Posted on

Under Pressure: PokerStars Bounty Builder Series Approaches With $25 Million Guaranteed

The PokerStars Bounty Builder Series kicks off Feb. with $25 guaranteed.

Channel that inner Rocky Balboa and prepare for a few knockouts. The PokerStars Bounty Builder Series returns Feb. 2-16 with some big bucks on the line.

Last year’s Halloween-themed series awarded $36 million in prizes. That total surpassed the guaranteed prize pool by more than $11 million.

The upcoming series also has a $25 million guaranteed across 180 progressive knockout events. Players around the world will be ready to bring their A-game.

What to expect from the PokerStars Bounty Series

Players looking for some bang for the buck will enjoy plenty of knockout action. Those new to a progressive bounty tournament are in for some fun.

A bounty is placed on everyone taking part in a tournament. In a traditional bounty format, players can win some bonus cash every time they eliminate an opponent.

Progressive KO (or bounty) events add something extra to the mix. The victorious player doesn’t get to keep all the bounty he’s won.

A portion (usually 50%) is added to his own bounty, and the player progressively becomes a bigger target.

Many players will be looking forward to the $530 buy-in Main Event on Feb. 16. The event has a huge $2.5 million guarantee, an increase from the October series’ $2 million.

During that series, “bananero17” topped the standings as the knockout king. He came through with an impressive 392 knockouts and earned $12,500 in the process.

A quick look at the bounty-busting schedule

The series features big guarantees and bounties in abundance. It’s perfect for players who love action-packed, competitive tournaments with some fun added value.

With buy-ins that range from $1.10 to $5,200, players of every bankroll can get in the bounty action. Satellites are also available into many events – starting at less than a dollar. There will also be $4 Spin & Go’s available for those looking to earn their way into an event.

Here’s a look at just a sampling of some events on the schedule players of all level may want to check out:

Date Buy-inEventGuarantee
Feb. 2
$109#3: NLHE [6-Max]$200,000
Feb. 2 $2,100#5: NLHE [8-Max]$400,000
Feb. 3$22#14: PLO [6-Max]$35,000
Feb. 3$55#18: NLHE [8-Max]$225,000
Feb. 4 $5.50#25: NLHE [8-Max]$25,000
Feb. 4$1,050#29: NLHE$250,000
Feb. 5$2.20#37: NLHE [8-Max]$10,000
Feb. 5$1.10#47: NLHE$4,000
Feb. 6$109#52: NLHE [6-Max, Turbo Win the Button]$100,000
Feb. 6$2,100#53: NLHE [8-Max,Thursday Thrill SE]$300,000
Feb. 6 $5.50#59: NLO8 [6-Max]$12,500
Feb. 7$11#62: NLHE [6-Max]$40,000
Feb. 8$2.20#73: NLHE$12,500
Feb. 8$1,050#77: NLHE [8-Max]$150,000
Feb. 9$22#86: NLHE$125,000
Feb. 9$5,200#89: NLHE [8-Max, High Roller]$500,000
Feb. 10$11#98: 5-Card PLO [6-Max]$15,000
Feb. 10$55#102: NLHE$200,000
Feb. 11$530#111: NLHE$125,000
Feb. 11$215#114: NLHE [8-Max]$225,000
Feb. 12
$22#122: NLHE [8-Max]$65,000
Feb. 12$109#128: NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo]$100,000
Feb. 13
$5.50#133: NLHE$20,000
Feb. 13$1,050#137: NLHE [8-Max, Thursday Thrill SE]$300,000
Feb. 14 $2.20#145: NLHE$10,000
Feb. 14$109#152: NLHE [Heads Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom]$100,000
Feb. 15$11#158: NLHE [8-Max]$50,000
Feb. 15 $1.10#157: NLHE [8-Max]$6,000
Feb. 15$2,100#161: NLHE$200,000
Feb. 16$530#173: NLHE [8-Max, Main Event]$2.5 million
Feb. 16$109#176: NLHE [6-Max, Turbo]$300,000
Feb. 16$215#178: NLHE$500,000

Posted on

Partypoker launches ‘fastforward’ mobile, doubles New Year Rush promotion

Partypoker recently released its new fastforward mobile poker experience.

It’s been a busy start to the new year for partypoker. The company has launched a new mobile experience and also upped the ante on its New Year Rush promotion.

This should be good news to cash game players with some quick-paced action and a chance at some nice rewards.

