The Borgata poker room will be filled to the brim today as the final two starting flights of the $500 Almighty Stack are expected to draw the biggest fields yet.
The event has already attracted more than 1,200 entries through the first four starting flights, putting the event on pace to surpass the $750,000 guaranteed prize pool. Day 1e begins at 11:15 a.m. local time, while Day 1f is at 5:15 p.m.
Each flight plays down to the final 12.5 percent of the field. Levels will be 30 minutes long, and players will begin with a 100,000 starting stack. The survivors from all six flights then combine for Day 2 tomorrow at 12 p.m.
For the best part of three years, it felt like Bin Weng was everywhere.
The Pennsylvania poker crusher had already established himself as one of the most consistent tournament grinders in the country, but from 2023 onwards his career went into overdrive. Millions of dollars in scores, major titles and seemingly endless deep runs followed as Weng became one of the hottest players on the tournament circuit.
The volume never really slowed, either. After banking $6,663,696 in live tournament cashes during a remarkable 2023, he added another $519,146 in 2024 and $945,780 in 2025. Then, towards the end of last year, it all came to a halt.
Health complications forced Weng away from the tables for around seven months, leaving one of poker's busiest tournament regulars watching from home instead of competing.
PokerNews caught up with Weng during the Borgata Summer Poker Open, where he's among the final three tables of the $650 Super Deep 6-Max. The event attracted 401 entries, creating a $228,570 prize pool, with $41,150 awaiting the winner. Thursday's action plays down to the final table before the remaining players return on Friday for a livestreamed finale on the BetMGM Poker YouTube channel.
A packed satellite schedule is running both online at BetMGM Poker and live inside the Borgata poker room, giving players plenty of chances to qualify for the festival's biggest events at a fraction of the regular buy-in.
Qualify Online at BetMGM Poker
BetMGM Poker
BetMGM Poker is running online qualifiers throughout the festival, with buy-ins starting from just $10.
The cheapest option is the $10 Borgata Bounty Shootout qualifier on July 26, where players can win a $160 tournament seat along with $50 in cash.
There are also $50 qualifiers running until July 29 for the Deep Stack Kick Off, Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, Borgata Almighty Stack and Monster Mirror Mystery Bounty. Winners receive their seat plus an additional $50.
Players targeting the festival's biggest event can enter $250 Championship qualifiers through July 28. Packages include a $2,700 seat to the Summer Poker Open Championship and $500 in cash to help cover expenses.
Players should check the BetMGM Poker lobby for start times and any additional qualifiers added during the series.
Live Satellites at Borgata
Borgata Summer Poker Open
There are also several live routes into the action at Borgata, including satellites that award seats across multiple events.
The $500 Borgata Big 4 satellite guarantees five packages, with each package including seats to Events 1, 11, 16 and 22.
The $220 Out the Gate satellite also guarantees five packages, this time awarding seats to Events 1, 11 and 16.
Players looking for more flexibility can enter the $560 $5K Your Way satellite, which awards $5,000 in tournament buy-ins at a one-in-ten ratio and comes with a $15,000 guarantee.
There are also two routes into the $2,700 Championship. The $320 MEGA Championship satellite guarantees 10 seats, while another $320 Championship satellite guarantees five.
If you don't already have a BetMGM Poker account, there's an extra incentive to sign up before chasing a Borgata Summer Poker Open seat.
New players can receive a 100% deposit match up to $1,000, plus up to $75 in tournament tickets, giving them even more opportunities to qualify for the festival's biggest events.
Whether you're taking a shot in a $10 online satellite or trying to win your way into the $2,700 Championship, the welcome offer provides plenty of extra value before you even play your first hand.
The livestream schedule kicks off on July 20 with the final table of the $600 Deep Stack Kick Off, before turning its attention to a mix of cash games and tournament action over the following week. The spotlight then shifts to the $2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship, with feature table coverage on Days 2 and 3 before the festival concludes with the final table on July 31.
