Online poker players competing in the BetMGM Online Championships returned to the virtual felt Thursday evening for another exciting tournament — Event #9: 500 Warm-Up No-Limit Hold'em. Between the platforms in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, a total of 236 entrants took a shot at the combined $125,000 prize pools.
In Michigan, a $40,000 guaranteed contest, there were 74 entrants registered, all competing for the $13,132 first place prize. Nobody in the field, however, was able to outlast the brilliant play of "Pollan," who took it down following a heads-up victory against "KUNKS27," who received $7,400 for the runner-up finish. The unfortunate bubble was"coNNB," who finished in 11th place, one spot shy of the money.
Out east in New Jersey, the field hit 92 entrants in what was a $50,000 guaranteed tournament. At the end of the night, "audidriver" drove right through the competition all the way to victory and the $15,625 payday that came with it. The runner-up, "alwaysliquid," was paid $8,750 as a consolation prize. Finishing right on the bubble in 13th place was "purity1."
Ryan "Whosyourdoddy" Dodd, the Event #8 winner, took third place for $6,375.
And then in the great state of Pennsylvania, "CleggsOnGG," who is having an outstanding series, was the last player standing among 70 entrants in the $35,000 guaranteed tournament. For that impressive performance, the champion earned $11,490, beating out "gravytrain" heads-up for the title. The runner-up received $6,475, while "StrongGcowboy" was the unfortunate bubble in 11th place.
MI #9: $500 Warm-Up No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
PLACE
PLAYER
PRIZE
1
"Pollan"
$13,132
2
“KUNKS27”
$7,400
3
"Mkash03"
$5,240
4
"Schultz1"
$4,040
5
"BobBarker"
$3,040
6
"FrankiePockets"
$2,260
NJ #9: $500 Warm-Up No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
PLACE
PLAYER
PRIZE
1
"audidriver"
$15,625
2
“alwaysliquid”
$8,750
3
Ryan "Whosyourdoddy" Dodd
$6,375
4
"Rickgs"
$4,750
5
"BlackCoffee"
$3,675
6
"PocketSommun"
$2,775
PA #9: $500 Warm-Up No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
BetMGM Poker ambassador Darren Elias is no newcomer to tournament success, and the "End Boss" started off the BetMGM Poker Online Championships strong by taking downEvent #1: $500 Kick-Off No-Limit Hold'em in New Jersey for $12,925.
Elias took some time to answer a few questions from PokerNews about what he's been up to since this summer's WSOP and what his schedule looks like for the inaugural BetMGM Poker Online Championships. Those questions and answers are available below.
Can you give us a quick update on what you’ve been up to post-WSOP?
Since the conclusion of WSOP, I've been spending a good deal of time home with the family. I've travelled down to Florida for a few WPT series', but haven't played a ton of poker.
I always find myself looking for a respite from poker towards the end of WSOP, and find the time to rest and recover at home invaluable to being at my best when I do return to play. This month, I'm playing quite a bit online as BetMGM is running its largest series ever.
Darren Elias
The BetMGM Poker Online Championships is the largest series in BetMGM Poker history with over 75 events and $2M in GTDs. Seems very ambitious. How do you feel about it?
I think this BetMGM Poker Online Championship is a great offering. Our team is really willing to push the envelope with what's possible in our markets and they've put together an ambitious schedule geared towards higher stakes and big tournaments.
You’re grinding from New Jersey I assume? If so, how’s it going thus far?
Yes, I live in NJ and am playing from here. I was fortunate enough to win the first event of the series so it's been going pretty well so far. I've been pleased with the turnouts and guarantees being hit almost across the board.
What events are you most looking forward to and why?
There were a few events that caught my eye when I first saw the schedule. The first was the $2,500 High Roller Event which ran Sunday, Sep 18. There haven't been a lot of tournaments on BetMGM's network at that price point so I was interested to see how it fared and how many players came out to play.
The players did not disappoint! The winner in NJ took home $40k, and we beat the guarantee in all three states (NJ, PA, and MI). I also believe it was the highest stakes tournament ever offered by BetMGM in PA and MI, so I'd say that event was a huge success.
Darren Elias
The other event I was looking forward to is the $109 Phase Event, which has a unique structure. There are flights running every night for this event and essentially playing down to the money, where players will carry their stacks forward and continue to play down to a winner on Sunday, Sep 25. This event has a $100K guarantee which is incredible for a $100 tournament in our ring-fenced markets, and I appreciate the creativity and ambition of our team in including this event.