Partypoker adds quickfire card-playing mobile experience

As part of its high-tech mobile experience efforts, partypoker recently launched its new quickfire “fastforward” cash games. The release becomes the next phase in the company’s effort to deliver an engaging and improved mobile experience.

This also following the release of SPINS in November. Players can now play fastforward games in portrait mode across iOS and Android to enable single-handed play. This brings the games in line with SPINS.

“This app brings poker on your phone into the modern age,” partypoker Team Online’s Jaime Staples said.

“The experience of just being able to play with one finger is something I have never had the chance to experience before. It’s so simple and intuitive. It’s by far the best poker app I have played on my phone. So simple to use and fun!”

The update also includes an improved fastforward games lobby, available in carousel or tiled view. This option makes it easier for players to select their game of choice. Players can also now play SPINS and fastforward simultaneously, switching seamlessly between the two.

More Diamonds in mobile additions

Partypoker also recently introduced the “Diamonds” in-game currency, which now is included in fastforward. Diamonds are earned based on the number of hands played and spent on in-game benefits including:

  • bubble chat
  • emojis
  • all-in animations

Players on mobile can also now try out similar features. The company believes it’s created a richer gaming experience with a new suite of graphics, sounds and animations.

Partypoker’s mobile product overhaul continues to serve as a major company focus. The operator will seek feedback from the poker community as it looks to further improve the product. The platform has already been tested by a select group of players in beta mode, including various members of Team partypoker.

 “This app changes the poker experience for the user in a big way,” Team Online member Jeff Gross said.

“Mobile poker tech has been archaic, and this makes you really say ‘wow’ when you play it. Refreshing and fun, the biggest shake-up in poker I have seen in a long time.”

Doubling down on partypoker promotion – to $200,000

In other partypoker news, players can now claim their share of $200,000 in prizes as part of the site’s “New Year Rush” promotion. The “Rush” runs through Feb. 2 with the campaign split into four weekly promotional periods.

Players around the world have a shot to claim one of 250,000 cash prizes.

After a nice reaction from players, the weekly prize pool has now been doubled from the opening week. All prizes were snapped up by players early. This increase should provide even more incentive for players to take part.

To be eligible for a daily prize, players simply need to opt in via the partypoker client. Players then need to earn a minimum of 0.2 points at any real money poker table. 

Prizes include instant cash rewards from $0.50 to $500. ”Race points” can also be revealed letting players climb weekly $10,000 leaderboards.

Prizes are awarded at random according to players earning the following in a weekly period:

  • 0.2 points to unlock a first card
  • 1.5 points to unlock a second card
  • 3 points to unlock a third card

After the first three cards are claimed, players can unlock additional cards for every 1.5 points earned at the tables. The promotion resets each week. 

“New Year Rush is a great way to bring in the new year,” Staples said. “It gives you another reason to get out there and play, with leaderboards offering big prizes to fight for. I love these additional challenges in poker, and they have always motivated me to play hard.”

Posted on

Free Money: New partypoker Sit and Go Leaderboards Pay Players $23,500 Weekly

Partypoker recently announced new sit and go leaderboards with free cash on the line.

Playing online at partypoker just became a little more festive. The platform announced last week the launch of new weekly leaderboards for its sit and go tournaments.

Players now have a shot at some nice free cash with $23,500 in prizes awarded every week. Free money is available for leaders at every level of buy-in.

“I started my professional career hunting sit and go leaderboards,” Team partypoker’s Jaime Staples said. “It’s a great way to practice and I love that partypoker is now offering something to shoot for.”

This is another move from partypoker in recent weeks. The site also announced an overhaul of its mobile platform. The addition of sit and go leaderboards should complement that move.

Getting in on the partypoker leaderboard cash

Taking a shot at the new leaderboards is pretty simple. Players simply have to play a sit and go on the site from Monday through Sunday.

Depending on the finish, he or she will earn points to climb up to four separate leaderboards. It’s an opportunity at some free prize pools just for playing online.

All tournaments fall under the following buy-in tiers:

Tiers – 

Leaderboard TierBuy-in RangePrize Pool
Low
$1 – $9.99$1,000
Mid$10 – $49.99$5,000
High
$50 – $199.99$10,000
High Roller
$200 and higher$7,500

What can winners expect from the partypoker leaderboards?

As part of the weekly promotion, partypoker is ponying up some nice money for winners. The top three in each tier will win cash with the remaining players receiving tournament dollars.

https://www.pokerscout.com/world/

The Low and Mid tiers pay out 100 players and the High tier pays out the top 50. The High Roller pays out the top 10 players.