Date
Time
Stream
July 20
Noon
$600 Deep Stack Kick Off Final Table
July 21
TBA
Pot-Limit Omaha Cash Game
July 22
TBA
RAF's Game
July 23
TBA
Borgata Big Game
July 24
Noon
$650 Super Deep 6-Max Final Table
July 25
TBA
Signature $2/$5 Cash Game
July 27
Noon
$500 Borgata Almighty Stack Final Table
July 29
Noon
$2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Feature Table
July 30
Noon
$2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Feature Table
July 31
Noon
$2,700 Summer Poker Open Championship Final Table
Start times for the cash game streams will be confirmed closer to each broadcast. Players and fans can keep an eye on the Borgata Poker social media channels for the latest updates.
BetMGM Poker has announced Esther "E-Tay" Taylor as its newest ambassador, adding one of the game's most respected tournament regulars and top 20 women's all-time money listers to its growing roster of pros.
The leading online poker and sportsbook operator revealed that Taylor will represent BetMGM Poker across live streams, social media content, live tournament appearances, and promotional events, joining fellow ambassadors Darren Elias and Mike Lavin.
Taylor's path to becoming a sponsored poker professional is a remarkable one. Born in South Korea and found alone as an infant in a bus station before being adopted and raised in the United States, Taylor made history at the 2025 WSOP when she became the second woman in history to final table the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship.
That experience led to an online tournament where Hopkins won a trip to EPT Cyprus, a trip she says cemented her love for poker.
"I met a lot of really cool people through that trip," Hopkins said. "I don't know that I'm necessarily the best player, but I've made some really good friends through it."
Those friendships have lasted well beyond the poker table. One of the players she became friends with lives in London and has since visited Hopkins' home in Pennsylvania multiple times. Another joined her at Borgata this week to play the Ladies Championship together.
Katie Hopkins
Hopkins also credited women's events with helping newer players find their feet in a welcoming environment.
"It can be intimidating when you're new to it," she said. "But coming out and playing these events increases your confidence. It's a fun night out too."
After making the final table of a PokerStars Open Ladies event in Philadelphia last year, Hopkins is hoping for another deep run at Borgata. With a newborn at home after welcoming a baby in December, opportunities to play have become less frequent, making this week's event even more special.
Late registration has now closed in Day 1c of the $500 Almighty Stack, with the third starting flight drawing 409 entries. The final 52 players will finish in the money and secure their places in Sunday’s Day 2.
Day 1d is also underway, with 54 entries recorded through the opening two-and-a-half levels.
The field currently stands at 1,051 entries, which has put $441,420 into the prize pool. The tournament is already more than halfway towards its $750,000 guarantee, with plenty of time for that number to climb.
Day 1d still has nine full levels of late registration remaining, with registration closing at the start of Level 13. Two more starting flights, Day 1e and Day 1f, will then take place on Saturday before the survivors return for Day 2 on Sunday. The tournament will play down to a winner on Day 3 on Monday.
Stud Hi-Lo Payouts Confirmed
Late registration has also closed in the $500 Stud Hi-Lo, which attracted 58 entries and generated a $24,650 prize pool.
There are 48 players still in contention, with the top eight set to make the money. The eventual champion will collect $8,365, while a minimum cash is worth $1,070.
The $260 Ladies Championship is underway at the Borgata Summer Poker Open, with 62 entries already on the board as play continues through Level 3.
Players are currently battling at 200/300 with a 300 big blind ante, with registration open for the first eight levels of play. As always, the field is expected to grow well beyond its current size as players chase a share of the $15,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The Ladies Championship is the latest trophy event on a busy Friday schedule at Borgata, joining the ongoing Day 1c and Day 1d $500 Almighty Stack and $500 Stud Hi-Lo as the various poker rooms fill up heading into the evening.
The third starting flight of the $500 Almighty Stack continues to draw a strong turnout, with 383 entries recorded as the tournament moves through Level 10.
Blinds are now 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 big blind ante, and players have 74 minutes until the next break. Late registration remains open until Level 13.
The first two flights attracted a combined 595 entries, with 75 players already safely through to Sunday's Day 2. Another group will join them once Day 1c reaches the money and the remaining players bag their chips. Day 1d gets underway at 5:15 p.m. local time.
The $500 Stud Hi-Lo side event is into Level 7, with the field climbing to 52 entries. That's created a current prize pool of $22,100, which has comfortably eclipsed the $15,000 guarantee.
Players are playing 500/1,000 with a 200 ante, with late registration closing in just over an hour.
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