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PokerStars MicroMillions Brings Big Bang for Micro Bucks

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

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

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

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

PokerStars debuts Phase tournament event with $500,000 guarantee

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

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

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

A look at some highlights from the MicroMillions schedule

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

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

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

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

PokerStars goes all in on Twitch streaming for MicroMillions

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

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

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

Viewers can follow the play of several PokerStars streamers including:

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

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PokerStars Is Challenging You To Hit The Golden Button

PokerStars NJ is rewarding New Jersey players who demonstrate persistence. That’s why players who hang on and complete their puzzles in the Golden Button Challenge may win $20,000 — every day.

How the Golden Button Challenge works

To get started, simply log into a valid PokerStars NJ account. Proceed to the Challenges Window, and opt into the Challenge.

Then, start playing. Make sure to sit at a table with at least four players.

Every time you get dealt an ace, pay attention. If you can win the hand, you’ll match a regular ace on the puzzle.

Pay special attention to the game if you’re dealt an ace on the button. A winning hand from that position will match one of the golden aces on your puzzle.

Complete the challenge, and you’re guaranteed a win. You will receive a random cash prize of up to $20,000.

The best part is that these prizes come with absolutely no playthrough requirement. You will be able to keep your winnings the instant you receive them.

The fine print on the Golden Button Challenge

The Golden Button Challenge is currently running on PokerStars NJ. It will continue as an active promotion until Feb. 17.

The challenge will come with a minimum buy-in level. However, that level will be based on your historical gameplay and activity.

You must opt into the challenge before you begin playing. Any hands played before then won’t count toward the puzzle.

You can only receive a maximum of one puzzle piece per hand. The prize will only release once you complete the entire challenge.

However, there’s not much else to this promotion. Go check it out as soon as you can.

Enough about NJ; when is PokerStars heading to PA?

The question that people keep asking is about how soon PokerStars will make a move into Pennsylvania. PA poker players are hungry for the worldwide leader to open shop in the Keystone State.

So far, there is nothing to indicate a change to the previous timeframe. PokerStars has its approval from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in hand and looks to launch sometime in the next couple of months.

Unfortunately, the recent Department of Justice opinion on the Wire Act has thrown the entire industry off its game. The prevailing wisdom right now is that all interested parties should wait to see how the DOJ instructs its prosecutors to proceed.

Until that happens, it seems unlikely that PokerStars will launch in PA, regardless of any other challenges it might have. But, for right now, there’s no reason to panic. PokerStars will be coming to PA soon enough.

 

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PokerStars Forced to Delay Players Championship, Pass Winners in Waiting Game

The PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) has been cancelled this year, the company announced this week.

The PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) has been cancelled this year, the company announced this week. The event was set for August at Casino Barcelona in Spain.

This would have been the second PSPC after PokerStars ran the event in the Bahamas in 2019.

“We are excitedly looking ahead to a later date when we can truly celebrate being back with our community with a bang when the time is right,” the company noted in a news release.

PokerStars spectacular on hold with hopes to plan event the future

The first PSPC became the biggest $25,000 buy-in poker tournament in history. PokerStars offered Platinum Passes throughout 2018 for winners online, in small buy-in live events as part of the Chris Moneymaker Tour, and social media contests.

The tournament awarded more than $26.4 million to 181 players with 43 of those being Platinum Pass winners. The final table produced six players taking home scores of more than $1 million.

Spain’s Ramon Colillas entered the event as a Platinum Pass winner and topped the massive field for $5.1 million. The unique event brought together an interesting mix of pros and amateurs.

Platinum Pass winners not only secured a buy-in but also an all-expenses paid trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

COVID cancels PokerStars PSPC again

PokerStars hoped to relive some of the event’s excitement in 2020. The Coronavirus pandemic, however, cut those plans short.

This year’s cancellation means players will have to wait at least another year. The company hasn’t offered an alternative date but promised to offer regular updates.

