For the first time in history, Michigan online poker players have the chance to compete for World Series of Poker bracelets from inside the Mitten State.
This is possible due to WSOP.com being operational in Michigan since the end of March, just two months before the beginning of the WSOP. As a result, WSOP MI introduced its Michigan-only online bracelet series to run Sundays all summer long during the main WSOP festival, held in Las Vegas through mid-July.
Now, three of the series’ eight Sunday events have already been played to their conclusion, with nearly $350,000 in total prize pools over those tournaments. Michigan’s first three bracelet winners have been declared, and five more will join them over the next month.
Who were the first three Michigan online bracelet winners? And what else is up for grabs this summer? Keep reading to find out.
WSOP’s Norman Chad hand delivers first Michigan bracelet
Brett Blackwood of Belleville won the first bracelet of the series, topping a field of 310 entries in Event #1: The Big $500 to take home the top prize of $35,559 in addition to the accompanying prestigious gold hardware.
Long-time WSOP commentator Norman Chad made the most of the occasion, too. Chad flew to Michigan to surprise Blackwood with his bracelet, where he also asked the first-time WSOP champion how often he played on WSOP.com in Michigan.
Norman Chad hand delivered the bracelet in Michigan to our 1st online winner Brett Blackwood and even got him out to Vegas. Are you next ?
PLO bracelet up tomorrow on @WSOPcom pic.twitter.com/aVwWQOVfUR— WSOP (@WSOP) June 18, 2022
“That was the first time,” said Blackwood of his experience on the site. “I didn’t even know it (WSOP.com) was out here, and I heard about it (the event) the day of, actually.”
Estes and Macleod also capture bracelets
Todd Estes became the second WSOP MI online bracelet winner, taking down Event #2: $400 Ultra Deepstack on June 12. That event drew 331 entries for a total prize pool of $119,161, with Estes’ first-place prize of $27,896 also marking his career-best score.
A week later, John “Mac” Macleod won the very-first WSOP MI online Pot-Limit Omaha event, reigning supreme over a field of 188 to take home $21,387 for his performance.
After winning, Macleod took to Twitter, saying he channeled his inner Dash Dudley (who recently took second place in the $50K PLO event at the WSOP in Las Vegas) while exhibiting a short celebration which he captured on video:
“That’s how you win a bracelet right there! Bracelet on Father’s Day, let’s go! Wake up the kids; it’s Father’s Day! Woo!”
Channeled my inner @DashDudley & just won a PLO bracelet. #WSOP #michiganpoker pic.twitter.com/EHibFaTCiX
— Mac (@johnmacfm) June 20, 2022
WSOP MI is outpacing WSOP PA’s series
Michigan’s first foray into an online bracelet series is proving to be quite the hit. Through the first three events, WSOP MI has drawn larger fields than its counterpart in Pennsylvania, which is running an identical series for players within PA state lines.
This summer’s PA online bracelet series is its second in history, as opposed to Michigan’s first. Still, Michigan is setting the numbers to beat so far, as it drew total entries of 310 and 331 for its first two NLH events versus the 270 and 272 entries PA saw.
Event 3 switched to PLO, and Michigan’s 188 entries at $500 apiece were more than 23% higher than Pennsylvania’s 152 entries for the same event.
Michigan online bracelet series could reach seven figures
Five more events remain in the series, including the $600 Online Deepstack Championship on June 26 and the $1,000 Online Bracelet Championship on July 10.
With such events, WSOP MI should have its largest field sizes of the series coming up in the next few weeks and will possibly surpass $1 million in total prize pool money for the entire series when all is said and done.
Should that number not be reached by the Online Bracelet Championship, the final weekend includes two final chances: the $777 Lucky 7s Second Chance on Saturday, July 16, followed by the $500 Summer Saver the very next day on July 17.
