Run Up Series Brings $10M+ GTD and $100K Leaderboard Contest

ACR Poker keeps the summer grind alive with the Run Up Series from July 12 to August 17, featuring 163 tournaments, $10M+ GTD, buy-ins from $5.50 to $1,050, and the site’s biggest-ever $100K Leaderboard Contest.

ACR Poker is taking center stage this summer. With the 2026 World Series of Poker in full swing in Las Vegas and the Main Event already underway, the brand’s sponsored pros have made a visible impact at the series.

The anniversary campaign also goes beyond poker. As part of its 25th birthday celebrations, ACR Poker is entering the entertainment space as an official sponsor of Kicking Back, a new High Times docuseries connected to the 2026 World Cup in North America. The show combines soccer, cannabis culture, local fan communities, and personal stories, giving ACR Poker another high-profile platform away from the online tables.

But the biggest poker action is still to come. Once the WSOP spotlight begins to fade, ACR Poker will shift attention back online with the next major stage of its anniversary campaign. The schedule includes the biggest Venom events in the site’s history, along with Venom Fever and the Poison Path. And while the $2,650 buy-in may be too steep for many online players, ACR Poker also has more affordable options coming with much more moderate entry points.

Over $10,000,000 GTD

Las Vegas is in the rearview mirror, the WSOP stories are still fresh, and now it is time to get back to the online grind. From July 12 to August 17, ACR Poker launches the Run Up Series with more than $10 million in guaranteed prize pools across five weeks of tournament action. The series is designed to help players build their bankrolls before the biggest online events of 2026 arrive later in the summer and fall.

With 163 tournaments, the site’s biggest-ever $100,000 Leaderboard Contest, and buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $1,050, the Run Up Series gives players at every bankroll level a clear chance to turn a good summer run into something much bigger.

$1M GTD Mystery Bounty

The standout event of the ACR Poker Run Up Series is the $1,000,000 GTD Mystery Bounty with a $66 buy-in. Day 1 flights run daily from July 12 to August 17, giving players plenty of chances to qualify for Day 2, which also takes place on August 17. With flights available throughout the series, this is one of the key tournaments players will want to circle on the calendar.

The Mystery Bounty format adds extra excitement, with every knockout offering the chance to reveal a hidden prize. The biggest bounty of the series is worth $100,000, making one elimination potentially worth a massive payday. Players can enter as many Day 1 flights as they like and carry a combined stack into Day 2, but only chips from non-staked entries will count toward that cumulative stack.

Three Main Events for Every Bankroll

The Run Up Series also features three major Main Events, giving players different buy-in levels and big guarantees to chase. Day 1 takes place on Sunday, August 16 at 11:05am ET, with Day 2 following on Monday, August 17.

• $750,000 GTD Main Event — $1,050 buy-in
• $400,000 GTD Main Event — $215 buy-in
• $200,000 GTD Main Event — $33 buy-in

All Day 1 flights play down to the final 12% of the field. Those players then advance to Day 2, where they are already guaranteed a min-cash.

Biggest-Ever $100K Leaderboard Contest

On top of the tournament prize pools, players can also compete in ACR Poker’s biggest Leaderboard Contest to date, with $100,000 in added value fully funded by Americas Cardroom.

The contest includes separate High and Low leaderboards, giving more players a realistic shot at extra prizes. Rewards include cash, NLH Venom tickets, PLO Venom tickets, and Venom Mega Satellite ticket packages.

The first-place finishers on each leaderboard will receive:

• High Leaderboard: $10,000 + NLH Venom Ticket + PLO Venom Ticket
• Low Leaderboard: $5,000 + NLH Venom Ticket + PLO Venom Ticket

Time to Run It Up! Whether players are coming off a memorable summer run or still chasing that one breakthrough score, the Run Up Series gives them another chance to build momentum.

With big guarantees, leaderboard value, and major events still ahead, ACR Poker is keeping the summer grind alive. The next big opportunity is waiting.

QuickFacts by PokerStrategy

• 🔥 Series: ACR Poker Run Up Series
• 📅 Dates: July 12 to August 17
• 💰 Total Guarantees: More than $10,000,000 GTD
• 🎲 Tournaments: 163 events across five weeks
• 💵 Buy-In Range: $5.50 to $1,050
• 🎯 Headline Event: $1,000,000 GTD Mystery Bounty
• 🎟️ Mystery Bounty Buy-In: $66
• 🏆 Top Mystery Bounty: $100,000
• ✈️ Day 1 Flights: Run daily from July 12 to August 17
• ✅ Day 2 Qualification: All Day 1s play down to the final 12% of the field
• 💸 Day 2 Mincash: Players who reach Day 2 are immediately in the money
• 📚 Cumulative Stack: Players can enter multiple flights and carry a combined stack into Day 2 from non-staked entries
• 🏁 Main Events: Three Main Events for different bankroll levels
• 💎 Largest Main Event: $750,000 GTD with a $1,050 buy-in
• 🚀 Mid-Stakes Main Event: $400,000 GTD with a $215 buy-in
• 🧩 Low-Stakes Main Event: $200,000 GTD with a $33 buy-in
• 📊 Leaderboard Contest: $100,000 in added prizes
• 🥇 Leaderboards: Separate High and Low leaderboards
• 🎁 Leaderboard Prizes: Cash, NLH Venom tickets, PLO Venom tickets, and Venom Mega Satellite ticket packages
• 👑 High Leaderboard First Place: $10,000 + NLH Venom Ticket + PLO Venom Ticket
• ⭐ Low Leaderboard First Place: $5,000 + NLH Venom Ticket + PLO Venom Ticket