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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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WPT Releases Deep Schedule of Ladies Events for 2023; Prime Gold Coast Event Breaks Record

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, the WPT announced several new ladies events running throughout Season XXI on Wednesday..

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, the World Poker Tour announced several new ladies events on Wednesday.

The new events are scheduled throughout Season XXI and the announcement comes after the first WPT Ladies Championship was held in December at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

As part of the announcement, the tour outlined dates for the second version of that tournament as well. The schedule also includes several tournaments at international stops.

“At WPT we take pride in the efforts we have put forth to increase women’s participation in poker,” WPT CEO Adam Pliska said in a news release. “As we recognize and celebrate International Women’s Day, we look forward to these record-setting initiatives throughout Season XXI and seeing more women play in our events around the world.”

A look at the WPT ladies schedule

In Season XXI, ladies events will be held at 13 WPT festivals. That includes seven tournaments at WPT Prime stops and six at Main Tour stops. The grand finale will again be the Ladies Championship at the WPT World Championship festival.

Numerous women are a part of the leadership team at WPT, tour officials noted. Vice President of global tour management Angelica Hael was a 2022 Women in Poker Hall of Fame inductee.

Some other key female leaders in the company include Vice President of finance Deborah Frazzetta, Vice President of marketing Hermance Blum, executive producer Mandy Glogow, and Vice President of studio, distribution, and ad sales Loc Sondheim.

“Fostering the presence of women in poker has always been a natural part of the WPT ecosystem,” Hael said. “This year, we are proud to present dedicated ladies events at an overwhelming majority of our global festivals, culminating with the 2023 WPT Ladies Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.”

A look at the schedule, TV events

In celebration of Women’s History Month, WPT will air episodes from various ladies events across TV and streaming platforms every night in the month of March. The Season XXI scheduled ladies events include:

  1. WPT Prime Cambodia
  2. Prime India
  3. WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown (Main Tour)
  4. WPT Choctaw (Main Tour)
  5. Prime Slovakia
  6. Prime Vietnam
  7. Prime Taiwan
  8. Prime Liechtenstein
  9. WPT Australia (Main Tour)
  10. Prime Madrid
  11. WPT bestbet Scramble (Main Tour)
  12. WPT Seminole Rock ‘N’ Roll Poker Open (Main Tour)
  13. WPT World Championship (Main Tour)
Sheng Ye celebrate winning the WPT Prime Gold Coast. (photos courtesy WPT)

WPT Prime Gold Coast winner

In other tour news, Sheng Ye came out on top in the second WPT Prime Gold Coast on Sunday night. He topped a record-breaking field of 1,224 entries in the AUD $2,000 buy-in main event at The Star Gold Coast in Queensland.

Ye grabbed AUD $374,953 for the win, which also includes a package to play in the season-ending WPT World Championship in December.

Just a month after Prime Paris broke the “non-championship” Prime entries record with 1,071, the Gold Coast event topped that by 153 entries. That entry total produced a prize pool of AUD $2.2 million. Ben Richardson finished runner-up, securing AUD $238,978.

WPT Prime Cambodia at NagaWorld Integrated Resort in Phnom Penh is next up on the tour. The festival runs March 9-21 with the $1,100 main event set for March 16-20.

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Power Couple: PokerStars, Poker Power Group Team Up for Female Player-Focused Boot Camps

PokerStars announced a partnership with the women-led organization Poker Power with the goal of bringing more female players into the game.

The goal of getting more women into poker continues as a major goal for PokerStars. On Thursday, the company announced another addition to those efforts, a partnership with the women-led organization Poker Power.

The group offers training and events geared toward female players. The first initiative between Stars and Poker Power is a boot camp to strengthen their skills. More co-branded events are also planned.

“We’re incredibly excited to join forces with such a progressive organization like Poker Power,” PokerStars director of partnerships, public relations, and consumer engagement Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

“They are the perfect partner to collaborate with on this project as the work they do with women in poker transcends the gaming table – their programs teach skills of strategy and leadership that can be applied to the board room and beyond.”

PokerStars looks to grow women in the game

The initiative is part of the company’s commitment to the growth of the game and to supporting women in poker. Stars hopes to bring the fun to more women while ensuring a comfortable and safe place to play, live or online.

The news follows recent Poker Power research that a major gender gap exists within the game. Female players check in at just 4% of the estimated 100 million poker players worldwide.

