Best Online Poker Tournaments in Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania has been a driving force behind reopen online poker in the US since the infamous Black Friday shutdown. Now, several operators offer legal, real-money poker in the state.
Find and play all the best online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania and see the full (updated) schedule, showing all the latest upcoming PA poker tournaments. Online poker is legal and regulated in Pennsylvania. There are plenty of sites that players have to choose from, including PokerStars PA, BetMGM Poker PA, Borgata Poker PA and BetRivers Poker.
What's more, thanks to multi-state agreements, you can now play against players from other states while on PA operators! This means more players, more games and (more importantly) bigger prizepools!
This page will look at the various poker tournament options available in Pennsylvania.
Best PA Sites for Online Poker Tournaments
| Best for... | Site | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Bounty Builders (+PKOs) | PokerStars PA | Huge range of bounty builders available to play in all formats and stakes |
| Mystery Bounty Builders | WSOP Online PA | Weekly $200k GTD MBT + special, larger MBTs during Series |
| High Rollers | BetMGM/Borgata PA | Strong daily/weekly high roller offering + special, huge buy-in high rollers during Series |
| Freerolls | BetRivers PA | Generous daily $200 GTD and weekly $1,000 GTD freerolls |
| Satellites | PokerStars PA | Most extensive satellite offering, with feeders to most featured tournaments |
Play Online Poker Tournaments in Pennsylvania
The following section will help you get more familiar with the various types of Pennsylvania online poker tournaments you can play, ranging from one-table Sit & Go’s to MTTs with upwards of hundreds of players.
What Are Online Poker Tournaments?
Online poker tournaments are a format of poker where players receive a starting stack of chips in exchange for a buy-in and play with increasing blind levels until one player has all the chips. Some would argue that a tournament is the most popular online poker game. There are freerolls and real money poker tournaments at the online poker sites PA has to offer.
What Makes a Good Poker Tournament?
There are a few different factors that determine whether a tournament is 'good' or not, and which are most important will depend on what you prioritize. Here are a few common factors to consider when picking your next tournament:
- Players
Having a good number of players in a tournament allows for a decent payout structure. - Well-timed Levels
Good timings on each blind level means that tournaments won't be too long/short. - Good Payout Structure
A solid payout structure determines how many players get paid and provides a fairer distribution of the prize pool. - Starting Stack
Play and aggression will differ based on how deep the tournament stacks are and how many chips each player starts with. - Information Available
Important info, such as how many players are left and payouts, will help dictate on-table decisions.
Unlike poker chips in cash games, poker tournament chips cannot be cashed out, and players must play until they are eliminated. Some online tournaments draw thousands of entrants and can create massive prize pools and lead to significant paydays.
With only a select percentage of online poker players in an online poker tournament, play differs significantly around the money bubble. ICM becomes a consideration — something else that makes tournaments unique from cash games. Players can earn entry into various events through tournament tickets won in lower buy-in satellite tournaments or even poker freerolls. These tournament tickets can become extremely valuable.
Many Pennsylvania poker players earn a nice living playing multi-table tournaments these online poker sites offer. These online poker players are skilled and crush it on regulated online poker sites.
What Online Poker Tournaments Can I Play in Pennsylvania?
We will now break down the various types of poker tournaments that Pennsylvania poker sites offer and explain what makes them different.
Bounty Builder Poker Tournaments in PA
Bounty tournaments are those where a portion of the buy-in goes to bounties earned by knocking out players. Bounty builders are tournaments where bounties increase progressively as the tournament goes on. Online poker PA sites are notorious for offering these exciting types of events.
What is the Best PA Poker Site for Bounty Tournaments?
