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Ready to Represent? PokerStars Contest Offers Players Chance To Become Brand Ambassador

Many poker players dream of representing an online poker brand and PokerStars is giving them a shot at making that a reality.

Many poker players dream of representing an online poker brand and traveling the world playing cards. PokerStars is giving regular Joes a shot at making at least some of that a reality.

The site announced the launch of its “Dare2Stream” challenge on Monday. The promotion runs through Dec. 17, awarding a coveted one-year ambassador contract to the winner.

How to join Team PokerStars?

PokerStars’ newest ambassador joins popular pros Lex Veldhuis, Fintan Hand, and Ben “Spraggy” Spragg. To join the team, PokerStars is looking for a top-notch Twitch streamer. Players entering the contest will need to showcase:

  • streaming skills
  • creativity
  • love for the game
  • how they engage with their community

“Supporting up-and-coming talent is a key part of our strategy, so we’re excited to launch this competition and celebrate the brilliant talent we have out there on the Twitch streets,” PokerStars associate director of communities and partnerships Scott Goodall said in a news release.

“We hope to find streamers who have lots of potential, creativity, drive to grow, and who are passionate about poker. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone’s entries and welcoming a new member to the team!”

To participate, players must fill out an online application form and join the PokerStars public Discord server. Competitors will also need to join “Team DareToStream” on Twitch and use the mature audience setting on the stream.

More PokerStars prizes on the line

Along with an ambassadorship up for grabs, PokerStars is offering up even more. The site is awarding numerous tournament tickets for simply streaming as part of the contest.

Tickets also go to players competing in the “Clip of the Week” challenge. This involves participants submitting their favorite clip of the week from their stream.

A panel of judges will select the two weekly winners. Here’s a look at some of what players can expect:

  • $109 Sunday Million tickets are awarded to the two winners of the Clip of the Week challenge.
  • Winners of the Clip of the Week challenge also have a $109 Sunday Million ticket bounty placed on them as part of the exclusive Dare 2 Stream weekly $5,000 guaranteed Home Game.
  • A $55 Home Game ticket is awarded weekly to entrants streaming a minimum of 10 hours in the previous week.
  • $109 Sunday Million tickets are awarded to those who complete a minimum of 50 streaming hours during the competition.
  • $11 Sunday Storm tickets are distributed to those who complete between 25-49 streaming hours during the competition.

PokerStars is looking to make one lucky streamer’s dream come true in December. PokerStars streamer Mason “pyefacepoker” Pye has experienced this kind of promotion first-hand.

“The fact that the winner of this edition of Dare2Stream will be joining Team PokerStars for a year is truly incredible and an opportunity that should not be missed,” Pye says.

“As a streamer who participated in a similar promotion before signing with PokerStars, being on the team has genuinely been a life-changing experience. I’ve had the opportunity to play, travel, and work with like-minded individuals both on and off-stream with the same goal in mind to help the growth of Twitch Poker.”

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PokerStars Unveils New Rewards Program With More Ways to Win, Better Transparency

Some big changes are coming to the PokerStars Rewards program with the goal of appealing to more players and offering more transparency.

Some big changes are coming to the PokerStars Rewards program. The site announced some major improvements recently with the goal of appealing to more players.

PokerStars officials say the new program incorporates player feedback and insight, offering more value and opportunities to win. The program is now available to players on selected licenses.

“This autumn we are celebrating 20 years of our PokerStars community, and we’re happy to kickstart the next chapter with our new and improved PokerStars Rewards program,” PokerStars managing director Severin Rasset said on Friday. “Listening to community feedback, we know our players want more rewards, more ways to earn rewards, more transparency, and simplicity.

“Our recent trial program was not only very positively received – overall we saw a 78% jump in satisfaction scores for the players participating, but it also gave us more ideas about how to make it even better. Working directly with our community has been hugely energizing for us and we’re happy that the new rewards program launching today has truly been built by our players for the players.”

 

Some specifics on the new PokerStars program

The relaunch of PokerStars Rewards follows a three-month trial. That included player feedback from players selected randomly to be part of the program.

These online poker players’ input was incorporated into the new program, the company noted. Stars has received some criticism in the past regarding changes in the program.

The site now appears to be addressing some of that by revamping the system overall to appeal to players. Here’s a look at few aspects of the plan:

  • Players can earn up to 65% in rewards. That’s made up of 25% in rewards for players in the core program. Those who qualify for Monthly Challenges can earn up to 40% more.
  • The program now rewards players for all their play across all poker games – from tournaments to cash games. High stakes cash game and tournament players also earn rewards.
  • Players are also rewarded for their real money activity across all products. That means players earn for online poker, sportsbook, and casino play. Personalized rewards based on a player’s interests and types of games played will also continue.

