Though it came with scant advance notice or promotional build-up, World Series of Poker parent Caesars Entertainment has confirmed it will launch WSOP.com for real-money play in Michigan on Monday, March 28. Michigan will become the fifth regulated U.S. state where WSOP.com is available for real money, joining New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
WSOP.com Michigan site is tentatively scheduled to launch at 10 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Monday, pending unforeseen developments.
Michigan's online-poker experience will include many standard WSOP.com elements, including a weekly Sunday special with a $50,000 price pool guaranteed. That tourney carries a $100 buy-in and will likely be the cornerstone of a weekly tourney slate that WSOP.com offers in other U.S. states.
Multi-state play in immediate future?
The timing of WSOP.com coming to Michigan is itself intriguing, as it comes just days after the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) issued a set of guidelines for operators to consider should multi-state play be enacted in the state.
The five-page bulletin issued by the MGCB references both existing and prospective operators, with the second category including WSOP.com prior to the announcement of this launch. Michigan is already served by PokerStars and BetMGM, though PokerStars Michigan will likely present the larger challenge to WSOP.com in the state when it comes to overall traffic.
The new Michigan WSOP.com site should garner greater traffic if Michigan indeed joins MSIGA (the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement), which currently allows for the pooling of online players from New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware. While the WSOP would always have the option of creating a standalone bracelet series for Michigan, WSOP.com might generate far larger overall fields should Michigan join the MSIGA group.
It may also turn out that WSOP.com Michigan becomes the dominant tourney site in the state, while PokerStars retains a significant edge in cash-game traffic.
Featured image source: WSOP.com
