Last November, nearly 1,200 players ponied up $3000+$300 to participate in WPT Montreal, creating a massive prize-pool of roughly $3.4 million dollars and a top prize worth more than $775,000; the largest 1st place poker The star studded field included All Time Money tournament leaders Antonio Esfandiari and Daniel Negreanu, past WPT Champions David Williams and Gavin Smith, top female players Xuan Liu and Isabelle Mercier, young guns Mike “Timex” McDonald and Mike “SirWatts” Watson as well as 2012 Global Index POY leaders Dan Smith and Marvin Rettenmaier…So how do you make the third largest field in World Poker Tour history shine even brighter?

You give the players what they want and bring in the cameras in for a full televised PartyPoker.net WPT Montreal Main Event from November 29th to December 5th, you bump the stakes just enough to a $3,500 + $350 and you look to make room for even more players to participate. Throw in the very real possibility of adding a “High Roller” side event for poker’s elite and you just should have the right recipe to see Canadian poker history made once again.

Players won’t have to wait until fall to take their shot at a Canadian WPT title however, now that would just be cruel! Instead, they will want to start making plans and qualifying for the PartyPoker.net WPT Montreal Canadian Spring Championship from May 3rd to 9th at Playground Poker Club. The $3,000 + $300 Main Event will feature a live stream of the same caliber that covered Jonathan Roy’s victory in 2012 and both this and the November event will be Main WPT tour stops, awarding Player Of the Year points and the signature Championship Belt along with their name engraved on the coveted WPT Trophy.

While the the side schedules of events are yet to be announced, organizers are working hard at putting together a line up of varying buy-ins and disciplines sure to be well received by players.

Qualifiers and promotions will once again be offered by Party Poker for both events and begin on March 11.

In 2012, hundreds of players gained entry to WPT Montreal via satellites, with online qualifiers far exceeding expectations an guarantees. Perhaps the only complaint heard by players last year was that they didn’t start playing those available sooner.

Stay tuned for more details on Party Poker qualifiers and full schedules to come!

The World Series of Poker will finally be heading North of the Border, Canada!  A WSOP circuit event will be held at the River Rock Casino and Resort in Richmond British Columbia from October 27 to November 7, 2012 during this 9th season.  WSOP Canada 2012 will be the first time that a WSOP circuit event will be held outside the United States.  This is some fantastic news for poker tournament enthusiasts after hearing the big news that the World Poker Tour (WPT) will be coming back to Canada.

With 12 events in 12 days the action will be hot and heavy.  Event 1 starts off with a $345 2 day event, and the series ends with Event 12 a $345 Omaha and Holdem 1 day mixed event.  Event #7 is the main event, a 5 day (3 day 1s) $1,650 buyin event starting on Friday November 2.  Players will start with 20,000 chips, with the structure remaining the same as other WSOP circuit main events.

All these WSOP Canada events are Ring events, so winners will take home a WSOP ring for their winning efforts.  Win the WSOP Canada main event, and you will also gain entry into the National Championship, where a gold bracelet will be on the line as well as $1,000,000 prize pool in which you will be freerolled into.  Next year’s 2013 WSOP National Championship will take place May 21-23, 2013 in New Orleans.

There will also be 2 online events yet to be scheduled as part of the WSOP Canada circuit. These online events will be ring events and will be played on PlayNow.com, the BC Lottery’s gaming site. For now only B.C. residents may play on PlayNow.com, but hopefully there will be an exception for these 2 wsop events so that all Canadians have a chance to win a WSOP ring online.

There is no word on satellites to WSOP Canada events yet.

More details to follow.

World Cup of Poker IX

Represent CANADA in Poker’s World Cup!

The World Cup of Poker (WCP) is the event where you get to represent your homeland in one of the biggest events anywhere online. What’s more, countries that advance from the group stages get to go to the live final – held as part of the 2013 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in The Bahamas. It’s about bragging rights, national pride, and proving that you are the best – and you can take part now as a member of Team Canada.  Qualify today on Poker Stars!