“We know that this further news will come as a disappointment to many hoping the PSPC would take place this year,” the company said, “but our priority is the safety and good health of all our players and staff, as well as the communities that host such large events.”

This postponement won’t affect any players who have already won Platinum Passes. In total, PokerStars has already awarded passes to 400 players.

The company promises more promotions in the future awarding more.

“We look forward to highlighting our Platinum Pass winners, sharing their amazing stories and creating that brilliant community of winners that we had in our inaugural event,” PokerStars noted.

“Our Platinum Pass winners are a very special community and we will continue to plan activities and surprises in the run-up to the event, albeit with a longer than expected lead time. We promise it will be worth the wait.”

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PokerStars Earns Industry Awards for Innovation, Creativity

There was plenty of good news for PokerStars at the recent EGR Marketing and Innovation Awards. The annual event was held virtually on July 30 and recognizes standout creativity and innovation in online gaming.

In the area of innovation, PokerStars received two awards. Company officials said that has been a key focus in recent years.

PokerStars’ focus on innovation recognized

On its poker side, PokerStars received the award in the “Innovation in Poker” category. The company was recognized for its wide selection of new games, fresh products, and virtual reality offerings over the last year.

“Difficult to challenge PokerStars for research and development, and another good year for new product launches,” judges noted about the platform.

“Clearly doing well given the phenomenal growth rates during COVID, demonstrating success of both old and new variants. Love the fact that PokerStars has embraced virtual reality and done so in a big way. This brand is always working on a way forward and new ideas.”

PokerStars is the largest online poker site in the world and produces one of the top software platforms. The site is internationally recognized and offers several platforms beyond its .COM site.

That includes sites for Italian players as well a dedicated site for players in Spain, Portugal, and France.

Stars also offers online poker in the US in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The site has been particularly innovative in developing new games and promotions. Some of those include

  • Swap Hold’em
  • Deep Water
  • UFC Spin and Go’s
  • PokerStars VR

“Throughout PokerStars and particularly for its dedicated Poker Innovation and Operations team, trying out new formats and game types, listening to players’ responses, and going back to the lab is a constant focus,” said Rebecca McAdam Willetts, PokerStars associate director of public relations.

PokerStars has seen massive player pools and activity since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The most recent was the Stadium Series, which smashed the $25 million guarantee by $9 million.

PokerStars also earns award for casino product

EGR also recognized PokerStars proprietary tournament platform Casino Races in the “Innovation in Casino” category.

With PokerStars Casino, the aim was to give customers something they hadn’t seen before. Over the past 12 months PokerStars worked to successfully build and launch the product platform.

“Building new products that are fresh and entertaining for our community is of utmost priority at PokerStars,” McAdam Willetts said. “While the classic games that we all love aren’t going anywhere, we truly enjoy seeing our customers take to new formats and products.

“The focus on continuously developing exceptional experiences in everything from our customer support options to our responsible gaming tools is vital to PokerStars’ mission as we meet, head on, the expanding variety of entertainment options the modern world provides. We’re extremely pleased to have won two awards in this area across our offering.”

For a complete PokerStars review including $30 in free play, click here.

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PokerStars Beefs Up Ambassador Squad With Six New Signings

PokerStars recently announced the signing of six new ambassadors.

During the poker boom of the 2000s, it seemed every player who’d won a tournament signed an ambassador deal. Those sponsorships are now more difficult to come by and often require more than just live tournament results.

On Tuesday, PokerStars announced the signing of six ambassadors and several bring more than just winning statistics. As poker sites work to bring more players into the game, often a player’s platform may be as important as winnings. Personality helps too.

Five of the six new PokerStars players are Twitch streams and just a couple stand out in live tournaments. The deals signal where online poker stands now, with a player’s community a major factor in representing a brand.

Beyond that, another interesting note is the inclusion of two Americans from the state of Pennsylvania. This may signal how PokerStars sees the possibility for growth in the US market.

