Best New Jersey Online Poker Tournaments in 2025

Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager
13 min read
New Jersey

Looking for the best online poker tournaments to play in NJ? We've got you covered.

New Jersey led the way when it came to re-legalizing online poker, being one of the first states to open up after the infamous Black Friday debacle. Its poker scene has since flourished, with several top quality legal online poker sites now offering an array of tournaments on the virtual felt.

So whether you're into MTTs with huge prizepools, fast-paced Sit&Gos or the excitement of bounty builders, here's your complete guide to all the best poker tournaments in NJ.

Best NJ Sites for Online Poker Tournaments

Best for...SiteReason
Bounty Builders (+PKOs)PokerStars NJHuge range of bounty builders available to play in all formats and stakes
Mystery Bounty BuildersWSOP Online NJWeekly $200k GTD MBT + special, larger MBTs during Series
High RollersBetMGM NJ/Borgata NJStrong daily/weekly high roller offering + special, huge buy-in high rollers during Series
FreerollsWSOP Online NJRegular, generous freerolls including lucrative new-player exclusives
SatellitesPokerStars NJMost extensive satellite offering, with feeders to most featured tournaments

Play Online Poker Tournaments in New Jersey

Let's get started! This section will help you become familiar with what makes a good poker tournament and teach you the different variations, formats and types so you can start playing the ones that are right for you.

PokerStars Open Malaga 2025 / Tournament Room
PokerStars Open Malaga 2025 / Tournament Room

What Are Online Poker Tournaments?

What Makes a Good Poker Tournament?

AspectWhat it is?Why it's Important
PlayersThe number of players in a tournamentAllows for decent payout structure
Well-timed LevelsThe duration of each blind levelMeans tournaments won't be too long/short
Good Payout StructureHow many players get paidAllows for a fairer distribution of prizepool
Starting StackHow many chips each player stars withPlay and aggression will differ based on how deep the tournament stacks are
Information AvailableInfo like how many players are left and payoutsShows important info that might dictate on-table decisions

When it comes to poker, there are two different forms – cash games and tournaments. The former is restricted to a single table where players buy in, and the chip denominations match dollar for dollar to that buy-in. Stakes are set in advance and stay there (i.e. the blinds in a $1-$2 no-limit hold’em game will remain the same). Players battle each other to win chips from one another. Players can come and go as they please, purchase additional chips to top off their stacks, and quit anytime they’d like.

In tournaments, players pay a single entry fee and are given a predetermined amount of chips that do not usually correspond to the buy-in. For example, World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event players pay $10,000 to enter but start with 60,000 in chips. The goal is to finish as the last player standing, so once a player enters a tournament, they’re obligated to play until either they bust or win it all. As such, it’s more of a commitment as they can’t quit anytime nor come and go as they please.

Michael Mizrachi wins the biggest poker tournament of the year
Michael Mizrachi wins the biggest poker tournament of the year

With New Jersey sharing liquidity between four states, the player pool is wide open, making MTTs a great option for players. The field sizes, as a result, are larger, meaning more action, more availability and (most importantly) more money on offer!

Make sure to check out all the best legal online casino games in New Jersey.

What Online Poker Tournaments Can I Play in New Jersey?

Get familiar with all the New Jersey online poker tournaments you can play. You may know that there are many variations, formats and types, and we will go through them all below so you can pick which ones are right for you!

Bounty Builder Poker Tournaments in NJ

While the majority of the prizepool will go towards standard payouts for the top players, in bounty poker tournaments, a portion of the buy-in goes towards a each player's bounty. If you knockout a player, you'll earn that bounty as an instant cash reward. Progressive bounty builders follow the same concept, but bounties increase progressively as the tournament goes on. Plenty of online poker NJ sites offer these exciting types of events.

Best NJ Site for Bounty Tournaments: PokerStars NJ
SiteFormats OfferedTournaments
PokerStars NJBounty builders, PKODaily/weekly bounty events, Bounty Series
BetMGM NJ/Borgata NJPKO, occasional series events + Mystery bountyDaily $20 +$55, $1,100 Mystery bounty events (Series only)
WSOP Online NJCircuit, bracelet PKOs, Mystery bounty, PLOPKO-style events within circuit series, including $555 and $1,000 Mystery bounties
PartyPoker NJPKO and daily bounty tournaments, PLOBounty Battle (microstakes), Daily Legends PKO

Mystery Bounty Poker Tournaments in PA

Mystery bounty tournament
Mystery bounty tournament

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 bounty reward.

