September is absurd when it comes to online tournaments. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) will be running online on GGPoker. The Global Online Poker Championship (GOPC) will run online on CoinPoker. And PokerStars’ World Cup of Poker (WCOOP) kicks off on September 6.
If you’re thinking about playing all three — you absolutely can. But most people won’t.
These tournaments share common time frames; they offer differing amounts of value depending on the type of player you are; and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to play them all.
That said, they also offer somewhat distinct advantages based on their design.
Here’s a quick WSOP Online vs WCOOP vs GOPC comparison.
Quick Comparison
| WSOP Online | WCOOP | GOPC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site | GGPoker | PokerStars | CoinPoker |
| Dates | Aug 16 – Sep 29 | Sep 6 – Sep 30 | Aug 23 – Sep 28 |
| Main Draw | WSOP bracelets | Huge game variety | $50M series + regional schedules |
| Main Event | $5,000 | $109 / $1,050 / $10,300 | $530 |
| Biggest Main GTD | $25M | $2.5M | $3M |
| Best For | Prestige | Variety | Regional timing/value |
In short:
- WSOP Online is the largest prize pool.
- WCOOP offers the widest selection of games.
- GOPC is likely the most unique and exciting new event.
WSOP Online: There’s No Better Than a Gold Ring
The WSOP Online runs through September 29th and features 33 events for a chance to win an official gold ring.
This includes the $5,000 Main Event with a guaranteed payout of $25 million.
While many may focus solely on the size of the prize, the true benefit of choosing the WSOP Online is simply winning an online gold ring.
In addition to being able to compete for multiple bracelets, the WSOP Online provides additional opportunities such as the Mystery Millions, COLOSSUS, PLOSSUS and GGMillion$, High Roller events, and a Heads-Up Championship.
While these tournaments provide added excitement and competition for those competing in the WSOP Online, the ultimate draw remains the opportunity to compete for a gold ring.
As mentioned earlier, there are literally hundreds of online tournament series, but very few have the same level of recognition as the WSOP.
Therefore, while it may seem strange, the primary attraction to choosing the WSOP Online is ultimately to receive an official gold ring.
Who Is Best For?
- Those seeking to earn a WSOP gold ring.
- High-stakes multi-table tournament (MTT) players.
- Players with large bankrolls that seek to compete for the largest possible Main Event.
- Any player seeking to obtain WSOP prestige over all else.
Not Ideal For
- Small bankroll players.
- Players interested in playing mixed games.
- Players that wish to participate in numerous championship-style events at affordable prices.
WCOOP: A Scheduling Bonanza
WCOOP begins September 6th on PokerStars.
WCOOP will feature 350 tournaments across 121 events.
Each tournament will include Low, Medium, and High price point options, allowing players to create a tournament schedule that fits their budget.
The ability to create a schedule that caters specifically to their bankroll makes WCOOP an excellent choice for players with varying budgets.
WCOOP will allow players to participate in championship-style events with buy-ins as low as $5.50 and will offer higher-end buy-ins including $10K and $25K events.
While WCOOP has many variations, the biggest difference is game variety.
WCOOP is not just endless Hold’em.
You’ll find:
- NLHE
- PLO
- HORSE
- Razz
- 8-Game
- Triple Draw
- Badugi
- PLO8
- Stud
- Draw games
- Heads-Up
- PKO
- Mystery Bounty
If you enjoy poker beyond NLHE, then this one is a no-brainer.
WCOOP wins hands down.
WCOOP Main Events
There are three NLHE Main Events:
| Buy-In | Guarantee |
|---|---|
| $109 | $1.25M |
| $1,050 | $2M |
| $10,300 | $2.5M |
There are also three PLO Main Events.
Another reason WCOOP is superior is that you don’t need a huge ($5,000 or $10,000) bankroll decision to enter into a Main Event.