The final World Cup of Poker teams will win packages – including travel expenses and accommodation at Atlantis in The Bahamas – to play before a live audience at The 2013 PCA. The WCP prize pool ($290,000) at the live event will be distributed as follows:

• 1st: $100,000 ($25,000 per person)
• 2nd: $70,000 ($17,500 per person)
• 3rd: $50,000 ($12,500 per person)
• 4th: $30,000 ($7,500 per person)
• 5th-7th: $10,000 ($2,500 per person)
• 8th-9th*: $5,000 ($1,250 per person)

The competition begins by deciding which eight teams will travel to The Bahamas for the live finals at the 2013 PCA. This will be decided by splitting the 72 competing nations into eight equal groups.

Each group will then play four $2.20 heads-up No Limit Hold’em Super Knockout tournaments. Each country will receive a score that is equal to their highest individual cash in each tournament. The team that has the best combined score across all four tournaments will win their group. Dates, times and countries for each group are listed below. To find the tournaments and register, open the PokerStars lobby and go to ‘Tourney’ > ‘Regional’.

Canada is in Group 1 along with Argentina, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru.

The Stage 1 Tournaments take place on: August 11, 12, 18, and 19 all at 19:00 ET

Stage 2 – Player Selection

Team player selection tournaments will take place for the winner of each Stage 1 group on August 26. Tourney times will be published on August 20 after the completion of Stage 1.

There are four types of Stage 2 qualifiers:

• Freeroll – open to all players from the qualifying nation
• TLB Freeroll – open only to the top 10 TLB from each country for 2011
• $1.10
• $11

– Be a Member of Team Canada Today! –

PokerStars is sponsoring the Stardust Canadian Poker Classic, and you can win your seat for the $1,100 Main Event* via satellite qualifiers running now.

This prestigious live event takes place in one of Canada’s most stunning and newest card rooms – the Stardust Poker Mansion, in Montreal. It runs from August 17-September 2, with the $1,100 Main Event starting August 30. It’s your chance to compete for your share of a huge cash prize pool, and challenge yourself against the best poker players from across Canada, including other PokerStars players and Team Pros!

Satellites range from FPP use to @2.55 Hyper Turbos, to the popular $109 satellite every Sunday at 19:00 ET with 7 seats guaranteed.

–  Qualify on Poker Stars Now !–

Party Poker’s popular tournament series Pokerfest is back.  From April 22 to May 6, 2012 Party Poker will be home to Canadian online poker players as they battle it out in 47 events and a $3.5 million guaranteed prize pool.

No location has been announced yet but the usual list of potential locations for the Toronto Casino include; Canadian National Exhibition (CNE where current temporary casino is held), Woodbine Racetracks, Man-made island in Lake Ontario (Harbourfront), Richmond Hill, Markham, Mississauga.

In 5 years GTA poker players will no longer have to travel to Port Perry, Niagara Falls, Brantford, Sarnia, Orillia, Windsor, or Thousand Islands to play poker in Ontario.  With a megacity like Toronto with a casino, it will be just a matter of time before the biggest of online poker tournaments such as the WPT, WSOP, or even smaller ones such as the CPT, HPT or DSPT come to the Tdot for a mega Toronto Poker Tournament.

The Poker Maximus

  Play on Lock Poker or Carbon Poker

From March 4th – 25th, 2012, the Merge Gaming Network will introduce the first ever online poker tournament series on that network.  With over $1.5 million in guaranteed prize money, they will surely be entering with a bang.  Highlights of The Poker Maximus include:

• $85,000 Guaranteed Poker Maximus High Roller Main Event ($215 Buyin)
• Poker Maximus $530 Deepstack Main Event ($100,000 Guaranteed)
• Minimum $200,000 Guaranteed Main Event ($109 Buyin, with at least $50,000 Guaranteed to the winner)
• A Tournament of Champions for all Poker Maximus Tournament Winners
• Over $1.5M worth of guaranteed cash and prizes
• Buyins ranging from $1.10 to $530
• Unique accolades for event winners and leaderboard places.
• Over $25,000 in bonus prizes for those who finish in the top 100 on the leaderboard or play in the tournament of champions.
• Players Choice tournament – an event decided by the players!