PokerStars promises more transparency

Making the entire program more easy to understand looks to be a major goal at Stars. The company promises transparency, allowing players to know exactly where they are in the program.

Players will know what their targets are and what could be earned by reaching them. PokerStars also promises:

  • Levels are clearly visible with a progress bar showing how many more chests remain to move to the next level.
  • Six chest levels with each level delivering a chest with a fixed value. The chests include : blue, bronze, silver, gold, diamond, and black (lowest to highest).

The new program is available for players on the .BG, .COM, .CZ, .EE, .ES, .EU, .FR, .PT, .RO, .SH, and .UK platforms. Also, due to local regulation, Monthly Challenges are not available to players in the Czech Republic or Greece.

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PokerStars Bounty Builder Series Launches Sunday; EPT Prague Live Festival Announced

The Bounty Builder Series returns to PokerStars Oct. 3-18 with 208 tournaments and more than $30 million guaranteed.

The Bounty Builder Series returns to PokerStars this weekend. Players will find 208 tournaments running Oct. 3-18 with more than $30 million guaranteed.

Players will also find two Main Events running on Oct. 17. The  $55 high event guarantees $1 million and the $530 version guarantees $2.5 million. Buy-ins for the series range from $5.50 to $1,100, providing something for every bankroll.

What to expect from the Bounty Builder Series

All tournaments are fittingly using a knockout format, where all players have a bounty on their heads. Eliminate an opponent, and the winner picks up that player’s bounty.

Most tournaments are No Limit Hold’em, but the series also includes:

  • Pot Limit Omaha
  • HORSE
  • Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better
  • 6+ Hold’em (Short Deck)
  • Eight-Game Mix
  • No Limit Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better
  • Five-Card Pot Limit Omaha

Beyond the Main Events, several other tournaments also stand out on the schedule. A $55 Sunday Kickoff Special Edition starts the series on Oct. 3 with $125,000 guaranteed.

Players will also find designated “Daily Highlight” tournaments throughout the series. These events feature three entry levels – low, medium, and high. The Daily Highlights also come with the biggest guarantees of the series.

For example, on Oct. 11 players will find a Monday Deepstack as the Daily Highlight. The $11 version guarantees $80,000 with the $109 and $530 versions guaranteeing $250,000 in each event.

Here’s a look at the complete series.

