Poker News, Strategy, Live Reporting & Poker Guides
I had 5K chips in this tournament when the big blind was 500. I’m not where I want to be poker-wise; I’m not where I want to be in life. Then I slowly started to realize that sometimes I have no control over the result. It really took a toll on me for a long time. From the start, I wasn’t playing the Main Event to get twenty-third or eighteenth. People see this one event, ‘He’s twenty-two, he just gets gifted this spot worth millions of dollars.’ But I was in there competing in events after I turned eighteen.
The 2026 Venetian DeepStack Championship at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas distributed $22,947,285 in prize money across 121 numbered events, running from May 21 through August 2, according to PokerNews. Poker player, vlogger, and influencer Doug Polk has announced that he is “stepping… Introduced by Northern Virginia Democrat Marcus Simon on Tuesday, HB161 would place online gambling under the regulatory authority of the Virginia Lottery Board. Last Friday, Gov. Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 2136 into law, banning online sweepstakes casinos… Read more »
It was clear there was trouble brewing in the US online poker landscape, but sites continued to operate and players continued to deposit. Poker’s popularity had been at an all-time high and patches of online poker companies like PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker could be seen on players everywhere. As for online poker, it’s even worse for poker players as internet gambling is illegal in any form. Live poker is www.pokernewsdaily.com only permitted at the state’s two racinos in table-game form, not as traditional live poker cash games or tournaments.
Online poker, although not currently offered, could be an option someday soon. MGM Springfield, the first commercial casino in the Bay State, opened to business in 2018. The Expanded Gaming Act, passed on November 22, 2011, allowed MA to have three resort casinos and one slot parlor.
Daniel Negreanu reveals why PLO is his game of choice, Josh Arieh’s influence and how he beat Artur Martirosian heads-up for his eighth bracelet. In the end, McKeehen outlasted 673 entries in the $5,300 buy-in to score a top prize of $462,600, which was adjusted during heads-up play. \”I caught some cards and I won some big pots. It seemed every time the pot got really big, especially three-handed, I had the best hand. That was helpful.” “It feels like every time I get into the situation, I just can’t. “Down here in Florida, I don’t feel like I’ve ever done as well as I should have,” McKeehen told SHRPO live reporter BJ Nemeth. As it turns out, it’s been a long time coming for the North Wales, Pennsylvania pro.
Every online poker site offers different bonuses and promotions, and the best ones also offer rewards programs so players who compete there regularly benefit from their loyalty. The internet is filled with risks, so online poker players want to be sure that their poker room takes security and privacy seriously. If you are playing in 99.9% of public poker room games across the US, 80% of the players are no better than they were in 2006.
GGPoker is home to the WSOP Online, where players from eligible countries can compete for actual World Series of Poker bracelets. What’s more, most poker sites host frequent series throughout the year, so you’re not short of options. While a fundamental part of the ecosystem, online poker is built around more than just daily grinders and weekly freerolls. GGPoker provides a similar opportunity, running step satellites where players can win full WSOP packages. WSOP.com just makes number one on our list, purely down to the opportunity players have to qualify for the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Where GG might lack poker variants, PokerStars doesn’t and you’ll find some fun turbos and hypers across a range of different poker games.
ICM considerations, bankroll implications and gameplay dynamics become even more relevant, and there are several factors to consider in order to be profitable. Strategy is vital for any poker format, but a solid plan and discipline is arguably even more essential when it comes to poker tournaments. Like 888poker, Party tends to lean towards higher guarantees rather than offering the volume of events that PokerStars and GGPoker does with their series.
There was also still time for another legend to write himself into the record books. That year saw the first non-American win the Main Event as Mansour Matloubi triumphed, and 1991 saw the first prize reach $1,000,000 for the first time. Outside of the Main Event, the WSOP schedule would also continue to grow, with 15 events scheduled in 1990.
Sit and Gos satellites often run for major, popular events, giving players on-demand opportunities to qualify for a main event. Satellites are great ways for players to gain entry to higher-priced tournaments without paying the full buy-in. WSOP.com is also a strong candidate in this category, with special turbo WSOP online events running, giving players a chance to win a real WSOP bracelet. With turbo poker and hyper tournaments, you can play full MTTs, go the distance and be all wrapped up in time to make your dinner reservations!
