The Best Affordable Hold'em Poker Tournaments for 2023 WCOOP

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PokerStars

The 2023 World Championship of Online Poker on PokerStars is just around the corner, doing its first shuffle and deal on Sunday, September 10.

And while many of the world's best poker players will be playing events that breach the five-figure buy-in mark, a vast majority of the poker community will be looking at the events on the more affordable side of the spectrum. So here at PokerNews, we've decided to put this handy guide together that covers only the best WCOOP hold'em tournaments that have buy-ins between $5.50 and $33.

For those also looking for the most exciting Mixed Games events, fear not, as we have also listed the best budget options for WCOOP's non-hold'em events.

Best Events at $5.50

If you're a budget-conscious poker enthusiast, the $5.50 buy-in events at WCOOP offer fantastic value for your money. These tournaments give you a shot at substantial prizes without risking a large portion of your bankroll. Some of our top picks at this buy-in level are:

With a variety of formats and generous guarantees, these tournaments are perfect for players looking to make their mark on the WCOOP without breaking the bank.

DateTime (ET)Event
Sun 10 Sep08:05WCOOP 02-L: $5.50 NLHE [WCOOP Kickoff], $50K Gtd
Sun 10 Sep16:30WCOOP 07-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown, Freezeout], $30K Gtd
Tue 12 Sep10:05WCOOP 13-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO], $50K Gtd
Wed 13 Sep15:05WCOOP 21-L: $5.50+R NLHE, $40K Gtd
Thu 14 Sep10:05WCOOP 22-L: $5.50 NLHE, $35K Gtd
Thu 14 Sep16:30WCOOP 26-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $25K Gtd
Sat 16 Sep10:05WCOOP 27-L: $5.50 NLHE [Deep Stack], $40K Gtd
Sun 17 Sep10:05WCOOP 34-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Freezeout], $40K Gtd
Tue 19 Sep10:05WCOOP 43-L: $5.50 NLHE [Deep Stack], $37.5K Gtd
Tue 19 Sep15:05WCOOP 47-L: $5.50 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $25K Gtd
Wed 20 Sep15:05WCOOP 51-L: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $16.5K Gtd
Sat 23 Sep12:30WCOOP 60-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Saturday KO], $65K Gtd
Sun 24 Sep08:05WCOOP 64-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO], $45K Gtd
Sun 24 Sep16:30WCOOP 69-L: $5.50 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown, Single Re-Entry], $30K Gtd
Mon 25 Sep16:30WCOOP 73-L: $5.50 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO], $30K Gtd
Tue 26 Sep10:05WCOOP 74-L: $5.50 NLHE [Single Day], $37.5K Gtd
Wed 27 Sep15:05WCOOP 82-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $25K Gtd
Sun 1 Oct08:05WCOOP 96-L: $5.50 NLHE [Sunday Kickoff], $45K Gtd
Sun 1 Oct13:30WCOOP 99-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Womens Event], $2.5K Gtd
Mon 2 Oct13:30WCOOP 01-L: $5.50 NLHE [Phase 2], $400K Gtd
Tue 3 Oct13:30WCOOP 106-L: $5.50 NLHE/PLO [6-Max], $15K Gtd
Tue 3 Oct15:05WCOOP 107-L: $5.50 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $35K Gtd
Wed 4 Oct15:30WCOOP 110-L: $5.50 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Series Wrap-Up], $30K Gtd

Full 2023 WCOOP Schedule

Best Events at $11

Stepping up a notch in the buy-in department, the $11 events still provide a relatively low-cost entry to WCOOP glory. Here are some of the best $11 tournaments to consider:

These $11 events offer a wide range of poker experiences, from turbo formats to progressive knockouts, ensuring there's something for everyone.