2021 PokerStars Bounty Builder Series

DateEvent
Oct. 3BBS-01: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Kickoff SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-02: $215 NLHE [Series Kickoff], $225k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-03: $109 NLHE [7-Max], $175k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-04: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Mini Million SE], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 3BBS-04: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Million SE], $1M Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 3BBS-04: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Bounty Builder HR SE], $500k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 3BBS-05: $109 PLO [6-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-06: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $250k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-07: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds], $150k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-08:$215 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $125k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-09:$530 NLHE Sunday Cooldown SE, $200k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-10: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Mini Sunday Supersonic SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 3BBS-10: $22 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $50k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-12: $11 NLHE [8-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-13: $109 NLHE [Monday Marathon], $100k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-14: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Freezeout], $60k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-15: $22 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 4BBS-15: $109 NLHE [8-Max], $200k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 4BBS-15: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Bounty Builder HR SE], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 4BBS-16: $22 HORSE, $20k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-17: $22 NLHE [7-Max], $100k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-18: $55 NLHE [4-Max], $100k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-19: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-20: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $60k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-21: $109 NLHE [7-Max], $70k Gtd
Oct. 4BBS-22: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $40k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-23: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $40k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-24: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Session Starter], $100k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-25: $22 NLHE, $80k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-26: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Tuesday Throwdown], $100k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 5BBS-26: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Tuesday Throwdown], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 5BBS-26: $215 NLHE [7-Max, Tuesday Throwdown], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 5BBS-27: $55 PLO8 [6-Max], $30k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-28: $109 NLHE [3-Max, Tuesday Triple Threat], $175k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-29: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Total KO], $125k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-30: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $175k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-31: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Slug Blinds, 25BB Stacks], $50k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-32: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Daily Supersonic SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 5BBS-33: $11 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $30k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-34: $109 NLHE [8-Max], $100k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-35: $55 NLHE [Wednesday Marathon], $125k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-36: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $60k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-37: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-38: $11 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $25k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-39: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $100k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 6BBS-39: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $150k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 6BBS-39: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Midweek Freeze], $175k Gtd - Daily Highligh
Oct. 6BBS-40: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Big Short, 25BB Stacks], $75k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-41: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $175k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-42: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $40k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-43: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds], $70k Gtd
Oct. 6BBS-44: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $40k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-45: $22 NLHE [8-Max], $60k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-46: $215 NLHE [7-Max, Session Starter], $125k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-47: $109 NLHE, $100k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-48: $55 NLHE [8-Max], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 7BBS-48: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Mini Thursday Thrill SE], $300k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 7BBS-48: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Thursday Thrill SE], $400k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 7BBS-49: $55 NLO8, $40k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-50: $109 NLHE, $175k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-51: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Total KO, Zoom], $75k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-52: $11 NLHE [7-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-53: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Big Knockouts], $100k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-54: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max], $30k Gtd
Oct. 7BBS-55: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $35k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-56: $55 NLHE [4-Max, Freezeout], $60k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-57: $109 NLHE [Friday Marathon], $100k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-58: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-59: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $175k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-60: $22 PLO [6-Max], $35k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-61: $11 NLHE [7-Max, Friday Night Fight ], $75k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 8BBS-61: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Friday Night Fight]], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 8BBS-61: $530 NLHE [7-Max, Friday Night Fight], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 8BBS-62: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds , 30BB Stacks], $125k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-63: $215 NLHE [7-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-64: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds], $50k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-65: $109 NLHE [7-Max], $70k Gtd
Oct. 8BBS-66: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $30k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-67: $22 NLHE, $50k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-68: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Session Starter], $125k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-69: $109 NLHE, $125k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-70: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $100k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 9BBS-71: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 9BBS-72: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 9BBS-73: $109 NLHE [6-Max], $25k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-74: $22 NLHE [Slug Blinds], $100k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-75: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $125k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-76: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $175k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-77: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Freezeout], $100k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-78: $11 NLHE [7-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 9BBS-79: $22 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $30k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-80: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Kickoff SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-81: $109 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-82: $11 NLHE, $80k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-83: $215 NLHE, $250k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-84: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Mini Million SE], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 10BBS-84: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Million SE], $1M Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 10BBS-84: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Bounty Builder HR SE], $500k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-85: $55 PLO [6-Max], $40k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-86: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday HR SE], $500k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-87: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Win The Button], $50k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-88: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Sunday Cooldown SE], $200k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-89: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $150k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-90: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Mini Sunday Supersonic SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 10BBS-91: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $50k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-92: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout], $40k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-93: $55 NLHE [Session Starter], $100k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-94: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $125k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-95: $11 NLHE [Monday Deepstack], $80k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 11BBS-95: $109 NLHE [Monday Deepstack], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 11BBS-95: $530 NLHE [Monday Deepstack], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 11BBS-96: $22 NLO8, $30k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-97: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-98: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Zoom], $100k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-99: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-100: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Slug Blinds, 25BB Stacks], $20k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-101: $215 NLHE [7-Max], $125k Gtd
Oct. 11BBS-102: $22 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $30k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-103: $55 NLHE [Slug Blinds], $75k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-104: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Wednesday Marathon], $100k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-105: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Big Knockouts], $80k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-106: $109 NLHE [7-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-107: $109 NLHE [6-Max], $30k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-108: $22 NLHE [8-Max], $100k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 12BBS-108: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Mini Super Tuesday SE], $250k Gtd - Mini Super Tuesday SE
Oct. 12BBS-108: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Super Tuesday SE], $275k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 12BBS-109: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Zoom], $100k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-11: $11 NLHE 0Win The Button, $50k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-111: $530 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-112: $22 NLHE [4-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 12BBS-113: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $25k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-114: $11 NLHE [8-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-115: $215 NLHE [Session Starter], $100k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-116: $22 NLHE [7-Max], $80k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-117: $11 NLHE [Midweek Marathon], $80k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 13BBS-117: $55 NLHE [Midweek Marathon], $200k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 13BBS-117: $215 NLHE [Midweek Marathon], $200k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 13BBS-118: $55 PLO8 [6-Max], $25k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-119: $530 NLHE [8-Max], $200k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-120: $55 NLHE [3-Max, Wednesday Triple Threat], $100k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-121: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-122: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Freezeout], $40k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-123: $109 NLHE [7-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 13BBS-124: $11 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $30k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-125: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Deepstack], $75k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-126: $215 NLHE [Thursday Marathon], $125k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-127: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds], $125k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-128: $22 NLHE, $100k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-129: $109 6+ Hold'em [6-Max], $25k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-130: $55 NLHE [8-Max]], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 14BBS-130: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 14BBS-130: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Thursday Thrill SE], $300k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 14BBS-131: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Total KO, Zoom], $75k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-132: $109 NLHE [7-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-133: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $50k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-134: $55 NLHE [8-Max], $75k Gtd
Oct. 14BBS-135: $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $25k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-136: $22 NLHE [8-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-137: $55 NLHE [Session Starte], $100k Gtdr
Oct. 15BBS-138: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $60k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-139: $215 NLHE [8-Max] , $150k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-140: $11 PLO [6-Max], $30k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-141: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Final Freeze], $75k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 15BBS-141: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Final Freeze], $175k Gtd Daily Highlight
Oct. 15BBS-141: $530 NLHE [6-Max, Final Freeze], $175k Gtd Daily Highlight
Oct. 15BBS-142: $55 NLHE [Slug Blinds , 30BB Stacks], $100k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-143: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-144: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Slug Blinds, 25BB Stacks], $50k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-145: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Daily Supersonic SE], $100k Gtd
Oct. 15BBS-146: $11 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $30k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-147: $55 NLHE Freezeout, $60k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-148: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Saturday Marathon], $125k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-149: $109 NLHE, $125k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-150: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Saturday Eliminator SE], $150k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 16BBS-151: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Saturday Eliminator SE], $250k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 16BBS-152: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Saturday Eliminator SE], $300k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 16BBS-153: $215 NLO8 [6-Max], $40k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-154: $109 NLHE [Deepstack], $175k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-155: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Total KO], $125k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-156: $109 [7-Max, Daily Cooldown SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-157: $530 NLHE [7-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-158: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Slug Blinds], $50k Gtd
Oct. 16BBS-159: $109 NLHE [6-Max, Flash Hyper-Turbo], $40k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-160: $55 NLHE [Deepstack], $150k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-161: $109 NLHE [8-Max], $150k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-162: $22 NLHE [6-Max] , $100k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-163: $215 NLHE, $250k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-164: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Main Event - Low], $1M Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-165: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Main Event - High], $2.5M Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-166: $109 PLO [6-Max, PLO Main Event], $100k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-167: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Big Knockouts], $150k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-168: $109 NLHE, $200k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-169: $215 NLHE [Sunday Cooldown SE], $200k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-170: $55 NLHE [6-Max, Mini Sunday Supersonic SE], $125k Gtd
Oct. 17BBS-171: $22 NLHE [6-Max, 15BB Stacks], $40k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-172: $11 NLHE [7-Max], $50k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-173: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Final Session], $100k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-174: $5.50 NLHE, $50k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-175: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Series Closer], $175k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 18BBS-175: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Series Closer], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 18BBS-175: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Series Closer], $225k Gtd - Daily Highlight
Oct. 18BBS-176: $22 5-Card PLO [6-Max], $30k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-177: $55 NLHE, $175k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-178: $215 NLHE [8-Max], $100k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-179: $22 NLHE [7-Max, Big Knockouts], $80k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-180: $109 NLHE [8-Max], $100k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-181: $55 NLHE [7-Max, Freezeout], $75k Gtd
Oct. 18BBS-182: $11 NLHE [6-Max], $30k Gtd