How do you feel about “early bird registration” where players who register at the start will get 100% rakeback? Do you usually start tournaments on time or late reg?
I love the early bird registration feature we are using during this series. As a player who almost always starts on time, I welcome receiving the rake-back benefit. I also agree with the feature from a theoretical point of view. We have seen similar rewards in the live arena for on-time registrants at high stakes tournaments, and it only seems natural that that should carry over into the online arena as well.
Who are some of the best BetMGM Online players that may stick out in your mind?
Well since I'm only able to play with the NJ players, I don't want the MI and PA players to feel slighted here. In NJ, we have a small group of regulars who play a lot of volume on BetMGM. Most of them seem to be aspiring professional players in their 20's and that gives me hope for the next wave of American Poker Players.
It brings back nostalgia to think of myself cutting my teeth playing online and I'm happy these players have that opportunity as well. I think it's great that we have states where these players can chase their dream in a legal regulated market and hope it only expands from here.
What’s next for you post-BetMGM Poker Online Championships? Any upcoming poker stops?
After the BetMGM Poker Online Championships, I'll be headed to the Bellagio in Las Vegas for the WPT Five Diamond. I'm also looking forward to the WPT series at the Wynn in December. Hoping to continue playing well and finish the year strong.
Who is your NFL Super Bowl pick?
I've been a lifelong Patriots fan, but realize that the saga of winning the Super Bowl every other year has ended. As for a pick this year, I'd have to go with the Bills. They have a strong team and Josh Allen is fun to watch.
In other BetMGM news, along with NBC Sports they have announced a new partnership for the 2022 NFL season highlighted by weekly integrations on Football Night in America (FNIA) and content across other NBC Sports platforms.
BetMGM will be featured on FNIA, the most-watched studio show in sports, in a variety of content including a weekly segment hosted by former NFL quarterback Chris Simms and sports betting and fantasy pioneer Matthew Berry. This segment will highlight storylines and betting odds for the upcoming Sunday Night Football game on NBC, Peacock and Universo. Real-time betting odds on FNIA’s scoring ticker also will be showcased. Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, will go deep into game storylines and include BetMGM betting lines that proved prominent during the matchup.
“It is a tremendous opportunity to partner with the talented team at NBC Sports and have the ability to engage with football fans nationwide,” said Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer, BetMGM. “We look forward to delivering NBC viewers our BetMGM trading team insights as well as entertaining segments that showcase the excitement of betting with BetMGM.”
Additional highlights of the partnership include:
Full BetMGM odds and lines in all Berry-hosted content across various NBC Sports platforms, including Fantasy [*]Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry, weekdays at Noon ET on Peacock, as well as Fantasy Football Pregame with [*]Matthew Berry, Sundays at 11 a.m. ET on Peacock.
Additional insights within Berry’s social media platforms throughout the NFL season, as well providing BetMGM’s platforms with access to Berry for curated boosts.
Co-branded content hosted by Chris Simms, including on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast, as well on his social platforms throughout the 2022 NFL season and through the 2023 NFL Draft.
Will McIntosh, President, NBC Sports Next & Fandango, said, “As we continue to innovate within the rapidly growing sports-betting marketplace, this new partnership with BetMGM will allow NBC Sports to engage more fans across multiple platforms. We’re looking forward to collaborating with BetMGM and are excited about the future activation opportunities this partnership will present.”
Another day of online poker action in the inaugural BetMGM Poker Online Championships wrapped up on Sept. 21 with the completion of Event #8: $250 6-Max PKO in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
The New Jersey event was the biggest, drawing 105 runners to generate $24,413 in prize money to fly by the guaranteed $20,000. In that event, Ryan "Whosyourdoddy" Dodd emerged the winner to take home the top prize of $2,703, plus an additional $3,537 in bounties, after defeating Alex "Hashtag_Hashtag" Rocha.
The Michigan event drew 90 runners to squeak past the guaranteed $20,000 prize pool with $20,925 in prize money. "ekomstop" won the event for $2,999 and an impressive bounty haul of $4,336, making them the biggest winner of the day across the three states.
In Pennsylvania, the event drew 65 entrants and generated $15,113 to surpass the guaranteed $15,000. "Masochist" took home the top prize of $1,894, but got a bigger score from the $3,254 in bounties they managed to pull.