Alongside PokerStars, plenty of other poker sites offer bounty tournaments for players in PA, ranging from progressive knockouts to circuits and more:
| Site | Formats Offered | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Bounty builders, PKO | Daily/weekly bounty events; $10 Bounty Builder |
| BetMGM, Borgata PA | PKO, Bounty Blitz series | Weekly $320 Thursday PKO; Bounty Blitz series |
| WSOP Online PA | Circuit, bracelet PKOs | PKO-style events within circuit series |
| BetRivers | Coming soon | TBC |
Mystery Bounty Poker Tournaments in PA
Mystery Bounty tournaments are a fun twist on the conventional knockout poker format. It works the same way, however bounties aren't in play until players reach the money. At that point, any player that is knocked out will be rewarded a random amount as their bounty reward. This gets particularly interesting when you have cheap buy-ins with huge player pools. Here, it's not uncommon to have five-figure mystery bounties with a single-figure buy-in amount!
What is the Best PA Poker Site for Mystery Bounty Tournaments?
Most PA poker sites offer some form of Mystery Bounty tournaments, with a variety of formats to choose from:
| Site | Formats Offered | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Mystery Bounty (daily, weekly), series | $11 Daily Mystery Bounty; Saturday $3.30–$44 MBTs; Sunday MBT series with $100K+ guarantees |
| WSOP Online PA | Mystery Bounty in bracelet/circuit events | $100 Sunday Celebration MBT ($200K GTD); $1,000 MBT Championship ($1.5M GTD) |
| BetMGM, Borgata PA | Mystery Bounty format supported, occasional events | No major PA-exclusive events, some as part of multi-state network |
| BetRivers | TBC | TBC |
High Roller Poker Tournaments in PA
High rollers are tournaments at higher buy-ins than typical players are accustomed to. While it varies, online high rollers typically range from $250 to $10,000. You'll find many high rollers at PA online poker rooms.
What is the Best PA Poker Site for High Roller Tournaments?
Choose from a range of high roller tournaments at each of the legal poker sites operating in PA:
| Site | Formats Offered | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | High Roller MTTs (8‑max, 6‑max) | Super Tuesday Higher Roller ($250, 100k chips, $20K GTD); Sunday High Roller ($250, $20K GTD) |
| BetMGM, Borgata PA | Mid-to-high stakes MTTs, Super High Rollers | Friday Special ($215, 50k chips weekly); May Millions series: $2,500 Super High Roller + $1,000 Championship ($400K GTD) |
| WSOP Online PA | Super High Roller events, Championship MTTs | $2,500 Super High Roller in Spring series (part of MSIGA); $1,000 Championship ($400K GTD) |
| BetRivers | Mid-to-high stakes MTTs | Weekly $200 Sunday High Roller ($12,500 GTD) |
Freeroll Poker Tournaments in PA
Freerolls are promotional events where players can win tickets, try to win a seat in another event, and ultimately parlay a big score. Some freerolls have prize pools that players can compete for a piece of. You'll find several freerolls on all the PA poker apps.
What is the Best PA Poker Site for Freeroll Tournaments?
All our recommended PA poker sites offer freeroll tournaments, including new player and existing player promotions:
| Site | Formats Offered | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | New‑player & “Second Chance” freerolls | Daily Second‑Chance Freerolls during PASCOOP (ticket prizes) |
| BetMGM, Borgata PA | Depositor & celebratory freerolls | Occasional MSIGA‑network freerolls |
| WSOP Online PA | Welcome‑week & depositor freerolls | 7 Welcome‑Week freeroll tickets; exclusive depositor freeroll for $50K prize in 2021 |
| BetRivers | Daily and Weekly | Daily $200 Freeroll and weekly $1,000 freeroll (prizes paid in tickets) |
Poker Satellites in PA
Similar to freerolls, satellites allow players to put up a small buy-in and win a seat in a more significant event rather than taking home a cash prize. Satellites enable recreational players to take their shot at higher stakes and play events they usually wouldn’t. The Pennsylvania online poker market is stacked with juicy satellites.
| Site | Formats Offered | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars PA | Online satellites to MTTs and series events | Qualifiers for PASCOOP & Sunday Majors; low‑buy‑in seats into $50–$500 weekend MTTs |
| WSOP Online PA | WSOP Main Event & bracelet event satellites | Weekly satellites ($215–$320) to $10K WSOP Main Event seats; All‑In satellites |
| BetMGM, Borgata PA | Satellites for big MTT series and network events | MSIGA‑based qualifiers for Super High Roller and Championship events; occasional Sunday qualifiers |
| BetRivers PA | Low‑buy‑in satellites to mid/high‑stakes tourneys | Sit & go qualifiers and lower‑tier MTT seats; growing schedule via MI/DE/WV pool |
Why Play Online Poker tournaments?