Adding to the PokerStars team

A few of the new PokerStars team members may be recognizable for poker fans. Those include poker pros Sam Grafton and Parker “tonkaaaaP” Talbot.

A few up and coming Twitch streamers also join the mix including:

  • Andre “ACoimbraPoker” Coimbra
  • Lasse “WisternJL” Jagd Lauritsen
  • Keith “AccidentalGrenade” Becker
  • Mark “naigo1” Foresta

“We are proud to expand our team and welcome these brilliant ambassadors for the game to PokerStars,” company associate director of communities and partnerships Scott Goodall said in a news release.

“The cornerstones of our strategy are supporting poker players and poker streamers, in particular new talent who have tons of potential and drive to grow, alongside creating a fun and welcoming environment for our community on Twitch and in other spaces. We’re excited to bring on board our new ambassadors so they can share their journeys, inspire others, and most importantly have fun.”

Live poker crushers join PokerStars

Grafton may be the best known among the new ambassadors with more than $4.1 million in live tournament winnings. The English pro’s biggest live cash was in the 2019 EPT Barcelona Super High Roller, where he scored €1.3 million.

Sam Grafton

At PokerStars, Grafton will serve as a poker commentator as well as getting involved with content and activities.

“I’m really excited to join the team and I was really excited when I heard ‘tonkaaaaP’ was coming on board at the same time,” Grafton said of the news on Talbot’s on stream. “I’ve really enjoyed working with PokerStars over the last year, and now I’m contractually obliged to turn up anytime Joe Stapleton requests a commentary buddy.”

Parker Talbot

Talbot has more than $750,000 in live tournament winnings and more than $3 million online. The Canadian poker pro’s new role includes plenty of streaming and content creation.

Talbot is considered one of the best high stakes players on Twitch. Some

notable online wins include a $109,000 SCOOP score and a Super Tuesday win for over $100,000. He also has a WCOOP title after topping a field of 842 to win $51,000, 

“It’s going to be unreal, I’m very excited to join,” Talbot said on the PokerStars SCOOP Twitch stream.

Joining the PokerStars team, ready to stream

Streaming has become a bigger part of the PokerStars ambassador crew. Beyond Grafton, four other Twitch players also join the PokerStars crew with two from Europe.

Portugal’s Coimbra returns to the team with goals of growing his Twitch and social media communities. Another goal is winning a large live tournament.

Taking second in the TRIO series Main Event last year became his best streaming moment to date. Coimbra racked up his biggest score in a poker tournament with thousands of viewers following his action. 

 

“I’m very happy having the opportunity of joining Team Pro again and once again to be an ambassador for my favorite poker site,” he said.

Lasse Jagd Lauritsen

Lauritsen is from Denmark and loves poker streaming. The 23-year-old goes live as much as six days a week and is looking to grow his community.

His online platform involves “drinking coffee and talking about the most random stuff,” his Twitch bio notes.

Reaching out to US players with new streamers

Two of the more interesting additions might be two American players. The US market may be more open for online poker after a recent Supreme Court ruling.

Online poker is now legal in six states with others considering legalization. PokerStars now operates platforms in three US states:

Two of the new ambassadors stream their action from Pennsylvania. Becker fell in love with poker while playing with friends. His competitive drive inspired him to take poker seriously.

“Keith will be streaming on PokerStars PA and his aims are to break down the walls for those new to poker and bring more people to the game,” the company notes in a news release.

Mark Foresta

Rising Twitch streamer Foresta rounds out the new PokerStars ambassadors. He’s also looking forward to streaming on PokerStars PA.

The company notes that his goals of “inspiring others to enjoy the game and being able to share streaming successes with his community.”

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STADIUM STORIES: Player Scores Five Figures With Promo Entry; PokerStars Series Tops Guarantee

The 2020 Stadium Series produced big numbers for PokerStars.

The PokerStars Stadium Series turned into quite an event for John “99rocks” Vallis. The 52-year-old was among those who cashed in. His $57,000 score didn’t come from hours and hours at the table, however. 

