What is Satellite in poker?

A satellite is a preliminary poker tournament offering entry into a more prestigious or higher buy-in event instead of cash prizes. This format is popular for giving players with smaller bankrolls a chance to compete in major tournaments like the WSOP Main Event or the GG Millions. The optimal strategy in satellites differs significantly from standard tournaments; once you reach a stack size that guarantees you a seat, chip accumulation becomes less important than survival. The goal is to outlast enough players to secure one of the coveted seats, often leading to very tight play on the bubble as players fold their way to a prize.

After winning a $10 satellite, I secured a $1,000 entry to the Sunday Million, effectively playing for a huge prize pool with minimal risk.

Satellite (Satellite) belongs to the Tournaments side of the game and shows up in almost every hand of Texas Hold'em. If you are just starting out, read the poker rules and the hand rankings first, then come back here. To practise risk-free you can play against our AI right on the site. Ready for a real table? See how to join the club.