by Mario Alfonsi | Published on Mar 24, 2021 | Updated on Mar 24, 2021
PokerStars‘ online poker monopoly in Michigan officially ended on March 22 when BetMGM became the second online poker site to launch in the Wolverine state. PokerStars enjoyed a monopoly on the Michigan online poker market since Jan 2021 but will face more competition as new operators enter Michigan.
The battle for dominance in the Great Lakes State has only just begun, but PokerStars is wasting no time in making sure it stays at the top. During the launch of BetMGM, PokerStars MI also announced a brand-new tournament which comes with a massive guarantee of $500,000.
“Michigan Classic” has a buy-in of $300 and will run from April 4-5. Satellites are currently running on PokerStars MI which players can enter for only $30.
The two-day event comes on the heels of the hugely successful Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP), which ended up awarding $2.2 million in total prize money, more than double the initial $1 million guarantee.
PokerStars was the first operator to launch in Michigan on January 29. It enjoyed early success, with the state quickly becoming one of the most active online poker markets across the country.
Can BetMGM Match PokerStars?
With the entrance of major competitors like BetMGM, PokerStars cannot be complacent. The biggest online poker room in the world knows it needs to step up its efforts and keep the momentum going to consistently attract the majority of US poker players. The operator has done just that by launching “Michigan Classic” on the same day that BetMGM went live in the Great Lakes State.
PokerStars has also raised the ante by offering such a massive guarantee, more than ten times what its new rival can offer. So far, BetMGM’s tournament guarantees have yet to exceed the $40,000 mark.
We will have to wait and see how BetMGM is going to respond to this challenge. For now, the operator offers cash games and tournaments on its client, but it is expected to come up with a full slate of events, just like its New Jersey counterpart.
Among its offerings are major weekly tournaments, such as the $535 buy-in Mega Tuesday 6-Max, which features $12,000 in guarantees. It also runs more than 70 tournaments on a daily basis.
The battle is on in Michigan and players are in for a more exciting online poker experience!