Here’s a look at the payouts for those reaching the top five in each tier:

 

Place LowMidHighHigh Roller
1$150
$750$2,500$2,500
2$100$500$1,500$1,500
3$75$400$1,000$1,000
4T$50T$350T$750T$750
5T$50T$250T$500T$500

It’s important to note that the new leaderboards don’t include heads-up sit and go tournaments. Also, SPINS games don’t count toward the promotion.

Team partypoker’s Steven “DWstevie” Kok believes sit and go tournaments offer players plenty of bang for the buck. They can also help hone skills for tournament play.

“I am a big fan of sit and go’s, they are great practice for short-handed and short-stack play, and for learning ICM as you get into those spots way more often than in large field multi-table tournaments,” Kok says. “They also have lower variance and thus are great to help you build that bankroll.”

The leaderboards are already underway. PokerScout offers some great bonus opportunities for players to get in the action.

Posted on

Link Up With PokerStars Twitch for Chance at a Platinum Pass

The World Poker Tour is honoring PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg as one of the latest recipients of the WPT Honors Award.

PokerStars announced the integration of Twitch into its online poker client in early November. With the feature now live, the site is offering players a chance at two Platinum Pass packages to celebrate.

The passes are the most sought-after prizes in poker. They offer players a complete €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) to the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC), set for Aug. 20-24, 2020, in Barcelona.

That also includes airfare, hotel, and spending money and the passes have a value of more than €26,000.

Along with passes, PokerStars is giving away tens of thousands of dollars in freeroll entries and other prizes in December. It’s a good month to be an online poker player.

How to win a Platinum Pass via PokerStars Twitch feature

The new Twitch feature allows users to stream their own play and watch others as well. It’s the first online poker platform in the industry to offer this feature.

Streaming has become a growing trend in online poker, introducing the game to a growing younger audience. Players like Jason Somerville, the man behind the Run It Up stream, have added to the Twitch poker popularity.

To earn a shot at winning winning a Platinum Pass, players simply have to do the following:

  • link their Twitch and PokerStars accounts
  • watch the PokerStars Central Twitch channel for a total of 24 hours
  • stream themselves playing poker for a total of 10 hours by Dec. 21

PokerStars Twitch streamers  GJ Reggie and Mason Pye will then select two winners on Dec. 23. Winners will be determined based on entertainment value, quality of production, and innovation in their streaming.

It’s a nice opportunity to win a pass without even having to win a tournament.

More in store for those using Twitch feature

Beyond the Platinum Pass, there are some other interesting incentives to use the Twitch feature. Each winner receives a stream-ready PC and $1,000 credited to his or her player account.

Players linking their accounts by Dec. 1 will earn entry into one of several free all-in shootouts. The shootouts are set for Dec. 2 and award more than $10,000 in cash – a nice added bonus for players.

Players in the US can even get in on the action. PokerStars New Jersey and Pennsylvania will give away $1,000 in shootouts as well.

By linking their PokerStars and Twitch accounts, players also gain access to exclusive promotions in the coming months. These are activated solely on Twitch and include freerolls, challenges, and giveaways.

Posted on

Platinum Passes Up for Grabs at EPT Prague; Online Qualifiers Running Now

The EPT Prague returned to King’s Casino from March 5-16 following a two-year hiatus, with $30 million awarded to players.

Two PokerStars Platinum Passes will be on the line at the last stop of 2019 of the European Poker Tour in Prague. The series will be held at Casino Atrium at the Hilton Prague and runs from Dec. 6-17.

The series features 46 events and offers an action packed-schedule with tournaments for event bankroll. PokerStars has also promised plenty of extras in store for players.

The Platinum Pass is once again a highly sought-after prize in the poker world. Winners earn the €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC). The event is this time set for Aug. 20-24, 2020, in Barcelona, Spain.

European players can qualify for some of the fun by playing online – including a shot at a Platinum Pass.

Winning a PokerStars Platinum Pass in Prague

With two Platinum Passes on the line in Prague, there should be plenty of interest in this tour stop. The first will be available to those who qualified online for the €5,300 Main Event and make it to Day 2.

These qualifiers will then be entered into a Crazy Pineapple hand. The winner of the hand takes home the pass and will have some big plans for that next poker adventure.

Another Platinum Pass will also be available with a focus on Germany as part of the “Chase Your Dream” promotion. Players who competed in Spin and Go challenges will be entered into online freerolls on Nov. 9 and 10.

Finalists will compete in an exclusive live poker game in Prague on Dec. 14 for a Platinum Pass.