Mystery Bounties with huge player pools can sometimes offer an enormous top mystery bounty. These are undeniably some of the most exciting tournaments to play.

Best NJ Site for Mystery Bounty Tournaments: WSOP NJ
SiteFormats OfferedTournaments
PokerStars NJNot currently availableNot currently available
BetMGM/Borgata NJ/PartyPoker NJMystery Bounty format supported, occasional eventsNo major NJ-exclusive events, some as part of multi-state network
WSOP Online NJMystery Bounty in bracelet/circuit events$100 Sunday Celebration MBT ($200K GTD)

High Roller Poker Tournaments in NJ

High rollers are tournaments with higher buy-ins that cater more towards professional players (or just people with stacks of money). While it varies, online high rollers typically range from $250 to $10,000. Online high rollers are fare more rare than the lower stakes tournaments, due to only tailoring to the select, high percentile of players. But, you'll still find a few high rollers at NJ online poker rooms.

Best NJ Site for High Roller Tournaments: Borgata NJ / BetMGM NJ
SiteFormats OfferedTournaments
PokerStars NJHigh Roller MTTs (8‑max, 6‑max), Daily, weekly and Series eventsMillion-Dollar Sunday ($200 - $20K GTD); Sunday High Roller ($250)
BetMGM NJ//]Borgata NJ/PartyPoker NJMid-to-high stakes MTTs, Super high rollers, occasional Mystery Bounty/PKO eventsSix-Figure Sundays ($1k - $100k GTD), $1k Weekly Championship, PKO, Mystery and $2.5k high roller series events
WSOP Online NJNLH, PLO, satellitesMostly occur during Series, $5,300 NLH High Roller Championships
Daniel Negreanu is a frequent high roller player
Daniel Negreanu is a frequent high roller player

Freeroll Poker Tournaments in NJ

Freerolls are promotional events where players can win tickets, try to win a seat in another event, and ultimately parlay a big score. Freerolls are great as they don't impact your bankroll, but you can legitimately win real-money prizes. There's no catch, and NJ has plenty of free online poker tournaments available to you!

Best NJ Site for Freerolls:WSOP Online NJ
SiteFormats OfferedTournaments
PokerStars NJNew‑player & “Second Chance” freerollsDaily Second‑Chance Freerolls during NJCOOP (ticket prizes)
BetMGM NJ//]Borgata NJ/PartyPoker NJDepositor & celebratory freerollsOccasional MSIGA‑network freerolls
WSOP Online NJWelcome‑week & depositor freerolls7 Welcome‑Week freeroll tickets; exclusive depositor freeroll for $50K prize in 2021

Poker Satellites in NJ

Satellite Winners
Satellite Winners

Satellites give players a chance to play higher-buy-in tournaments (more expensive than they'd usually enter) for a fraction of the cost. A poker satellite is a separate tournament, where winning it or finishing in the top places earn you free entry to a larger tournament instead of winning money.

Best NJ Site for Satellites: PokerStars NJ
SiteFormats OfferedTournaments
PokerStars NJOnline satellites to MTTs and series eventsQualifiers for NJCOOP & Sunday Majors; low‑buy‑in seats into $50–$500 weekend MTTs
BetMGM NJ/Borgata NJ/PartyPoker NJSatellites for big MTT series and network eventsMSIGA‑based qualifiers for Super High Roller and Championship events; occasional Sunday qualifiers
WSOP Online NJWSOP Main Event & bracelet event satellitesWeekly satellites ($215–$320) to $10K WSOP Main Event seats; All‑In satellites

Why Play Online Poker Tournaments?

Many players enjoy online poker tournaments as it allows them a lot of play for a single buy-in, they start on an equal playing field as all the other players, and it offers a larger for those lucky enough to make it deep and especially for those who win.

Poker tournaments also present different situations than cash games, such as ICM, bubble play, and stack-size considerations; what’s more, each situation comes with its own set of strategies.

The Best Online Poker Tournaments from NJ Operators

Now that you understand a little more about poker tournaments, let’s dive into some of the top tournament options offered by New Jersey’s leading poker sites.

