Imagine this: You play an online satellite for $2 and win a ticket to the $10 satellite. From there, you win a ticket to the final qualifier, through which you win a seat worth $1,000 to play in an online tournament. When you make the final table, you are then scheduled to play for the win at the Borgata – live and in living color – on a livestreamed featured event during the Borgata’s premier tournament series.
It’s not a farfetched idea. If you live in New Jersey, the BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship – which is part of the Borgata Winter Poker Open – provides just that opportunity.
Online Hybrid Championship Explained
BetMGM Poker offers a unique tournament that combines online poker with live poker. And it works with Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City to make it all come together for a grand finish.
Players in New Jersey will find “Hybrid Event” listed in the BetMGM online poker tournament lobby. It’s a January 5 tournament with a $1,000 buy-in and unlimited reentries. The kicker is that when the action plays down to the final table, the tournament stops when just six players remain. Those six final table players are then invited to continue playing at the Borgata on January 9 under the lights and cameras of the livestream operation. They will play for the win as friends, family, and poker fans around the world tune in to watch.
How to Play the BetMGM Hybrid
Many poker players don’t have bankrolls that allow them to directly buy in to a $1,000 tournament. That’s a hefty sum of money. There are two primary ways to get in on the action.
Online Hybrid Step Satellites
That is why there are satellites on BetMGM Poker running now through the start of the BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship.
The Hybrid Step satellites provide an easy-to-follow online qualifier system.
- Step 1 of 3: $2 buy-in qualifier on demand when 3 or more players register (1 ticket guaranteed worth $10 to Step 2)
- Step 2 of 3: $10 buy-in (or Step 1 ticket) qualifier on demand when 3 or more players register (1 ticket guaranteed worth $100 to Step 3)
- Step 3 of 3: $100 buy-in (or Step 2 ticket) qualifier (2 tickets guaranteed worth $1,000 each to Hybrid Championship online on January 5)
Check the tournament lobby (category: satellites) for Hybrid Step satellites that are set on the calendar, but keep in mind that more Step 3 opportunities will be added as time progresses.
Borgata Winter Poker Open Hybrid Pick-a-Card
There is a special Pick-a-Card promotion dedicated to players who want to qualify for the Hybrid Online Championship. It’s running now through January 4.
As with every Pick-a-Card promo, players need only earn 20 BRPs (BetMGM Rewards Points) by playing real-money cash games or tournaments, and that provides the ability to pick a card every day. They will then win one of the following at random:
- $1,000 seat into BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship
- $100 BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship qualifier ticket
- $10 BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship qualifier ticket
- $2 BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship qualifier ticket
Note that players must use their winning tickets by January 5. The $2 ticket has a special three-day use requirement, so check that particular winning ticket for details.
Custom Computer for Hybrid Winner
Oh but wait, there’s more! Not only is BetMGM guaranteeing $100,000 in the prize pool of the Hybrid Online Championship, there will be a special prize for the winner of the tournament. Since online poker is clearly important to that person, they will win a custom-built computer with the following specs and features:
- Ultrawide 34” monitor
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
- Graphics card: Asus 4080 Super Pro Art
- Motherboard: Asus X870-E Pro Art
- RAM: T-Force 6400mhz 64GB
- Cooler: Lian Li Hydroshift 360 Liquid
- Fans: Three (3) Lian Li TL120 with LCD and four (4) Lian Li TL120
- Storage: 2TB M.2 NVME SSD
- Power supply: Lian Li Edge 850w
- Case: Lian Li O11 Vision
- Software: Retail copy of Windows 11 Home
BetMGM Director of Operations David Mileaf spoke of this one-of-a-kind offering. “We are very excited to offer a unique prize with this custom gaming computer. We understand the importance of having the capability to play multiple tables, so this computer is designed for everyone from the tournament grinder to cash game specialists. The 9900X CPU will hold up to the most demanding sessions, and the 4080 Super graphics card ensures that players can run up to four monitors with ease at the highest quality settings. And of course, we’re adding the BetMGM touch with our logos on the cooler and fans for good luck!”
Past Three Hybrid Championships Resulted in Amazing Wins
BetMGM Poker introduced this concept in early 2024. In fact, it was at the Borgata Winter Poker Open that the first final table of this event was livestreamed.
The inaugural BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship attracted 166 entries for the online start of the tournament, which created a prize pool of nearly $160,000. Brian Wood was the chip leader going to the live eight-handed final table at Borgata, and he went on to win the event for $37,832
It is notable, as well, that Derek Jorn won his entry to the tournament via a $10 satellite, and his eventual sixth-place finish garnered a payout of $7,963. That, friends, is good ROI.
A few months later, the Hybrid Championship played out again, starting online and then the final table livestreamed as a part of the Borgata Spring Poker Open in Atlantic City. Wood was second in chips going to the six-handed final table, having navigated the field of 151 entries. In the end, he won again, earning the nickname Back-to-Back Brian to go with his $37,500 in prize money.
The Fall Poker Open provided yet another opportunity for BetMGM Poker to run its Online Hybrid Championship, and it was another success. While Wood did not make the final table that time, there were six other players who earned their seats. Russell Meyer won his entry to the tournament through a $10 satellite and finished fifth at the tournament for $10,575. And ultimately, Derek Sudell won the event for $38,250.
Fourth Hybrid on One-Year Anniversary of BWPO
With three of these tournaments under BetMGM Poker’s belt, the poker powers-that-be have been able to tweak the structure to make it the best for all players. (Yes, BetMGM actually listens to player feedback!) The satellites are running to give all New Jersey players the chance to get into this tournament for as little as $2.
This fourth BetMGM Online Hybrid Championship gets underway on January 5 online and then plays its live final table on January 9. One year from the launch of this fan-favorite event, BetMGM hopes the fourth run will be the largest yet.
Will you be the story of the day when you turn $2 or $10 into a five-figure score? What a way to start 2025!
If you live in New Jersey and are new to online poker, you can sign up for a new account and play online poker at BetMGM today. When you do, make sure to take advantage of the generous match bonus and free tournament tickets by signing up with the poker bonus code.