Instead, this recreational player turned a $22 ticket from a promotional chest into a five-figure online poker payday. That’s just one interesting story coming out of a huge Stadium Series, which wrapped up on Sunday.

 

From free money player to PokerStars satellite success story

John Vallis

At home in Surrey, United Kingdom, Vallis works as a compliance manager. Married with two daughters ages 18 and 19, poker isn’t a big part of his routine.

In fact, he usually plays with free tokens rather than real money. Occasionally Vallis might jump in a micro tournament, but real money tables aren’t a regular part of his online life. Before last week, his biggest win was around $70.

Then a $22 promotional satellite ticket popped in his inbox. If he advanced in the satellite it would then be on to another $109 qualifier.

If he advanced in that, an entry into a $2,100 Heat Deepstack was next. Vallis did just that and was primed for the biggest event of his life.

“I hadn’t played a single real money game in over four months going into the tournament,” he tells PokerScout.

The run of his life at PokerStars

Going into the event, Vallis kept his expectations low. Throughout both satellites as well as Day 1 of the tournament, an online quiz game occupied much of his time as well.

He played both qualifiers and the deepstack event, as well as the quiz, on his mobile phone. After reaching Day 2, however, Vallis shifted to playing on his computer but other duties still occupied much of his time.

“I still found time to cook the family supper, steak and chips, while we were closing in on the final table,” says Vallis, who enjoys running and cycling when not playing poker or spending time with family. “I think those distractions actually worked in my favor as I didn’t have time to think about the amount of money at stake.”

Those efforts paid big dividends. Vallis ultimately finished third for $57,229 out of a field of 234 entries. That’s a big score – all from a freeroll.

“Playing in the tournament was an amazing experience – I did not even contemplate the potential outcome until relatively late,” he says. 

How did it feel to turn his promo ticket into such a massive score?

“Extremely strange,” Vallis says. “I have absolutely no experience playing high stakes poker, so I have never really considered the money angle. I think that removed the pressure as I got deeper into the tournament, as I felt absolutely no expectation to actually convert the result into a prize.”

Ever the family man, wife and children come to mind when Vallis considers what he’ll do with the winnings.

“There’s some things I want to get done to the house,” he says, “a car for my kids to use and a spectacular holiday when COVID permits.”

Considering his massive finish, it’s fortuitous that PokerStars email didn’t land in the spam folder. For Vallis, it definitely paid to check his email.

PokerStars Stadium Series brings out plenty of competitors

Speaking of Stadium Series success, the festival came right after an unprecedented Summer Series. That scorched the $25 million guarantee by paying out $34 million.

The Stadium Series also produced plenty of bang for the buck. Wrapping up on Aug. 2, the festival brought some big numbers. The series paid out $54.3 million – more than $4 million above the guarantee.

The series attracted 698,964 entries across 102 events. In the $10,000 Grand Final, “Lena900” came out on top for a score of $230,435.

The France, Spain, and Portugal version of the series saw 228,799 entries and a prize pool of €6.6 million. Spain’s “Sick2BeatMe” won the €250 Grand Final for €66,882 plus €44,273 in bounty bucks.

In Italy, the series attracted 127,252 players and a €4 million prize pool. “NNWPT” took the €250 Grand Final for €34,792 plus €17,002 in bounties.

The action continues this week with several Stadium Series after party events. PokerStars is offering several phase tournaments featuring these buy-ins with hefty guarantees:

  • $1.10 – $100,000 guaranteed
  • $11 – $250,000 guaranteed
  • $109 – $500,000 guaranteed
  • $1,050 – $1 million guaranteed

Team PokerStars streamers score big, reach impressive Twitch numbers

Along with a massive score by a recreational player, some PokerStars ambassadors also produced during the Stadium Series.

PokerStars streamers Fintan “Easywithaces” Hand and Ben “Spragg” Spragg made deep runs in the $5,200 event on July 29.