Live poker continues returning to EPT

Along with announcing the new Bounty Builder Series, PokerStars also announced another stop for the European Poker Tour (EPT) on Thursday. EPT Prague returns to the Czech Republic from Dec. 8-19  at the Hilton Hotel Prague.

The series had run each year from 2007-19 until the COVID pandemic led to its cancellation in 2020. Players can expect a packed schedule of events including three highlights that have already been released:

  • €1,100 EPT National – Dec. 9-13
  • €5,300 Main Event – Dec. 13-19
  • €10,300 High Roller – Dec. 17-19

Players can expect safety precautions in place to minimize COVID concerns.

“We’re so excited to welcome our community back to our live poker felt with one of our most famous and well-loved poker tours,” PokerStars managing director Severin Rasset said in a news release.

“It’s been such a long time coming and we’ve been working tirelessly and monitoring the situation carefully so that no stone is unturned for a safe return to live events and a great experience for our players.”

Online satellites for the series begin Oct. 3 starting at just €1.10. Stars will award five Main Event packages worth €7,200 each each week until the start of the event.

Each package includes eight nights’ hotel stay, travel, and tournament buy-in. Satellites will also start in France and Spain on Oct. 24.

The PokerStars European Poker Tour will again head to Sochi, Russia, at Casino Sochi in March, the site announced this week.