DateTime (ET)Event
Sun 10 Sep15:05WCOOP 06-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max], $85K Gtd
Mon 11 Sep15:05WCOOP 11-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $70K Gtd
Wed 13 Sep11:30WCOOP 18-L: $11 NLHE [Deep Stack], $85K Gtd
Sat 16 Sep12:30WCOOP 29-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Saturday KO], $150K Gtd
Sat 16 Sep16:30WCOOP 32-L: $11 NLHE [5-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $45K Gtd
Sun 17 Sep08:05WCOOP 33-L: $11 NLHE [Sunday Kickoff], $70K Gtd
Sun 17 Sep15:05WCOOP 37-L: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
Mon 18 Sep15:05WCOOP 41-L: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $55K Gtd
Tue 19 Sep13:30WCOOP 46-L: $11 FLHE [6-Max], $8.5K Gtd
Thu 21 Sep10:05WCOOP 52-L: $11 NLHE, $65K Gtd
Thu 21 Sep16:30WCOOP 57-L: $11 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO], $75K Gtd
Sat 23 Sep15:05WCOOP 62-L: $11 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
Mon 25 Sep13:30WCOOP 71-L: $11 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $17.5K Gtd
Mon 25 Sep15:05WCOOP 72-L: $11 NLHE [Freezeout], $45K Gtd
Tue 26 Sep15:05WCOOP 78-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $50K Gtd
Wed 27 Sep12:30WCOOP 80-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $115K Gtd
Wed 27 Sep16:30WCOOP 83-L: $11 NLHE [4-Max], $40K Gtd
Thu 28 Sep10:05WCOOP 84-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Deep Stack], $60K Gtd
Thu 28 Sep16:30WCOOP 89-L: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Single Re-Entry], $40K Gtd
Sat 30 Sep10:05WCOOP 90-L: $11 NLHE [Deep Stack], $50K Gtd
Sat 30 Sep15:05WCOOP 94-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo], $60K Gtd
Sun 1 Oct16:30WCOOP 101-L: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown, Freezeout], $70K Gtd
Mon 2 Oct12:30WCOOP 102-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Series Saver], $165K Gtd
Mon 2 Oct16:30WCOOP 104-L: $11 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout], $50K Gtd

Best Events at $22

If you're willing to invest a bit more, the $22 events at WCOOP continue to provide an excellent balance between affordability and potentially lucrative payouts. But as always, you should only play these events if you Bankroll Management allows you to. If this is the summer of shot-taking, then you should consider looking at the following:

Like the $11 tier, the $22 events offer a balanced mix of turbo, freezeout, and progressive knockout formats, making them an attractive choice for players looking to compete at a slightly higher level.

DateTime (ET)Event
Mon 11 Sep16:30WCOOP 12-L: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo], $85K Gtd
Wed 13 Sep12:30WCOOP 19-L: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Single Re-Entry], $100K Gtd
Sat 16 Sep15:05WCOOP 31-L: $22 NLHE [Freezeout], $80K Gtd
Mon 18 Sep16:30WCOOP 42-L: $22 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO], $85K Gtd
Wed 20 Sep11:30WCOOP 48-L: $22 NLHE [Single Day], $100K Gtd
Thu 21 Sep12:30WCOOP 54-L: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill, Freezeout], $120K Gtd
Sun 24 Sep10:05WCOOP 65-L: $22 NLHE [Sunday Warm-Up], $165K Gtd
Sat 30 Sep16:30WCOOP 95-L: $22 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $80K Gtd
Sun 1 Oct10:05WCOOP 97-L: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Freezeout], $200K Gtd
Mon 2 Oct13:30WCOOP 01-M: $22 NLHE [Phase 2], $500K Gtd

Luis "luis_faria" Faria Wins Big in 2022 WCOOP $10,300 Main Event ($1,293,825)

Best Events at $33

For those willing to take on a bit more risk, some of our favorite events with $33 buy-ins to consider include:

These $33 events offer the chance to compete for substantial prizes while maintaining a reasonable buy-in.

But as you can see from the lists above, whether your budget is big or small, there's a WCOOP tournament for you in 2023. So, sharpen your skills, prepare your strategy, and prepare for an exciting season of online poker action at the World Championship of Online Poker!

DateTime (ET)Event
Sun 10 Sep10:05WCOOP 03-L: $33 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Warm-Up, Single Re-Entry], $150K Gtd
Tue 12 Sep15:05WCOOP 17-L: $33 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO], $200K Gtd
Thu 14 Sep15:05WCOOP 25-L: $33 NLHE [6-Max, Single Re-Entry], $80K Gtd
Tue 19 Sep12:30WCOOP 45-L: $33 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $150K Gtd
Sat 23 Sep16:30WCOOP 63-L: $33 NLHE [Turbo], $85K Gtd
Sun 24 Sep15:05WCOOP 68-L: $33 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $100K Gtd
Thu 28 Sep15:05WCOOP 88-L: $33 NLHE [Freezeout], $80K Gtd
Sat 30 Sep12:30WCOOP 92-L: $33 NLHE [Progressive KO], $250K Gtd
Tue 3 Oct12:30WCOOP 105-L: $33 NLHE [Super Tuesday], $100K Gtd

Use the PokerNews Online Tournament Calendar to Plan Your Action

Our free-to-use tool has several filters that make finding your perfect poker tournament, whether a WCOOP event or otherwise, a breeze. The PokerNews Online Tournament Calendar allows you to register for tournaments with a couple of mouse clicks, so you need never miss out again.

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