Pick & Go at GGPoker: Poker and Football in One Tournament

What is Pick & Go?

Pick&Go is a unique tournament format on GGPoker that combines poker with football predictions. Each tournament is linked to a specific World Cup match, and participants should select one of the competing teams before registering.

From June 11 to July 19, 2026, GGPoker will host 83 Pick&Go tournaments with a combined guaranteed prize pool of $440,000.

The format's defining feature is its dynamic buy-in structure.

Entry fees are determined by the bookmaker's odds for each team: the less likely a team is to win, the lower the buy-in. The default buy-in for most events is $10, and $50 for the semi-finals and final.

This system gives players a strategic choice between a safer option with a high buy-in or taking a risk with a significantly discounted buy-in.

Once the game starts, success depends on more than just performance at the poker table. A player's chances are also influenced by the outcome of the associated football match.

How to play in the tournament?

1. Select a Pick & Go tournament in the GGPoker lobby.
   
   
2. Choose one of two teams and register for the tournament. The tournament starts simultaneously with the football match.
3. If a player is eliminated from the tournament during the match, they can re-enter on either team. The buy-in discount changes in real time, along with the bookmaker's odds.
   
   
4. After the match (only regulation time is taken into account), all players who chose the losing team are automatically eliminated from the tournament, but they will have the opportunity to re-enter (with the standard buy-in) until late registration (13 levels of 10-minutes) closes.
5. If the match ends in a draw, no players are eliminated, and the tournament continues as usual.

Pick & Go Schedule and Structure

Each Pick & Go tournament has the following structure:

• Starting stack: 10,000 chips (100 big blinds).
• Blinds increase every 10 minutes.
• Late registration with unlimited re-entries: 13 levels (130 minutes).
• Table format: 8-max with a 9-max final table.

The easiest way to find tournaments is in the lobby by searching for "Pick & Go."

Our opinion about Pick & Go: an engaging  format, but not without pitfalls

Pick & Go is one of the most distinctive tournament formats introduced to online poker in recent years. Blending poker with sports predictions, it creates a unique experience unlike anything found in traditional MTTs. At the same time, players should be aware of the additional variance built into the format. Even a dominant chip stack can become worthless if the selected team loses, as elimination is tied not only to poker results but also to the outcome of the football match.

For recreational players, the format's main appeal lies in its novelty. It offers a chance to support a favorite team, potentially enter tournaments at a significantly discounted buy-in, and compete for substantial prizes through a mechanic that feels fresh and entertaining. Regular players may also benefit from the format, as Pick & Go is likely to attract more weak opponents than in regular MTTs. However, chasing a large discount for regular players leads to a negative EV.

Sports bettors may also find opportunities to capitalize on pricing inefficiencies. In some cases, the buy-in discount offered on a particular team may not accurately reflect its true chances of winning, creating a potential EV.

One drawback of the Pick & Go format is the ability to register after the associated match has already concluded. Once the result is known, the risk of being eliminated due to the team's performance is completely removed. As a result, the final stages of late registration can attract a large number of short-stacked entrants of 10 big blinds. These players enter with the expectation of quickly doubling up and continuing to play in a classic MTT, which has already seen a significant number of eliminations.

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