Top 3 Poker Tours Outside of the WSOP in Vegas

 
Moneymaker lit the match that sparked the poker boom in 2003, but the World Poker Tour (WPT) was hosting televised tournaments one year earlier. Launched in 2002, the WPT has been turning TV fans into card sharks for nearly two decades and counting. And over that span, the list of poker legends to etch their name on the WPT Champion’s Cup is truly staggering.

If you’ve ever tuned into a WPT broadcast, you probably know all about former commentator and poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton. In addition to coining the unforgettable catch phrase “may all your cards be live, and your pots be monsters,” Sexton practically built the WPT from the ground up. Partnering with Vince Van Patten, Sexton served as a Vin Scully of sorts, a voice that instantly became synonymous with the game.

Sexton has since retired – but not before winning a WPT title of his own at the Montreal stop in 2016 – leaving the broadcast booth to Van Patten, poker pro Tony Dunst, and the multitalented anchor Lynn Gilmartin. But while the TV cameras and seven-figure payouts are reserved for WPT Main Events, the tour also hosts a full series of preliminary events that appeal to the masses.

Just take a look below to see how the recently concluded Borgata Poker Open – a regular stop along the WPT circuit that brings the action to Atlantic City – stacked up in terms of prelim offerings:

Typical WPT Series Stop Schedule

The following schedule highlights preliminary events, and the WPT Main Event, from the 2018 Borgata Poker Open:

As you can see, players have more than a dozen tournaments on tap before the WPT Main Event kicks off. Entry fees for the prelims range from $230 to $1,090, offering plenty of room for players of all bankroll level.

 
Just ask recreational player Rick Savela, who qualified for the 2016 Bay 101 Shooting Stars Main Event in 2016 via the free-to-play ClubWPT online app. As you can see here, Savela got to rub elbows with poker royalty like Phil Hellmuth himself – all while playing for life-changing money.

This amazing accessibility is part of what makes the WPT such a special circuit for amateurs, aspiring pros, and bona fide champions. As it turns out, that’s all by design, thanks to WPT president and chief executive officer Adam Pliska. A behind the scenes veteran of the WPT since 2004, Pliska has worked his way up to the top by consistently identifying ways to blend poker and entertainment.

In a 2016 profile published by PokerNews, Pliska explained how the WPT tries to bring recreational players in for an experience of a lifetime:

One of those recreational players who lived the dream is Dennis Blieden, who managed to top the field at this year’s L.A. Poker Classic WPT Main Event. Winning a WPT title and a cool million bucks is nothing to sneeze at, but to hear Blieden tell the tale, the camaraderie which comes with joining the WPT club was the real highlight of his tournament:

If you’re in search of a world class tournament series that rivals the WSOP, look no further than the WPT – which offers the following events* to close out Season XVII:

*Entries below describe WPT Main Events, but each stop along the tour hosts a series of preliminary tournaments, so be sure to check the event schedule for further details

Upcoming WPT Events in Season XVII

On a final note, while many WPT stops do take players to far-flung locales – it is the World Poker Tour, after all – recreational players who aren’t looking to travel abroad have plenty of opportunities stateside. Be sure to check into the WPT DeepStacks series, a sub-circuit that visits small casinos nationwide while offering more affordable buy-ins.

 
Speaking of affordable buy-ins, what could be better than chasing WSOP gold and glory for just $365 entry fee?That’s the appeal of the WSOP-Circuit (WSOP-C), a smaller tour spun off from the WSOP proper in Las Vegas during the height of the poker boom. The conceptual design of the WSOP-C is deceptively simple – bundle up the structures, atmosphere, and branding of the WSOP into a series of small casino stops.

WSOP-C players are the ultimate grinders, travelling each and every week to a different stop – most of which are held in local casinos falling under the Harrah’s brand. And because the price points for WSOP-C events are among the most affordable in the industry, recreational players have every chance to parlay a small buy-in into big bucks.

Speaking of that Harrah’s Cherokee stop in North Carolina, take a look below to get an idea of how preliminary event scheduling shakes out on the WSOP-C:

Typical Series Stop Schedule

The following schedule highlights preliminary events from the upcoming WSOP-C Harrah’s Cherokee stop in North Carolina:

After 15 seasons of success hosting mid-level tournaments, one might think the WSOP-C would be content to rest on its proverbial laurels. But ahead of the current season, legendary WSOP tournament director Jack Effel announced a series of changes to the tour’s structure – including increased starting stack sizes, flattened buy-in prices, and the integration of the popular big blind ante format.

Here’s how Effel described the WSOP-C’s evolution in a press release:

Another awesome reason to consider playing the WSOP-C is the inclusion of online-only ring events. Following the WSOP proper’s addition of online bracelet events a few years back, the WSOP-C followed suit by adding ring events held concurrently via WSOP.com. That means you can head to a stop like WSOP-C Rio or WSOP-C Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas to grind the live tables, before retreating to your hotel room to take a shot online.

In an interview with US Poker, Bill Rini – who serves as head of online poker for the WSOP – described the online ring event revolution as a natural progression within the industry:

Between the affordable buy-ins, prestigious Main Events, and online tournaments, players of all caliber have every reason to try their hand at the WSOP-C this season.The 2018-19 season of the WSOP-C is currently ongoing, and along with the five stops below to close out the calendar year, you’ll find more than a dozen events nationwide to begin 2019:

Upcoming WSOP-C Events in 2018

Regulars along the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) circuit are partial to a particular slogan associated with the brand – “Real Poker, Unreal Money.” That motto was coined by HPT co-founder Todd Anderson, a recreational player who envisioned a poker tour for “regular Joes” like himself back in 2005. More than a decade later, Anderson’s vision is more than a reality, it’s become a smashing success.

Using a streamlined schedule of ultra-affordable prelims, coupled with a relatively low $1,100 or $1,650 Main Event – each of which offers several avenues for players to qualify on the cheap – HPT circuit stops typically follow the format below:

Typical Series Stop Schedule

The following schedule highlights preliminary events from the recently concluded HPT Daytona Beach stop:

Because the HPT concept is modeled after local daily and nightly tournaments held at tiny casinos across the country, the tour largely appeals to weekend warriors and hometown heroes.

Here’s how Anderson described the HPT dynamic in an interview with PokerListings:

One of those pro players who has turned the HPT into his own personal stomping grounds is Greg Raymer, the 2004 WSOP Main Event World Champion. Back in 2012, Raymer went on a historic tear during which he captured not one, or two or three, but four HPT Main Event titles.

At the time, HPT director of operations Jen Mastrud told PokerNews that Raymer was the perfect “everyman” champion to represent the brand:

If playing alongside poker legends like the “Fossilman” is a goal, but paying the premium asked by WPT and WSOP-C events isn’t in the cards, the HPT is the circuit for you.

Check out the list of 2019 HPT events below to see when Raymer and his pals make their way to your neck of the woods next:

Upcoming HPT Events in the 2019 Season

At one point in time, the WSOP in Las Vegas offered the only legitimate tournament series in the world – but my how things have changed for the better. Nowadays, pros and recreational players alike have a year round schedule of smaller circuits and tours to choose from. Whether you want to chase WPT Champion’s Cup glory, a gold WSOP-C ring, or an HPT title, the trio above gives you every chance to live your poker dreams without ever stepping foot in Sin City.