The PokerGO Tour (PGT) is the definitive professional circuit for high-stakes tournament poker. Mirroring the structure of professional golf or tennis, the PGT tracks the world's most elite players across a season-long race.
While the tour officially unified the high-stakes landscape in 2021, its foundations were laid years earlier through prestigious independent festivals like the Super High Roller Bowl.
Today, the PGT is a pivotal part of the global poker scene, with most events taking place at the state-of-the-art PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
While the PGT debuted in 2021, its "majors" existed as standalone peaks for years. The Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) predates the tour by six years, debuting in 2015 with a $500,000 buy-in won by Brian Rast. Following its success, PokerGO added The Poker Masters (2017) and The U.S. Poker Open (2018).
Until 2021, these were independent festivals with their own trophies (the Purple Jacket and Golden Eagle). The launch of the PGT unified these brands under one ranking system, where every cash contributes to a season-long leaderboard culminating in the $1,000,000 PGT Championship.
Considered the "Main Event" of the high-stakes world, the Super High Roller Bowl (SHRB) is famous for its $300,000 entry fee and exclusive fields. While its spiritual home is Las Vegas, "Special Edition" SHRBs have been held globally in China, London, the Bahamas, and Cyprus.
The tournament regularly attracts some of the best poker players in the world and has crowned legendary champions like Brian Rast, Justin Bonomo, and Daniel Negreanu.
Launched in 2017, the Poker Masters introduced its version of the Green Jacket of the Masters, with the Purple Jacket awarded to the player who topped the series-wide leaderboard.
The schedule typically features a week-long grind of No-Limit Hold'em events with buy-ins ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Historic winners such as Steffen Sontheimer, Michael Addamo, and David Coleman have all added the historic Purple Jacket to their poker resumes.
Note: Both 2020 Poker Masters events were held online on partypoker
U.S. Poker Open (USPO)
US Poker Open
The U.S. Poker Open (USPO) is the PGT's multi-disciplinary test of skill, featuring Mixed Games and Pot-Limit Omaha alongside No-Limit Hold'em. Stephen Chidwick famously lifted the overall trophy in the first year, with David Peters a two-time champion following his victories in 2019 and 2021.
Since its debut in 2018, the USPO has been famous for its Golden Eagle Trophy, awarded to the overall series champion.
The PokerGO Cup is the first of the four "Majors" in the PGT season, typically held in February at the PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas.
Launched in 2021, the festival usually consists of eight No-Limit Hold'em events with buy-ins ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. The player who earns the most PGT points throughout the series is crowned the PokerGO Cup Champion, receiving the signature silver trophy and a $25,000 PGT Passport bonus.
Established in 2023 to satisfy the growing demand for high-stakes Pot-Limit Omaha, the PGT PLO Series has quickly become the most significant PLO circuit in the world. This series is dedicated entirely to "the great game," featuring a diverse range of formats including Progressive Bounty, Mystery Bounty, and the prestigious PLO Championship.
The overall series champion is awarded the PGT Gold Cup. Despite being the newest major addition to the PGT calendar, the series has already seen standout performances from specialists like Lautaro Guerra and Samuli Sipila.
The PGT Mixed Games series was introduced in 2023 to as a high-stakes stop for the world's best non-Hold'em specialists. Born out of player feedback during the 2022 WSOP, the series included H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, Triple Draw, and asignature 10-Game Championship.
The inaugural series in 2023 was a massive success, crowning Dan Zack as the first-ever champion. In 2025, Chino Rheem won his second PGT Mixed Games series title. He also became the only player to have won three PGT Series titles.
The is the ultimate recognition of season-long excellence on the high-stakes circuit.
Determined by the official PGT leaderboard, PGT Player of the Year award is awarded to the player who accumulates the most points across approximately 150 qualifying events annually.
Beyond the prestige of being named the world's most consistent high-roller, the winner is awarded a $50,000 cash bonus and the iconic PGT Player of the Year Gold Plate.
Jeremy Ausmus 2025 PGT Player of the Year
The race often comes down to the final events of the season, as points are weighted to reward both high-volume grinders and those who find success in the tour's "majors."
In 2024, Jeremy Ausmus made history by becoming the first player to secure the Player of the Year title and win the PGT Championship freeroll in the same season.
For most cashes, you earn a set number of points for every dollar won. Higher buy-in events award fewer points per dollar to balance the leaderboard against high-volume players.
