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Dream Come True: PokerStars Spin & Go Player Cashes in for $1 Million

One PokerStars player recently cashed in for the site's ultimate Spin & Go Jackpot, a $1 million top prize.

It’s not every day that a player gets to battle at an online poker table for a cool million bucks. But that’s just what happened for one lucky PokerStars player in early July.

Austria’s “Spartiat 04” jumped into some Spin & Go action on July 6 and that turned out to be a life-changing decision. He happened to land in one of the site’s highest jackpot tournaments, winning $1 million for his efforts.

It’s a dream opportunity for most online poker players and Spartiat made the opportunity count.

“I dreamed about what would be if I hit and won the $1 million Spin & Go, and now I got it,” the winner told the PokerStars blog. “It was amazing, a life changing moment.”

 

What is a Spin & Go?

Those new to online poker may not be as familiar with a Spin & Go. These are popular three-handed events where players can compete for a random prize.

This usually is twice a player’s buy-in, but can run much higher as well. That includes the ultimate jackpot of $1.2 million with $1 million of that going to the winner.

These types of tournaments have become popular on numerous online poker sites. Spin & Go price points on PokerStars range from $0.25 to $1,000.

The action is fun and fast paced, and perfect for someone who doesn’t have a lot of time for a longer tournament. That was the case with Spartiat earlier this month. He jumped in on PokerStars Casino for a few Blackjack hands and then played a few Sit & Go’s. That proved to be some great timing.

A look at the final table in the Sit & Go. (photo courtesy PokerStars)

A seven-figure payday at PokerStars

After a few Blackjack hands and some Sit & Go’s, Spartiat took a short break, but then returned to play a bit more. He bought into a $100 event and soon realized this wasn’t an average Spin & Go.

A recreational player, Spartiat’s largest Spin & Go win had been $2,500 before the $1 million event. But he was about to score a total 400 times that.

The action got underway and Belarus’ “denis474711” and Romania’s “puskin8” were also seated at the table. With second and third each receiving $100,000 each, all were at least guaranteed six figures.

There wasn’t any major action early in the tournament, but at hand No. 14 Spartiat found a nice pot with two pair.

Shortly afterward, denis474711 moved all in with J♣ 7♣. Puskin8 called with 7♠ 7♦, but a Jack on the flop took a major chunk of his stack, according to the Stars blog.

Spartiat sent puskin to the rial a few hands later. Spartiat then pressed the action heads up to build his stack. After just 29 hands, his J-9 held up against denis474711’s pocket 7s. The tournament and $1 million was shipped to his player account.

Even after the win, Spartiat was having some trouble coming to terms that the huge win was actually reality. He is, however, pleased with what the money will do for his life.

He noted: “I still don’t realize it, but it gives me financial security.”

Some other big winners

Spartiat is the latest to take a top prize in Sit & Go-style tournaments. In April, three players at 888poker played for a $1 million prize pool in one of the site’s Blast Jackpot Sit and Go’s. “Mikaxe” took first place in that event for $700,000.

In February, another player cashed in big in a SPINS event, PartyPoker’s version of these small-field jackpot tournaments. “AfterH0urs” found the top spot for $1 million. Playing multiple tables at the time, he initially didn’t realize the amount that was actually on the line. 

“It seemed like just a standard morning,” AfterH0urs said after the win. “I was playing around 10-11 tables and did not even notice the jackpot for quite some time.

“I continued with my multiple table gameplay and a single, slightly different, table finally caught my attention. I checked the prize pool and could not believe my eyes … $1.2 million.”

★★★ Ready to get in the action at PokerStars? Click here for a complete site review with exclusive PokerScout bonus offers. ★★★

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Live Events Continue to Return at PokerStars With France Poker Series Schedule Unveiled

Another week and another PokerStars Live series resurrected. The online poker operator continues bringing back popular live series for players around the world and that has included the Eureka Series, the Estrellas Poker Tour in Spain, and more in recent weeks.

The company also announced on Tuesday the return of the France Poker Series (FPS). Series organizers promise a packed schedule revisiting some favorite spots as well as exploring some new locations.

Players also have a chance to win their seats into live events through online qualifiers as well.

 

Inside the PokerStars France Poker Series

Players looking to get in the action will find five stops across the country as well as neighboring Monaco and Belgium. The FPS Monte Carlo kicks off the schedule at Sporting Monte Carlo from April 26-30.

That’s followed by a stop in Namur at Circus Casino Resort Namur from May

12-21. FPS Namur features the Belgian Poker Challenge awarding a €1 million guarantee across all events. The main evenrt features a €750,000 guarantee and the high roller guarantees €100,000.

The Stade Jean Bouin rugby stadium in Paris will host a French Poker Series event in Paris. (photo courtesy Chabe01)

From July 15-23, the FPS heads to the French capital of Paris in the famous Stade Jean Bouin rugby stadium. Players can also expect a main event prize pool with a €1 million guarantee.

The fall season brings a trip to Aix les Bains and Casino Grand Cercle from Sept. 29 – Oct. 8. The 2023 schedule concludes with Aix en Provence at Pasino Grand from Nov. 10-19.

Additional details & qualifying online

Players joining in the FPS events will find plenty on the line at each stop. Each festival features a €1,100 Main Event as well as a €2,200 High Roller.

Players around the world can also win a seat in the series via online satellites near the date of each event. Satellites are available on the .COM, .FR and .ES platforms. Two types of prizes are up for grabs and include:

  • seat-only prizes valued at €1,100
  • seat plus expenses packages valued at €1,500

The FPS promises plenty of tournament fun and a nice opportunity at a European vacation for online qualifiers.

♠♥♣♦ Want to get in the action at PokerStars? Click here for a complete site review and exclusive PokerScourt bonus offers. ♠♥♣♦

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PokerStars Goes Global With $80 Million WCOOP; Adds 2021 Online Entry Giveaways

PokerStars has announced its biggest WCOOP series yet.

As if the online poker smorgasbord weren’t big enough, PokerStars announced the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) returns Aug. 30. The series features 75 events and $80 million guaranteed – the largest in the history of the series.

Running through Sept. 23, the series allows players of all buy-in levels a shot to be a world champion. The series runs the gamut of tournament type and promises another massive series for international players.

 

“WCOOP is a prestigious staple in the poker calendar and this year we are excited to bring players our biggest WCOOP ever, as well as adding extra excitement and value into the mix,” PokerStars managing director and commercial officer Severin Rasset said.

“We want to give players of all levels the opportunity to become a champion, so there will be lots of ways to get in on the action. Plus we’re particularly excited about setting poker fans up for the coming year with our new Slam Packages.” 

