When poker players entered July 2019, many were focused on the World Series of Poker Main Event and end of the summer series, then the start of the WSOP Circuit and the World Poker Tour’s new season.
Meanwhile, however, players in many parts of the United States were already in the thick of tours that make more stops at lesser-known casinos with tournament offerings that didn’t break the bank. Some of those tournaments were a part of the Heartland Poker Tour’s 15th season that started at the beginning of the year, and others were with the Mid-States Poker Tour.
The MSPT is a fan favorite for many reasons, one of which is the fact that it didn’t take any breaks for the WSOP. The tour also offers prize pool guarantees and hits many casinos and card rooms that are often a bit off the beaten path.
Now in the second half of its 10th season, the MSPT rolled out of Iowa and Ohio and is headed to Minnesota for its next stop.
State Tour Now Encompasses Many States
When the MSPT originated, it was the Minnesota State Poker Tour that kicked off in December 2009. But the demand for the same kind of tournaments in neighboring states – ones in the middle section of the US that are often skipped in favor of the coasts – grew into an opportunity.
By the middle of 2011, the MSPT stood for the Mid-States Poker Tour and designed a tour across Middle America for “weekend warriors,” those with other jobs who wanted to play poker without traveling too far or investing too much money.
As the tour continued to grow, regional events were introduced, and deepstack structures replaced standard ones. Satellites for the Main Events stayed in the range of $250, but $65 super-satellites were added to many stops. The reasonable buy-ins attracted recreational players, and the solid structures and prize pool guarantees brought in some pros.
In 2019, the MSPT entered its 10th season. Each season now boasts of more than 30 events throughout the year and travels to numerous states that rarely see other poker tours.
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MSPT in 2019 So Far
The year started with a Main Event at Jack Cleveland Casino on January 17, and it drew 725 entries, creating a $703,250 prize pool, more than double the $300K that was guaranteed. Sean Munjal won that tournament for $140,654.
That took everyone to Majestic Star Casino near Chicago for its Main Event that guaranteed $200K but attracted 309 entrants for a $309K prize pool. Mike Shin won the $1,100 buy-in event for $68,593.
On January 30, the first regional event of 2019 hit Tropicana Evansville with a $100K guarantee for the Main Event that cost $350 to enter. The total number of entries hit 587, though, put the prize pool beyond that and gave winner Carolyn Adams $35,663 for her victory.
At the same time, the main tour was at the Venetian in Las Vegas for a $650K GTD Main Event, but the 1,022 entries pushed the prize pool to $996,450. Brian Wilson won $143,929 for his win.
That main tour has since hit Canterbury Park in Minnesota, Meskwaki Casino in Iowa, Potawatomi Casino in Wisconsin, Golden Gates Casino in Colorado, Silverado-Franklin in South Dakota, and Firekeepers Casino in Michigan. The most recent stop was July 26-28 at Meskwaki in Tama, Iowa, where Josh Meyer emerged victorious from a 401-entry field to win a $85,241 cash prize.
The regional tour left Tropicana Evansville and stopped at Grand Falls Casino in South Dakota, Golden Gates Casino in Colorado, and just recently wrapped in Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Joel Gilmore won more than $75K from a field of 1,567 entrants.
MSPT on Tap to Fill 2019 Calendar
The remainder of the year will take players to some familiar stops but offer a variety of regional and main tournaments to satisfy all mid-stakes players.
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August 1-4: Jack Cleveland Casino in Cleveland, Ohio ($300K GTD Main)August 7-11: Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota ($100K GTD Regional)August 16-18: Majestic Star Casino near Chicago, Illinois ($200K GTD Main)August 23-25: Tropicana Evansville in Evansville, Indiana ($200K GTD Main)September 6-8: Grand Falls Casino in Sioux Falls, South Dakota ($150K GTD Main)September 12-15: Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota ($300K GTD Main)September 20-22: Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada ($250K GTD Main)October 10-13: Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan ($1M GTD Main)November 1-3: Meskwaki Casino in Tama, Iowa ($300K GTD Main)November 13-17: Golden Gates Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado ($150K GTD Regional)November 14-17: Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin ($300K GTD Main)November 21-24: Golden Gates Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado ($300K GTD Main)December 5-8: Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota ($500K GTD Main)
The full schedule can be found on the MSPT website.
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