Since its creation in 2005 by friends Greg Land and Todd Anderson, the Heartland Poker Tour (HPT) has established itself as among the premier professional poker tours in the US with numerous annual events held from coast to coast.
With a tagline of “Real People, Unreal Money,” the HPT has awarded more than $90 million in Main Event prize money to thousands of players. Now in its 15th season, the HPT has attracted—and continue to attract—among the best and most avid poker players in the US.
In this article, we’ll look at the remaining 2019 HPT events, the upcoming 2020 schedule, and the history of the tour.
Note: All HPT events for 2020 are currently postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following list includes the original dates for the HPT 2020 schedule; these dates are subject to change.
25 January – 1 February
HPT on the High Seas – $1,100 buy-in
Western Caribbean
5 February – 17 February
Golden Gates Casino & Poker Parlour – $1,650
Denver, Colorado
13 February – 24 February
Hollywood Casino St. Louis – $1,650
St. Louis, MO
5 March – 15 March
Hollywood Casino Toledo (Mini Series) – $500
Toledo, OH
30 April – 12 May
Ameristar East Chicago – $1,650
Chicago, IL
Visit again for additional events as they become available.
The Heartland Poker Tour is a US-based poker tour and internationally syndicated television series that airs over 52 weeks and makes numerous stops across the traditional American Heartland. While originally intended to be a Midwest, regional tour and television program, as the US ‘s appetite for televised poker increased, the HPT went into syndication across the world. Today, it airs in the Caribbean, Middle East, and Europe and on several cable and satellite television providers.
By the end of the HPT’s sixth season, it had produced more than 150 hour-long television episodes. Episodes are filmed at each US stop on the tour in casinos across the country in states like Nevada, Colorado, Indiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa.
From single-table sit-n-go’s to multi-table mega-satellites to multi-table, multi-day tournaments, and the coveted Main Event, there are events for every player’s bankroll and desire.
The HPT awards a player of the year (POY) based on accumulated points earned from tournament placement. Aaron Johnson won the honors for season 14, and other prior HPT players of the year include such familar names as Aaron Massey, Allen “Chainsaw” Kessler, Shawn Roberts, and 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg “Fossilman” Raymer.
Earning HPT player of the year honors carries with it much more than bragging rights (although those are pretty nifty in and of themselves.) In fact, players of the year freeroll into six main events the following year and also receive complimentary hotel accommodations at those six locations.
As of January 2009, HPT entered into a partnership with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) in order to raise awareness and funding for the cause. In fact, one percent of every HPT prize pool goes toward DAV programs. The HPT holds additional celebrity charity tournaments to raise funds for DAV and also runs various DAV public service announcements during its weekly television programs.
In addition to its Twitter feed, you can follow the Heartland Poker Tour on its website and Facebook page.
Have you played in any Heartland Poker Tour events? If so, please share your experience below.
Until next time.
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