PokerStars NJ Tournaments

PokerStars NJ tournament lobby
PokerStars NJ tournament lobby

PokerStars NJ is widely regarded as one of the best platforms for tournament players in the state. Known for its clean interface, reliable software and vast array of tournaments, PokerStars is the place to go regardless of skill level or bankroll.

There's a busy daily schedule for tournaments. Formats like Progressive Knockouts (PKOs), and frequent online series such as NJCOOP, offering some of the biggest prize pools in the state. Whether you're into micro-stakes or looking to take a shot at high-roller events, there's always action running. And if you’re looking to save on buy-ins, there are plenty of satellites for all sorts of tournaments that let you win your way into larger events.

A final note on PokerStars NJ is the variety of games you can play as well. It really is leading the way for online poker, offering a wide range of mixed games such as Razz, Stud and PLO8, as well as the more conventional NLH and PLO.

Top 5 Regular PokerStars NJ Tournaments

  • Sunday Special (Sunday 18:00)– $100 buy-in with $40K guaranteed
  • Super Tuesday (Tuesdays 20:00) – $250 buy-in, $20K GTD; one of the week’s toughest fields
  • Bounty Builder $10 (Multiple times each day) – Daily PKO action at low stakes
  • Thursday Thrill (Thursdays 19:00) – $100 buy-in knockout tournament, GTD ranges from $10k-20k approx.
  • Daily $11 PKO (Multiple times each day) – A favorite among recreational grinders

BetMGM NJ Tournaments

BetMGM NJ tournament lobby
BetMGM NJ tournament lobby

BetMGM Poker NJ offers a well-rounded tournament schedule geared especially toward mid- and high-stakes players. While it may not have the daily MTT volume of PokerStars, nor the variety, volume isn't everything. BetMGM instead offers well-structured events, standout Sunday majors, and participation in the multi-state player pool (NJ, MI, PA) via MSIGA.

You’ll still find a good mix of Progressive Knockout (PKO) formats, high-roller buy-ins, freeroll promotions, and satellites to flagship events. The interface is smooth, the competition is solid and prize pools are generous - particularly during major series like the Spring Online Championships or May Millions.

Overall, there's lots to love about BetMGM NJ's tournament offering.

Top 5 Regular BetMGM NJ Tournaments

  • Six-Figure Sunday (Sundays 18:00) – $1k buy-in, $100k GTD
  • Sunday $109 (Sundays 19:00) - PKO, popular weekly bounty tournament
  • Daily $20 (Daily 20:15) - MTT, Low-stakes daily tournament with decent guarantees ranging from $10k-20k approx.
  • $535 High Roller (Sundays + Series) - Featured in Sunday lineups and special series, GTD ranges from $25k-50k approx.
  • Mystery Bounty Events (Series only) - Appear during series like May Millions or Winter Championships

Borgata NJ Tournaments

Borgata Poker NJ tournament lobby
Borgata Poker NJ tournament lobby

Borgata Poker NJ runs on the same network as BetMGM Poker NJ, meaning players have access to the exact same tournament lobby, shared player pool, and multi-state prize guarantees through MSIGA. That's great for all tournament grinders, as you get the same high-quality events and prize pools, while also benefiting from exclusive Borgata promotions and deposit offers.

From daily low-stakes MTTs to high-roller events and seasonal series like the May Millions and Spring Online Championships, Borgata NJ competitive, reliable and all-round a solid choice for tournaments. The software is stable, the structures are player-friendly, and fields are beatable but still big enough to get excited about the prizes on offer!

Top 5 Regular Borgata NJ Tournaments

  • Friday $215 (Fridays 20:00) - Deepstack – 50,000 chips and a slow structure
  • Sunday $109 (19:00) - Progressive Knockout with strong turnout
  • Daily $20 (20:15) MTT - Reliable nightly tournament for casual and mid-stakes players
  • $535 High Roller (20:00) - Premium event featured in Sunday lineups and special series
  • Mystery Bounty Tournaments (Times vary depending schedule) - Only available during select series like May Millions or Aria Online

WSOP NJ Tournaments

WSOP NJ tournament lobby
WSOP NJ tournament lobby

WSOP NJ is one of the most iconic names in poker, and it has a tournament schedule to match. Its integration into the multi-state MSIGA network (NJ, NV, MI, PA), players now enjoy deeper fields and bigger prize pools, but these aspects aren't the best thing about WSOP. The crown jewel is undoubtedly the fact that there is access to online bracelet and circuit ring events right from New Jersey. This gives you the chance to win real, proper WSOP bracelets.