Spragg’s stream reached more than 30,000 viewers, who saw him finish third for $70,633. That became the largest score of his career.

Hand took 10th in the event for $14,732. It’s been quite the run for these two poker streamers.

A year ago, both were streaming their play in $5, $11, $55, and $109 events on the main PokerStars channel. Spragg Tweeted his delight at the progress he’s made in his own game.

 

In other action, Stars streamer Jens “TheRealKnossi” Knossalla broke the Twitch Poker record for concurrent viewers. His stream peaked at more than 91,000 and is part of a growing presence on the platform for streamers during the pandemic.

Knossalla wasn’t playing himself, instead calling the action as his moderator Frank “Knueppel” Stockhaus played for a Platinum Pass. He ultimately finished runner-up in the $1,000 event for more than $117,000.

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Partypoker Continues War on Bots, Suspends 57 Accounts

Partypoker suspended 57 bot accounts in October.

Partypoker announced this week that it shut down 57 bot accounts in October as part of ongoing fraud detection efforts. The crackdown included the confiscation of $15,627 in account funds.

The site announced the October efforts by its online  poker fraud team in a news release. That included 50 fraudulent accounts on its two main partypoker url sites and seven on its European networks.

In detailing these latest moves, partypoker noted that suspending these accounts was part of the latest figures in its “ongoing war on fraudulent bot accounts.”

Partypoker battles bots, returns funds to players

A poker bot is a software program written to play against other players. The bots make use algorithms and mathematical formulas to play against human players.

Some bots are successful in siphoning away funds from other online poker players. Unscrupulous “players” may make use of several bots on differing platforms with hopes of regular profits. Bots usually violate a site’s terms of service.

As part of partypoker’s bot-busting efforts, the full amount seized in October was redistributed to all affected players.

“Partypoker encourages players to continue reporting all suspicious activity at its tables,” the site noted in a news release. “Partypoker promises to investigate all incidents reported.”

As with other poker sites, party invests in resources at safeguarding the safety of its players. That effort is spearheaded by a special poker fraud team made up of former poker pros.

This team investigates suspicious activity and aids in uncovering unscrupulous accounts. In the coming months, partypoker will continue updating players on the account closures made every month.

Part of a continued crackdown on bot usage

The latest moves by partypoker have been part of an industry wide effort to curb bots being used on online poker platforms. PokerStars and others have made attempts to rid sites of them.

With the prevalence of bots and artificial intelligence, Morgan Stanley even listed that as a reason to downgrade online poker stocks.

“This may be the first time that the investment world has taken a serious look at whether AI poses an existential risk to the business of online poker,” Online Poker Report noted in September. “It is, however, a problem that players and operators have worried about since the boom years.”

Some in the industry fear that the fear of bots and AI will deter players from getting in the online poker action. That could hamper efforts to grow the industry just as Pennsylvania has legalized online poker in the US.

Also in recent months, underground offshore sites have also revealed efforts to elimination of bots

PokerStars outlines security efforts in expanding into US

In August 2018, PokerStars gave a presentation to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as part of its efforts to launch in the state. The company touched on the issue of bots as part of its licensure efforts.

PokerStars noted that its protocols and safeguards are able to catch 89% of collusion efforts and 90% of bots. While these operators’ efforts may not be foolproof, they point to an industry trying to keep the game between humans.

More than 172 billion hands have been dealt on the PokerStars platform. The company outlined some of its security efforts and employs more than 240 security personnel at six offices around the world.

That personnel make use of proprietary fraud management systems to make sure the games are secure. The company employs another 65 employees to monitor for game integrity.

With money on the line, however, those efforts will need to continue. Player safety and security will be important caveats of growing the game beyond the four legal US states of New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

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Link Up With PokerStars Twitch for Chance at a Platinum Pass

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

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

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

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

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

How to win a Platinum Pass via PokerStars Twitch feature

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

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

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

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

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

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

More in store for those using Twitch feature

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

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

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

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