PokerStars also has a solid beginner offering, including play money options. The site offers free tournaments (freerolls), low-stakes buy-ins, and intuitive software. If you mostly play on your phone or tablet, these platforms offer the best user experience with minimal lag. PokerStars, BetMGM Poker, and GGPoker have top-tier mobile apps, supporting real money play, fast deposits, and smooth multi-tabling. GGPoker is quickly catching up, hosting bracelet events and the popular GGMasters series. We clearly indicate which sites are available and legal in your region, but it is always your responsibility to check before playing.
PokerStars is now available exclusively on FanDuel, which means you can play PokerStars for real money in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In December 2001, PokerStars began offering real money gaming. Plus, there was still a lot of money being processed despite the UIGEA, which focused on financial transactions when it came to illegal gambling transactions. However, due to Covid regulations, poker is limited to a single table with plexiglass dividers.
For me, that’s more fun than playing poker. Your experience playing on TV tables and handling the pressure on the way to winning three WSOP bracelets has to be an advantage for you. I had to really tighten up and pick my spots and sort of navigate my way into the final table. But the number of big blinds, stack sizes, and positions at the table dictate how you have to play.
When reviewing poker sites, the PokerNews team looks at several factors that matter most to new players. A good beginner-friendly poker room should also provide free-play tables, freeroll tournaments, and helpful educational resources to help you improve your skills while building confidence at the tables. GG Poker is a newer operator in the industry, but has made strong innovations with its offering, and sites like WSOP do exceptionally well at actively bridging the gap between live and online poker.
However, the first commercial casino only opened to business seven years later. Gambling in Massachusetts was finally signed into law in 2011. The Bayou State houses four federally-approved Indian casinos and 43 state-licensed casinos. Kentucky has traditionally taken a hard stance against gambling outside of its three racinos and state-run lottery.
I used to make this mistake all the time when I was a kid, and it cost me a lot of money. But they completely neglect the fact that poker is a multi-street game. A lot of these player types do not go out of their way to bluff people. Or I’ll have a barbecue dad who is jolly, having a good time, and mostly playing passively. The 2026 WSOP Main Event final table runs from Monday to Wednesday this coming week on ESPN2 and ESPN.
Season 3 of Galfond’s intense Beyond the Game poker training program brings some big improvements and more flexible membership options. From preflop chart apps to solvers and ICM calculators, discover the best poker tools in 2026 that you will need in your arsenal. The huge pot was a fitting exclamation mark to a wild stretch of play. Start-of-day leader Reoma Ogawa was ousted in seventh place when his roughly nine-big-blind three-bet shove was called by Molenaar’s ac,qs. It finally came 38 hands later with Yuya Arito falling to Chan after he jammed 5h,5d from the small blind and couldn’t hold up against Chan’s call from the big blind with ks,jh. Play was notably snug after the bubble burst, with the APT commentary team invoking Teddy KGB from Rounders as the entire table was ‘hanging around, hanging around’ for that first $6K pay jump.
GGPoker is the best site for experienced players outside the US. PokerStars on FanDuel is my pick for the best site in the US for experienced players. You’ll get all the usual things you expect from Stars, but just on software that shares liquidity between multiple states – meaning more players and larger prizepools! However, players must now access it directly on the FanDuel platform. PokerStars on FanDuel is the best site for experienced players.
Sutthi Denvitaya was the unfortunate bubble boy, exiting in a curiously played hand. The duo battled for well over two hours, trading the lead several times after they began their heads-up match virtually even. This was the run Jeremy Je Min Chan was on, and it started at APT Incheon in this very event a year ago. Now imagine getting that close again, and again, and again, and again, coming up that one spot short each time. Sure, the money is usually pretty nice, but you want that ‘W,’ the trophy, the top prize, and all the glory.
States such as Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey are fully regulated and legal for online poker. To excel at poker and become a successful player, one of the things that you will need to pay close attention to is bankroll management. Some of the poker tournaments award huge cash prizes to the winners. Poker fans will do anything to win big cash prizes, including entering top poker tournaments. Video gaming and poker were once dismissed as the pastimes of wastrels and no-goods, but the glitz of these activities is shared by well over 700 million people globally.
