Poker Writer
Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino is going all-in on promoting its new BetMGM-powered poker tournament venue over the next few months. There will be three live poker tournament series in rapid succession to get players acquainted with the new venue.
Looking to beef up their live poker offering, BetMGM is piggybacking off a successful Borgata Summer Poker Open, which ran through late July. BetMGM is half-owned by Borgata’s owner, MGM Resorts, and also powers the casino’s iGaming site, Borgata Online.
BetMGM promoted the deal with the Borgata by highlighting increased diversity in tournament structures and larger buy-ins. David Mileaf, Senior Manager of BetMGM Poker Operations, stated:
These three events directly demonstrate the growth of BetMGM Poker and our continued partnership with Borgata. By bringing bigger buy-ins, larger prize pools and a diverse tournament structure to players this fall, we cement our status as the premier online and on-property poker destinations.
The new BetMGM poker tournament room will be unveiled on Sept. 7th. It will feature 18 poker tables and look to promote BetMGM.
Borgata Big, Big Buy Series
The first of the three tournament series is the “Borgata Big, Big Buy Series”, held from Sept. 8th – Sept. 17th. The connection to BetMGM online is a key piece of these live tournament series. There are exclusive online qualifiers from Aug. 12th – Sept. 15th. Players can qualify for the Borgata Big, Big Buy Series through those online events. The online qualifiers are available to players in the states of N.J., Mich. and Pa.
Highlights of the Borgata Big, Big Buy Series:
- Etay’s Big, Big 9 Game Mix – A $2,500 buy-in event which features Esther “ETay” Taylor, who made headlines when she became only the second woman ever to make the Poker Players Championship (PPC) final table this summer at the WSOP. She eventually finished third for $595,136, in an event won by Michael Mizrachi to start his legendary summer.
- The BetMGM Big, Big Baller – $10,000 buy-in championship event with $500,000 guarantee. It will connect to online accounts by paying entry fees through online credits.
Lions of the Atlantic Powered by BetMGM
Following the series in September, BetMGM will return for a cross-venue, omnichannel series in October for the second fall series, running from Oct 8 to Oct 19. The late stages of the tournament will play out at the Borgata. However, there are three places to play starting flights:
- At the Borgata
- At MGM National Harbor in Maryland
- Online at BetMGM-powered sites, including Borgata Online
Every player who makes Day 2 will win a complimentary two-night stay at the Borgata to attend the remainder of the tournament.
Borgata Fall Poker Open
The premier event of the fall for BetMGM is the Borgata Fall Poker Open. It will be held from November 3 to November 17. BetMGM will release the full schedule in late September. The two-week scheduled slate will make it the cornerstone of the Borgata fall plans. It also gives BetMGM another season to hold a series to go along with the pre-existing Borgata Winter, Spring, and Summer series.
The Borgata benefits from the BetMGM partnership as it receives the crowds of poker players who decide to compete at the Borgata for these series. The goal from their perspective is to make the Borgata a premier destination for poker for East Coast players. Atlantic City can fairly be called “Las Vegas of the East” when it comes to poker.
Kellie Decelis, the Borgata’s Director of Poker Operations, shared a message in the BetMGM press release:
BetMGM and Borgata are redefining poker by creating the go-to destination for tournament and cash game players alike. Through our partnership, premier events like the Borgata Big, Big Buy Series and Lions of the Atlantic, and the new BetMGM Poker Tournament Room, we’re delivering an unparalleled poker experience that blends innovation, excitement, and opportunity for players of every level.