A look at some of the highlights on the WCOOP schedule

Players ready to get in the action have a lot to look forward to. All events feature Low, Medium, and High buy-in tiers.

Those range from $2.20 to $25,000 and players will also find three series championships. These freezeout main events will be held on Sept. 20 and here’s a look at what to expect:

  • Low $55 – $1.25 million guaranteed
  • Medium $530 – $2 million guaranteed
  • High $5,200 – $10 million guaranteed

Players can battle it out in Player of the Series leaderboards for these three categories as well. There will also be an overall champion named.

One part of the series is already underway – the $2.20, $22, $215 Phase Tournaments. The  events run until Sept. 21 with guarantees of $250,000 for the $22 tournaments and $2 million for the $215. Here’s a look at the complete schedule:

DateEvent
30-Aug01-L, M, H: Phased Tournament
30-Aug02-L: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $1.5M Guaranteed
30-Aug02-M: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $2M Guaranteed
30-Aug02-H: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $1.5M Guaranteed
30-Aug03-L: $55 PLO [6-Max], $125K Guaranteed
30-Aug03-M: $530 PLO [6-Max], $250K Guaranteed
30-Aug03-H: $5,200 PLO [6-Max, High Roller], $750K Guaranteed
30-Aug04-L: $22 NLHE [Freezeout], $100K Guaranteed
30-Aug04-M: $215 NLHE [Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
30-Aug04-H: $2,100 NLHE [Freezeout], $500K Guaranteed
30-Aug05-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE], $50K Guaranteed
30-Aug05-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $250K Guaranteed
30-Aug05-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $500K Guaranteed
31-Aug06-L: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $75K Guaranteed
31-Aug06-M: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $350K Guaranteed
31-Aug06-H: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
31-Aug07-L: $22 PLO8 [6-Max], $40K Guaranteed
31-Aug07-M: $215 PLO8 [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
31-Aug07-H: $2,100 PLO8 [6-Max], $200K Guaranteed
31-Aug08-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $50K Guaranteed
31-Aug08-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $200K Guaranteed
31-Aug08-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
1-Sep09-L: $11 NL 2-7 Single Draw, $10K Guaranteed
1-Sep09-M: $109 NL 2-7 Single Draw, $25K Guaranteed
1-Sep09-H: $1,050 NL 2-7 Single Draw, $75K Guaranteed
1-Sep10-L: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Mini Super Tuesday SE], $350K Guaranteed
1-Sep10-M: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Super Tuesday SE], $1M Guaranteed
1-Sep10-H: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, High Roller], $1M Guaranteed
1-Sep11-L: $11 FLHE [6-Max], $12K Guaranteed
1-Sep11-M: $109 FLHE [6-Max], $30K Guaranteed
1-Sep11-H: $1,050 FLHE [6-Max], $75K Guaranteed
1-Sep12-L: $5.50 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $50K Guaranteed
1-Sep12-M: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $175K Guaranteed
1-Sep12-H: $530 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $200K Guaranteed
2-Sep13-L: $11 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $60K Guaranteed
2-Sep13-M: $109 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $200K Guaranteed
2-Sep13-H: $1,050 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $400K Guaranteed
2-Sep14-L: $11 PLO [6-Max], $30K Guaranteed
2-Sep14-M: $109 PLO [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
2-Sep14-H: $1,050 PLO [6-Max], $300K Guaranteed
2-Sep15-L: $5.50+R NLHE [8-Max], $75K Guaranteed
2-Sep15-M: $55+R NLHE [8-Max], $250K Guaranteed
2-Sep15-H: $530+R NLHE [8-Max], $400K Guaranteed
3-Sep16-L: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Thursday Thrill SE], $500K Guaranteed
3-Sep16-M: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Thursday Thrill SE], $1M Guaranteed
3-Sep16-H: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, High Roller], $1M Guaranteed
3-Sep17-L: $11 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $30K Guaranteed
3-Sep17-M: $109 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $40K Guaranteed
3-Sep17-H: $1,050 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
3-Sep18-L: $22 NLHE [Freezeout], $75K Guaranteed
3-Sep18-M: $215 NLHE [Freezeout], $200K Guaranteed
3-Sep18-H: $2,100 NLHE, $400K Guaranteed
5-Sep19-L: $5.50 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $50K Guaranteed
5-Sep19-M: $55 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $150K Guaranteed
5-Sep19-H: $530 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $250K Guaranteed
5-Sep20-L: $11 HORSE, $20K Guaranteed
5-Sep20-M: $109 HORSE, $50K Guaranteed
5-Sep20-H: $1,050 HORSE, $100K Guaranteed
5-Sep21-L: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $250K Guaranteed
5-Sep21-M: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
5-Sep21-H: $5,200 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
5-Sep22-L: $11 NL 5-Card Draw, $15K Guaranteed
5-Sep22-M: $109 NL 5-Card Draw, $25K Guaranteed
5-Sep22-H: $1,050 NL 5-Card Draw, $50K Guaranteed
6-Sep23-L: $5.50 NLHE [Freezeout, Mini Sunday Kickoff SE], $30K Guaranteed
6-Sep23-M: $55 NLHE [Freezeout, Sunday Kickoff SE], $200K Guaranteed
6-Sep23-H: $530 NLHE [Freezeout], $400K Guaranteed
6-Sep24-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $100K Guaranteed
6-Sep24-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $300K Guaranteed
6-Sep24-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $500K Guaranteed
6-Sep25-L: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Slam], $1M Guaranteed
6-Sep25-M: $2,100 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Slam], $1M Guaranteed
6-Sep25-H: $25,000 NLHE [8-Max, Super High Roller Sunday Slam], $2.5M Guaranteed
6-Sep26-L: $22 5-Card PLO [6-Max], $40K Guaranteed
6-Sep26-M: $215 5-Card PLO [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
6-Sep26-H: $2,100 5-Card PLO [6-Max], $300K Guaranteed
6-Sep27-L: $11 NLHE [Freezeout], $50K Guaranteed
6-Sep27-M: $109 NLHE [Freezeout], $200K Guaranteed
6-Sep27-H: $1,050 NLHE [Freezeout], $300K Guaranteed
6-Sep28-L: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE], $125K Guaranteed
6-Sep28-M: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $300K Guaranteed
6-Sep28-H: $2,100 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $400K Guaranteed
7-Sep29-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $150K Guaranteed
7-Sep29-M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
7-Sep29-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO], $750K Guaranteed
7-Sep30-L: $5.50 NLO8 [6-Max], $15K Guaranteed
7-Sep30-M: $55 NLO8 [6-Max], $50K Guaranteed
7-Sep30-H: $530 NLO8 [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
7-Sep31-L: $5.50 NLHE [4-Max], $35K Guaranteed
7-Sep31-M: $55 NLHE [4-Max], $125K Guaranteed
7-Sep31-H: $530 NLHE [4-Max], $250K Guaranteed
8-Sep32-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Guaranteed
8-Sep32-M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
8-Sep32-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $350K Guaranteed
8-Sep33-L: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Mini Super Tuesday SE], $350K Guaranteed
8-Sep33-M: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Super Tuesday SE], $750K Guaranteed
8-Sep33-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, High Roller], $750K Guaranteed
8-Sep34-L: $22 8-Game, $30K Guaranteed
8-Sep34-M: $215 8-Game, $60K Guaranteed
8-Sep34-H: $2,100 8-Game, $150K Guaranteed
8-Sep35-L: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $75K Guaranteed
8-Sep35-M: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $200K Guaranteed
8-Sep35-H: $2,100 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $400K Guaranteed
9-Sep36-L: $22 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $150K Guaranteed
9-Sep36-M: $215 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $250K Guaranteed
9-Sep36-H: $2,100 NLHE [Midweek Freeze], $400K Guaranteed