Announcement adds to live EPT schedule

The Prague announcement comes on the heels of PokerStars running the EPT Sochi from Oct. 2-11. That festival features:

  • $1,827 (₽133,000) Main Event – Oct. 7-11
  • $3,540 (₽257,600) High Roller – Oct. 10-11.

PokerStars also announced this week that the tour is already locked in for a return to Sochi from March 18-27.

A $2,400 (₽175,000) Main Event highlights the series from March 22-27. A $5,094 (₽371,000) High Roller is also planned as part of the festivities.

Live poker seems to be on the uptick with the World Series of Poker returning this week. The World Poker Tour has also run several tournaments and the Brazilian Series of Poker Millions is also back Nov. 24 – Dec. 5.

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Going Platinum: Las Vegas Mixed Game Festival Features PokerStars Platinum Pass Up For Grabs

The PSPC kicks off Jan. 29 in the Bahamas and PokerStars has announced that one final Platinum Pass is up for grabs via a podcast contest.

For the next two and half months, Las Vegas becomes the focal point of the poker world. The World Series of Poker begins on Thursday and thousands of players will head to the Rio to chase gold bracelets and hefty payouts.

However, one “small” series at the Westgate has a chance to upstage the action for at least a day or two. Robbie Strazynski’s Cardplayer Lifestyle Mixed Game Festival runs Oct. 4-7 and awards the first PokerStars Platinum Pass in 18 months.

A $200 HORSE tournament closes out the series Oct. 7 with quite a return on investment for one lucky player. In 2020, the site awarded numerous passes for the record-setting PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas.

Another event was set for Barcelona, but has been postponed due to COVID. A Platinum Pass comes with a complete buy-in and travel package for the event, a value of €30,000. 

Strazynski’s poker festival will have a huge impact for one player and his site has come a long way from humble beginnings.

Blog side project to full-time poker career

A longtime recreational poker player, Strazynski couldn’t have imagined his side project would come so far. He began Cardplayer Lifestyle as a small blog in November 2009.

“Until 2017 it was kind of a nights and weekends project for me, where I did the overwhelming majority of the writing when I wasn’t working at my full-time job,” he says. “Over the years, as my site attracted more visitors, it gradually morphed from just being a poker blog into a proper poker media outlet.”

In March 2017, Strazynski took a major leap – quitting his job to run the site full time. He now has several contributing writers, with content ranging from strategy columns to lifestyle features to interviews and news briefs.

The site also recently underwent a complete redesign for the first time in five years. That included a new look, layout, and logo.

Twelve years later, the Cardplayer Lifestyle festival in Las Vegas will really make someone’s Platinum Pass dream come true. Did Strazynski ever envision something like this when he started the site?

“That wasn’t even a twinkle in my eye,” he laughs. “Back when I started the site, it was on a whim, after having a casual conversation with an old buddy of mine who actually co-founded it with me.

His friend basically told Strazynski that since he was into poker and knew how to build websites, he should go for it.

“Cardplayer Lifestyle’s journey is most certainly an unconventional one, but I’m absolutely loving this ride and am supremely grateful for where it’s taken me thus far,” he says. “The site and brand’s growth has been 100 percent organic, and I’m thrilled to be at the point where expanding into live events for the first time is honestly just a natural progression of everything I’ve worked toward until now.”

Poker for a Platinum Pass and overcoming COVID setbacks

This won’t be the first mixed games meet-up for fans of Strazynski’s site. He began running a few days of mixed games at the Westgate a few years ago. The property worked out well as it didn’t have any summer series to conflict with.

“In the past, I’ve played a lot at Westgate and I always enjoyed my time there,” he says. “The staff was always super friendly and they’ve always been very accommodating to mixed game players. Anyone who attends the Mixed Game Festival can expect to be treated well.”

Having PokerStars involved isn’t new either and the company has provided prizes in the past. This year’s top prize really ups the ante.

“They were the first organization I turned to when looking for a title sponsor for the festival and they couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about it,” Strazynski says.

“While my earnest hope was that they’d offer some nice prizes, they totally blew my mind when offering the Platinum Pass. Plus, they’re also sending over a bunch of swag bags with merchandise from the Stars Store for me to give away throughout the festival.”

 Like much of the poker world, plans for the series turned out a bit differently than planned. The festival was originally scheduled for June 2020 . He’d been about 24 hours away from publicizing the news of the Platinum Pass.

That didn’t happen and Strazynski stayed tight-lipped about his plans for another year and a half.