Click HERE for the Poker Maximus Schedule

Black Diamond Poker Open

Play on Bodog

The Black Diamond Poker Open replaces the former Bodog Poker Open, as now this new network will include U.S. players currently playing on Bovada.  The BDPO runs from March 4 to April 1 with over $750,000 guaranteed in prize money.  The BDPO is made up of the Contendor Series (lower to mid-stakes tournaments) running from Mar 5 and concluding with a $25,000 main event on March 18 at 17:00 EST, and the Championship Series (mid to high-stakes tournaments) running from Monday Mar 19 and concluding with a $250,000 guaranteed main event on Sunday Apr 1 at 16:00 EST.  $50,000 and a $5k Championship watch will be awarded to the main event winner.  There will also be a $20,000 guaranteed Kickoff Event on Sunday March 4th.

Join and deposit now at Bodog Poker and you’ll have an additional shot at the $250,000 Guaranteed Main Event tournament. All you have to do is register, deposit $20 or more and you’ll be awarded a tournament ticket to one of four private freerolls awarding over $1000 in prizes with the top prize for ea ch being a $425+25 seat in the BDPO Main Event $250,000 Guaranteed, Sunday April 1^st

Private Tournaments take place on Saturdays throughout the Month of March (March 10^th, 17^th, 24^th & 31^st at 7PM ET)

View the BDPO Schedule HERE

Micro Millions

Play on Poker Stars

The Poker Stars MicroMillions is what it is, a new tournament series designed for micro and small stake players.  This series will take place from March 15-25th, 2012 and will have an overall total guaranteed prize pool of $5,000,000!!! Not so micro.  Below is the tentative schedule as nothing has been officially announced yet, and guarantees for each individual tournament are still TBD.  The overall leaderboard winner will also receive a 2013 PCA seat worth over $15,000!

Thursday, 15 March 2012
12:00 ET — Event 01: $0.11 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Unlimited Rebuys]
13:00 ET — Event 02: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
14:00 ET — Event 03: $5.50 NL Hold’em
15:00 ET — Event 04: $3.30 PL Omaha [6-Max, Rebuys]
16:00 ET — Event 05: $10.50 NL Hold’em [Turbo, SuperKnockout]
18:00 ET — Event 06: $4.40 NL Hold’em [Turbo]
21:00 ET — Event 07: $2.20 NL Hold’em

Friday, 16 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 08: $3.30 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Rebuys]
06:00 ET — Event 09: $2.20 NL Omaha Hi/Lo
08:30 ET — Event 10: $5.50 NL Hold’em
10:00 ET — Event 11: $8.80 NL Hold’em
12:00 ET — Event 12: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
13:30 ET — Event 13: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 14: $3.30 Limit Stud H/L
17:00 ET — Event 15: $4.40 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
21:00 ET — Event 16: $2.20 NL Hold’em [Turbo, 6-Max]

Saturday, 17 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 17: $3.30 NL Hold’em
06:00 ET — Event 18: $5.50 PL Draw
08:30 ET — Event 19: $5.50 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
10:00 ET — Event 20: $8.80 NL Hold’em [Rebuys]
12:00 ET — Event 21: $2.22 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys] (Saturday Splash Special Edition)
13:30 ET — Event 22: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 23: $8.80 NL Hold’em [8-Max, 4x-Shootout]
17:00 ET — Event 24: $5.50 PL Omaha [Turbo, 6-Max]
21:00 ET — Event 25: $1.00 NL Hold’em

