From May 12-15, something extraordinary is happening at Firekeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek – Michiganders will have a rare opportunity to participate in a poker game with a prize pool exceeding $1 million.
After a hiatus since October 2019, the Mid-States Poker Tour is making a comeback at Firekeepers with an impressive minimum prize pool guarantee of $1 million!
The tournament requires a buy-in of $1,110 and spans four days. Each day, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, will serve as independent Day 1 events. Players who successfully advance from any of these days will proceed to “Day 2” on Sunday. From this point, the tournament will continue until a champion is determined.
Satellites are currently in progress and will persist until May 11.
Big prizes not new to MSPT at Firekeepers
To some, a $1 million guaranteed prize pool might seem unbelievable, but for those of us familiar with the MSPT event at Firekeepers, it’s not surprising at all.
In October 2019, the event was held and attracted 1,615 participants, resulting in a prize pool exceeding $1.5 million. Impressively, the top three contenders all earned more than $100,000, and the ultimate victor walked away with an impressive $262,145. Considering the initial investment was only $1,110, this outcome can certainly be deemed remarkable.
Return of in-person poker tournaments brings excitement
Not only because of the enormous prize pool, but also due to the immense anticipation, the Michigan poker community is abuzz with excitement for this event.
The return of MSPT at Firekeepers signifies the full recovery of live poker to its pre-Covid-19 status.
Before 2020, the MSPT organized semi-annual events at Firekeepers, which were considered the top poker tournaments in Michigan for many poker enthusiasts.
Live tournaments offer a unique thrill among the various forms of poker. Few other game types provide the opportunity to transform $1,110 into a six-figure sum. The exhilaration and anxiety experienced during a successful run in a live tournament are unparalleled.
Cash games available during MSPT
For those who prefer cash games like me, there is still a lot of excitement awaiting you during the weekend. In previous MSPT events, there have been numerous games with stakes ranging from $1/$2 to $2/$5 and even higher, running all night long.
I would like to inform the cash game players that the tournament will be given priority in terms of tables and dealers. Consequently, the cash games will commence later in the night, after players are eliminated from the tournament and late registration concludes.
Here are the previous four champions. Hopefully, one of you will soon be joining this prestigious list!
| Date | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | 1st Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2022 | 2,330 | $2.2 million | Daniel Bekavac | $252,090 |
| October 2019 | 1,615 | $1.5 million | Bobby Noel | $262,145 |
| May 2019 | 1,592 | $1.5 million | Chris Moon | $258,407 |
| October 2018 | 1,271 | $1.2 million | Matthew Stammen | $218,565 |
| May 2018 | 1,287 | $1.2 million | Mark Brazis | $221,323 |
David Kaye, a poker content creator residing in Mason, contributes a consistent column to Playinmichigan. To stay updated on David’s poker endeavors, you can find him on various social media platforms using the handle “DavidKayePoker.” He maintains an active presence on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Instagram.