“I never gave up hope, though, and remained in contact with both PokerStars and Westgate throughout that time,” he says. “Thankfully, they were unwavering in their support, which absolutely means the world to me.”

What to expect at the festival

The Mixed Game Festival will fittingly feature – mixed games. It’s a low roller get-together with plenty of $4/8 cash games. The WSOP should be the main attraction in town, but the festival offers a fun getaway from the action at the Rio.

“A number of well-known poker players and industry personalities have told me privately that they plan on stopping by at some point to mix it up a little,” Strazynski says. “They know that they can expect to have a super fun time, and that’s something that’s universally appealing.”

The added bonus of a Platinum Pass may coax quite a few players away from the Rio to the 18-table confines of the Westgate. For those enjoying some of the cash game action, each day feature a “kickoff event” including:

  • Dylan Linde Mastering Mixed Games book signing – Oct. 4 at 11 am
  • Eli Elezra autobiography Pulling the Trigger book signing –  Oct. 5 at 11am
  • Q&A with Poker Hall of Famer Linda Johnson and Women in Poker Hall of Famer Jan Fisher on on all things mixed games – Oct. 6 at 11 am

All proceeds of book sales will be donated to the Westgate Resorts Foundation. The group contributes to nonprofit organizations in the resorts’ local communities.

Beyond the PokerStars merchandise, prizes also include swag from Faded Spade Playing Cards, RunGoodGear.com, and BBO Poker Tables.

Strazynski at one of his site’s previous mixed games meet-ups.

For the love of mixed games

Mixed games have certainly grown in popularity in recent years. For Strazynski, this year’s festival may be the culmination for his own love of games beyond Texas Hold’em. He’s hoping there is a real camaraderie at the festival with a home game vibe.

“I’ve always been a huge proponent of mixed games and have used my Cardplayer Lifestyle platform to promote them to a great degree over the years,” he says. “When hosting podcasts I also usually try to fit in some mixed games questions and discussion.

“I’d like to think my mixed game advocacy has attracted a very loyal, niche audience within the poker community. And I’m grateful to have the opportunity to move into the realm of putting on branded live mixed game events for that audience.”

Strazynski adds one more note about what players can expect: “It’s going to be a blast!”

* Players earn extra starting chips for the HORSE tournament for five hours of Dealer’s Choice cash game play during the first three days of the festival. Players can earn a maximum of 25 hours for double the starting stack.

* Images courtesy Cardplayer Lifestyle

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PokerStars European Poker Tour Returning to Sochi In March; Brazilian Event Also Coming

The PokerStars European Poker Tour will again head to Sochi, Russia, at Casino Sochi in March, the site announced this week.

Fresh off other recent announcements regarding the return of live poker, PokerStars added another event to the schedule this week. The site’s European Poker Tour will again head to Sochi, Russia, at Casino Sochi in March for another series.

The festival runs from March 18-27 with a $2,400 (₽175,000) Main Event running March 22-27. The announcement comes as more live events return, including the World Series of Poker and Brazilian Series of Poker. The World Poker Tour has also run several events in the US this year.

Other highlights from the series in Russia

Not too many details on the series are available yet, but a full  schedule should be released as events get closer.

However, there are a couple more tournaments that have been announced. The $1,057 (₽77,000) EPT National event runs March 18-27.

Also, players looking for bigger action will find a $5,094 (₽371,000) High Roller. PokerStars Live will release dates and information on that event later.

Another EPT Sochi event kicks off this week as well with a festival running Oct. 2-11. Here’s a look at the highlights of the series:

  • $1,827 (₽133,000) Main Event – Oct. 7-11
  • $3,540 (₽257,600) High Roller – Oct. 10-11

A look back at the EPT Sochi 2021

The EPT’s return to Sochi began in March of this year. Russia’s Artur Martirosyan, known as “mararthur1” online, took down the Main Event for $325,000 and a spade trophy.

Viktor Kudinov won the High Roller for $98,000 after a heads up deal. Players should look for online qualifiers as the 2022 EPT Sochi gets closer.

Are more EPT events ahead?

Casino Sochi has hosted EPT events since 2017. The property promises safety measures in place to protect players and staff during the era of COVID.

Russia remains the only EPT stop announced so far. Players responded on Twitter about any possibility of another announcement regarding other venues in the future.

A look at the Casino Sochi. (photo courtesy PokerStars)

However, popular stops such as Barcelona, Prague, London, and Monte Carlo aren’t part of the plans as of now.

Could that change soon? That’s not known, but Stars recently announced the return of the Brazilian Series of Poker Millions as well. That series runs Nov. 24 to Dec. 5 at the WTC Sheraton Golden Hall in São Paulo with $2.8 million guaranteed.

