$3,500 Main Event
Day 1a Started
2023 BetMGM Poker Championship
$3,500 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2023 BetMGM Poker Championship
Buy-in
$3,500
Prize Pool
$3,283,200
Entries
1,026
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
485
Players Left
150
Star-Studded Field Expected for $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship
Welcome to Day 1a of the second-ever $3,500 BetMGM Poker Championship, which plays out inside the wonderful ARIA Resort & Casino as part of the 2023 ARIA Poker Classic.
The BetMGM Poker Championship is scheduled over five days (June 9-13), which includes two starting flights followed by Days 2, 3, and 4.
Day 1a, 1b, and 2 all get underway at noon local time, with Day 3 beginning at 1 p.m. and moving to the PokerGO Studio. Day 4, when the final table forms, is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. and will be live-streamed.
A stacked field is expected, with some of poker's biggest names taking some time away from the 2023 World Series of Poker to make the short journey to the ARIA poker room. Also among the field will be the 100 or so qualifiers who booked their seat for a fraction of the price on BetMGM Poker.
For the $3,500 buy-in, players receive a 40,000 starting stack and must navigate ten 60-minute levels to advance to Day 2. The tournament permits one reentry per flight, with late registration closing after Level 8 (approx. 9 p.m.). Players will receive a 15-minute break every two levels, and pre-purchased seats will have their chips in play from the beginning. This year's flagship tournament instalment has also doubled the guarantee to $2 million!
The starting flights will play nine-handed, while from Day 2, all tables will be eight-handed. The unofficial final table will start when nine players remain, with the official final table set when the tournament is down to its last seven entrants.
A 30-second shot clock will be introduced one full table outside the posted payouts. The number of time extensions given to the players will be based on field size. Approximately 1 in 8 entries (12.5%) will make the money.
Day 1 Schedule
| Level | Duration | Small Blind | Big Blind | Big Blind Ante |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60 | 100 | 200 | 200 |
| 2 | 60 | 200 | 300 | 300 |
| 15-minute break | ||||
| 3 | 60 | 200 | 400 | 400 |
| 4 | 60 | 300 | 500 | 500 |
| 15-minute break | ||||
| 5 | 60 | 300 | 600 | 600 |
| 6 | 60 | 400 | 800 | 800 |
| 15-minute break | ||||
| 7 | 60 | 500 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| 8 | 60 | 600 | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| 15-minute break/End of Late Registration | ||||
| 9 | 60 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| 10 | 60 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 |
Joey Weissman Wins Inaugural BetMGM Poker Championship Main Event ($224,236)
Joey Weissman took down last year's edition of the event for $224,236 after defeating Paul Hoefer at heads-up play.
One hand that propelled Weissman to victory was when he rivered a Royal Flush to send out Michael Wang, who had a full house.
The inaugural tournament saw 343 entries, creating the $1.1 million prize pool. And among those to grab a large slice of that was Benji Felson, who finished in fifth place for $51,587. Felson, the last BetMGM Poker qualifier standing, satellited into the tournament for just $500.
2023 ARIA Poker Classic Full Schedule
The remaining schedule of the ongoing 2023 ARIA Poker Classic is available in the table below.
