The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa, one of Florida's top poker hotspots, released the schedule for an exciting summer series, which includes a $2 million guaranteed Main Event. And the way things have been going, especially in the Sunshine State, that guarantee will be smashed quickly.
Tournament poker is booming in Florida. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, a town just north of Miami, recently hosted a $3,500 buy-in World Poker Tour event, also with a $2 million guarantee that was nearly quadrupled. Just under 2,500 players registered, creating the largest field in WPT history, a clear sign that live poker is back and wasn't destroyed by the pandemic.
Juicy events upcoming at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa
With that in mind, Seminole's sister property up in Tampa is now ready to take its shot at a huge event. The Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Series begins June 9 and runs through June 22. It's going to be a quick series, but will be packed with some juicy events, capped off by the $3,500 buy-in Main Event beginning June 18 with a guaranteed $2 million in the pot. If the turnout is anything comparable to the WPT event in South Florida, it would be wise to sign-up as early as possible.
Day 1a of the Main Event runs on June 18, with Day 1b the following day, both kicking off at 11 am. Day 2 begins at the same time on June 20, with the final table (Day 4) scheduled for June 22 at the Central Florida card room.
The Main Event isn't the only reason to compete in the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Series. There are a total of 63 events packed into just 14 days. Each day, you'll find at least a few events to choose from. On June 9, the series kicks off with a $500 buy-in Double Stack No-Limit Hold'em single-day event with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool. Cards will be in the air at 5 pm local time with Day 1a. There are seven Day 1 starting flights between June 9 and June 12. Each remaining player from those Day 1 sessions will come back on June 13 for Day 2, the final session of the event.
Buy-ins for the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Series range from $80 all the way up to $5,000, providing a good mix of games for different types of players. You'll even find $600 Pot-Limit Omaha (June 14), $400 Omaha 8/Stud 8 Mix (June 15), $400 H.O.R.S.E. (June 16) tournaments. On top of that, there's going to be a $400 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em event for those aged 50 and above, and a $2,200 Pot-Limit Omaha tournament on June 18 at 3 pm.
The largest buy-in of event the series, $5,000, is No-Limit Hold'em on June 22, the final day of the series. If the buy-ins for the big events are a bit too steep for your bankroll, there are daily satellites ranging from $80 to $550 available to help you get in on the cheap.
Florida is becoming a live poker tournament hotspot since the pandemic hit. A big part of that reason is the state's minimal COVID-19 restrictions. Governor Ron DeSantis has, for months, refused to force any restrictions on local businesses. Businesses can operate at 100% occupancy, unlike most states. That has paved the way for the poker rooms to spread major events such as the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open in January and the record-setting WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown. And, soon, the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Summer Series.
Featured image source: Flickr