9-Sep37-L: $55 PLO [6-Max], $75K Guaranteed
9-Sep37-M: $530 PLO [6-Max], $200K Guaranteed
9-Sep37-H: $5,200 PLO [6-Max, High Roller], $500K Guaranteed
9-Sep38-L: $11 NLHE [Freezeout], $50K Guaranteed
9-Sep38-M: $109 NLHE [Freezeout], $175K Guaranteed
9-Sep38-H: $1,050 NLHE [Freezeout], $300K Guaranteed
10-Sep39-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill SE], $500K Guaranteed
10-Sep39-M: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill SE], $1M Guaranteed
10-Sep39-H: $5,200 NLHE [Progressive KO, High Roller], $1M Guaranteed
10-Sep40-L: $11 Razz, $15K Guaranteed
10-Sep40-M: $109 Razz, $40K Guaranteed
10-Sep40-H: $1,050 Razz, $75K Guaranteed
10-Sep41-L: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $75K Guaranteed
10-Sep41-M: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $200K Guaranteed
10-Sep41-H: $2,100 NLHE [6-Max], $400K Guaranteed
12-Sep42-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $75K Guaranteed
12-Sep42-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $200K Guaranteed
12-Sep42-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $250K Guaranteed
12-Sep43-L: $5.50 NLHE/PLO [6-Max], $25K Guaranteed
12-Sep43-M: $55 NLHE/PLO [6-Max], $60K Guaranteed
12-Sep43-H: $530 NLHE/PLO [6-Max], $125K Guaranteed
12-Sep44-L: $22 NLHE, $150K Guaranteed
12-Sep44-M: $215 NLHE, $300K Guaranteed
12-Sep44-H: $2,100 NLHE, $400K Guaranteed
12-Sep45-L: $11 FL Badugi [6-Max], $10K Guaranteed
12-Sep45-M: $109 FL Badugi [6-Max], $20K Guaranteed
12-Sep45-H: $1,050 FL Badugi [6-Max], $50K Guaranteed
13-Sep46-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Kickoff SE], $50K Guaranteed
13-Sep46-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Sunday Kickoff SE], $200K Guaranteed
13-Sep46-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $300K Guaranteed
13-Sep47-L: $22 NLHE [Freezeout], $125K Guaranteed
13-Sep47-M: $215 NLHE [Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $400K Guaranteed
13-Sep47-H: $2,100 NLHE [Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $500K Guaranteed
13-Sep48-L: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $1M Guaranteed
13-Sep48-M: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $1.5M Guaranteed
13-Sep48-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Sunday Slam], $1M Guaranteed
13-Sep49-L: $22 NLO8 [6-Max, Progressive KO], $50K Guaranteed
13-Sep49-M: $215 NLO8 [6-Max, Progressive KO], $100K Guaranteed
13-Sep49-H: $2,100 NLO8 [6-Max, Progressive KO], $200K Guaranteed
13-Sep50-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max], $100K Guaranteed
13-Sep50-M: $109 NLHE [6-Max], $250K Guaranteed
13-Sep50-H: $1,050 NLHE [6-Max], $500K Guaranteed
13-Sep51-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE], $50K Guaranteed
13-Sep51-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $250K Guaranteed
13-Sep51-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $400K Guaranteed
14-Sep52-L: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $75K Guaranteed
14-Sep52-M: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $350K Guaranteed
14-Sep52-H: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
14-Sep53-L: $5.50 PLO8 [8-Max], $15K Guaranteed
14-Sep53-M: $55 PLO8 [8-Max], $50K Guaranteed
14-Sep53-H: $530 PLO8 [8-Max], $100K Guaranteed
14-Sep54-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Win the Button], $50K Guaranteed
14-Sep54-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Win the Button], $175K Guaranteed
14-Sep54-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Win the Button], $250K Guaranteed
15-Sep55-L: $22 HORSE, $25K Guaranteed
15-Sep55-M: $215 HORSE, $50K Guaranteed
15-Sep55-H: $2,100 HORSE, $150K Guaranteed
15-Sep56-L: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $125K Guaranteed
15-Sep56-M: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Mini Super Tuesday SE], $400K Guaranteed
15-Sep56-H: $2,100 NLHE [8-Max, Super Tuesday SE], $750K Guaranteed
15-Sep57-L: $22 FL 2-7 Triple Draw, $15K Guaranteed
15-Sep57-M: $215 FL 2-7 Triple Draw, $40K Guaranteed
15-Sep57-H: $2,100 FL 2-7 Triple Draw, $100K Guaranteed
15-Sep58-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $35K Guaranteed
15-Sep58-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $125K Guaranteed
15-Sep58-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
16-Sep59-L: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $175K Guaranteed
16-Sep59-M: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $350K Guaranteed
16-Sep59-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $500K Guaranteed
16-Sep60-L: $5.50+R PLO [6-Max], $35K Guaranteed
16-Sep60-M: $55+R PLO [6-Max], $125K Guaranteed
16-Sep60-H: $530+R PLO [6-Max], $300K Guaranteed
16-Sep61-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $60K Guaranteed
16-Sep61-M: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
16-Sep61-H: $1,050 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $350K Guaranteed
17-Sep62-L: $11 Stud Hi Lo, $15K Guaranteed
17-Sep62-M: $109 Stud Hi Lo, $35K Guaranteed
17-Sep62-H: $1,050 Stud Hi Lo, $75K Guaranteed
17-Sep63-L: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $250K Guaranteed
17-Sep63-M: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Thursday Thrill SE], $500K Guaranteed
17-Sep63-H: $2,100 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Thursday Thrill SE], $750K Guaranteed
17-Sep64-L: $11 FLO8 [8-Max], $15K Guaranteed
17-Sep64-M: $109 FLO8 [8-Max], $40K Guaranteed
17-Sep64-H: $1,050 FLO8 [8-Max], $100K Guaranteed
17-Sep65-L: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $60K Guaranteed
17-Sep65-M: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout], $150K Guaranteed
17-Sep65-H: $1,050 NLHE [6-Max], $250K Guaranteed
19-Sep66-L: $5.50 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $40K Guaranteed
19-Sep66-M: $55 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $150K Guaranteed
19-Sep66-H: $530 NLHE [Freezeout, Afternoon Deep Stack], $250K Guaranteed
19-Sep67-L: $11 NLO8 [8-Max], $20K Guaranteed
19-Sep67-M: $109 NLO8 [8-Max], $50K Guaranteed
19-Sep67-H: $1,050 NLO8 [8-Max], $125K Guaranteed
19-Sep68-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO], $150K Guaranteed
19-Sep68-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO], $500K Guaranteed
19-Sep68-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO], $600K Guaranteed
19-Sep69-L: $109 8-Game, $60K Guaranteed
19-Sep69-M: $1,050 8-Game, $150K Guaranteed
19-Sep69-H: $10,300 8-Game [High Roller], $500K Guaranteed
20-Sep70-L: $5.50 NLHE [Freezeout, Mini Sunday Kickoff SE], $35K Guaranteed
20-Sep70-M: $55 NLHE [Freezeout, Sunday Kickoff SE], $175K Guaranteed
20-Sep70-H: $530 NLHE [Freezeout], $400K Guaranteed
20-Sep71-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $125K Guaranteed
20-Sep71-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $500K Guaranteed
20-Sep71-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Warm-Up SE], $1M Guaranteed
20-Sep72-L: $55 NLHE [8-Max, NLHE Main Event], $1.25M Guaranteed
20-Sep72-M: $530 NLHE [8-Max, NLHE Main Event], $2M Guaranteed
20-Sep72-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, NLHE Main Event], $10M Guaranteed
20-Sep73-L: $109 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $300K Guaranteed
20-Sep73-M: $1,050 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $750K Guaranteed
20-Sep73-H: $10,300 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $1.25M Guaranteed
20-Sep74-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE], $100K Guaranteed
20-Sep74-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $400K Guaranteed
20-Sep74-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE], $750K Guaranteed
21-Sep75-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Series Saver], $175K Guaranteed
21-Sep75-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Series Saver], $600K Guaranteed
21-Sep75-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Series Saver], $1M Guaranteed
21-Sep01-L: $2.20 NLHE [Phase 2], $250K Guaranteed
21-Sep01-M: $2.20 NLHE [Phase 2], $1M Guaranteed
21-Sep01-H: $215 NLHE [Phase 2], $2M Guaranteed

