World Poker Tour (WPT) is entering the sweepstakes gaming space with the launch of the sweepstakes online poker site ClubWPT Gold. WPT expects to launch the site in early 2025, and it will be accessible to players across most US states and Canada.
ClubWPT Gold will operate under federal sweepstakes laws, similar to sweepstakes casinos (e.g., Chumba, WOW Vegas, High 5 Casino, and Pulsz). WPT has not revealed details on the games offered, but it’s marking the occasion with a historic $5 million freeroll this December at Wynn Las Vegas. It will be part of WPT’s expanded World Championship festival.
WPT Aims for the Largest Freeroll in Poker History
The ClubWPT Gold $5M Invitational Freeroll, scheduled for Dec. 13-15, is a collaboration between WPT and ClubWPT Gold.
It will feature a $1 million first-place prize, marking the largest freeroll in poker history. WPT CEO and President Adam Pliska called the World Championship festival “another monumental investment into the development and growth of not only the WPT World Championship but the poker industry as a whole.”
Users can get the opportunity to participate in the $5 million freeroll by becoming ClubWPT Gold members via the platform’s website. Through various online promotions, contests, and giveaways, WPT will award 2,000 members “Golden Passports,” securing them a seat at the freeroll. In addition to awarding the winner $1 million, the freeroll will award 100 players seats in the WPT World Championship, which runs Dec. 14-21.
The WPT World Championship festival, running Dec. 3-23, includes over 60 events. Key highlights include the $10,400 World Championship and a $5 million guaranteed WPT Prime Championship. There are also tournaments such as the $250,000 Ladies Championship and the $500,000 Seniors Championship.
The grand finale will be live-streamed on Dec. 21.
Last year’s main event drew 3,835 players, and the winner, Daniel Sepiol, took home $5.28 million.
What to Expect From ClubWPT Gold
The ClubWPT Gold website is live, allowing players to register for the upcoming $5 million freeroll. The site also provides key details, including the platform’s Terms and Conditions and Sweepstakes Rules. While there could be changes when the site launches, according to the Sweepstakes Rules, ClubWPT Gold will be available to residents over 18 in all US states and the District of Columbia. ClubWPT Gold won’t be available in Idaho, Michigan, Montana, and Washington. The site is also available to Canadian residents, except those in Quebec.
Playing on ClubWPT Gold is always free. There are two game modes: Standard Play and Promotional Play. In Standard Play, users play for fun using Gold Coins, which have no monetary value. Meanwhile, in Promotional Play, players use Sweeps Coins to participate in sweepstakes, allowing them to redeem their winnings for cash prizes.
While play is free, users can buy extra Gold Coin packs. Meanwhile, they cannot directly buy Sweeps Coins. Instead, players earn them through a signup bonus, logging in daily, and sending a request by mail. With some Gold Coin purchases, users can also obtain Sweeps Coins as a free gift. To redeem winnings for cash prizes, players must accumulate at least 100 Sweeps Coins by playing games in Promotional Play. Each coin is equivalent to $1.
Limited Options in the Social Poker Space
While there are dozens of sweepstakes and social casinos, there aren’t many options for social and sweepstakes poker. Some casinos offer first-person poker options. Meanwhile, others, such as Ding Ding Ding Casino, have live dealer poker games like Casino Hold’em. However, these games do not allow players to compete against each other.
For a long time, the only notable exception was Global Poker, owned by Virtual Gaming Worlds, which also owns Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots. Global Poker allows users to play with Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins, similar to how ClubWPT Gold will operate. The site offers a few types of poker games:
- Ring Games: These are the baseline games that allow you to join or leave anytime.
- Tournaments: Long-lasting games with pre-fixed prizes.
- Sit’n’Go: These games are unscheduled, shorter-than-standard tournaments.
- Jackpot Sit’n’Go: Sit’n’Go tournaments with jackpot prizes.
However, a few competitors have entered the space. Sweeps casino Stake.us now has a poker product, and Clubs Poker launched this summer as the second sweeps site primarily geared toward poker.
WPT has yet to announce the type of games ClubWPT Gold will offer and whether they will be similar to what Global Poker has.
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