| Date | Start | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 9-Jun | 12:00 PM | $3,500 BetMGM NLH Day 1A $2M GTD |
| 10-Jun | 12:00 PM | $3,500 BetMGM NLH Day 1B $2M GTD |
| 11-Jun | 12:00 PM | $3,500 BetMGM NLH Day 2 $2M GTD |
| 12-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 12-Jun | 1:00 PM | $3,500 BetMGM NLH Day 3 $2M GTD |
| 13-Jun | 11:00 AM | $800 Eight Game Mix $50K GTD |
| 13-Jun | 3:00 PM | $3,500 BetMGM NLH FT $2M GTD |
| 14-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 15-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 Big O $50K GTD |
| 16-Jun | 11:00 AM | $800 NLH Seniors (50+) $150K GTD |
| 17-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 TD Mix (2-7, Badeucey, Badugi) $30K GTD |
| 18-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 PLO 8/B $50K GTD |
| 19-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 20-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 PLO $75K GTD |
| 21-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 22-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 23-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 24-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 PLO $75K GTD |
| 25-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 26-Jun | 11:00 AM | $800 PLO Mystery Bounty $150K GTD |
| 27-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 28-Jun | 11:00 AM | $800 NLH Mystery Bounty $150K GTD |
| 29-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 30-Jun | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 1-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 2-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 Limit Omaha 8/B $50K GTD |
| 2-Jul | 5:00 PM | $240 PLO Milestone Satellite 5 Seats GTD |
| 3-Jul | 12:00 PM | $1,600 PLO (2 Day Event) $200K GTD |
| 4-Jul | 11:00 AM | $500 NLH Ladies $50K GTD |
| 4-Jul | 1:00 PM | $1,600 PLO Restart $200K GTD |
| 5-Jul | 12:00 PM | $1,600 Limit H.O.R.S.E. (2 Day Event) $125K GTD |
| 6-Jul | 12:00 PM | $1,600 Limit H.O.R.S.E. Restart $125K GTD |
| 7-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 8-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 9-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 PLO $75K GTD |
| 10-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 11-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 Limit Omaha 8 / Stud 8 $50K GTD |
| 12-Jul | 11:00 AM | $800 NLH Mystery Bounty $150K GTD |
| 13-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 14-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 NLH $75K GTD |
| 15-Jul | 11:00 AM | $600 PLO Mix $50K GTD |
As always, keep it locked it with PokerNews to keep up with all the action from the BetMGM Poker Championship.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Cards are in the air and chips are flying as Day 1a of the $3,500 BetMGM Main Event is officially underway!
Hensley Gets Counterfeited, Still Good
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
On a heads-up turn board of 8♠2♥7♦Q♠, Patrick Hensley checked to his opponent who then bet 2,800 into the pot of around 5,000.
Hensley then put in a check-raise to 8,000 and his opponent made the call to see the 7♣ appear on the river.
"I got counterfeited," Hensley sighed after both players checked and showed Q♦2♦ for two pair, queens and sevens.
This was evidently still good as his opponent promptly mucked his hand and the pot was awarded to Hensley.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
45,000 | |
|
||
Qualifiers Hinman and Corneby Chop One Up
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Brendan Corneby opened to 800 from the button before Tim Hinman three-bet to 2,300. Corneby called.
Hinman checked the A♦A♣10♠ flop, which prompted Corneby to fire for 2,000. Hinman then raised to 6,000 and was called.
Hinman continued for 10,000 on the 6♣ turn and was called. The same action occurred on the 10♣ river, and the players tabled their cards.
Hinman tabled his A♥K♠ while Corneby had the A♠Q♦. Both players chopped the pot was they both had aces full of tens.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
40,000 | |
|
||
|
|
40,000 | |
|
|
||
WSOP Bracelet Winners in the Mix
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,000 | |
|
||
|
40,000 | |
|
||
Gathy Catches a Bluff
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
Action was caught on the river with the 10♦6♠8♦9♣9♠ board. Michael Gathy bet 600 from the cutoff into a pot of 3,600. The button quickly raised to 2,200, which sent Gathy into a brief tank.
The multiple-time bracelet winner found the call, and the cards were tabled. The button had just king high with his K♦Q♣, while Gathy had trips with his Q♣9♥.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
44,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
|
||
Reichenstein Rips It In on the River
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
There was around 8,500 in the pot on the 7♦3♠3♥Q♣6♥ completed board. The small blind bet 6,000, and Uri Reichenstein quickly put the small blind in for his last 25,000. After some brief thinking time, the small blind folded, and Reichenstein claimed the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
52,000 |
McCauley Extracts Value on River
Level 1
: Blinds 100/200, 200 ante
On a heads-up turn of J♦4♠K♦5♠, Laura Church bet 2,200 into the pot of 3,000 and Natalie McCauley made the call.
The river came the 9♣ and this time Church checked it over to McCauley, who then announced a bet of 1,000.
Church thought about it for a second before she tossed in the chip but was then shown Q♥10♣ for the rivered nut straight by McCauley.
"I couldn't go anywhere, I was open-ended!" she explained as she raked in the pot.
"Nice value," Church replied and tapped the table as they prepared for the next hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
55,000 | |
|
|
||
|
39,000 | |
|
|
||