At most play-money poker sites, the chance to win real prizes is just a fantasy. Social standing, bragging rights… call it what you will, there’s an appeal to being a winner in these games, but it generally can’t be measured in dollars and cents.
The World Poker Tour’s freeplay site ClubWPT has added that crucial missing component, putting real cash, ticket and package prizes within reach for millions of players across the world, including most of the USA.
And it’s done so – completely legitimately – by using the ‘subscription model’, just like Netflix, Spotify Premium or Amazon Prime. A subscription to ClubWPT unlocks the chance to play real games for real prizes, with over $100,000 each month up for grabs.
But what exactly do you get for your money, and what benefits do the different ClubWPT membership tiers give you?
Standard ClubWPT membership – Free
Signing up for the standard membership is free, and it takes just a few moments to choose a username and enter some details (email, address, date of birth, etc.).
At the free tier, games are played using play chips (PC) for both buy-ins and payouts. These include ring games, sit & go tourneys and MTTs.
A daily balance of 5,000 play chips is available; if you drop below this amount you’ll get topped up the following day, while 500 chips bonuses are on offer for free every two hours.
In addition to Texas Hold’em, Omaha, O8 and Stud poker, casino games can also be played using your play chip balance. These include table games like craps, baccarat, blackjack, keno and roulette, as well as slots and video poker.
VIP membership – $27.95 per month
Also available for $74.95 per quarter or $264.95 for the year, VIP membership is where real cash and live event package prizes come into play. $100,000 each month, to be precise.
This is thanks to Tourney Points (TP), an entirely separate currency from play chips. TP are used to buy-in to tournaments which award cash prizes, WPT prize packages, or more TP. Players receive 500 TP when they start out, which – like play chips, above – will be topped up to 500 each day if your balance falls below that amount.
Tourneys that award the best prizes will come with a higher TP buy-in, so your goal is to build up your 500 TP bankroll until you are able to take a shot. Regular VIP freerolls also award TP.
VIP membership also includes access to the entire library of WPT TV episodes.
Diamond membership – $149.95 per month
All of the above VIP benefits are included with a Diamond membership plan, along with access to tournaments with bigger prize pools and smaller fields.
Diamond tournaments regularly feature prize pools of up to $10,000 cash as well as attractive prizes such as WPT passports, giving winners the chance to play in live events including WPT Prime tourneys.
At least two such tournaments run every day, and one of the best features of these tourneys is the price to enter: they’re free.
A Diamond leaderboard also runs throughout the year, awarding points to Diamond players who perform well in selected tournaments. The year’s leaderboard winner receives a $12,500 package to play the annual WPT World Championship in December, with 2nd and 3rd each receiving WPT Prime Passports worth $2,500.
Diamond membership also includes LearnWPT™ Insider Access, with a host of learning tools including videos, downloadable charts, GTO trainer scenarios and a dedicated forum.
ClubWPT optional add-ons
Super SATurdays - $100 per month
This optional extra is available for players at all membership levels, and buys your way into an online satellite each Saturday, which guarantees at least five WPT live event packages.
A Super SATurdays membership also comes with complimentary LearnWPT™ CHAMP membership – see below.
LearnWPT™ CHAMP membership - $199 per month
CHAMP stands for ‘Championship Habits Aspire Masterful Poker’ - a (somewhat forced) acronym that represents ClubWPT’s tournament education and coaching courses.
Members have access to training videos by successful players such as Andrew Lichtenberger, Tony Dunst (below) and Brian Altman, as well as a GTO trainer and the ability to share hand histories for professional analysis.
Areas of study include satellite strategy (handy for winning those live event packages), blind defense and GTO response charts.
CHAMP members will also be eligible for exclusive live workshops at select WPT events.
With its clever subscription model, ClubWPT has unlocked completely legal real-money online poker for millions of players who otherwise would struggle to find a game.
It’s currently available online and as a standalone mobile app in the UK, Australia, France and Canada, as well as in 43 US states. A full list of eligible states and territories, as well as Terms & Conditions, can be found at the WPT site.
Images courtesy of the WPT