PSPC getting closer?

On the horizon, PokerStars has promised another version of the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC). The next event was set for Barcelona after the record-setting 2020 event in the Bahamas. 

However the event was cancelled because of COVID. Could the PSPC return in 2022? No word yet, but with more live events returning it seems like there is at least a possibility.

The company continues to promote the popular Platinum Passes that reward players with:

  • €22,500 buy-in
  • Six nights’ hotel accommodation in a five-star hotel
  • Airport transfers
  • PSPC merchandise
  • €1,250 in spending money
  • Exclusive Platinum Pass winner events during the event

A pass is worth about €30,000, but one hasn’t been awarded in 18 months. That changes on Oct. 7 when the Cardplayer Lifestyle website hosts the Mixed Games Festival at the Westgate Casino in Las Vegas. 

A ​​$200 HORSE tournament caps the series with a Platinum Pass on the line for the winner. This puts the event right in the international poker spotlight with one player taking home quite a prize.

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PokerStars Announces Return of Brazilian Series of Poker Millions 

PokerStars announced Friday that the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) Millions will return this year, running Nov. 24 to Dec. 5.

Live poker is back in Brazil. PokerStars announced Friday that the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) Millions will return this year, running Nov. 24 to Dec. 5.

The festival becomes the first BSOP Millions since 2019. The series has been held online during the pandemic, but now heads back to the live tables at the WTC Sheraton Golden Hall in São Paulo.

What to expect from PokerStars BSOP

Players will find a packed schedule when the action gets going in November. PokerStars Live plans 50 tournaments across 12 days with R$15 million ($2.8 million) guaranteed.

The R$3,500 ($655) No Limit Hold’em Main Event highlights the series with a R$7 million ($1.3 million). Players can already begin qualifying for the event online. BSOP Millions satellites begin on Sept. 26 with sub satellites starting on Sept. 24.

The site is also promising daily freerolls for a Main Event Mega Satellite, which runs on Nov. 2. The mega will award 15 complete tournament packages.

COVID requirements

With the return of  live poker, the series features several measures to ensure player safety.

“The health and safety of staff and players is the number one priority for PokerStars.net and the BSOP,” the company noted in a news release, “and strict guidelines have been put in place which adhere to local regulations and guidance.”

Some of these requirements for players and staff include:

  • mandatory mask usage
  • holding a vaccination passport
  • keep a meter distance throughout the venue between players and staff

BSOP returns as Brazilians score big

The BSOP is now in its 12th season and more dates may be announced soon as well. The series played out events the last two years online at PokerStars.

In 2020, Canada’s Stevan “random_chu” Chew took down the Main Event for $91,890. Russia’s “Alister07” then won the championship this year for $77,556.

It’s been a nice few months for Brazilian players. Some of the country’s players have really fared well over the last few months.

In the recent PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), Brazilians won 57 events. That was the most by any country. 

https://www.pokerscout.com/biggest-wcoop-ever-wraps-up-at-pokerstars-with-almost-127-million-paid-out-to-players/

Brazil’s Yuri Dzivielevski also remains the top-ranked online player in the world. He’s one of the most successful poker players in Latin America with online winnings totaling $14 million. Dzivielevski recently spoke with PokerScout about his success.

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Biggest WCOOP Ever Wraps Up At PokerStars With Almost $127 Million Paid Out To Players

The 20th edition of PokerStars’ WCOOP concluded last Wednesday and produced the biggest version ever with $126.5 million paid out to players.

The 20th edition of PokerStars’ World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) concluded Wednesday and produced the biggest version ever. The festival awarded $126.5 million in prize money, crushing the original $100 million guarantee.

Over more than three weeks, the series attracted 1.4 million entries across the 102-event schedule. The six Main Events awarded a total of $18.4 million.

Brazilians score big in WCOOP

Players from Brazil have run hot recently in major online poker tournaments. That included the WCOOP with players from the country securing the most wins in the series with 57.

Brazil’s Yuri “theNERDguy” Dzivielevski also scored three WCOOP wins. He also became the first ever to win three titles in back-to-back WCOOPs.

Dzivielevski accomplished the feat in 2020 and 2021, and recently spoke with PokerScout about signing as a member of Team partypoker. He spoke about his preparation to remain the world’s No. 1-ranked online poker player.

“I make sure I have some kind of interaction with poker every day, whether playing or studying,” he says. ”I try to play two to three times a week and study on the other days. I don’t have an exact number of hours that I devote to studying, but I study on demand.”

