We’ve got all sorts of online poker tournaments for you to play here at Ignition. But if you’re ever in the mood for live event poker, there are also thousands of cardrooms and casinos across the world hosting exciting tournaments with huge prize pools.
Players in most countries should have little trouble finding a great event on their local tournament schedule. Others will have to do some traveling, especially if they want to experience the “Granddaddy of Them All,” the World Series of Poker.
This handy guide will introduce you to some of the biggest poker tournaments in the U.S. and around the world. We’ll also cover a few smaller-stakes events that newer players with smaller bankrolls might feel more comfortable participating in. We’ll even include links to event calendars and some valuable tips for online players transitioning to live play.
Top U.S. Poker Live Events
WSOP
The World Series of Poker has been running for over 50 years, and shows no signs of slowing down. The unofficial World Champion of Poker is crowned at the $10,000 buy-in Main Event; No-Limit Hold’Em is the game of choice, and the 2023 champion, Daniel Weinman, took home the largest top prize ever of $12.1 million.
There are many other live WSOP tournaments to play besides the Main Event – nearly 100, in fact. These events include Omaha, Stud, Razz and other variants alongside Hold’em, and have buy-ins ranging from a few hundred dollars to $250,000 or more for the Super High Roller tournaments. The host casinos as of 2023 are the Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.
WSOP Circuit
In addition to the main WSOP dates, this organization runs a Circuit tour with stops throughout the year across North America. WSOP Circuit tournaments provide an excellent and highly accessible option for players at all levels; some winners will even be invited to the WSOP Tournament of Champions!
World Poker Tour
The WPT runs a number of different tournament series all around the world. The Main Tour takes place over the course of the year at a variety of casino locations, culminating in the WPT World Championship every December at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Tournaments around the World
The WSOP and WPT also host several of the top live poker tournaments from the rest of the world. You can now win one of those coveted gold bracelets at a WSOP Europe event; WSOP Asia Pacific, WSOP Africa, WSOP International Circuit and WSOP Paradise (in the Bahamas) have even more tournament action waiting for you.
As for the WPT, their tournament series include WPT Deep Stacks, WPT Prime, and WPT500, with events played across America and around the world. Other major tournament series taking place internationally are the Triton Super High Roller Series, the Macau High Stakes Challenge, the Super High Roller Bowl, the Guang Dong Asia Millions, and the Heartland Poker Tour.
Small and Mid-Stakes Live Poker Tournaments
They maintain a comprehensive list of poker tournaments around the world, including local events for American (and Canadian) players at casinos throughout North America.
Here are some of the events from the 2023 calendar with mid-stakes and lower stakes poker players in mind:
- The Lodge Championship Series in Texas, featuring a $500 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold’Em event.
- DeepStack Extravaganza II at the Venetian, with multiple $300 buy-in events.
- WSOP Circuit events at Harrah’s Cherokee in North Carolina, with buy-ins starting at $80.
- The Queen City Bounty Series at The Hard Rock in Cincinnati, offering a $200 buy-in No-Limit Hold’em turbo progressive bounty tournament.
Poker Tournaments Live Events Scheduled for 2023
The 2023 schedule is already in full swing, but here are some of the major poker tournaments that were featured:
- WSOP – Kicked off May 30th and played all the way into July; the Main Event started on the July 4th weekend.
- WPT – The WPT “Main Tour” takes place throughout the year, but the Championship will be held on December 12, 2023 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
- WSOP Circuit – Events will be held across North America, and are spread out fairly evenly throughout the year, with roughly 2-3 circuit events held each month at various locations.
Live Poker Tournament Tips for Online Players
Making the transition from online to live poker can be challenging, especially if you’ve never played live. However, by following these basic tips, you can set yourself up for the same success you enjoy online – perhaps even more!
Avoid tells
You’re not sitting behind a screen anymore – so make sure you don’t give away any information about your hand. That means you’ll have to practice your poker face. Move your cards and chips with a steady hand, and don’t be tempted to “Hollywood” your opponents by acting weak when you’re strong, and strong when weak. Remain neutral throughout the hand, and you’ll cut way down on beginner mistakes; save the acting job for the professionals.
Go easy on the free drinks
It’s normal to get excited when drinks are on the house, which may happen from time to time at live events. But if you get drunk, your judgment could go south in a hurry, so stick with water or caffeinated drinks if you’re trying to stay on-point and make good poker decisions.
Read up on the tournament structure
Don’t go in blind when playing a live tournament. Planning out your day can give you a sense of control and help you grind out what may turn into a marathon session of poker. This isn’t Ignition Zone Poker, so you’ll need all the patience you can muster. Know when the breaks are and how long each will be; you will also want to have a plan about rebuys if any are available. Don’t decide these things on the fly. Stay disciplined, and you’ll put yourself in the best position to succeed at the live tournament tables.
FAQ Live Events
Do you have to be a pro to play in big live poker tournaments?
In general, no. Aside from invitationals, most tournaments are set up so that anyone with the required buy-in (and entry fee) may play. However, if you’ve been banned from the premises of a particular casino, you won’t be able to participate in an event hosted there.
What are the buy-in ranges for poker tournament live events?
The buy-ins are usually hundreds of dollars for the smaller stakes, and thousands for bigger tournaments, up to $10,000 for the WSOP Main Event. High-roller tournaments can have buy-ins of $100,000 (like the WSOP High Roller Bounty tournament), or even $1 million at the Big One for One Drop.
What is the required age to play live poker?
You’ll need to check the rules for the jurisdiction in which you want to play. Some places allow 18-year-olds to play real money poker in a casino, while others require players to be 21 or older.
How much do I need saved for a buy-in?
The principles of poker tournament bankroll management still apply here, just as they do in cash games. As a general rule, make sure you have at least 100 buy-ins in your bankroll. You can adjust this up or down to reflect how big the playing field is, and how much of an edge you think you have.
Does a buy-in include accommodations?
The buy-in listed for each tournament only gets you into the game. Unless you’ve won your seat as part of a larger prize package, usually at a satellite event, the hotel/casino does not include nightly lodging when you buy in.