PokerStars WCOOP offers a grand slam

The WCOOP makes it a gargantuan month for PokerStars. At least $200 million will be awarded to tournament players across the company’s platforms in September.

Stars is hoping to even spread some of those good vibes to future online series. WCOOP introduces the site’s “2021 Slam Packages” and “WCOOP Sweepstakes” promotions.

Champions of any one of 15 special Sunday Slam WCOOP tournaments earn something extra – a Slam Package. This is quite a reward and entitles the winner to 2021 Main Event-High entries into all of the following:

  • WCOOP
  • SCOOP
  • Stadium Series

A Slam Package means three freeroll shots at winning a title next year.

Additionally, $1.5 million in WCOOP tickets will be awarded via WCOOP Sweepstakes from Aug. 30 to Sept. 20. To gain entry to the sweepstakes, players must simply take part in a tournament.

The more tournaments and the higher the buy-in level played, the more entries a player earns. At least three $5,200 Main Event tickets will be awarded daily during the sweepstakes, along with additional ticket prizes. 

More ways to get in the WCOOP action

There are several other promotions players can expect to get in the action. WCOOP Fast Track will award at least five Main Event High seats every day until Sept. 20.

To earn a Fast Track Main Event seat, players can complete the four-step qualification route. That starts at just $1 or players can buy in at a higher step. Other promotional highlights players can take advantage of include:

  • Spin & Go’s – awarding WCOOP Main Event entries, tickets, and cash prizes and start at just $4 will
  • PokerStars School – awarding WCOOP tickets in regular giveaways.
  • Series qualifiers – Players of all levels can win series entries for as little as $1. 

 

Taking Fridays off, more action for European players

Along with plenty of tournament action, PokerStars is also offering a bit of time away from the tables during WCOOP. Players can take Fridays off with no worries of missing an event.

After receiving player feedback, PokerStars chose to include a regular player break.  This should be welcome news for players who compete in the Player of the Series race.

WCOOP isn’t the only major PokerStars tournament series running in September. Players in Southern Europe can welcome the Galactic Series Aug. 30 to Sept. 28.

That series, for players in Spain, Portugal, France, comes with a €17 million total guarantee. The €250 Main Event features a €1 million guaranteed.

The WCOOP and the Galactic Series will award more than $100 million to PokerStars players. That means plenty of fun and cash opportunities for online poker players.

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PokerStars Offers Live Events, Platinum Passes, Big Online Action in Coming Months

The Platinum Pass parade continues for PokerStars and the site announced plans for even more chances to win on Thursday.

From live events to a huge Carnaval Series, PokerStars has plenty of events and online opportunities for players over the next few weeks. That includes numerous opportunities to win a Platinum Pass.

The EPT Sochi also approaches as well as the 14th anniversary of the Sunday Million. There will also be numerous major online tournaments in the coming months. Here’s a look at what to expect from PokerStars.

 

Southern Europe ready to party with massive PokerStars Carnaval series

Online players in southern Europe are in store for more than two weeks of online poker action Feb. 16 to March 2. The PokerStars Carnaval Series features a guaranteed prize pool of more than €8 million. The 166-event schedule will be for for players in France, Spain, and Portugal.

The €250 buy-in Main Event on March 1 features a €500,000 guarantee. PokerStars is offering players some nice qualifying options:

  • Depositor Freeroll – €25,000 worth of Main Event tickets will be awarded in a special freeroll on Feb. 29. Players must make a deposit of €25 from Feb. 16-29.
  • Spin & Go’s – €12.50 Spin & Go’s begin running Feb. 16 awarding €250 Main Event tickets.