Those efforts certainly paid off. Along with the prize money, every WCOOP champion receives a newly designed trophy. 

PokerStars ambassadors grab WCOOP titles on same day

Several other players stood out in the series as well, including some members of the PokerStars ambassador ranks. Ben “Spraggy” Spragg and Parker “Tonkaaaa” Talbot both won the second WCOOP titles of their careers on the same day.

Talbot took down the $5,200 Midweek Freeze (Event 75-H) for $108,729. Spragg won the $1,050 Turbo PKO Freezeout (Event 83-H) for $67,968. The accomplishment produced plenty of excitement from Spragg.

Some other highlights from the series also included a trifecta of titles for the United Kingdom’s Talal “raidalot” Shakerchi. This player and Dzivielevski were the only two to accomplish the feat.

The Player of the Series also went to Shakerchi. He won the High leaderboard for $15,000. The Medium leaderboard winner went to “FONBET_RULIT” for $10,000 with the Low leaderboard going to “ekvilibryst” for $5,000.

In total, 13 players managed to secure two WCOOP titles. More than $1 million in value was added by PokerStars through giveaways and qualifiers.

COOP action continues in US, Southern Europe

Plenty of action remains for US-based PokerStars players. Championship of Online Poker series are currently underway for players in:

The three series run concurrently through Sept. 27 featuring a total guaranteed prize pool of $4.5 million across the three state championships.

In Southern Europe, the Galactic Series is also taking place in France, Spain, and Portugal until Sept. 26. The series offers 303 events and more than €10 million guaranteed.

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Southern European Players Blast Off With PokerStars Galactic Series

PokerStars’ Galactic Series rockets into Southern Europe Sept. 5-26 and features a packed schedule of 303 events with €10 million guaranteed.

PokerStars’ Galactic Series rockets into Southern Europe in September. The festival runs Sept. 5-26 and features a packed schedule of 303 events with €10 million guaranteed.

Along with nice prize pools, the series awards trophies to winners of the series’ 10 championship events. The PokerStars Southern Europe platform is available for online poker players in:

More details on the Galactic Series

The schedule features a variety of events for players of all levels and bankrolls. The Galactic Series not only features 10 championship events, but the €125 Main Event on Sept. 19 comes with a €1 million guarantee.

Also, all championship events run throughout the series and come with a €250 buy-in. A few highlights include:

  • Six-Max Championship (Sept. 5, Event 9) – €125,000 guaranteed
  • Galactic Championship (Sept. 12, Event 105) – €125,000 guaranteed
  • PKO Championship 8-Max (Sept. 16, Event 157) – €125,000 guaranteed
  • PKO Championship (Sept. 26, Event 294) – €125,000 guaranteed

Here’s a look at the complete schedule of championship events.

2021 PokerStars Southern Europe Galactic Series 

DateTournamentBuy-inGuarantee
Sept. 5#09 Championship [6-Max]€250€125,000
Sept. 5#15 Championship [PKO, Turbo, 6-Max]€250€50,000
Sept. 9#63 Championship [PKO, 6-Max]€250€100,000
Sept. 12#105 Championship€250€125,000
Sept. 12#109 Championship [PKO, Turbo]€250€50,000
Sept. 16#157 Championship [PKO, 8-Max]€250€100,000
Sept. 19#199 Championship [8-Max]€250€125,000
Sept. 19#202 Championship [PKO, Turbo, 8-Max]€250€50,000
Sept. 23#252 Championship PLO [PKO, 6-Max]€250€30,000
Sept. 26#294 Championship [Progressive KO]€250€125,000

Series includes numerous promotions

Along with plenty of tournaments and major payouts, PokerStars is offering numerous extras for the series. That includes plenty of low-cost options for players to qualify for the series. 

The PokerStars Ticket Machine will distribute €175,000 in Main Events tickets as part of the Galactic Series Fast Track. To get involved, players must simply play in a Galactic Series event. No matter where they finish, they’ll gain entry to a daily drawing for tournament tickets.

Players who deposit €25 or more can also earn a ticket for the Galactic Series Depositor Freeroll on Sept. 18. Stars promises €25,000 in Main Event tickets given out to players in the event.

French players can also take advantage of special €6 Spin & Go’s. Series tickets and cash rewards will be up for grabs. There should be plenty of action for players throughout the series.

WCOOP also now underway

Along with the Galactic Series, players on the international platform also have numerous tournament options. The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) is underway and runs through Sept. 15.

This year’s events guarantee $100 million, the largest in the history of the series. Click here for a complete preview of the entire series.

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