There’s no other way of putting it, BetRivers Poker has had an exciting first year on the online poker market.
Since launching in Pennsylvania last Fall, BetRivers Poker has expanded into three additional states, seen a massive turnout for its championship series and offered poker fans the chance to play with poker legends and site ambassadors Phil Hellmuth and Phil Galfond.
Let’s take a look back at the highlights from the first year of BetRivers Poker.
BetRivers Poker First Launches in Pennsylvania
It all started in October 2024 when Rush Street Interactive (RSI) officially launched BetRivers Poker in Pennsylvania. The site was crafted in close partnership with Run It Once founder Phil Galfond.
“As poker players, we designed this platform from the ground up to be for the players – all players. From the amateur playing their very first hand to the sophisticated pro, everyone was kept in mind as we focused on fairness, excitement, and generous rewards that truly benefit the player,” said Galfond. “I’ve been heavily involved in the game design, promotions, and policy decisions, and, more importantly, in building an incredible team that sees online poker the way I do.”
Galfond later discussed the venture in an interview on the PokerNews Life Outside Poker podcast.
Expansion Into Delaware, Michigan, and West Virginia
Pennsylvania was just the start for BetRivers Poker and, in June, the brand expanded into Delaware, Michigan, and West Virginia. By doing so, BetRivers Poker became only the second online poker operator in the United States to offer a four-state network.
“By expanding our network, we’ll bring more players to our tables, offer a wider variety of games, and raise the stakes with larger tournament prize pools,” said RSI CEO Richard Schwartz. “We’re thrilled to strengthen our poker footprint and deliver best-in-class competition and community-driven play across multiple states.”
BetRivers also hopes to eventually launch in New Jersey, which would make it the first operator to run a five-state network in the United States.
Playing With Poker Legends
One multiple occasions, BetRivers Poker gave players the chance to play alongside poker legends Phil Galfond and Phil Hellmuth and to watch them stream
In July, BetRivers Poker hosted the “I Knocked Out a VIP (Very Important Phil)” promotion, where anyone who eliminated Galfond from a tournament received an “I Knocked Out Galfond” limited edition t-shirt.
Adding to the excitement, Galfond streamed the action on his YouTube channel, letting fans see him react to the action in real-time.
Earlier in the year, 17-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth played dozens of tournaments on the site and went on a short tirade against “Regina 1,” when the player eliminated him from a tournament in sixth place for $349.93.”
“Come on, ‘Regina 1’ got me? What the f**k is that?” Hellmuth asked his Twitch audience. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The Poker Brat was later eliminated from another event by his friend Brandon Cantu, who was apparently playing from a bar, as Hellmuth joked that “this guy at the club drinking busted me.”
Huge Turnout for 2025 BetRivers Championship
BetRivers Poker held its biggest event of the year in October with the BetRivers Poker Championship, a series that attracted a combined 17,648 total entries and awarded $612,661 in prize money.
One of the highlights of the series was the $200 Gold Main Event, which drew 205 entries and generated a $40,000 prize pool to make it the biggest Main Event in BetRivers Poker history.
Among the winners of the series was PokerNews and BetRivers ambassador Keith “AccidentalGrenade” Becker, who had a runner-up finish in BPC 12-G: $100 Turbo PKO for $1,016.37 and later nabbed a trophy in BPC 42-S: $20 Deepstack PKO for $762.59.
Other players who picked up victories at the BetRivers Championship series included “SebastianH3”, “xBlackout16”, “Sooted”, and Dan “DrDadPoker” Schill.
Throughout the year, BetRivers Poker offered players various promotions and incentives for playing on the online poker site.
Most recently, BetRivers Poker celebrated its one-year anniversary with 10 Days of Promotions from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9. During that time period, the site offered three daily promotions, including a 100% deposit match up to $100.
There’s still plenty ahead for BetRivers Poker, and PokerNews will keep readers aware of what the online poker site has in store for the next year.
Senior Editor U.S.