And finally, we display online poker sites frequented by US players, those in Australia, and elsewhere, ranking them by features, benefits, and overall poker experiences. Yes, you can win money from online poker tournaments in the sense that they are legitimate, real money poker games that award cash prizes. When playing real-money online poker tournaments, your safety and fairness at the tables should always come first. Free-play online poker is perfect for beginning players, or even those who want to try a particular poker software platform before committing money to play there. Most online poker players take their first dip into the pool with only play-coins or money. One site might fill its tables with professional poker players and grinders, while a competitor might offer some of the softest games.
If you’ve been following online poker news over the past few months, you know that bots are currently a very big deal in the world of poker. Most players have not studied it enough, and they become uncomfortable very quickly. Before next year’s series, when you play a tournament, tell yourself before you buy in, ‘Okay, I have to be willing to fire four entries in this event.’
The very first WSOP online bracelet tournament was in 2015, with the $1,000 WSOP.com Online No-Limit Hold ‘Em won by Anthony Spinella over a field of 905 for $197,743. The first World Series took place in 1970 and featured no tournaments at all. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a live poker festival held every year in Las Vegas. We do not operate as an affiliate and do not earn from player activity. PokerNews produces and provides live play-by-play updates and chip counts for publication on the World Series of Poker website, as well as on PokerNews.com. GGPoker is running an exclusive WSOP Online series across 45 days of non-stop action, along with more than $350 million in tournament prizes and over $5 million in exclusive promotions.
If you or somebody you know may have a problem with gambling addiction, reach out to professionals such as National Council on Problem Gambling for confidential consultancy and always only play poker legally and within reasonable means. The brand-new PokerStars on FanDuel platform is available to players in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. But a major development in the U.S. occurred in April 2026 when PokerStars North America agreed to a multi-state online poker partnership with sports betting giant FanDuel. Online poker will never be the same in the US, and Black Friday remains a cautionary reminder of the devastating consequences of skirting government regulations, ignoring warning signs and improperly managing player funds. Several states have introduced online poker bills in recent years, including New York, Maryland, Virginia and Massachusetts.
The hope is that by combining the PokerStars brand familiar to North American customers with FanDuel’s sports and casino audience, the new platform will lead to larger fields and bigger prize pools for its tournaments and cash games. Integrating PokerStars into that ecosystem creates immediate cross-sell opportunities, funneling sports bettors and casino players into poker. Thousands upon thousands of poker players compete online from within the US every day. Our reviewers take many different factors into consideration when ranking the top sites for poker, and players can choose the ones they consider the “top” options. The most important consideration when starting to play real-money online poker is how much money to deposit. That is exactly what we aim to do – try them all and save players the hassle of opening accounts at every site, wasting time and money doing research that our experts are paid to do.
Since PocketFives Live only covered the members of the online community, we also had a lot more latitude than other outlets. On my first day I remember the time for the first post was drawing near and I just sat at the computer afraid I would mess it up. Your first WSOP job was near the bottom of the poker-media ladder, but you treated it as an opportunity to prove you belonged. The behaviors I observed and wrote about certainly happened at the series, so I guess I didn’t get anything ‘wrong’ per se? However, if you are asking about my academic research, the paper I had written was about non-verbal communication among poker cohorts, so that really didn’t address the scope of the WSOP. Along the way, she found a place for herself in an industry that often had a very narrow idea of what a woman in poker media was supposed to look like and do.
New York isn’t the only state looking at online poker this year as seven other states have introduced similar legislation. Of all the states looking to legalize online poker, New York stands out as one of the biggest states in the country that could bring much-needed shared liquidity to US online poker. After three years of failing to get online poker through the state legislature, New York’s Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. is back asking lawmakers to bring online poker to the state’s nearly 20 million residents.
The PokerStars MicroMillions series provides the perfect lead-in to the upcoming World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). $2M+ GTD for PokerStars MicroMillions series as WCOOP approaches Three different $26,000 NLH events will scatter themselves in between to make up a complete Super High Roller Series. If you’re playing at a higher level, or if you just want to stop by and watch those who are, the PokerGO Tour will be back on the beat with its fall schedule. No matter where you might toss the dart on the calendar, you’ll find something to play, so we did a deep dive on the schedule to map out the rest of 2026. The World Series of Poker is gone but poker never stops in Las Vegas.