Buy-in Range
Points Per $1 Cashed
$3,000 – $14,999
0.0010
$15,000 – $24,999
0.0008
$25,000 – $49,999
0.0006
$50,000 – $99,999
0.0004
$100,000+
0.0003
Cashes of $1,000,000 or more are broken into additional tiers of structured segments, with full information in the following table:
Cash
$3,000 - $14,999
$15,000 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $99,999
$100,000+
$6,000,000 - $6,999,999
1,350
1,350
1,200
1,200
900
$5,000,000 - $5,999,999
1,300
1,300
1,100
1,100
800
$4,000,000 - $4,999,999
1,250
1,250
1,000
1,000
700
$3,000,000 - $3,999,999
1,200
1,200
900
900
600
$2,500,000 - $2,999,999
1,175
1,175
850
850
550
$2,000,000 - $2,499,999
1,150
1,150
800
800
500
$1,500,000 - $1,999,999
1,125
1,125
750
750
450
$1,000,000 - $1,499,999
1,100
1,100
700
700
400
< $1,000,000
.0010 pts/$
.0008 pts/$
.0006 pts/$
0.004 pts/$
.0003 pts/$
In PGT-operated bounty tournaments, the formula is adjusted to ensure you aren't penalized for the portion of the buy-in that goes toward bounties. The "points per dollar" rate increases proportionally to the percentage of the prize pool dedicated to bounties
PGT Championship: The $1,000,000 Freeroll Finale
PGT Championship
The PokerGO Tour season concludes with the PGT Championship, a $1,000,000 freeroll with a $500,000 prize for first place. The Top 40 players on the PGT Leaderboard who have recorded at least three cashes in the season qualifier. A limited number of "Dream Seats" are awarded via satellites, like the PGT Last Chance series, or via partner promotions.
Starting stacks are determined by leaderboard points; however, all qualifiers start with a minimum of 100 big blinds.
Unlike traditional tours that move from casino to casino, the PGT has a permanent home at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Opened in 2018, this 10,000-square-foot facility was custom-built for televised poker. It features a main feature table set, secondary tables, and a full production gallery.
For poker fans, it has become a "bucket list" destination to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions about the PokerGO Tour
What is the PokerGO Tour (PGT)?
The PGT is an elite professional poker circuit that tracks and ranks the world's best players across a series of high-stakes tournaments. It unified events like the Poker Masters and Super High Roller Bowl into a single season-long points race.
Where do PokerGO Tour events take place?
Most PGT-owned and operated events are held at the PokerGO Studio at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. However, the tour also includes "qualifying events" from other major tours globally, and the Super High Roller Bowl often travels to international locations like Cyprus, London, and the Bahamas.
Who is eligible to play in PGT events?
Most PGT events are open to any player who can afford the buy-in. While the fields are comprised of the world's top professionals, there is no "membership" required to enter. However, certain events like the PGT Championship are "invitation only" based on leaderboard performance.
What is the minimum buy-in for a tournament to qualify for PGT points?
Generally, a tournament must have a minimum buy-in of $5,000 to award PGT points. Some events may have lower entry points, while the flagship majors range from $10,000 to $300,000.
How does the PGT Championship work?
The PGT Championship is a season-ending $1,000,000 freeroll. The Top 40 players on the PGT leaderboard, along with a select number of "Dream Seat" winners, qualify to play for a $500,000 top prize.
What is a "Dream Seat"?
A Dream Seat is an entry into the $1,000,000 PGT Championship freeroll awarded to players who are not in the Top 40 of the leaderboard. These seats are typically won through special promotions, partner tours (like the RunGood Poker Series), or the "PGT Last Chance" satellite events.
How are leaderboard points calculated?
Points are awarded based on two factors: the buy-in amount and the prize money won. Lower buy-in events ($3k–$10k) award more points per dollar cashed to reward players who play a high volume of events, while $100k+ events have a lower points-per-dollar ratio to prevent a single big win from ending the leaderboard race prematurely.
Do bounty payments count toward PGT points?
In PGT-operated bounty events, the points formula is "weighted" up to account for the bounty portion of the prize pool. This ensures that players receive an equitable amount of points compared to standard freezeout tournaments.
What are the PGT "Majors"?
The "Triple Crown" of the PGT consists of the Poker Masters (Purple Jacket), the U.S. Poker Open (Golden Eagle Trophy), and the Super High Roller Bowl. Other major highlights include the PGT PLO Series and PGT Mixed Series.
What does the PGT Player of the Year win?
The player who finishes the season with the most total points is crowned the PGT Player of the Year.
How can I watch the PokerGO Tour?
Most PGT events are broadcast live on PokerGO, the world's largest poker subscription streaming service. You can also find live reporting and latest news right here on PokerNews.