Before looking any further at online poker tournament options, you may be wondering why you should be playing tournaments in the first place. What makes poker tournaments more appealing than cash games?
While tournaments and cash games have pros and cons, several things make online poker tournaments worthwhile.
Unlike cash games, poker tournaments allow players to rapidly build their bankroll by shipping a big event, meaning tournaments can quickly excel your growth in poker.
A deep tournament run can also leave a player taking home anywhere from 100 to 1,000 times their initial investment, which is simply impossible in cash games. The allure makes tournaments more exciting than cash games for many players.
Never chase losses
Always set limits
Take regular breaks
The Best Online Poker Tournaments from PA Operators
You now know what tournaments are and why you should play them, but let's get into the best tournaments offered by each PA poker site.
PokerStars PA Tournaments
Like in other states, PokerStars PA offers one of the most comprehensive and consistent tournament schedules in PA, making it an ideal option for both casual and more professional players. With smooth software, strong traffic, and varied formats, the site offers an ideal poker experience for any MTT fan.
Key aspects that we feel are particularly great about PokerStars PA are the daily volumes, the range of different formats and poker variants you can play and mega-series they host, such as the PASCOOP. Players can find everything from microstakes to high rollers, bounty events, and mystery bounties. There are also a tonne of satellites for all their most popular tournaments, allowing players to play higher stakes at a discounted price.
Top 5 Regular PokerStars PA Tournaments
- Sunday Special – $100 buy-in, $40K GTD
- Super Tuesday – $250 buy-in, $20K GTD
- Bounty Builder $10 – Daily, PKO format
- Thursday Thrill – $100 buy-in, PKO
- Daily $11 Mystery Bounty – Popular low-stakes event
BetMGM PA Tournaments
BetMGM Poker PA delivers a strong tournament lineup, especially appealing to mid- and high-stakes players. While the daily volume is slightly lower than PokerStars, the site makes up for it with a structured weekly schedule, high-value series, and access to a shared player pool via MSIGA.
With plenty of Progressive Knockouts, Super High Rollers, freerolls and satellites, there is depth and diversity. The interface is user-friendly, and tournament fields are competitive but beatable, especially during promotions.
Top 5 Regular BetMGM PA Tournaments
- Friday $215 Special – 50K chips, deep structure
- Sunday $109 PKO – Weekly bounty event
- Daily $20 MTT – Low-stakes grinder-friendly
- $535 High Roller – Featured in series and Sundays
- Mystery Bounty Events – Appearing in seasonal series
Borgata PA Tournaments
Borgata Poker PA shares its platform and player pool with BetMGM, offering a very similar tournament schedule. This is great, as it means more players to play against, with access to a robust mix of daily MTTs, Progressive Knockouts, and high-value series events powered by the MSIGA network.
While Borgata has less brand visibility than BetMGM, it often mirrors the same structures, buy-ins, and guarantees. So, why play tournaments on Borgata PA? Simply put, you can take advantage of different promotions and bonuses while still enjoying a top-class tournament schedule.
Top 5 Regular Borgata PA Tournaments
- Friday $215 Special – Deep-stacked weekly event
- Sunday $109 PKO – Knockout format with solid turnout
- Daily $20 MTT – Consistent and accessible
- $535 High Roller – Featured in major series
- Mystery Bounty Tournaments – Run during key seasonal events
WSOP PA Tournaments
WSOP PA offers a competitive tournament schedule, enhanced by its prestigious branding and access to bracelet and circuit events. The downside is that its daily volume is slightly lower than PokerStars or BetMGM, but WSOP PA comes into its own during seasonal series. These often feature big guarantees, Mystery Bounties, and Championship-level buy-ins.
