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PokerStars Details 2019 WCOOP with $75M GTD

Written by Jennifer Newell
Last updated on
Jennifer Newell

Just last month, PokerStars wrapped up its MicroMillions15, the micro-stakes online poker series with more than $5 million in prize money. And now it’s time for the big one, the tournament series that started it all and became THE online poker series that everyone wanted to play – WCOOP.

The 15th edition of MicroMillions did just offer a series of more than 140 tournaments in July. It was a massive series that ran for two weeks to host low-stakes events with buy-ins ranging from $1.10 to $5.50. And when it was done, there were more than 75,000 players who cashed in on the cumulative prize pools of $5,069,941.

And just as that series wound down, PokerStars teased the 2019 World Championship of Online Poker, better known around the globe as WCOOP.

It will take place this year from September 5-25, PokerStars said. And it would start running qualifying satellites on August 19.

They did.

At the same time, WCOOP details were offered as well.

WCOOP 2019 Details

The latest iteration of WCOOP is offering the largest guarantee in its history — $75 million across the 219 tournaments on the schedule.

Action will begin on September 5 and run through September 25 – a full 20 days of tournaments that will range from $2.20 to $25,000.

Each of the 73 tournament designations will offer three tiers of buy-ins – low, medium, and high – to include players of all bankrolls in the series.

PokerStars Managing Director & Commercial Office of Poker Severin Rasset noted, “We aim to give all our players a chance to find a tournament for them. That’s why we are offering a large range of formats, buy-ins, and plenty of routes to qualify. The 20-day tournament series is going to be huge for everyone, and we can’t wait to see the results.”

WCOOP Schedule Highlights

The entire schedule of 219 tournaments can be found on the PokerStars website. But there are quite a few highlights to note.

One of the unique events in this year’s WCOOP will be the UFC tournament on September 15. This was borne out of the marketing sponsorship between PokerStars and UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) that was announced last December. The event is the 41st on the schedule and includes these options:

–Event 41 Micro (UFC Bantamweight):  $11 NLHE 8-Max Progressive KO ($200K GTD)

–Event 41 Low (UFC Lightweight):  $109 NLHE 8-Max Progressive KO ($1.25M GTD)

–Event 41 Medium (UFC Middleweight):  $1,050 NLHE 8-Max Progressive KO ($1.25M GTD)

–Event 41 High (UFC Heavyweight):  $10,300 NLHE 8-Max Progressive KO ($1M GTD)

And the winners of each of those events will win a prize package to see UFC 244 in New York on November 3, a package that includes the flights, grand transportation, and hotel accommodations.

Of course, the highlight of series will be the WCOOP Main Event, of which there will be two that will begin on September 22.

–Event 70 Low:  $55 NLHE 8-Max Main Event ($1.25M GTD)

–Event 70 High:  $5,200 NLHE 8-Max Main Event ($10M GTD)

In addition, there is an event not on the schedule but playing out near the start of WCOOP. On Sunday, September 8, there will be a $55 buy-in tournament benefiting the Right to Play charity. The entirety of the rake will go to the organization, which is PokerStars’ charity partner.

Right to Play is a nonprofit organization with a simple mission: “Protect, educate, and empower children to rise above adversity using the power of play.” The goal is to help children learn through games, sport, creative and free play, focused in countries where their futures are often limited by violence, child labor, illiteracy, early marriage, and inequality.

WCOOP Leaderboard Challenges

The 2019 WCOOP will offer a leaderboard for each of the buy-in categories, as well as one for the overall series. There will be cash and prizes for the top finishers on each leaderboard.

Low Leaderboard

1st place:  $3,500 cash + trophy

2nd place:  $1,500 cash

3rd place:  $1,000 cash

Medium Leaderboard

1st place:  $5,000 cash + trophy

2nd place:  $2,500 cash

3rd place:  $1,500 cash

High Leaderboard

1st place:  $7,500 cash + trophy

2nd place:  $5,000 cash

3rd place:  $2,500 cash

Overall Leaderboard

1st place:  $20,000 cash + trophy

Points will be awarded for every in-the-money finish and based on the type of tournament, whether heads-up, six-handed, four-handed, seven-handed, eight-handed, nine-handed, or six-handed shootout. The amount of money won will not be a factor except in the case of a points tie.

 

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