It’s almost time for poker’s summer camp in Las Vegas. There will be blazing hot temperatures under the desert sun and Sin City nightlife galore, but poker players will be seeking a different kind of fun — the kind that happens in poker rooms under fluorescent lights and air conditioning vents.

And one of the highlights of the poker summer is again taking place at ARIA Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The 2026 ARIA Poker Classic will feature nearly 100 tournaments, not including satellites, and almost $20,000,000 in guarantees. The series will kick off on Wednesday, May 27, and it will conclude on Sunday, July 12. As usual, BetMGM Poker-specific events are a huge piece of the action. BetMGM Poker is sponsoring several of the largest tournaments, including the highly anticipated BetMGM Poker Championship.

BetMGM Poker Events at 2026 ARIA Poker Classic

As a part of the ARIA Poker Classic this summer, BetMGM Poker will again participate with some big events and guarantees. They will happen in two parts, with a couple of offerings in mid-June and more in late June and early July.

Mid-June BetMGM Events at ARIA

Just two weeks into the series, the following tournaments will take place:

• Saturday, June 13:  $1,100 buy-in BetMGM Pot Limit Omaha ($250,000 guaranteed)
• Sunday, June 14:  $1,100 BetMGM NLH Mystery Bounty ($300,000 guaranteed)
• Monday, June 15:  $1,600 BetMGM No Limit Hold’em ($500,000 guaranteed)

The last of those three events will offer live satellites at ARIA on June 13 ($160 at 7 p.m.), June 14 ($160 turbo at 9 a.m. and $240 at 7 p.m.), and June 15 ($240 turbo at 9 a.m.).

Finale BetMGM Events at ARIA

As June comes to a close, BetMGM will reenter the picture with several events:

• • Monday, June 29:  $1,100 BetMGM NLH Mystery Bounty ($500,000 guaranteed)
  • Tuesday, June 30:  $1,100 BetMGM PLO Mystery Bounty ($500,000 guaranteed)
  • July 1-4:  $3,500 BetMGM Championship ($4,000,000 guaranteed)

The BetMGM No Limit Hold’em Championship will offer two starting flights – Day 1A on July 1 and Day 1B on July 2 – with survivors returning for Day 2 on July 3, and the final day on July 4 will determine the ultimate winner. Satellites will run throughout the last days of June and first days of July with $400 buy-ins and guaranteed seats in each.

The $4,000,000 guarantee for the Championship is $1 million more than last year, so BetMGM and ARIA are expecting a solid turnout for this featured tournament.

Qualifiers Online Now at BetMGM Poker

There are many ways to qualify online and win your way to Las Vegas. In fact, there are three types of prize packages available to BetMGM online poker players.

• $7,200 Las Vegas Poker Package includes: $3,500 entry to BetMGM Championship, $1,100 entry PLO Mystery Bounty, $1,100 entry to NLH Mystery Bounty, six-night stay at ARIA (June 28-July 4), $500 in travel credit, and BetMGM Poker swag
• $5,000 Las Vegas Poker Package includes: $3,500 entry to BetMGM Championship, six-night stay at ARIA (June 18-July 4), $500 in travel credit, and BetMGM Poker swag
• $5,000 Early Las Vegas Poker Package includes: $1,600 entry to NLH, $1,100 entry to PLO, $1,100 entry to NLH Mystery Bounty, four-night stay at ARIA (June 12-16), $500 in travel credit, and BetMGM Poker swag

Of course, qualifiers are running now, and the paths to enter offer something for everyone, opportunities at various bankroll levels.

Step Qualifiers for Prize Packages

There are several step paths for players to take. Each step satellite offers at least one ticket guaranteed to the next step, and each final qualifier guarantees at least one prize package. These will vary, but these are the primary steps available:

• $5 Step 1 to $50 Step 2 to $500 Step 3 final to $7,200 prize package
• $10 Step 1 to $100 Step 2 final to $5,000 prize package
• $25 Step 1 to $250 Step 2 final to either $5,000 prize package

Note that Step 1 offerings are on demand at all hours of the day and night, which means as soon as at least four players are registered to play, the qualifier will run and award a minimum of one ticket to the next step.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to begin with Step 1. Anyone can simply buy in to another step instead of winning a ticket from a previous qualifier. 

Check the lobby for updated qualifier opportunities, as there are often Step 1 satellites with more than one ticket guaranteed, and the final qualifiers are loaded in the lobby for registration several days before they take place. Simply type “ARIA” in the search box or filter the “live events” tab by satellites only. 

Additionally, expect a Pick-A-Card promotion to run from May 19 through June 12. Keep checking here and the BetMGM Poker site for any other promotions associated with the ARIA Poker Classic and BetMGM events.

Final Qualifier Weekend Extravaganza

The aforementioned qualifiers run through May and most of June, though the $5,000 prize package qualifiers for the earlier ARIA events in mid-June cut off near the end of May. For the two Championship prize packages, though, there will be a final set of qualifiers set for June 21-23. These will be the last trips to Las Vegas awarded for the ARIA Poker Classic!

Stay tuned to the BetMGM Poker accounts on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram for announcements about these finals, which will also post in the tournament lobby at BetMGM Poker online. And for a fun read, check out Darren Elias’ guide to surviving the summer grind of Las Vegas poker tournaments.

Speaking of BetMGM Poker Online

Those satellites don’t play themselves! For just $5, you can find a Step 1 satellite on demand and get started on your path to Las Vegas, but your entry to BetMGM tournaments at the ARIA Poker Classic are only available online at BetMGM Poker. The site is legal and regulated, offering real-money online poker for players in Michigan, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. And when you create your new account, do so with our exclusive online poker welcome bonus to make the most of your first deposit. And if your first satellites take you all the way to Las Vegas, all the better. We’ll see you there!