Its recent integration into the MSIGA network means larger prize pools and deeper fields. WSOP is also definitely the site for players chasing glory. With various World Series of Poker online bracelet events AND satellites to the WSOP in Las Vegas itself, WSOP PA is the destination for those wanting to mix it at the very top of the game.
Top 5 Regular WSOP PA Tournaments
- $100 Sunday Celebration – Mystery Bounty format
- $215 Bracelet Satellite – Weekly qualifier to WSOP Main
- $30 Daily Deepstack – Popular daily tournament
- $500 Circuit Event Qualifier – Runs during series
- $2,500 Super High Roller – Featured in seasonal events
BetRivers PA Tournaments
BetRivers Poker PA is a newer entrant in the state’s online poker scene. As a result, there are some limitations, but don't be quick to bypass the site. With legacy Run It Once software and a dedication to giving back ALL rake made to players in the form of bonuses and promotions, BetRivers is still a good option for online poker tournaments.
While the overall volume and prize pools are smaller compared to established platforms like PokerStars or BetMGM, BetRivers PA benefits from its inclusion in a multi-state network, which is steadily increasing player traffic. The platform is beginner-friendly, with regular satellites, daily MTTs, and a clean interface. What's more, BetRivers are highly responsive to player feedback, so expect many improvements and evolutions while it's still in its infancy.
Top 5 Regular BetRivers PA Tournaments
- Daily $10 MTT – Low-stakes, accessible action
- $33 Sunday Special – Mid-level weekly highlight
- $5.50 Satellite Qualifiers – Entry to bigger events
- $109 Feature Event – Runs during monthly series
- Weekly $1,000 (GTD) freeroll
PA Poker Tournaments - Shared Liquidity
As of April 2025, Pennsylvania officially joined the MSIGA (Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement), allowing licensed online poker operators to merge player pools with other participating states, such as New Jersey, Michigan, and Nevada. This development has had a major impact on PA poker tournaments, significantly increasing participation, prize pools, and tournament variety across all the platforms involved.
WSOP.com was the first operator in PA to fully implement shared liquidity, meaning players in Pennsylvania can compete in tournaments against others from NJ, MI, and NV. This has brought larger fields, more competitive events and the return of exclusive WSOP bracelet and Circuit events with multi-state entries.
BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker PA have also launched their shared player network soon, further expanding cross-state competition. However, it's not yet quite as expansive as WSOP's, with just Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Michigan (BetMGM Poker only in MI) .
PokerStars is somewhat lagging behind the rest. While it can expand its shared liquidity network, it currently only operates across Michigan and New Jersey. Pennsylvania is likely to join at some point in the not too distant future.
BetRivers, on the other hand, has gone all out since launching in Pennsylvania in October 2024. After just eight months, it had already expanded its shared liquidity across four states (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware and West Virginia), being just the second online poker site in the US to operate a four-state network. What's more, it's likely to add further to its expanding multi-state compact, with New Jersey and Nevada likely too join in the future.
Best Online Poker Tournaments in Pennsylvania FAQs
Are online poker tournaments legal in Pennsylvania?
Yes, online poker has been legal in Pennsylvania since 2019 and several licensed online poker operators are in the state.
What is the best website for playing online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has multiple regulated and reliable poker sites, including PokerStars PA BetMGM Poker PA and Borgata Poker PA.
How do I play online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania?
To play online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania, simply create an account with any operator in the region, deposit and register to the tournament of your choice.
Is there a rake when you play online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania?
Yes, like at casinos, all regulated poker games include a rake for cash games and a fee for tournaments.
Are online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania tax free?
Depending on the amount of winnings, poker tournament earnings must be reported in Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the United States.
Can I satellite into the WSOP in Pennsylvania?
Yes, you can satellite into the WSOP in Pennsylvania. Numerous satellites are running on all the poker sites in PA, so there may one day be opportunities to win a seat to the World Series of Poker.
What are the best poker tournaments in Philadelphia?
Many of the best online poker tournaments in Pennsylvania run on sites like BetMGM Poker PA and PokerStars PA, both of which offer MTTs, Sit & Go’s, and Satellites.