The 2023 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) is well underway on PokerStars with plenty of events already in the books since the series kicked off on September 10. Players still get the chance to qualify for some of the biggest events on the schedule via PokerStars’ new Power Path promo.
WCOOP Tickets Up for Grabs via Power Path
Power Path awards Power Passes to major PokerStars events both live and online through a step-satellite system. Players can enter the satellites for as little as 50 cents. The goal is to reach Step 4, the final stage of the satellite battle where Bronze, Silver, and Gold packages are awarded to the winners. Players are required to survive Step 3 to be able to advance to Step 4 as it has no direct buy-in option.
For WCOOP, the Bronze Pass which is worth $109 may be redeemed for a $109 ticket to any WCOOP event. For the Silver and Gold passes valued at $2,500 and $10,300 respectively, PokerStars is offering three ticket bundles, allowing players to enter multiple events on the schedule, including the Main Events.
Impressive Start for 2023 WCOOP
This year’s WCOOP features $80 million in guarantees across a total of 340 events. So far, the festival has pulled in more than 200,000 entries, awarding more than $20 million across 78 events. Among the early winners was Benny Glaser who extended his COOP record by winning his ninth WCOOP victory, bringing his total COOP titles to 19.
Players on 888poker Ontario will not be left out in the 2023 XL Autumn fest as they will have their own version of the popular series which returns after two years. Ontarians will compete for over $300,000 in total guarantees across nearly 60 events starting September 17.
XL Autumn on 888poker Ontario
The XL Autumn schedule on 888poker Ontario consists of a total of 57 events, 33 of which are classified as featured events, while the remaining 24 are side events. Players may choose from buy-ins of between $11 and $525, with $327,800 in total guarantees up for grabs throughout the series.
The line-up includes 14 events with five-figure guarantees, including the main highlight of the festival, XL Autumn #33 – $162 buy-in, $50K GTD Mystery Bounty Main Event. The final action of this tournament takes place on October 2, which is also the last day of the series.
Other Highlights
Apart from the Main Event, there are plenty of not-to-be-missed tournaments on the schedule, such as XL Autumn #20 – $109 buy-in, $35K GTD Mystery Bounty Main Event Warmup which will crown a winner on September 25. This event also offers the biggest value, considering the buy-in and guarantees on offer.
Nikhil “Nik Airball” Arcot, one of the regulars at Hustler Casino Live (HCL), has admitted he already lost around $8 million playing poker. The high-stakes player from New York recently joined HCL co-founder Nick Vertucci in his podcast where he shared his experiences in the game, his other gambling pursuits, and his wins and losses.
Most Losses Came from Winnings
Airball has had his share of huge winning moments but he revealed that he’s already in the red by about $8 million since his last major victory. Airball has been a controversial figure, with many still wondering where he gets the money to play some of the biggest poker games out there. Vertucci took the chance to ask his guest about this, but he didn’t get a clear answer, though Airball suggested that a significant portion of his losses came from his previous winnings.
Airball Says $8M Loss Not a Big Deal
Losses amounting to $8 million would be a heavy cross to bear for many poker pros, but it’s no big deal for Airball. He said the primary reason why he lost such a huge amount was because the games he was in were also really big.
We can expect Airball to continue to compete in big games as he confirmed that his bankroll hasn’t entirely been used up.
PokerStars’ Summer Series at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is nearing its conclusion and based on the numbers recorded so far, the operator’s first tournament series on US soil in six years is set to end on a high note.
Summer Series Crushing Guarantees
The Summer Series kicked off on August 24, with the schedule headlined by three events with a combined guarantee of $1,000,000. The first two events are already done and dusted, and both exceeded expectations.
Event #1 which had a buy-in of $550 and a guarantee of $200,000 ended up attracting 1,020 entries to generate $479,400 in total prize pool. Event #2 with a $1,100 buy-in and a $300,000 guarantee was equally successful, awarding $685,400 in total prizes after pulling in 714 entrants. Both tournaments were won by Matthew Gross and Soukha Kachittavong, respectively.
PokerStars’ Successful Return to US Live Poker Scene
The third event, which costs $2,200 to enter and features $500,000 in guaranteed prize money, is still underway and it won’t be surprising if it also crushes its guarantee by a huge margin. This calls for a celebration for PokerStars as its long-awaited return to US live poker looks like a massive success.
The turnout at the Summer Series is also yet another indication of the bustling live poker scene in America.
Online poker players in all of PokerStars’ US markets will get the chance to win a dream trip to Las Vegas for the popular Formula 1 race, thanks to the operator’s existing partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing.
How to Win a Red Spade Pass
The “Vegas Red Spade Pass Sweepstakes” promo is open to players in New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. One lucky player in each state will win an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to witness the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix along with other festivities associated with the race.
For racing and poker fans out there who have yet to sign up with PokerStars, now is the perfect time to do so as simply creating an account with the site will earn them one sweepstakes entry. They can boost their chances of winning by making a first deposit where they’ll receive an extra 10 tickets. Each next deposit of at least $10 gives existing players one additional entry.
Promo Ends Sept. 30
The promo runs until September 30, with the winners to be unveiled on October 4. Each of the winners receives a travel package that includes roundtrip flights, five nights’ stay at Paris Las Vegas, and hotel transfers.