The inaugural Carnaval Series in 2019 drew more than 34,500 players and a €11.2 million prize pool.

At the same time, Italian players can jump in their own “Carnival Series” from Feb. 16 to March 2. The festivities feature €5 million guaranteed with 110 events. The €250 buy-in Main Event on March 1 features a €400,000 guarantee. That should have plenty of players in a festive spirit.

Platinum Passes on the line in Germany

Poker players in Germany have the chance to play for a Platinum Pass on their home turf March 10-15. The Road to PSPC: Hamburg will be held at Casino Schenefeld.

In addition to the first-place prize money, the winner of the €200 Main Event takes home a Platinum Pass. As many poker players know, that means a free trip and €22,500 entry into the  PokerStars Players No Limit Championship (PSPC) in Barcelona Aug. 20-24.

Platinum Pass packages are valued at €26,000 and also include six nights’ luxury hotel accommodation, flights, and other travel expenses for the winner and guest.

Players can earn entry online for free through Freebuy satellites awarding tickets to even bigger qualifying tournaments. Online satellites are underway and run through March 8. Players can win complete tournament packages that include the Main Event entry and travel expenses.

Road to PSPC tournaments have been awarding Platinum Passes to players throughout the United Kingdom, France, and Spain since last year. The low buy-ins and fun atmosphere have make them popular events.

PokerStars Platinum Madness Challenge continues with 21 passes awarded

The PokerStars 21-day Platinum Madness Challenge continues through March 1. The promotion will award 21 Platinum Passes and a total of more than $1 million in prizes. 

The challenge is available across .com markets. Separate challenges are also offering €500,000 in prizes including 21 Platinum Passes on the .fr and .es sites.

 Players who like challenges and board games are in for a treat with the new promotion. Here’s how players can get in the action:

  • Opt-in via the Challenges Window.
  • Play real money games and earn Stars Rewards Chests containing dice rolls.
  • Roll the dice to move that number of spaces across the playing board and land on PSPC Chests to earn prizes. That includes a chance to win a Platinum Pass. Land on a ladder to climb upward and make it to the end of the board faster.
  • Complete the board and win additional prizes and more chances for a Platinum Pass.

Those making it all the way to Square 49 receive an additional PSPC Chest. This will contain a shot at one of five Platinum Passes and a larger reward than other PSPC Chests.

Players reaching the final square on the board also receive a ticket to the Last Chance Freeroll on March 2. The event offers the last pass opportunity as part of Platinum Madness.

 

PokerStars, EPT heading to Sochi with numerous online qualifiers

Hundreds of players will head to Russia’s Casino Sochi for one of PokerStars’ flagship events of 2020, EPT Sochi. The event is set for March 20-29 and special Freebuy feeder tournaments are already underway online.

These events have unlimited $0.11 rebuys, run every weekend, and each award one seat to the $215 qualifier. Those then take place on Sundays and guarantee up to eight Main Event seats.

PokerStars is also giving away EPT Sochi Main Event packages. These include accommodations in a five-star hotel, expenses, and the $4,500 Main Event buy-in. Players can take their shot in a $5 Spin & Go.

EPT Sochi features 25 events with the Main Event set for March 24-29. A Platinum Pass is also up for grabs for those who qualify for the Main Event online.

There is also plenty for players to enjoy off the felt in the mountain ski resort of Krasnaya Polyana. PokerStars will host the Bowling Cup on March 26 and Karaoke Battle on March 27.

Get online now for a chance at some big money and big fun at this EPT prestigious event.

Sunday Million anniversary celebration features $12.5 million guaranteed

PokerStars’ celebrates the 14th anniversary of the Sunday Million tournament in style on March 22. The $215 event features $12.5 million guaranteed, the site’s biggest guarantee and prize pool ever for a single event.

Players can win their way into this iconic tournament via satellites starting at less than $1. There will also be a late-registration period of 24 hours, giving players extra time to sign up.

The Sunday Million tournament launched on March 6, 2006. It remains the world’s biggest $1 million guaranteed weekly poker tournament.

The first tournament attracted 5,893 players, a total prize pool of $1.2 million. Canadian player “aaaaaaaa” won that event for $173,843. Another player will make some more Sunday Million history when this event concludes..

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Qualifier Daiva Byrne Hopes for Platinum Pass in PokerStars EPT Barcelona Women’s Event

Daiva Byrne is one of eight women playing for a Platinum Pass next week in a special women's event at PokerStars EPT Barcelona.

Better late than never. That’s probably the thinking of several women heading to the European Poker Tour stop at Casino Barcelona next week. These female poker players earned a shot at a PokerStars Platinum Pass in 2020.

The promotion allowed for the women to play in a single-table tournament with the opportunity to win the ultimate prize, a $30,000 travel and tournament package to the PokerStars Players Championship (PPC). Then COVID got in the way.

Two years later, the event is now back on and set for Aug. 15. The original promotion saw poker players nominate inspirational women to play in the event as part of PokerStars’ International Women’s Day celebration. 

The online poker operator aims to spotlight inspirational women in the game. Daiva Byrne is one of those heading to Spain to play and is pleased just to receive the honor.

 

“When I found out, I was so surprised and overwhelmed by the support,” she tells PokerScout. “To be part of the top nine, you needed to have so many votes and the kind validation from the community means so much to me. Knowing that people appreciate what you do encourages me even more to work harder to achieve more equality at the tables and higher female representation in the poker industry as a whole.

“I’m thrilled to be on that list with many amazing women who are all equally deserving and I’m very excited about finally playing together in Barcelona.”

Poker life

Originally from Lithuania and living in Manchester, United Kingdom, Bryne is a poker pro. She’s a regular in live games as well as hitting the virtual tables. She has $225,944 in live tournament winnings and also runs the Fantastic Ladies in Poker (FLIP) online community.

After two years mostly away from live poker, Byrne’s glad to be back and looking forward to the opportunity in Barcelona.

“Now the pandemic has calmed down, I’m back traveling for poker events, most recently to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker and other trips planned this year to Malta and potentially the far east,” she says.

“Back home I’d generally be enjoying coffee, Netflix, playing online, studying, and interacting with my FLIP community members.”

 

Winning a PokerStars Platinum Pass

It’s no secret in the poker world that Platinum Pass has become one of the most sought-after prizes in the game. A $25,000 tournament buy-in as part of a nice vacation in the Bahamas in January has many players clamoring to land one.

