Overlay Expected in First Online Satellite to WSOP Paradise

By Jonathan Raab

10 Sep 2024

Jonathan Raab 10 Sep 2024

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GG Poker begins WSOP Paradise $25k Super Main Event Satellite Qualifiers
10 x $30,000 Packages Guaranteed for First Satellite on Sunday 25th August
Site Expects to Send 1,000 Players to Bahamas for WSOP Paradise Events
OnLive Day 1s to Start from September 29th

First Online Satellite to WSOP Paradise, Sunday 25th August on GG Poker

Overlay Potential in GGPoker's First Online Satellite to WSOP Paradise

The first online satellites to the WSOP Paradise $25,000 Super Main Event will take place on Sunday 25th August on GGPoker and Natural8 and is very likely to miss its $300,000 guarantee.

Earlier in 2024, GGPoker set itself the task to generating 1,000 qualifiers/direct buy-ins for the WSOP in Las Vegas this summer and they just managed it, sending a total of 1,112 to the Series, over 800 of whom were online qualifiers. However it cost them over $1.6m in missed guarantees to do so.

Although the site hasn’t set itself a specific challenge this time, it has stated

1,000 GGPoker players are expected to participate in WSOP Paradise bracelet events.

Its quite a vague statement and doesn't necessarily refer just to Super Main Event package winners. As per statements that GG Poker has made for previous WSOP qualifying promotions, it will also include players who buy-in directly using funds in the GGPoker acocunts, plus players who qualify on the separate Canadian GGPoker site and winners from the subscription based ClubGG app.

Nevertheless, the site has scheduled a pretty ambitious target for the first satellite on Sunday 25th August, which has 10 x $30,000 packages guaranteed.

WSOP Paradise Satellite Schedule

The main satellite of the week costs $600 to enter and starts at 20.00 (BST)/21.00 (CET) on Sunday evenings. The first one on Sunday 25th August has a $300,000 guaranteed prize pool, consisting of 10 x $30,000 WSOP Paradise Super Main Event packages.

Feeder satellites run throughout the week, with a step system which players can buy-in to for $6 and work their way up to the $600 direct qualifier.

$6 Stage 1 into $60 Stage 2
$60 Stage 2 into $600 Final Stage
$600 Final Stage Qualifier to win a $30,000 WSOP Paradise Package

Although the first stage costs $6 to enter, there are also micro feeders for $0.60 and $1 for players to win Stage 1 tickets.

Satellites can be found in the GGPoker client by clicking on the “GG Live” tab and then selecting the "WSOP Paradise" filter button at the top of the list of events in the lobby.

WSOP Paradise Satellites in the GGPoker Client

What's Included in the $30,000 WSOP Paradise Package?

The WSOP Paradise package is valued at $30,000, including a $26,000 Super Main Event Seat and hotel nights at Atlantis Bahamas, where the event is being held.

It’s not a cheap resort ,but as part of the package, all qualifiers will also receive free food and beverages in the GGPoker players’ lounge and entry to the $1M Super Saver Invitational Gold Bracelet Freeroll.

Will There Be Overlays?

The simple answer to this question is yes, hell yes, there is likely to be a ton a value throughout the entire qualifying period.

For the last few years GGPoker has assumed the status of being the world’s biggest online poker room. They didn’t just squeak past previous top dog PokerStars, they immediately began to pull away, quickly putting a huge gap between themselves and the rest of the sites in the online poker industry.

The site is now so big that over 500,000 players are online at the busiest times of the week and millions of dollars are paid out in prizes every day.

However, just like smaller online poker sites, they do miss guarantees in tournaments from time to time and live event satellites seem to be the most vulnerable.

Based purely on the performance of GGPoker’s Road to Vegas promotion earlier in 2024, where there was over $1.6m in overlays from direct package satellites alone (not including overlays in feeder satellites), there is bound to be overlay in WSOP Paradise qualifiers.

The vast majority of satellites to the WSOP in Las Vegas suffered from overlay and with an even bigger package this time round, it's going to take a lot of participation if GGPoker are serious about sending 1,000 players to the event.

OnLive Day 1s on GG Poker from September 29th

GG Poker has also announced that there will be several OnLive Day 1s taking place, which will enable players to parachute directly into Day 2 of the tournament in the Bahamas, avoiding playing a live day 1. Full details have yet to be revealed, except that the first one will take place on September 29th, 2024.