Florida is known as the place you go to relax and enjoy the sun, especially if you don’t like the winter season. It is also the place to be if you’re into gambling, particularly, poker. This year, there’s an exciting lineup for poker tournaments that you cannot miss. The just concluded Winter Poker Open 2025 featured an event in Florida, Seminole Hard Rock Tampa Winter Poker Open, with a prize pool of $637,500. If you missed that, don’t worry. There are more events lined up for the rest of the year. These are all physical events though. To learn more about online poker in Florida, visit the Poker Scout website. You will find all the top online poker sites, regulations concerning online poker in Florida, and reviews of some of the top poker rooms online. 

Major Poker Tournaments in Florida for 2025

1. 2025 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown

This tournament is scheduled for March 19 – April 8, 2025, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, FL. The buy-in is $3,500 with a guaranteed prize pool of $3 million. This WPT is one of five tournaments in the 2025 Poker Showdown series. The series is the biggest in the poker world. Last year, the WPT got 1,869 entries and the winner, Josh Reichard (with 15 World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) rings), went home with a mouthwatering $839,300. As you can imagine, this year promises to be even better. We can expect more entries and tougher competition, especially given the size of the prize pool. Another highlight of this event is that its prestige factor attracts celebrities during the final game. With such high-profile figures comes massive publicity as well which is why it is heavily live-streamed and televised along the East Coast and beyond. 

2. 2025 Seminole Hard Rock Deep Stack Poker Series

This tournament is scheduled for May 15 – May 26, 2025, at the same Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Unlike the WPT tournament, the Deep Stack does not have a fixed buy-in. Instead, there are various buy-ins for different bankrolls. Think of it as a based-on-budget system – you can buy in at the level you can afford. Given this opportunity, not all those who participate are seasoned professionals. This is usually the tournament that allows mid-level players to participate and compete without feeling overwhelmed. For those kinds of players, this is where they can improve their game. Another highlight of this event is that there is a mix of several types of poker variants including No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha. If you’re planning on participating, now is the time to brush up on the tournament rules and study past events to see which strategies work and which don’t. 

3. 2025 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO)

This is yet another Seminole Hard Rock tournament. It is scheduled for July 30 – August 12, 2025, at the same location. This tournament is similar to the Deep Stack Poker series in that the buy-in comes in various levels. It also has various multi-million dollar guarantees across the series of events. For the final championship game, the buy-in is $5,300 and as expected, it is also live-streamed and televised globally. 

4. Mission RunGood Poker Series (RGPS)

This tournament is scheduled for April 24 – May 4, 2025, at bestbet Jacksonville (bestbetjax) in Jacksonville, Florida. This series is led by RunGood, a renowned organizer of poker tournaments. Compared to the other tournaments, this one has a much more relaxed and friendlier environment. The buy-ins are also affordable (mostly around $200 – $400), so you don’t have to have a large bankroll to participate. The buy-in for the main event is $1,200 though, which is much cheaper than the other tournaments. There are only 10 events in this series which includes a ladies-only game. Furthermore, $500,000 has been guaranteed ($200,000 for the weekend opener, and $300,000 for the main event). Winning at this tournament is a great opportunity for players who want a seat at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit. 

Aside from poker, RunGood is also into apparel (hats, jackets, hoodies, backpacks, headwear, and t-shirts) and has a YouTube series called the Running Bettor where the hosts attempt to turn $1,000 weekly bets into a six-figure bankroll.

What to Expect at These Tournaments 

If this year will be your first time visiting or participating in these tournaments, then you’re in for the thrill of a lifetime. Every single event comes with high energy and excitement, whether you’re a player or a spectator. You also get to meet some of the biggest players in the industry and see how they become champs right before your eyes. To beat them, you will have to be fully prepared and highly skilled. If you are not, then simply enjoy the games. There are also side events and cash games that go on in parallel to the main events. At every corner, you can grab small wins here and there. If you think about it, everyone wins at the end of the day, whether in cash, title or simply having fun. 

However, for players, part of your preparation should include studying past events and the latest rules and regulations. Note that Florida has a very different gambling law to Nevada, for example, or wherever you’re coming from. Learn the implications of your winnings under the Florida law. Also, ensure to make your travel reservations as early as possible to avoid missing out on nearby hotels. Try to book hotels near each location to reduce your travel time. Don’t forget to also set a budget for yourself. This is what proper bankroll management is all about. The aim is to enjoy yourself with what you can afford. And lastly, stay hydrated and well-rested. This is often overlooked amid all the excitement. Poker tournaments can last anywhere between 6 – 10 hours for smaller events, and up to 12+ hours and multiple days for slow-blind structure tournaments like the Deep Stack events. Take it easy and enjoy yourself.