In the lead up to the first event in 2019, PokerStars awarded numerous passes through smaller buy-in live tournaments, online events, and social media contests.

That made for an event with an interesting mix of recreational players and pros. Several pass winners scored some cash in the PSPC along with a nice trip to the Caribbean.

The  event ultimately brought in 1,039 entries for a $26.5 million prize pool. Spain’s Ramon Colillas, who won a pass to get into the event, took the title for $5.1 million. The Women’s Day promotion for the 2023 event is part of PokerStars’ efforts to get more women in the game.

“PokerStars tasked its community with nominating inspirational women who have had a true impact on the game, its players and at the poker table,” the company noted in a news release. “While poker has historically been perceived as a male-dominated sport, there is a strong contingent of women achieving great successes.”

 

Taking her shot in Barcelona

Byrne now has her own shot at living a dream and scoring a seat in the next Bahamas PSPC. She recently brushed up on her single-table Sit & Go strategy in hopes to make that happen. She’ll have plenty of supporters back home cheering her on.

“Winning any tournament feels great but to win a Platinum Pass would be extra special,” she says. “Every poker player dreams of battling with the best at higher buy-ins, and this would provide that opportunity. Plus, I’ve been to the Bahamas before for poker. It’s a fabulous place to play and relax, so I’d love to return.

“My family and friends are very proud as well as excited about the event and will be supporting me back home watching the live stream. It’s going to be a fantastic event and I know they are going to enjoy it regardless if I win or not.”

No matter the outcome, Byrne is simply looking forward to playing the event. She’s pleased to see more women in poker given some special treatment.

“I love seeing so many inspirational women in poker,” she says, “and hopefully this event will inspire more women to join the game and play.”

* Lead image courtesy Gema Cristobal

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PokerStars Throwing $12.5 Million Birthday Bash; More Platinum Passes Awarded in 2020

PokerStars is celebrating its 14th anniversary on March 22 with a Sunday Million event featuring a $12.5 million guarantee.

PokerStars celebrates its 14th anniversary on March 22. The site is marking the occasion with the biggest guarantee and prize pool for a single event in PokerStars history.

The Sunday Million just got a bit bigger. PokerStars is upping the ante to celebrate and  the tournament will feature a $12.5 million guaranteed prize pool.

With so much on the line, the event should attract players looking to cash in for a massive score. The site began promoting this major event almost two months before cards are in the air.

PokerStars Sunday “Multi-Million” details

Players can expect a $215 buy-in for the anniversary event. The site will also be offering numerous opportunities to win a seat with satellites start at less than $1.

The Million will also offer a 24-hour late-registration period, giving players extra time to sign up. The Sunday tournament has become a PokerStars staple and remains one of the most popular in online poker.

The first Sunday Million tournament was held on March 6, 2006. That tournament attracted 5,893 players and a $1.2 million prize pool. Canadian player “aaaaaaaa” won that first event for $173,843.

The Sunday Million remains the world’s biggest $1 million guaranteed weekly poker tournament.

Battle for PokerStars Platinum Passes continues

Beyond the birthday bash, 2020 is again a big year for the company for other reasons. PokerStars announced in August that the Platinum Pass promotion would be revived in 2019-20.

Several of those coveted prizes have already been awarded with more packages up for grabs throughout the year. The €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) is set for Aug. 20-24 in Barcelona, Spain.

A Platinum Pass includes a buy-in for the event and a complete travel getaway Barcelona. It is one of the most coveted prizes in poker and the buzz should build throughout the year.

A two-time Platinum Pass winner ready for Barcelona

Canada’s Jennifer Carter made some news recently after winning her second straight Platinum Pass. Carter enjoys playing small-stakes tournaments on the site via mobile phone.

In 2018, she topped a field on more than 21,000 players in an online freeroll to win her seat in the Bahamas. Amazingly, she won yet another pass in October.

That came after starting out in a $2 Mega Path tournament. She then moved up three more steps to earn a seat in Barcelona this August. She’s now one of just three people to have won a Platinum Pass twice.

She told the PokerStars blog that she tried the $2 Mega Path route about 50 times before hitting paydirt. Her story shows how the event appealed to small-stakes players and professionals alike.

“I don’t know how I did it,” she told the PokerStars blog. “Because it’s me. I can’t beat $.01/.02 online! It’s unbelievable. I was literally baking muffins during this tournament, doing dishes.

“And then in Step 4 I was just sitting in my bed knitting. I don’t have a bankroll because I can’t even win a $1 tournament. But I can win the biggest ones. I just don’t get it.”

PokerStars awarded more than 300 Platinum Passes over 13 months for the inaugural PSPC in January 2019. The event was held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas and featured a $26 million prize pool.

Platinum Pass winner Ramon Colillas topped a field of 1,039 to take home $5.1 million. Carter will once again be among the field in Barcelona hoping for a deep run.

“It feels like full circle right now,” she said. “I’m thrilled. It’s unbelievable.”

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NJ Online Poker Treads Water Heading Into Two Big Tournament Series

NJ online poker

There is a lot of excitement in New Jersey these days. Unfortunately, it isn’t around online poker. Instead, all eyes are on legalized sports betting as the first big week of betting on football concludes.

A weekend full of games and mobile sports betting did nothing to help bolster the fledgling online poker market. The good news is it didn’t really hurt it either.

Consequently, the bottom line is online poker in New Jersey is just treading water.

Here are the key stories from the U.S. regulated poker scene since our last report published on Aug. 28 are:

  • The three major online poker networks are showing declining trends across the board
  • WSOP.com continues to show the sharpest declining trends post World Series of Poker
  • PokerStars NJ gave a few cash game players back to WSOP.com
  • partypoker NJ is holding steady and remains relatively flat across the three major metrics

Now, let’s take a look back at the cash game and tournament trends for the two-week period ending Sept. 9, 2018.

U.S. Regulated Online Poker Operators

The major U.S. poker operators are:

Operator Network Provider Other Sites in the Network
WSOP.com 888 888poker
PokerStarsNJ PokerStars None
partypokerNJ partypoker Borgata Poker and PlayMGM-NJ

Pala Poker also operates in New Jersey on its own network. We do not include Pala Poker in this report because the traffic volume is low and doesn’t affect the latest US online poker trends.

Major online poker tournaments summary

The poker tournament schedule was void of any major tournament series over the past two weeks, and it shows. Not even Sunday football was successful in attracting players to the virtual felt.

With the launch of New Jersey mobile sports betting, there was hope that players would fire up their poker client while rooting on their favorite team. The hope was short-lived.

