The state of Iowa will play host to a pair of mid-stakes Mid-States Poker Tour events in March, both tournaments guaranteeing big bucks to the winners.
Forget about the bitter cold that has swept through the Midwest over the past month. It's nice and warm inside the casino, and the MSPT has a pair of hot, juicy events prepared for the Hawkeye State in the next few weeks.
The tournaments — played on opposite spectrums of the state — take place at Riverside Casino in Eastern Iowa, not far from the University of Iowa campus, and Grand Falls Casino in Northwest Iowa, just across the border from Sioux Falls, South Dakota (beautiful, underrated town, by the way).
The Hawkeye State is becoming a hotbed of MSPT poker action. Many events in recent years have taken place in the Cornfed State at casinos such as Meskwaki in a little town called Tama. Grand Falls hosted a 2020 MSPT event, and Riverside is set to host its first ever MSPT tournament.
MSPT regional at Grand Falls
Action kicks off March 3 at the Grand Falls Casino, a hidden gem about two hours from Des Moines, with an $80 mega satellite into the Main Event. Satellites continue daily up until St. Patrick's Day when the $250 Tag Team Championship begins. Find a friend who doesn't suck at poker, and team up to compete for big bucks together.
On March 18, the seniors (players aged 50+) can compete in a special $125 no-limit hold'em tournament. The following day is the start of the $360 Regional Main Event with a $50,000 guaranteed prize pool. Players have an opportunity to enter three Day 1 starting flights, the last one on March 20. The final table takes place at noon the following day.
Large paydays at Riverside Casino
Riverside Casino is a short drive from the beautiful University of Iowa campus, the closest casino to the Big Ten Conference university. Many poker-playing students will drive down Friday, March 26 for the $1,100 MSPT Main Event, which guarantees at least $200,000 will be awarded. That money would sure go far in paying for tuition.
It won't be just U of I students in attendance at Riverside Casino. All MSPT events attract players from all over, mostly mid-stakes grinders from the Midwest.
While that $1,100 entrance fee might seem a bit steep for a college student, or most recreational poker players, you can get in on the action for much cheaper. Riverside Casino will host numerous satellites starting March 4, with buy-ins ranging from $65 to $250. There are seven satellites priced at $250, the first one on March 20, with one in five players guaranteed a seat in the Main Event.
The Main Event has two Day 1 starting flights scheduled, one on March 26 and the other March 27. On the following day, the tournament will wrap up and a champion will be crowned.
Following the Iowa stops in March, the Mid-States Poker Tour will head up north to Minnesota, Shakopee to be exact, for a $200,000 guaranteed tournament at the legendary Canterbury Park poker room. That tournament runs from April 23-25.
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