Happy New Year, especially to fans of the college football national champion Michigan Wolverines.
If you’re a Spartans fan, you still have the Lions to root for and have to like their chances at making a deep run in the postseason.
If you’re looking to play any poker throughout the month, during football games or not, we’ve got you covered below.
Michigan online poker has multiple large-scale events on the calendar that will generate millions of dollars in combined prize pools.
Meanwhile, Michigan casinos and charity poker rooms exist throughout the state with attractive daily tournaments, cash games and monthly promotions. Let’s dive in.
Michigan online poker tournament series in January
Two of Michigan online poker’s three legal websites have series beginning on Friday.
Michiganders will be able to compete for 12 WSOP Circuit gold rings from Jan. 12-23, the first online circuit series of the new year.
Even more money is up for grabs at the PokerStars Winter Series, which has $2.25 million guaranteed for its combined player pool in Michigan and New Jersey.
PokerStars MI Winter Series
PokerStars MI is the only available Michigan online poker site that offers interstate poker. The platform merged player pools with PokerStars NJ on Jan. 1, 2023, a catalyst that helped Michigan become the top online poker market in the US less than a year later.
The PokerStars Winter Series runs from Jan. 12-29 and features 81 events with $2.25 million in guarantees. For reference, that’s 50% greater than PokerStars PA’s $1.5 million and even more than PokerStars ON’s adjusted $1.27 million.
The complete series spans three weekends, culminating on Monday, Jan. 29.
Each Sunday offers at least one six-figure guaranteed prize pool, including the $250,000 Guaranteed Main Event. The Main Event has a $300 buy-in and runs for two days.
- Sunday, Jan. 14: 6 p.m. $100 Sunday Special Championship ($100K Guaranteed)
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- Sunday, Jan. 21: 6 p.m. $200 Sunday Special (two-day event, $125K Guaranteed)
- Sunday, Jan. 21: 7 p.m. $1.000 Sunday High Roller ($100K Guaranteed)
- Sunday, Jan. 28: 6 p.m. $300 Main Event Championship (two-day event, $250K Guaranteed)
- Sunday, Jan. 28: 7 p.m. $2,000 High Roller Main Championship ($100K Guaranteed)
The Winter Series features events at all stakes, ranging from $10 to $2,000. Check your PokerStars client’s “Winter Series” tab for more information.
WSOP.com MI January Circuit Series
A WSOP Circuit gold ring is among the prized possessions of many accomplished tournament players. Twelve will soon be available to compete for during the first WSOP.com MI Online Circuit series of 2024.
These 12 events take place at 7 p.m. each day between Friday, Jan. 12 and Tuesday, Jan. 23. Buy-ins range from $100 to $1,000, and event guarantees sit between $20K and $50K. In total, the series will award more than $320,000 in prizes and a dozen WSOP Circuit gold rings.
You can find a complete schedule of events by clicking here.
Live poker tournaments and promotions in Michigan
Michigan poker tournaments run every day of the week at casinos and charity rooms throughout the state. Battle Creek’s FireKeepers Casino has the most active room in the state, with two daily events and several more promotional events each month.
Upcoming events:
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- Saturday, Jan. 13: 2 p.m. $100 NLH Ladies Only event
- Saturday, Jan. 20: 2 p.m. 2023 Tournament of Champions Grand Finale – $20,000 guaranteed to winner (only available to qualifiers from the 2023 TOC leaderboard)
- Saturday, Jan. 27: 12 p.m. $300 NLH Bonus Bounty
- Saturday, Feb. 10: 11 a.m. Dream Team Doubles Tournament ($100 per player) – each player plays their own stack for the first four levels. At the start of Level 5, teammates combine their stacks and play as a team, alternating each level for the remainder of the event.
You can find a full list of daily tournaments at FireKeepers and throughout the state below in the “Daily Michigan poker tournaments” section.
High hand promotions and bomb pots
Most poker rooms inside casinos offer high hand promos on various days of the week. These promos will award cash prizes ranging from $100 to $1,000 every half-hour or hour during an advertised timeframe.
Always check with each specific room to see what hours and prizes they offer for this promo. Rooms with high hand promotions include:
Gun Lake and FireKeepers also run made-hand progressive jackpots that pay anyone who makes a Royal Flush in any suit or a straight flush in diamonds (Gun Lake only). MGM Grand Detroit runs bomb pots all day, every day, in all games.
Bad beat jackpots
Michigan poker rooms with bad beat jackpots (BBJ) allow players to turn misfortune into great fortune. BBJ pools add up over time as the house takes a nominal amount from the pot each hand, usually $1.
Depending on the room, requirements may differ to hit the BBJ, but they will always be improbable.
The longer it takes to hit, the larger the BBJ grows. And while you should never chase a BBJ, winning one will almost certainly net you an exponentially greater win during your session.
Here is a look at active bad beat jackpots in Michigan:
- MotorCity Casino (Quads over quads BBJ): $170,983
- Soaring Eagle Casino: $71,964
- MGM Grand Detroit (Quads over quad fives BBJ): $97,408 for NLH and $63,260 for PLO.
- FireKeepers Casino: $59,103
- Soaring Eagle Casino (Omaha BBJ): $27,203
- MGM Grand Detroit (Mini BBJ) – $18,000 ($8,000 to loser, $4,000 to winner and $1,000 to everyone else at the table.) Qualifier is aces full of kings or better beaten by a higher hand.