Sunday, 18 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 26: $3.30 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Rebuys]
04:00 ET — Event 27: $5.50 NL Hold’em [1R1A]
06:00 ET — Event 28: $5.50 Limit Badugi
08:30 ET — Event 29: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Big Antes]
10:00 ET — Event 30: $8.80 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
12:00 ET — Event 31: $5.50 HORSE
13:30 ET — Event 32: $11.00 NL Hold’em (Sunday Storm Special Edition)
15:30 ET — Event 33: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
17:00 ET — Event 34: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Turbo, Knockout, Pro Special KO]
21:00 ET — Event 35: $2.20 NL Hold’em [6-Max]

Monday, 19 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 36: $1.00 NL Hold’em
06:00 ET — Event 37: $5.40 NL Hold’em [Turbo]
08:30 ET — Event 38: $5.50 NL Draw
10:00 ET — Event 39: $8.80 NL Hold’em
12:00 ET — Event 40: $2.20 NL Hold’em [2R1A]
13:30 ET — Event 41: $11.00 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
15:30 ET — Event 42: $5.50 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
17:00 ET — Event 43: $5.50 Limit Razz
21:00 ET — Event 44: $2.20 NL Hold’em

Tuesday, 20 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 45: $3.30 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
06:00 ET — Event 46: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
08:30 ET — Event 47: $5.50 NL Hold’em [2X Chance]
10:00 ET — Event 48: $8.80 NL Hold’em [Big Antes]
12:00 ET — Event 49: $4.40 Mixed NLHE/PLO
13:30 ET — Event 50: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 51: $4.40 NL Hold’em [4-Max, Rebuys]
17:00 ET — Event 52: $1.00 NL Hold’em
21:00 ET — Event 53: $2.20 NL Hold’em

Wednesday, 21 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 54: $3.30 NL Hold’em [Ante Up]
06:00 ET — Event 55: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Turbo, Knockout]
08:30 ET — Event 56: $5.50 NL Hold’em
10:00 ET — Event 57: $8.80 NL Hold’em
12:00 ET — Event 58: $4.40 NL Hold’em [4-Max, 7x-Shootout, Turbo]
13:30 ET — Event 59: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 60: $1.00 PL Omaha [6-Max, 2x-Turbo, Rebuys]
17:00 ET — Event 61: $4.40 NL Hold’em
21:00 ET — Event 62: $2.20 Limit Hold’em [6-Max, Turbo]

Thursday, 22 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 63: $3.30 NL Hold’em [2X Chance]
06:00 ET — Event 64: $2.20 NL Omaha [6-Max, 2R1A]
08:30 ET — Event 65: $5.50 NL Hold’em
10:00 ET — Event 66: $8.80 NL Hold’em
12:00 ET — Event 67: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
13:30 ET — Event 68: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 69: $3.30 Limit Triple Stud
17:00 ET — Event 70: $4.40 NL Hold’em [4-Max]
21:00 ET — Event 71: $2.20 NL Hold’em [Rebuys]

Friday, 23 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 72: $3.30 NL Hold’em
06:00 ET — Event 73: $5.50 NL Single Draw
08:30 ET — Event 74: $1.00 NL Omaha Hi/Lo [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
10:00 ET — Event 75: $8.80 NL Hold’em [Ante Up]
12:00 ET — Event 76: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Knockout]
13:30 ET — Event 77: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 78: $5.50 Limit Stud
17:00 ET — Event 79: $5.50 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
21:00 ET — Event 80: $2.20 NL Hold’em

Saturday, 24 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 81: $3.30 NL Hold’em
04:00 ET — Event 82: $4.40 PL Omaha
06:00 ET — Event 83: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
08:30 ET — Event 84: $5.50 NL Hold’em [6-Max]
10:00 ET — Event 85: $8.80 NL Hold’em [1R1A]
11:00 ET — Event 86: $2.22 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys] (Saturday Splash Special Edition)
13:30 ET — Event 87: $11.00 NL Hold’em
15:30 ET — Event 88: $5.50 PL Omaha [6-Max, 1R1A]
17:00 ET — Event 89: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Turbo]
21:00 ET — Event 90: $2.20 NL Hold’em [6-Max]