Each online poker site held their regular scheduled Sunday Major tournaments, with one exception. WSOP.com lowered its Sunday $100,000 guarantee to $75,000 over the Labor Day holiday.

It was surprising to see WSOP.com lower its guarantee. It has, after all, handily met its guarantee all but once since the launch of shared liquidity.

WSOP.com, thanks to the lower guarantee, generated prize pools well north of the posted guarantee. PokerStars NJ and partypoker NJ, however, posted overlays for each of their major Sunday tournaments.

The tournament scene is likely to get a boost with two upcoming tournament series on the docket.

From Sept. 18 through Sept. 30, WSOP.com will offer the first WSOP.com Online Circuit event. The series boasts over $700,000 in guarantees and will award 13 rings over the 13 days of play.

WSOP.com combines the player pools between Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey. This Online Circuit series stands to impact New Jersey online poker more than most.

Right on the heels of the WSOP.com Online Circuit event, PokerStars NJ is bringing NJCOOP back to the Garden State. The popular tournament series will run from Sept. 29 through Oct. 15 and guarantee over $1 million in prizes. The 47-event series will also be giving away three Platinum Passes.

There is a lot of excitement around the inaugural online circuit event and the return of NJCOOP to New Jersey’s online poker rooms. Let’s hope that enthusiasm translates to some large prize pools.

Sunday major online tournaments by the numbers

Information for the tournaments held on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018

Tournament Entries Guarantee Prize Pool Difference
WSOP $320 Sunday Weekly $175,000 NLH 213 $75,000 $92,100 $17,100
PokerStarsNJ $200 Sunday Special, $35,000 Guaranteed 146 $35,000 $27,156 -$7,844
partypokerNJ $215 Sunday $35,000 Guaranteed NLH 150 $35,000 $30,000 -$5,000

Information for the tournaments held on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2018

Tournament Entries Guarantee Prize Pool Difference
WSOP $320 Sunday Weekly $100,000 NLH 247 $100,000 $113,100 $13,100
PokerStarsNJ $200 Sunday Special, $35,000 Guaranteed 181 $35,000 $33,666 -$1,334
partypokerNJ $215 Sunday $35,000 Guaranteed NLH 168 $35,000 $33,600 -$1,400

Average cash game and peak traffic summary

Much like the tournament report, the cash game numbers are relatively unexciting. That is actually not entirely bad news.

For the past month, we’ve seen an exodus of poker players in the online poker market. For the past few weeks at least, all three operators are holding relatively steady.

WSOP.com gained some cash game players while PokerStars NJ lost a few, but overall there were not any big shifts like we saw a month ago. The loss of players post WSOP is still affecting WSOP.com’s sharply declining trend line. Expect that to begin to flatten out over the coming weeks.

Peak traffic numbers, with the exception of some good days, seem to be on a constant decline. When you think about it, it’s a pretty interesting number to track.

If a more significant number of players on a site at one time has the power to attract more players, then this number tells a pretty grim story. Most poker players prefer to play when the most games were running. Knowing that, the peak traffic number should continue to climb, or at the very least hold steady. Instead, it continues to decline.

It will be interesting to see how a month of big tournaments will impact the cash game and peak traffic numbers.

Factors that will impact U.S. regulated online poker in the coming weeks

Obviously, the most significant factor to impact New Jersey online poker is the two upcoming New Jersey online poker tournaments. Both series are sweetening the pot enough to entice serious poker players in the region to set up shop in the Garden State for a while.

The excitement around sports betting is another area that may impact poker. New Jersey is now home to seven sportsbooks. Avid sports bettors (which describes many poker players) may choose to spend their evenings and weekends at their favorite sportsbook. Of course, that may result in taking players away from the virtual felt.

Pennsylvania, which many hope will launch online gaming soon is taking its sweet time in doing so. While we continue to keep an eye on the state’s progress, don’t expect any movement in the near future.

We will keep our eyes on the New Jersey poker scene, and the complete U.S. regulated online poker landscape and report back here on Sept. 25.

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PokerStars Launches Bounty Builder Series; New Formula One Events & Promotions Rolling Out

The bounty-busting action has returned to PokerStars with two weeks of the Bounty Builder Series running through March 20.

The bounty-busting action has returned to PokerStars. Online poker players will find two weeks of the latest edition of the Bounty Builder Series running through March 20.

The festival features a packed schedule of 169 events. That includes two Main Events with both kicking off on March 19. The $109 edition features a $1 million guarantee with the $1,050 version offering a $1.25 million guarantee.

In other news, the company announced the continuation of its Formula One partnership and promotional and content efforts.

 

Plenty of PKO action in PokerStars Bounty Builder

All Bounty Builder events feature the popular progressive knockout format (PKO). The format plays out differently than traditional bounty tournaments. Instead of winning an opponent’s entire bounty with an elimination, part of that bounty is also put on the winner’s head.

That means bounties increase throughout the tournament. The ultimate winner also cashes in his own bounty, which can also be sizable by the end of the event. Even Stars’ iconic Sunday Million has been converted to a PKO.

As part of the Bounty Builder, players will find two special edition Sunday Millions tournaments. Those two check in with a $109 buy-in and a $215 buy-in with both offer players a $1 million guarantee. Here’s a look at the entire schedule.