Next up on the BetMGM Poker Online Championships schedule is Event #9: $500 Warm-Up as the clock ticks down to the $1,000 buy-in Championship event.
With the first week of the BetMGM Online Poker Championships wrapping up, it is time to look at the current Phase Chip Leaders who have dominated the series so far.
In New Jersey, familar face Darren Elias leads the way with 1,490,646 points after multiple cashes in the online series. In fact, the BetMGM Poker ambassador began the series by taking down Event #1: $500 Kick-Off for $12,925.
The leader in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is "b1gjak3," who has yet to win an event but has still managed to rack up 1,487,822 points.
The same goes for "Dmoney97" in Michigan, who hasn't logged a first-place finish but still leads the Michigan charts with 1,217,077 points.
BetMGM Poker Online Championships Week 1 Phase Chip Leaders:
The seventh event of the BetMGM Online Championships took place Tuesday evening in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Each state played the same game on a separate platform — $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em with a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Those in New Jersey got to play with the great Darren Elias, the only four-time World Poker Tour champion, many of whom outlasted the skilled pro. Elias busted in 20th place, well short of the money on the New Jersey platform.
In that same state, however, "UnderDaBed" beat out a field of 60 entrants to claim the title, good for $15,891 via a heads-up chop. The runner-up in the chop was "brownmagic" who was paid $14,888. Third place went to "chromeking," who has been one of the top performers thus far in the series, for $8,293.
Over in Michigan, no one could outlast "MikeC_55," the champion of a 48-player field, which paid the winner a nice cool $17,784. In total, six players in the state cashed, with "Bonita_Appleburr" being the unfortunate bubble in seventh place. "Schutlz1" squeezed into the money, taking sixth place for $2,280, while "NateTheGrape" had an even betting run — second place for $10,716 before losing heads-up to "MikeC_55."
In Pennsylvania, the winner was a "loser." More specifically, "Love2Lose22," who must have really hated the outcome in this tournament because he didn't lose. In fact, he took down the 51-entrant no-limit hold'em competition. That victory was worth $17,442. The heads-up loser, but still winner, was "The70kguy" who earned $10,150 for his efforts.
The BetMGM Online Championships continue on Wednesday in all three states with Event #8: $250 6-Max Progressive Knockout ($15,000 guaranteed).
MI #7: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
PLACE
PLAYER
PRIZE
1
"MikeC_55"
$17,784
2
"NateTheGrape"
$10,716
3
"coNNB"
$6,840
4
"FlipWitnEdge"
$4,560
5
"Influencer"
$3,420
6
"Schutlz1"
$2,280
NJ #7: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
PLACE
PLAYER
PRIZE
1
"UnderDaBed"
$15,891
2
"brownmagic"
$14,888
3
"chromeking"
$8,293
4
"ZenRead"
$5,928
5
"IReadYrSoul"
$4,446
6
"jerseyman99"
$3,220
PA #7: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results
Another day of online poker action in the inaugural BetMGM Poker Online Championships wrapped up on Sept. 19 with the completion of Event #6: $500 7-Max PKO in New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania, a progressive bounty event where nearly half the prize pool went toward bounties.
The biggest bounty winner was "MBohmerwald23" in New Jersey, who dominated the field of 44 runners and defeated heads-up opponent Daniel “leinad” Buzgon to win the top prize of $3,037, while also picking up $5,484 in bounties.
The New Jersey event generated a prize pool of $30,080 to just squeak past the guaranteed $30,000. BetMGM Poker ambassador Darren Elias was in on the action but fell just short of the money in 13th place, though the "End Boss" did pick up $250 in bounties.
Darren Elias
In Michigan, the PKO event drew 44 runers to generate $20,680 in prize money, and it was "georgejanssen" who collected the top prize of $3,242, while also collecting $4,328 in bounties. "coNNB" finished runner-up to take home $3,239 and another $1,625 in bounties.
The event in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, attracted 37 entrants to generate a prize pool of $17,390. "CleggsOnGG" took down the event $2,852 and also earned $4,500 in bounties.
Next up on the schedule is Event #7: $1,000, a No-Limit Hold'em event featuring one of the higher buy-ins of the series.
The final table results for Event #6: $500 7-Max PKO in each state are available below.