Sunday, 25 March 2012
01:30 ET — Event 91: $3.30 NL Hold’em
04:00 ET — Event 92: $2.20 NL Hold’em [6-Max, Action Hour, Rebuys]
06:00 ET — Event 93: $5.50 8-Game [Turbo]
08:30 ET — Event 94: $5.50 NL Hold’em
10:00 ET — Event 95: $2.22 NL Hold’em [HU, HyperTurbo]
12:00 ET — Event 96: $1.00 NL Hold’em [3x-Turbo, Rebuys]
13:30 ET — Event 97: $11.00 NL Hold’em (Sunday Storm Special Edition)
15:30 ET — Event 98: $22.00 NL Hold’em Main Event
17:00 ET — Event 99: $5.50 NL Hold’em [Turbo]
21:00 ET — Event 100: $1.00 NL Hold’em [Hyper-Turbo, Rebuys]

After you win money by Betting on the Superbowl at Bet365, you will have the opportunity to win even more money with the Bet365 $50,000 Freeroll Frenzy.

Here are the features Of the $50,000 Freeroll Frenzy

• $50,000 is on offer in cash and guaranteed tournament prize-pools.
• Choice of 360 freerolls, Heads-up Qualifiers or direct buy-ins to the big events.
• Earn 20 Merit Points, increased from 15, for every $1 paid in tournament fees.

During $50,000 Freeroll Frenzy there are three big events, each with a $10,000 prize-pool. Before each tournament, you have 10 days in which to qualify.

The 3 $10,000 freerolls take place on:

1. February 13 (Qualify from Feb 3-12)
2. February 24(Qualify from Feb 14-23)
3. March 6(Qualify from Feb 25 – Mar 5)

You can qualify in freerolls at absolutely no cost or in Heads-up Qualifiers for just 375 Merit Points. Direct buy-in is also available for $10+$1. To register for your choice of event, got to the poker lobby now and find the $50,000 Freeroll Frenzy section.

– Qualify for the $50,000 Freeroll Frenzy –

Party Poker will be starting off 2012 with a bang, and it is you the online poker player who will reap the rewards.  Throughout January 2012 there will be zero rake charged on all multi-table tournaments.  That means that 100% of your money will go straight into the prize pool, with no fees to pay across the whole multi-table tournament schedule. This includes their flagship $200k guaranteed Sunday tournament which is normally a $200 + $15 buyin.  You will still be paying the $215, but instead the whole $215 goes into the prize pool.  Unfortunately the Party Poker Winter Million takes place on February 5, so a rake free on that tourney is a no-go.

There will also be a special Reload Bonus and a Depositor’s Freeroll in January.  Deposit using bonus code RAKEFREE and get a 100% bonus up to $100.  You will have 30 days from the date of deposit to meet the wagering requirements which is 8 points for every $1 released.

Deposit at least $50 with the RAKEFREE bonus code and you will also be entered into a $50,000 Freeroll which takes place on Sunday Feb 5 at 11:00 ET.

If you don’t have a Party Poker Account, SIGN UP now and receive a deposit bonus of 100% up to $600.

Skrill, the new name for the most popular and safest e-wallet available for online poker and online gambling moneybookers, is offering all new and existing customers a great promotion.

From Thursday December 1st until Sunday January 22nd you earn 5 times as many Loyalty Points on all transactions, from the minute you sign up. Points you can redeem into cash (equal to 1% cashback) or exclusive rewards. No limits, no thresholds, and no upload conditions.

Simply Register below, and start earning 1%

All you need to do is:

1. Enter skrill promotion code  16000205
2. Register for an account or click ‘Participate’ if you already have one.
3. Transact at least €4,000 to become a Skrill VIP and Loyalty Club member.
4. Cash in your 5 times Loyalty Points and enjoy your rewards.