What to expect from PokerStars/Poker Power

The four-week boot camps are part of the overall Stars effort to address that disparity, company officials say. The Poker Power aim to add confidence and skills by:

  • highlighting women in poker
  • presenting more opportunities for women who already play and for those who would like to learn
  • learning gameplay skills that translate to real-world success including negotiation, strategic decision-making, and capital allocation

The curriculum includes practice sessions on Power’s teaching app, Poker Power Play. Those attending can also expect specialized tournaments and home games on PokerStars.

Modules feature themes like confidence, boldness, determination, perception, and discipline. The site notes that input from women players was a big part of the planning process.

“Despite some great progress over the years, we know there’s still a long road ahead to make poker more inclusive, but a lot can be done when we row in the same direction together,” McAdam Willetts said. “We also know women-only events and activities are not for everyone, but we’ve listened to players and this is one of many activities we have planned that comes from direct feedback.

“These boot camps are an essential first opportunity to pique interest in women who have never played the game before and to motivate those that play poker, to continue to evolve their skills and gain confidence at the tables. We’re committed to making poker as inclusive and accessible for everyone and it’s our mission to create equal opportunities and a safe space for the poker community.”

Stars ambassadors part of the mix

Beyond the training elements of the sessions, PokerStars ambassadors will also take part. The events include one-on-one tutorials with company representatives like Jennifer Shahade, GJ Reggie and Lali Tournier.

The women hope to prepare students to play at the tables. Those participating will even have a chance to win a spot in a special event at European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague series.

Stars selected participants via an anonymous survey. Those surveyed had limited poker ability, but an interest in furthering their skills and learning more.

The partnership comes after PokerStars recently held its first Road to PSPC (PokerStars Players Championship) women’s event. Rishva Iyer (pictured in lead image courtesy PokerStars) came out on top, scoring a Platinum Pass.

Officials with the company and Poker Power now hope their partnership adds to the momentum.

“We are honored to be working with PokerStars on this milestone project,” Poker Power managing director  and general manager Erin Lydon said. “PokerStars shares our strategic mission and vision for the future of women in poker – and it’s thrilling to curate a special boot camp that will encourage more women to join this amazing sport. Our mission at Poker Power is to teach one million women business and life skills through the game of poker.

“Our four-week course will not just teach women about poker but equip them with important life skills that can be applied to business, parenthood, and general life. I hope through this partnership, we can create more opportunities for women, and that perceptions of poker will begin to shift and more women will feel empowered and safe to step up to the gaming table.”

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

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GGPoker Women’s Day Tournament Raises Money For Women’s Charities; Promotions Planned

International Women’s Day is March 8 and GGPoker is hosting a special $10 charity tournament with proceeds donated to women’s charities.

International Women’s Day is planned for March 8 and GGPoker is honoring the day by hosting a special charity tournament. The operator’s Women’s Day Charity Event runs on the same day with proceeds donated to women’s charities.

The tournament features a $10 buy-in and a $10,000 guaranteed prize pool. Additionally, GG is adding $1 from each player’s buy-in to the charity fund. GGPoker will add to the amount raised with an additional $10,000 contribution.

Bounties and fun planned for GGPoker women’s charity event

Online poker has raised plenty of funds for charity through the years. The latest from GG offers a way to help women in need in a fun environment.

Those jumping in the action will find bounties placed on the heads of special guests playing the event. Those bounties are worth a $100 tournament ticket and bounties include these site representatives and other players:

  • Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier
  • Daiva Byrne
  • Egption
  • KakiTee
  • Kevin Martin
  • JNandez87
  • Easterdamnz
  • KnightUK
  • ALLinPav

More planned for Women’s Day at GGPoker

Along with the charity tournament, GGPoker will also run a number of Women’s Day competitions, giveaways, and activities to raise awareness. Promotions through the online poker room’s social media channels are already underway.

“The GGPoker community has a history of donating funds to worthy charities, so it’s great that they’ll get the opportunity once more this International Women’s Day,” GGPoker outreach and community advocate Daiva Byrne said in a news release.

“Charity tournaments are a wonderful way of raising money. We get the opportunity to play the game we love while supporting something worthwhile.”

★★★ Looking to get in the action at GGPoker? Click here for a complete site review and exclusive PokerScout bonus offers. ★★★

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Giada Fang Grabs Platinum Pass in Special PokerStars Women’s Tournament at EPT Barcelona

After a two-year delay, the PokerStars Women’s Platinum Pass tournament played out last week with Italy’s Giada Fang coming out on top.