The downside: WSOP NJ has slightly fewer daily MTTs compared to PokerStars or BetMGM. However, it truly shines during major series like the Online Bracelet Series, Circuit Events, and Championship-level weekends. The platform is also a top pick for players aiming to qualify for the live WSOP in Las Vegas, with regular satellites running year-round.

If you're looking for excitement of Mystery Bounties and high-stakes qualifiers, WSOP NJ is where you'll find it.

Top 5 Regular WSOP NJ Tournaments

  • $100 Sunday Celebration (Sundays 19:00) - A Mystery Bounty and of the most popular weekly events
  • $215 WSOP Main Event Satellite (Sundays 20:00) - Weekly step satellite with a chance to gain entry into the most prestigious poker tournament of the year
  • $30 Daily Deepstack (Daily 18:00) - Balanced structure and consistent, solid turnouts
  • $500 Online Circuit Ring Qualifier (Varies by Series) - Available during ring series, often with $50K+ prize pools
  • $2,500 Super High Roller (Peak Weekends) - Premium high-stakes event, exclusive to bracelet or seasonal series

PartyPoker NJ Tournaments

PartyPoker NJ tournament lobby
PartyPoker NJ tournament lobby

PartyPoker NJ provides a solid tournament experience, once again through its shared network with BetMGM and Borgata Poker, benefiting from multi-state traffic under the MSIGA agreement. While PartyPoker may not be the as prestigious as some of the other brands on this list, players still get full access to the same great MTT schedule. There's buy-ins at many different amounts, bounty formats and high-roller action.

Daily and weekly tournaments come in all sorts of formats, such as PKOs, deepstack events and hyper-turbos. Seasonal specials like the Online Championship or May Millions also run each year, each with a number of huge tournament events with boosted prizepools. This brings the fun to the next level and gives you the opportunity to compete in larger fields.

The aspect we love most, though, about PartyPoker NJ are the bonuses and promotions. This is an area in which Party excels in, and we admire how they give back and reward players for their loyalty.

Top 5 Regular PartyPoker NJ Tournaments

  • Six-Figure Sunday High Roller – $1,000 buy-in with $100K guaranteed. Sundays at 6:00 PM ET.
  • Sunday $109 PKO – Weekly bounty tournament with great value. Sundays at 7:00 PM ET.
  • Daily $20 NLHE – Staple evening MTT for casual players. Runs nightly at 8:15 PM ET.
  • Thursday $320 PKO – Mid-week knockout format for bounty hunters. Thursdays at 8:00 PM ET.
  • Mega Tuesday $535 High Roller – One of the toughest weekly tournaments. Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET.

Online Poker Tournaments in New Jersey FAQs

Are online poker tournaments legal in New Jersey?

Yes, online poker tournaments are legal in New Jersey on sites licensed and regulated by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE).

What is the best website for online poker tournaments in New Jersey?

Online tournaments are available on all New Jersey online poker sites, but arguably the best and most diverse take place on PokerStars NJ.

How do I play online poker tournaments in New Jersey?

You can play online poker tournaments in New Jersey by downloading licensed and regulated sites, including PokerStars NJ, WSOP New Jersey, BetMGM New Jersey, and Borgata Poker NJ.

Is there a rake when you play online poker tournaments in New Jersey?

Online poker tournaments do not feature a rake per se. Instead, an entry fee is part of the buy-in when registering for an online poker tournament.

Can I satellite into the WSOP in New Jersey?

Yes, you can satellite into the WSOP in NJ. WSOP NJ offers various satellites throughout the year, including the $10,000 WSOP Main Event held each summer in Las Vegas.

How can I satellite into the WSOP from New Jersey?

To satellite into the WSOP from NJ, download and create an account on WSOP New Jersey. Then keep a lookout for various satellite opportunities throughout the year that will send players to Las Vegas for the annual World Series of Poker (WSOP).

Chad Holloway
PR & Media Manager

PR & Media Manager for PokerNews, host of both the PokerNews Podcast & MPST Podcast Presented By PokerNews, and 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.