Players from Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein can still qualify for the freerolls online. The final challenges for the promotion will conclude on Nov. 10.

What else is on the schedule at EPT Prague?

Players will find plenty of action in Prague including cash games and tournaments. Those looking to battle it out in the €1,100 EPT National (Dec. 7-11) or the Main Event (Dec. 11-17) can qualify for as little as €1 online.

The live tournaments kick off on the first day with a €1,100 Freezeout and a €10,300 NLHE Eighth-Handed event with only a single re-entry.

Off the felt, PokerStars players will have plenty to do as well. Some of those opportunities include:

  • Daily excursion tours – These free trips include stops at Prague Old Town, Prague Castle, Thrill Park haunted house experience, and the Breakout Prague escape room. All are free to players in the series.
  • Spin the Wheel game – Each player attending EPT Prague earns a free spin for shot at a variety of prizes. Simply beat the house’s hand and walk away a winner.
  • Christmas party – To get players in the spirit, a Christmas party will be held Dec. 11. Guests can expect live bands, artists, workshops, an open bar with mulled wine, and swag for partygoers. Santa Claus may even be making an appearance.

PokerStars is promising plenty of fun in historic Prague. Online qualifiers are running now and players can get in the action.

Posted on

PokerStars MicroMillions Brings Big Bang for Micro Bucks

Players have a shot at big bucks for small buy-ins in the PokerStars MicroMillions.

It’s certainly a good time to be a low roller. In November PokerStars is catering to this segment of poker players with the MicroMillions low-stakes tournament series.

MicroMillions XXVI runs from Nov. 10-24 and while the buy-ins may be small, the series promises plenty of big payouts. The 147-event series features tournament guarantees totaling $4.3 million – nice haul for some low price points.

Across the series, the great majority of buy-ins are in the range of $1.10 to $5.50 – perfect for recreational players on a low roller budget. And just because the buy-ins are low doesn’t mean some handsome rewards await winners.

PokerStars debuts Phase tournament event with $500,000 guarantee

Along with big paydays, the series will debut PokerStars’ new Phase Event featuring a $4.40 buy-in and $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. Phase 1 online poker events have already begun and are running daily.

Players can jump in as many Phase 1 events as they like until they finish with chips and reach Phase 2. Nov. 24 is the deadline to reach Phase 2, where players will then officially be in the money.

Phase 2 offers a chance at some nice money for those with determination. Players can continue to battle it out in Phase 1 for a shot at even nice cash the further they advance in the second stage.

A look at some highlights from the MicroMillions schedule

MicroMillions offers a fun shot at some major money for a reasonable buy-in. There are just a few events with buy-ins larger than $5.50, but even those are manageable.  

The $11 buy-in Sunday Storm on Nov. 17 features a $250,000 guarantee. The entire series is wrapped up on Nov. 24 with the $22 Main Event – featuring a cool $1 million guarantee.

The MicroMillions offers a chance at some life-changing money for less than a night out at the pub or sports bar. Some of the highlights and promotions on the schedule include:

  • $0.35 Spin and Go’s – These are running until Nov. 24 and award MicroMillions tournament tickets or cash prizes.
  • $10,000 Freeroll – This event is set for Nov. 18 and will be awarding numerous MicroMillions tickets. To qualify, players simply must play in 10 MicroMillions events and one Phase Event from Nov. 10-17.
  • Second Chance freerolls – Get back in the game with these events, which run Nov. 18-24. Any player eliminated from a MicroMillions event after Nov. 17 receives automatic entry into an all-in shootout the following day. The freerolls will award $2,000 worth of MicroMillions tickets.
  • MicroMillions leaderboards – Players can win a share of $5,000 in extra prizes depending on where they stand on the leaderboards. Points are awarded based on how players finish in MicroMillions events.

PokerStars goes all in on Twitch streaming for MicroMillions

In recent days, PokerStars has made plenty of news in the poker world. The company launched in Pennsylvania in the US and has also outlined its plans for Twitch users and viewers.

PokerStars will soon be integrating new Twitch features into its poker client. Players would be able to stream their play at the tables and view others including gaming PokerStars ambassadors and celebrities.

The video game live streaming service has become popular with poker players the last few years including Jason Somerville. The site is planning on utilizing some of its sponsored streamers during the MicroMillions.

Viewers can follow the play of several PokerStars streamers including:

The event may be micro, but it should make for a massive series and plenty of fun. Get in the action – that micro bankroll could definitely pay off.