- Motor City Casino (Omaha BBJ – quad tens or better beaten by a higher hand): $16,798
Daily Michigan poker tournaments
Michigan casinos and charity card rooms run regularly-scheduled daily tournaments that are the perfect option for a fun afternoon or night of poker.
Keep reading below to see what tournaments are available near you. We’ve separated the list by casinos and charity rooms. Note: Charity rooms keep 20% of all tournament prize pool funds for charitable donations.
Caesars Windsor (Windsor, ON)
- Friday: 6:15 p.m. C$245 Bounty NLH
- Sunday: 2:15 p.m. C$150 NLH
FireKeepers Casino (Battle Creek)
- Monday through Wednesday: 12:15 and 6:15 p.m. $50 NLH
- Thursday: 12:15 p.m. $50 NLH; 6:15 p.m. RxR PLO/NLH
- Friday: 12:15 p.m. $50 NLH; 6:15 p.m. $95 Mega Stack NLH
- Saturday: 12:15 p.m. $50 Crazy Pineapple; 6:15 p.m. $125 NLH Green Chip Bounty
- Sunday: 12:15 p.m. $200 NLH; 6:15 p.m. $50 Pineapple
Gun Lake Casino (Wayland)
- Monday and Wednesday: 7:15 p.m. $60 NLH
- Saturday: 12:15 p.m. $125 NLH Green Chip Bounty
Island Resort Casino (Harris)
- Wednesday: 6:30 p.m. $80 NLH
- Thursday: 6:30 p.m. $100 NLH Satellite to Vegas Satellite Finale ($650 value)
- Sunday: 5 p.m. $60 NLH Satellite to Midwest Poker Challenge ($350 value)
Michigan charity poker room tournaments
Ciccarelli’s Sports Bar (Utica)
- Monday through Wednesday: 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $40 NLH
- Thursday: 1 p.m. $50 NLH/PLO Round x Round; 7:30 p.m. $55 PLO
DiCicco’s Poker Room (Shelby Township)
- Friday: 7:30 p.m. Pick your buy-in NLH
- Saturday: 7:30 p.m. $50 NL Crazy Pineapple
- Sunday: 7:30 p.m. $50 Mixed 2/3/4 (Hold’em, Crazy Pineapple and Omaha)
The Event Spot (Lansing)
- Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 7 p.m. $45 NLH
- Tuesday: 7 p.m. $45 NLH/PLO Round x Round
Huron Poker Room (Oscoda)
- Saturday: 7 p.m. $40 NLH Rebuy
Kings Poker Room (Grand Rapids)
- Thursday: 7 p.m. $75 NLH Freezeout
- Friday: 7 p.m. $40 NLH Freezeout
- Saturday: 12 p.m. $50 Mixed; 7 p.m. $40 NLH w/ Re-Entries
- Sunday: 12 p.m. $50 Mixed; 6:15 p.m. $75 NLH w/ 1 Re-Entry($125 on third Sunday of the month)
Krazy Kopz at Vision Lanes (Westland)
- Thursday: 1 p.m. $35 NLH; 7 p.m. $55 NLH/PLO Round x Round
- Friday: 1 p.m. $35 NLH; 7 p.m. $55 NLH
- Saturday: 7 p.m. $55 NLH
- Sunday: 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. $55 NLH
Legends Poker Place of Metamora (Metamora)
- Thursday and Friday: 7 p.m. $10 NLH w/ Rebuys
- Saturday and Sunday: 7 p.m. $20 NLH w/ Rebuys ($100 NLH first Saturday of the month)
Momo’s Poker Room (Taylor)
- Thursday through Saturday: 7:30 p.m. $35 NLH
One Eyed Jacks Poker Room (Shelby Township)
- Thursday: 7 p.m. $100 NLH w/ 1 Re-Entry
- Friday: 1 p.m. $45 NLH w/ 1 Re-Entry; 7 p.m. $50 NLH Freezeout
- Saturday: 12 p.m. $60 NLH w/ 1 Re-Entry; 7 p.m. $50 NLH Freezeout
- Sunday: 1 p.m. $45 NLH w/ 1 Re-Entry; 7 p.m. $60 Survivor (1 in 5 pays $240)
Rosemack Poker Room (Roseville)
- Wednesday: 7 p.m. $50 NLH w/ Add-On
- Thursday: 7 p.m. $50 NLH Freezeout
- Friday: 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. $40 NLH Freezeout
- Saturday: 1 p.m. $40 NLH Freezeout; 7 p.m. $70 NLH Freezeout
The Saginaw Poker Room (Saginaw)
- Monday: 6:30 p.m. $20 Rebuy
- Saturday: 5:30 p.m. $20 Rebuy
Waterford Card Room at 300 Bowl (Waterford)
- Thursday and Friday: 7 p.m. $45 NLH
- Saturday: 7 p.m. $100 NLH
Westgate Poker (Comstock)
- Monday: 7 p.m. $20 NLH Rebuy
- Tuesday: 7 p.m. $35 NLH Freezeout
- Wednesday: 7 p.m. $20-$50 NLH “Build a Stack”
- Thursday: 7 p.m. $100 NLH Freezeout
