We at 888poker are proud to announce that we’ll be kicking off the New Year in style with the 7th edition of our popular Super XL Series, which for the first time will feature $5,000,000 in guarantees.

From January 19-31, we will host 63 events including a Main, Mini and Turbo version of each tournament. Among the highlights are Event #1: $109 Super XL Opening Event ($100,000 GTD), Event #11: $55 Turbo Crazy 8 ($15,000 GTD), Event #28: $2,100 High Roller ($350,000 GTD), and Event #58: $1,050 Main Event ($1.5 million GTD).

In addition, we will be introducing a Super XL Series leaderboard where the top 18 finishers will earn a seat into the Super XL Champion of Champions Event at 18:00 on Tuesday, January 31. The winner of that event will be awarded a full package to the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event, while everyone in the tournament will receive a consolation prize.

“I'm excited that 888poker is pumping up the guarantees and putting more money into online poker,” said 888poker Ambassador. “It's awesome to have multiple series throughout the year that gets everyone on the virtual felts for a couple of weeks. The Super XL series is at the top of my list of must play poker events. Now I just need to win one!”

The Growth of the Super XL Series

Last September’s Super XL Series VI proved to be the biggest to date. All the guarantees surpassed by an average of 152%, which was impressive considering $4,000,000 in GTDs were offered.

It was during that series that the Main Event offered an unprecedented $1,500,000, which it surpassed by attracting 1,291 players who accounted for 449 rebuys. That set a new 888poker record with a $1.74 million prize pool and saw Canada’s “GetLuckyAK” take home a $261,214 first-place prize after a three-way chop with Sami “d144n1” Kelopuro and Dominik “888Dominik” Nitsche, who earned $210,810 and $206,400 respectively.

Not too shabby considering four years earlier it started as a $600 buy-in, $500K guarantee only to evolve into one of online poker’s premiere events.

“I'm most excited about the Main Event,” said Moorman when asked which event he is most looking forward to. “It has a great structure and a wide range of different styles of players, which I enjoy. It's also great to have the chance of winning a lot of money for a relatively small buy-in.”

Meanwhile, May's Super XL Series V -- the first-ever to run in the Spring – saw 1,268 players participate in the Main Event, which created a $1.268 million prize pool. Sweden's "Gr33nApples" took home $183,869 after a three-way deal with "BOLAGET.NU" and "Vocaaas," who secured $159,691.28 and $150,832.46 respectively.

Before that, in January 2016, the 888poker Super XL Series IV covered all guarantees by an average of 210%. Finland's "jnevanli" defeated UK's "carmen.1957" in the Main Event, which at the time boasted a $1,000,000 GTD, and took home a top prize of $182,635. It was also during that series that the $1,500 High Roller was introduced. At the time, it was the most expensive Super XL tournament to date, and it shattered its $300,000 GTD by attracting 326 players to create a $467,810 prize pool.

“I think it's great to see how small we started compared to what we have become now,” said 888poker Ambassador, Dominik Nitsche. “It truly has gotten better each and every single time, and I know because I played pretty much all of them. For me, as an Ambassador, I like that I am able to offer input directly to our Poker Manager who always listens to feedback. I'm very confident the next XL Series will even be better than the last one.”

Satellites Running Now on 888poker

Daily Super XL qualifiers are running on 888poker now. To celebrate the $5,000,000 Super Series, we’re offering those who make a $10 or more deposit using code SUPER10 three tournament tickets to the daily Super XL Qualifiers. You’ve got two FREE tickets to the Daily Super XL Qualifiers where we’ll be giving away thousands of dollars’ worth of tickets to the following events:

  • Super XL #14 - $300,000 Tune Up Event
  • Super XL #15 - $50,000 Mini Tune Up Event
  • Super XL #58 - $1,500,000 Main Event
  • Super XL #59 - $150,000 Mini Main Event
  • Super XL #60 - $15,000 Micro Main Event

Here’s a look at the daily Super XL Series qualifier schedule:

  • Mondays at 19:08 GMT
  • Tuesdays at 19:08 GMT
  • Wednesdays at 02:08 GMT
  • Thursdays at 19:08 GMT
  • Fridays at 19:08 GMT
  • Saturdays at 10:08 GMT
  • Sundays at 19:08 GMT

For those who use up their two free tickets, fear not as you can earn more. Simply check your email within 48 hours to find a daily mission. Grab one extra ticket for every day you complete the mission.

Highlights on the Super XL Series VII Schedule

The series will kick off on Thursday, January 19 with the $109 buy-in, $100,000 guarantee Opening Event. Traditionally, that tournament is one of the biggest on the schedule. To give you an idea, the Super XL Series VI Opening Event, which was a $160 buy-in, attracted 1,603 players who accounted for 737 rebuys. That surpassed the $300,000 guarantee by creating a $351,000 prize pool. Costa Rica’s Michael “AcesJoker88” Acevedo won that event for $59,283.90.

Once again the “Crazy 8” tournament returns to the Super XL. This time the tournament, which emulates the starting stack and structure of the World Series of Poker’s “$888 Crazy 8s” event, will feature a $55 buy-in and be held in a turbo format.

On Tuesday, January 24 the $2,100 High Roller, which features a $350,000 GTD, will take place and is primed to be even bigger and better than September’s event, which drew 332 players and created a $664,000 prize pool. Germany’s “ICrushu556” emerged victorious in that tournament for $107,606.74 after a three-way chop.

“Without a doubt, the highlight of the schedule is going to be the last Sunday,” said Nitsche, who also revealed there’s a good chance he’ll be live streaming his High Roller play on Twitch. “Not just because of the Main Event, but also because of all the side events we got going on around then. It's by far the best day and certainly one you can't miss if you are serious poker player.”

