10,000 in PA, MI
- $100 Six-Max PKO (Event 16, Aug. 19) – $10,000 guaranteed in NJ; $8,000 in PA, MI
- $50 Pot Limit Omaha PKO (Event 20, Aug. 20) – $4,000 guaranteed in NJ, MI; $3,000 in PA
Here’s a look at the complete schedule for New Jersey:
New Jersey – BetMGM Summer PKO Fest
Date Event Buy-In Guarantee Bounty Time
August 14 #1: $20K GTD Summer PKO Opener $215 $20,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 14 #2: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 14 #3: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 7:00 PM
August 15 #4: $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 15 #5: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 15 #6: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 16 #7: $15K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $15,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 16 #8: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 16 #9: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 17 #10: $10K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 17 #11: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 17 #12: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 18 #13: $15K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $15,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 18 #14: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 18 #15: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 19 #16: $10K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 19 #17: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 19 #18: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 20 #19: $10K GTD Summer Slam PLO PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 20 #20: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PLO PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 20 #21: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PLO PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 21 #22: $30K GTD Summer PKO Finale $215 $30,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 21 #23: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 21 #24: $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 21 #25: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 8:00 PM
Michigan – BetMGM Summer PKO Fest
Date Event Buy-in Guarantee Bounty Time
August 14 #1: $20K GTD Summer PKO Opener $215 $20,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 14 #2: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 14 #3: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 7:00 PM
August 15 #4: $8K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 15 #5: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 15 #6: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 16 #7: $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 16 #8: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 16 #9: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 17 #10: $8K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 17 #11: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 17 #12: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 18 #13: $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 18 #14: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 18 #15: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 19 #16: $8K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 19 #17: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 19 #18: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 20 #19: $8K GTD Summer Slam PLO PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 20 #20: $4K GTD Summer Scrap PLO PKO $50 $4,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 20 #21: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PLO PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 21 #22: $25K GTD Summer PKO Finale $215 $25,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 21 #23: $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 21 #24: $8K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 21 #25: $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 8:00 PM
Pennsylvania – BetMGM Summer PKO Fest
Date Event Buy-in Guarantee Bounty Time
August 14 #1 $15K GTD Summer PKO Opener $215 $15,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 14 #2 $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 14 #3 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 7:00 PM
August 15 #4 $8K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 15 #5 $3K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $3,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 15 #6 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 16 #7 $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 16 #8 $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 16 #9 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 17 #10 $8K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 17 #11 $3K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $3,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 17 #12 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 18 #13 $10K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $10,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 18 #14 $5K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $5,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 18 #15 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 19 #16 $8K GTD Summer Six-Max PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 19 #17 $3K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $3,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 19 #18 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 20 #19 $8K GTD Summer Slam PLO PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 20 #20 $3K GTD Summer Scrap PLO PKO $50 $3,000 $25 8:00 PM
August 20 #21 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PLOPKO $20 $2,000 $10 9:00 PM
August 21 #22 $20K GTD Summer PKO Finale $215 $20,000 $100 5:00 PM
August 21 #23 $4K GTD Summer Scrap PKO $50 $4,000 $25 6:00 PM
August 21 #24 $8K GTD Summer Slam PKO $100 $8,000 $50 7:00 PM
August 21 #25 $2K GTD Summer Sprint PKO $20 $2,000 $10 8:00 PM
Pick-A-Card promo
In other BetMGM news, the site is offering an additional bonus for players through Sept. 9. Those earning 35 rewards points or more in tournaments or cash games are eligible for the Poker Pick-A-Card promotion.
Players can enter each day they earn enough points. The cards selected can can include any of the following prizes:
- $100 Daily C-Note ticket
- $20 Daily C-Note satellite ticket
- $10 Daily C-Note satellite ticket
- $5 Daily C-Note satellite ticket
- $2 tournament dollars
More daily bounty tournaments
For players looking for additional bounty events, BetMGM offers nightly bounty tournaments each night at 8:15 pm (ET). The events continue during the Summer PKO Fest and come with a $1,000 guarantee.
Additional tournament details include:
- Buy-in: $20
- Starting chips: 3,000
- Late registration: re-entries allowed until the end of Level 9
- Blinds: 10 Minute levels
BetMGM also offers daily satellites for the tournament. Players looking to grab a PKO seat will find qualifiers starting as low as $2.