PokerStars Bounty Builder Series 2023

DateEvent
March 8#32: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Midweek Freeze], $50K Gtd
March 8#33-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 8#33-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 8#34: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $125K Gtd
March 8#35: $109 8-Game [Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 8#36: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 8#37: $33 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $60K Gtd
March 8#38: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Fenomeno Special], $75K Gtd
March 8#39: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $50K Gtd
March 8#40: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $30K Gtd
March 9#41: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $125K Gtd
March 9#42: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 9#43-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 9#43-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 9#44: $11 PLO [Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 9#45-L: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill], $175K Gtd
March 9#45-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill], $125K Gtd
March 9#46: $5.50 NLHE [5-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $25K Gtd
March 9#47: $109 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 9#48: $55 NLHE [4-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Bounty Quads], $50K Gtd
March 10#49: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO], $25K Gtd
March 10#50: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 10#51-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 10#51-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 10#52: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 10#53: $22 NL 2-7 Single Draw [6-Max, Progressive KO], $4K Gtd
March 10#54: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 10#55: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO, The Rounder], $30K Gtd
March 10#56: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Fenomeno Special], $75K Gtd
March 10#57: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $15K Gtd
March 11#58: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 11#59: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 11#60-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 11#60-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 11#61: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Big Knockouts], $50K Gtd
March 11#62: $109 5-Card PLO [Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 11#63: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 11#64: $33 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $60K Gtd
March 11#65: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $50K Gtd
March 11#66: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $20K Gtd
March 12#67: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Warm-Up], $125K Gtd
March 12#68: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Kick-Off], $150K Gtd
March 12#69: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Big $109 SE], $200K Gtd
March 12#70-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $400K Gtd
March 12#70-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $300K Gtd
March 12#71: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Sunday Million], $1M Gtd
March 12#72: $55 PLO [Progressive KO], $30K Gtd
March 12#73: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, High Roller Freezeout], $125K Gtd
March 12#74: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $150K Gtd
March 12#75: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown], $125K Gtd
March 12#76: $11 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 40BB], $40K Gtd
March 12#77: $22 NLHE [4-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Bounty Quads], $50K Gtd
March 13#78: $33 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Monster Stacks], $100K Gtd
March 13#79: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 13#80-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 13#80-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 13#81: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO], $80K Gtd
March 13#82: $109 5-Card PLO8 [Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 13#83: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 13#84: $215 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $100K Gtd
March 13#85: $22 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $40K Gtd
March 13#86: $55 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $50K Gtd
March 14#87: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $30K Gtd
March 14#88: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $125K Gtd
March 14#89-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 14#89-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 14#90: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Super Tuesday], $125K Gtd
March 14#91: $33 NLO [6-Max, Progressive KO], $15K Gtd
March 14#92: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 14#93: $55 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $100K Gtd
March 14#94: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 14#95: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $50K Gtd
March 15#96: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Progressive Total KO, The Shuffle], $50K Gtd
March 15#97: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Midweek Freeze], $50K Gtd
March 15#98-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 15#98-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 15#99: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $30K Gtd
March 15#100: $55 PL 5-Card Draw [Progressive KO], $5K Gtd
March 15#101: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 15#102: $33 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $60K Gtd
March 15#103: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Fenomeno Special], $75K Gtd
March 15#104: $22 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 40BB], $40K Gtd
March 15#105: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $50K Gtd
March 16#106: $162 NLHE [Progressive KO, Pacific Rim], $10K Gtd
March 16#107: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $100K Gtd
March 16#108: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 16#109-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 16#109-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 16#110: $11 PLO [Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 16#111-L: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill], $175K Gtd
March 16#111-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill], $125K Gtd
March 16#112: $109 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $125K Gtd
March 16#113: $11 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom], $30K Gtd
March 16#114: $55 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $50K Gtd
March 17#115: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO], $25K Gtd
March 17#116: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 17#117-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 17#117-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 17#118: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 17#119: $22 PL Badugi [6-Max, Progressive KO], $6K Gtd
March 17#120: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 17#121: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, The Rounder], $20K Gtd
March 17#122: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Fenomeno Special], $75K Gtd
March 17#123: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 25BB], $35K Gtd
March 18#124: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 18#125: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 18#126-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 18#126-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 18#127: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Progressive KO, Big Knockouts], $75K Gtd
March 18#128: $109 6+ Hold'em [6-Max, Progressive KO], $10K Gtd
March 18#129: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout], $75K Gtd
March 18#130: $215 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Deep Stack], $100K Gtd
March 18#131: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Adrenaline: 40BB], $50K Gtd
March 18#132: $22 NLHE [4-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Bounty Quads], $30K Gtd
March 19#133: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Warm-Up], $125K Gtd
March 19#134: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Kick-Off], $175K Gtd
March 19#135: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 19#136-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $400K Gtd
March 19#136-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $300K Gtd
March 19#137-L: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Main Event], $1M Gtd
March 19#137-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, Main Event], $1.25M Gtd
March 19#138: $215 PLO [Progressive KO, PLO Main Event], $100K Gtd
March 19#139: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO, High Roller Freezeout], $125K Gtd
March 19#140: $5,200 NLHE [Progressive KO, Titans], $400K Gtd
March 19#141: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO], $175K Gtd
March 19#142: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Sunday Cooldown], $175K Gtd
March 19#143: $33 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $100K Gtd
March 19#144: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Last Player Standing], $75K Gtd
March 20#145: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO], $60K Gtd
March 20#146-L: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Bounty Builder HR], $150K Gtd
March 20#146-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO, Bounty Builder High Roller], $100K Gtd
March 20#147: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Series Saver], $175K Gtd
March 20#148: $55 NLO8 [Turbo, Progressive KO], $20K Gtd
March 20#149: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO], $50K Gtd
March 20#150: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Series Wrap-Up], $60K Gtd

F1 partnership moves into second year

In other PokerStars news, the company recently began its second year in a Formula One partnership with Red Bull Racing. Stars is promising players and racing fans even more “epic experiences” throughout the F1 season. PokerStars returns to the track with even more planned including:

  • rewards for F1 fans
  • sharing promotions
  • competitions

The company is also adding more F1-themed content with chances to win experiences at some of the season’s most anticipated races. The PokerStars YouTube channel will take viewers behind the scenes at pivotal races.

The PokerStars Red Spade Pass also returns for the second year. This promotion offers PokerStars players ultimate experiences to make an F1 fan’s dreams come true.

“After an incredible first year racing alongside Oracle Red Bull, we are delighted to be going into the 2023 season with even more rewards, content, and epic experiences in the pipeline to take our partnership to the next level,” Flutter (Stars’ parent company)  director of partnerships, public relations, and consumer engagement Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

“This partnership has enabled both us and Oracle Red Bull Racing to reach audiences who share similar passions and interests, and we still firmly believe that the team is the perfect fit for PokerStars.net, sharing our conviction that it is not just about what you offer fans, but the ethos and vision behind it.”

Even more F1 promotions in the works

The “Embrace the Race” events also return for the new season. These race weekend promotions feature rewards including Chicane Cash Drops, Spin & Go Races, odds boosts on sports bets, and a Casino Weekend Races Leaderboard.

The partnership includes all of PokerStars’ casino, poker, and sports betting products. Company branding appears on the halo of the RB19 car as well as the inner cockpit and rear wing end plate, driver race suits, and pit crew helmets.

“Partnering with PokerStars has been an ace move for the team,” Oracle Red Bull Racing team principal and CEO Christian Horner said in a news release. “Their commitment to entertainment and innovation is a winning formula that perfectly aligns with our own values in Formula One.

“As we enter another year together, we’re raising the stakes and taking our collective game to the next level. While we can’t reveal too much just yet, I can tell you that there are some truly exciting projects in the works, and we look forward to unveiling our plans in the coming months.”

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