Here's a look at the entire Super XL Series schedule:

Date & Time Event w/ Guarantee Buy-in
Thu 19.1    
19:00 Event #1 $100,000 Super XL - Opening Event $109
19:00 Event #2 $15,000 Super XL - Mini Opening Event $12
21:00 Event #3 $20,000 Super XL - Turbo Opening Event $55
Fri 20.1    
19:00 Event #4 $20,000 Super XL - Twins Royal $55
19:00 Event #5 $20,000 Super XL - Twins Flush $55
Sat 21.1    
16:00 Event #6 $40,000 Super XL - Octopus $215
17:40 Event #7 $20,000 Super XL - Saturday R&A $55
19:00 Event #8 $100,000 Super XL - Crazy 8 $88
19:00 Event #9 $15,000 Super XL - Mini Crazy 8 $8.80
19:35 Event #10 $25,000 Super XL - Saturday Challenge $55
21:00 Event #11 $15,000 Super XL - Turbo Crazy 8 $55
Sun 22.1    
15:45 Event #12 $35,000 Super XL - Sunday Breeze $55
17:30 Event #13 $200,000 Super XL - Mega Deep $215
18:00 Event #14 $300,000 Super XL - Tune Up $160
18:00 Event #15 $50,000 Super XL - Mini Tune Up $12
18:05 Event #16 $50,000 Super XL - Turbo Mega Deep $215
18:30 Event #17 $35,000 Super XL - Sunday Monsoon $55
19:00 Event #18 $250,000 Super XL - Whale $600
19:35 Event #19 $100,000 Super XL - Sunday Challenge $90
19:35 Mega Satellite to Main Event - 15 seats GTD $160
21:00 Event #20 $30,000 Super XL - Turbo Tune Up $55
22:00 Event #21 $10,000 Super XL - Super Turbo Tune Up $75
Mon 23.1    
19:00 Event #22 $15,000 Super XL - Omaha Event $109
19:00 Event #23 $5,000 Super XL - Mini Omaha Event $12
19:35 Event #24 $10,000 Super XL - Monday Royal $22
19:35 Event #25 $10,000 Super XL - Monday Flush $22
20:00 Event #26 $15,000 Super XL - Snap Event $55
20:00 Event #27 $5,000 Super XL - Mini Snap Event $5
Tue 24.1    
19:00 Event #28 $350,000 Super XL - High Roller $2,100
19:00 Event #29 $150,000 Super XL - Mini High Roller $215
19:35 Event #30 $40,000 Super XL - Tuesday Challenge $109
21:00 Event #31 $50,000 Super XL - Turbo High Roller $160
Wed 25.1    
19:00 Event #32 $50,000 Super XL - 8-Max $109
19:00 Event #33 $10,000 Super XL - Mini 8-Max $12
19:35 Event #34 $25,000 Super XL - Wednesday Challenge $35
21:00 Event #35 $8,000 Super XL - Turbo 8-Max $30
Thu 26.1    
0:00 Event #36 $20,000 Super XL - Americas Event $160
2:00 Event #37 $5,000 Super XL - Turbo Americas Event $55
18:00 Event #38 $50,000 Super XL - R&A Event $55
18:00 Event #39 $10,000 Super XL - Mini R&A Event $5
19:00 Event #40 $100,000 Super XL - Quarterback $215
19:00 Event #41 $30,000 Super XL - Mini Quarterback $44
19:35 Event #42 $25,000 Super XL - Thursday Challenge $12
21:00 Event #43 $30,000 Super XL - Turbo Quarterback $109
Fri 27.1    
19:00 Event #44 $30,000 Super XL - Knockout $150
19:00 Event #45 $10,000 Super XL - Mini Knockout $35.00
19:35 Event #46 $25,000 Super XL - Friday Challenge $35.00
21:00 Event #47 $10,000 Super XL - Turbo Knockout $75
Sat 28.1    
16:00 Event #48 $40,000 Super XL - Octopus $215
17:40 Event #49 $20,000 Super XL - Saturday R&A $55
19:00 Event #50 $75,000 Super XL - 6-Max $160
19:00 Event #51 $15,000 Super XL - Mini 6-Max $30
19:35 Event #52 $25,000 Super XL - Saturday Challenge $55
21:00 Event #53 $10,000 Super XL - Turbo 6-Max $55
Sun 29.1    
15:45 Event #54 $35,000 Super XL - Sunday Breeze $55
16:05 Mega Satellite to Main Event - 50 seats GTD $215
17:30 Event #55 $200,000 Super XL - Mega Deep $215
18:05 Event #56 $50,000 Super XL - Turbo Mega Deep $215
18:30 Event #57 $35,000 Super XL - Sunday Monsoon $55
19:00 Event #58 $1,500,000 Super XL - Main Event $1,050
19:00 Event #59 $200,000 Super XL - Mini Main Event $160
19:30 Event #60 $15,000 Super XL - Micro Main Event $5
19:35 Event #61 $100,000 Super XL - Sunday Challenge $90
21:00 Event #62 $30,000 Super XL - Turbo Main Event $109
22:00 Event #63 $15,000 Super XL - Super Turbo Main Event $75
Tue 31.1    
18:00 Super XL Champion of Champions Event 18 Leaderboard Seats

Satellites for the Super XL Series, which start as little as 1¢, are happening right now. Log onto the 888poker client to win your seat today!

Chad Holloway is a 2013 WSOP Bracelet winner who has previously worked for PokerNews as a managing editor and live reporter