GOPC: The Newcomer to Shake Things Up
CoinPoker’s Global Online Poker Championship will operate through September 28th and will boast a total series guarantee of $50 million.
However, I’m more intrigued by its scheduling than anything else.
CoinPoker divided GOPC into European, Asian, and Latin American sessions.
You’d think that’s obvious.
However, unfortunately, too many online poker sites still aren’t using region-specific starting times often enough.
Players from Asia don’t want to have to wake up at ungodly hours to accommodate Europe.
Similarly, players from Latin America don’t want to convert half of the schedule themselves.
To me, this shows that CoinPoker has finally taken into account the needs of regional players and created something around that.
The Main Event
The main GOPC tournament is:
- $530 buy-in
- $3 million guaranteed
I really like this buy-in-to-guarantee ratio.
Additionally, CoinPoker has scheduled a Global Main Event for a $55 buy-in with a $1 million guarantee.
Plus several CoinMillion events with a $215 buy-in and a $1 million guarantee each.
Best For
- Mid-stakes players.
- Asian/Latin American players.
- Players who prefer larger guarantees with less expensive buy-ins.
- Players who are tired of PokerStars/GG Poker formats and would like something different.
Largest Main Event?
Obviously, if prestige and cash were your only concerns:
WSOP Online
- $5,000 buy-in
- $25M guarantee
- WSOP bracelet
No-brainer.
For mid-stakes players, however, I think the GOPC $530 Main is a great choice.
For bankroll versatility, however, I believe WCOOP has an advantage since it offers Low-Medium-High versions of its events ($109-$1,050-$10K).
Lowest Stakes Tournament?
Either WCOOP or GOPC.
WCOOP has cheap championships and satellite entries into championships.
Both have many low-buy-in options.
Since only official bracelet events are typically associated with WSOP Online on smaller bankrolls, I wouldn’t recommend WSOP Online for low-stakes players unless they are primarily concerned with winning an online gold ring.
Best for Mixed Games?
Again, WCOOP.
Not even close.
If you want HORSE, Razz, Triple Draw, 8-Game, or various Omaha variants, then PokerStars has the greatest selection of tournaments in this regard.
Best for PLO?
Similar to mixed games, although slightly closer — WCOOP offers much greater tournament diversity than WSOP Online, although neither are particularly attractive compared to a deep PLO schedule at PokerStars.
Best for Asia/LATAM?
Once again… GOPC!
This is definitely one of the first major tournament series that incorporates regional scheduling as part of its product offering.
Many players will tell you that this aspect is far more important than having a $10M+ guarantee.
What About Easy Tables?
Too early to tell.
And honestly, I think anyone claiming confidence in predicting whose field is softer prior to the completion of their largest September tournaments is simply speculating.
Large guarantees attract recreational players as well as serious MTT grinders alike.
We’d much rather wait to see what happens in terms of actual field strength rather than making assumptions.
WSOP Online vs WCOOP vs GOPC: Recommendations Based on Player Type
| You Want | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|
| WSOP bracelet | WSOP Online |
| Biggest Main Event | WSOP Online |
| Mixed games | WCOOP |
| Most tournament variety | WCOOP |
| Cheap championship events | WCOOP |
| Asia-friendly schedule | GOPC |
| LATAM-friendly schedule | GOPC |
| Mid-stakes Main Event | GOPC |
| PLO variety | WCOOP |
| High rollers | All three |
Ultimately in the WSOP Online vs WCOOP vs GOPC battle, there is no single winner.
This makes September so much fun.
WSOP has the gold rings. PokerStars has the greatest variety of games. And CoinPoker has introduced both significant guarantees and better regional scheduling options.
Choose the one that best aligns with how you currently play.
If you prefer smaller pools, with less players and bigger chance to land in the top spots, you cans see which poker clubs have the best mtts. For those who prefer more of a traditional poker site experience, QQPK has juicy tournament series. More about them, you can find in our QQPoker review.
