The mystery bounty format has taken the poker tournament world by storm, not least because it adds a layer of excitement to bounty events. 888poker Ontario is the only online poker site that runs daily mystery bounty tournaments, and it the first Ontario-friendly online poker site to dedicate an entire tournament series to the format.
The Mystery Bounty Festival is in full swing at 888poker Ontario, and last until the crowning of the Main Event champion on March 6. More than 120 mystery bounty events and side events adorn the schedule, each coming with buy-ins starting as low as $1 and increasing to $250; there's a Mystery Bounty Festival tournament for everyone.
888poker Ontario Mystery Bounty Festival Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 21 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival #6 - $1,200 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,200 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #7 - $12,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $12,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Wed 22 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival #8 - $2,500 Mystery Bounty 8-Max | $22 | $2,500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival #9 - $800 Mystery Bounty 8-Max | $8.80 | $800 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Thu 23 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival #10 - $1,200 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,200 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #11 - $12,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $12,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $20 | |
| Fri 24 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #12 - $600 Mystery Bounty Deepstack 5.5 | $5.50 | $600 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival #13 - $1,500 Mystery Bounty Deepstack 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,500 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Sat 25 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Sun 26 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival #14 - $1,500 Mini Mystery Bounty Micro Sunday Special | $11 | $1,500 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival #15 - $6,000 Mystery Bounty Mini Sunday Special | $55 | $6,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Mon 27 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival #16 - $2,500 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #17 - $600 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $600 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 20:00 | MB Festival #18 - $40,000 Mystery Bounty Main Event Warmup - Day 2* | $109 | $40,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Tue 28 Feb | 17:15 | MB Festival #19 - $1,200 Mystery Bounty 8-Max | $11 | $1,200 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #20 - $12,000 Mystery Bounty 8-Max | $109 | $12,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Wed 1 Mar | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival #21 - $2,500 Mystery Bounty 6-Max | $22 | $2,500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival #22 - $800 Mystery Bounty 6-Max | $8.80 | $800 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Thu 2 Mar | 17:15 | MB Festival #23 - $1,200 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,200 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #24 - $12,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $12,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Fri 3 Mar | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival #25 - $600 Mystery Bounty Deepstack 5.5 | $5.50 | $600 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival #26 - $1,500 Mystery Bounty Deepstack 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,200 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Sat 4 Mar | 17:15 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 11 | $11 | $1,000 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival - $2,000 Mystery Bounty 22 | $22 | $2,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $10,000 Mystery Bounty 109 | $109 | $10,000 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Sun 5 Mar | 17:15 | MB Festival #27 - $1,500 Micro Mystery Bounty Mini Closing Ceremony | $11 | $1,500 |
| 18:00 | MB Festival - $100 Mystery Bounty 1 | $1 | $100 | |
| 18:15 | MB Festival - $250 Mystery Bounty 3.3 | $3.30 | $250 | |
| 19:00 | MB Festival #28 - $6,000 Mystery Bounty Closing Ceremony | $55 | $6,000 | |
| 19:30 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 5.5 | $5.50 | $500 | |
| 21:15 | MB Festival - $500 Mystery Bounty 8.8 | $8.80 | $500 | |
| 22:00 | MB Festival - $1,000 Mystery Bounty 16.5 | $16.50 | $1,000 | |
| 23:00 | MB Festival - $200 Mystery Bounty 2.2 | $2.20 | $200 | |
| Mon 6 Mar | 19:30 | MB Festival #29 - $10,000 Mystery Bounty MINI Main Event - Day 2 | $22 | $10,000 |
| 20:00 | MB Festival #30 - $100,000 Mystery Bounty MAIN EVENT - Day 2 | $250 | $100,000 |
$100,000 Guaranteed Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event
The 888poker Ontario Mystery Bounty Festival has combined guarantees of over $400,000, with at least $100,000 of that impressive sum dedicated to the Main Event. Featuring several Day 1s running from March 1-6, the $100,000 guaranteed Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event commands a $250 buy-in, although there are plenty of cut-price satellites running around the clock to reduce that cost.
Whether you buy into the Main Event directly or win your way in via a satellite, you sit down with 10,000 chips, and play to an incredible blind structure that starts at 25/50/5a. The blinds stay at 15 minutes throughout.
Each Day 1 concludes at the end of the 12th level, or when only 14% of the field remains, with surviving players resuming the action at 8:00 p.m. ET on March 6. Day 2 players sit down knowing they are in the money, and sees the mystery bounties come into play. 888poker Ontario guarantees at least one of those mystery bounties will tip the scales at a bankroll-boosting $10,000!
Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event Bounty Amounts
| Bounty amount | No. of prizes |
|---|---|
| $10,000 | 1 |
| $5,000 | 1 |
| $2,500 | 4 |
| $1,000 | 7 |
| $750 | 8 |
| $500 | 9 |
| $7,500 | Rest* |
*defined once Mystery Bounty kicks in
What Is a Mystery Bounty Tournament?
Mystery Bounty tournaments are a relatively new poker variant that 888poker Ontario has fully embraced. They work similar to a traditional bounty event where, usually, 50% of the prize pool is awarded like a non-bounty tournament, with the remaining 50% going onto the head of each player. However, the main differences are that the bounties are not in play from the start, and the bounty amounts remain secret until a predetermined stage of the tournament.
Using the Mystery Bounty Festival Main Event as an example, $50,000 will go into the main prize pool and awarded like any other No-Limit Hold'em tournament. The remaining 50% is divided up, placed into golden envelopes, and randomly assigned to the players that progress to Day 2. Eliminate an opponent once the mystery bounties have kicked in, and the 888poker Ontario software opens the envelope and reveals the mystery prize.
It is a cool format that adds more surprise and suspense to the gain, in addition to forcing players to alter their strategy because the mystery bounties only come into play later in the tournament.