After a two-year delay because of COVID-19, the PokerStars Women’s Platinum Pass tournament finally played out last week at the European Poker Tour stop in Barcelona. In the end, Italy’s Giada Fang came out on top for one of the most coveted poker prizes.

A Platinum Pass is valued at $30,000 and includes a complete trip for two to the Bahamas in January. That includes a $25,000 buy-in to the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC).

“I just can’t wait to fly to the Bahamas!” Fang said as PokerStars commentator Joe Stapleton and ambassador Jennifer Shahade presented her with the prize.

A look at the PokerStars Platinum Pass winner

The winner-take-all women’s event turned into a major part of EPT Barcelona with PokerStars streaming the entire tournament. Fang (pictured in lead image) made an interesting life change prior to playing poker. She left behind a career in medicine to become a full-time player.

“I never regretted my change,” she said in her post-tournament interview. “I loved being a doctor and surgeon, but that’s something I can always go back to. Now that I’m still young and can travel, and I love playing poker, I decided to make poker my career. I definitely don’t regret it.”

At the live tables, Fang has more than $53,000 in live tournament winnings. She also works as a poker commentator and has achieved European female Supernova Elite status online. Fang now serves as a PokerStars ambassador and also streams her action on Twitch.

Now with a Platinum Pass in hand, Fang has six months to prepare for what should be one of the biggest events on the 2023 poker calendar.

Inspirational women take part

The original idea for the Platinum Pass competition saw poker fans nominate inspirational women for the event. Seven made the trip to Casino Barcelona for the tournament.

This final table was two years in the making, with finalists selected in 2020 as part of International Women’s Day. PokerStars asked for nominations of women who made an impact on the poker community. The winner was to take home a Platinum Pass, which awards: 

  • $25,000 PSPC buy-in
  • six nights’ hotel accommodation for winner and a guest
  • airport transfers
  • $1,900 in expenses
  • exclusive winner experiences

“Our record-breaking event in Barcelona was the perfect setting to bring some of poker’s amazing women together and shine a spotlight on them,” PokerStars director of partnerships and consumer engagement Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

“We are committed to making sure our online and live tables are a comfortable, fun, and inclusive space for everyone to compete on a level playing ground.”

Highlighting female players

Nine finalists were eventually selected and 28 months later, the special tournament was on in Barcelona. Along with Fang, the finalists included: 

  • Davia Bryne – Poker pro and founder of FLIP (Fantastic Ladies in Poker), the largest female-only poker community on Facebook.
  • Christina Read – Founder of the Poker Queens women’s poker group. The forum supports fellow female players in the industry through providing tips, advice, and mentoring.
  • Meichelle Culhane – Volunteer poker teacher for senior citizens at the Broken Arrow Senior Activity Center in Oklahoma.
  • Terry Hatcher – Founder of a weekly Monday night PokerStars Home Games ladies tournament. All proceeds, $30,000 to date,​​ go toward female non-profit charities.
  • Lexi Sterner – The nurse and poker player fell in love with the game following some tragic family news at a young age. That helped shape her into the person she is today.
  • Aurelie Reard – A former audio-visual engineer, Reard has played professionally for nine years in tournaments  around the globe. She’s also committed herself to promoting female players in the industry. 

Qualifiers were pleased to have an opportunity to compete for such a big poker prize.

“When I found out, I was so surprised and overwhelmed by the support,” Byrne recently told 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.”

Finalists Jan Fisher and Katie Stone couldn’t make the trip, but received Road to PSPC tournament packages instead. The entire tournament took three and a half hours. Here’s a look at where each player finished.

PokerStars Women’s Platinum Pass tournament

  1. Giada Fang – Platinum Pass winner
  2. Aurelie Reard
  3. Daiva Byrne
  4. Lexi Sterner
  5. Meichelle Culhane
  6. Christina Read
  7. Terry Hatcher

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

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Online Poker Operators, WPT Schedule Special Events for International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 and poker operators are offering some promotions to celebrate women in the game.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 and a few poker operators are offering some promotions in the coming days to celebrate women in the game.

The special day has been celebrated since 1914 and offers a day to reflect on gender equality and women’s role in society. In recent years, poker companies have worked to get more women in the game.

Those efforts continue as female players are recognized on International Women’s Day.

PokerStars celebrates with big Sunday event

Sunday is the biggest day of the week for online poker players and PokerStars is using March 13 as part of the Women’s Day festivities.

The Women’s Sunday tournament will feature even more on the line including €11,500 in live tournament packages and qualifier tickets. On top of the usual prize pool, the top 20 finishers win:

  • 1st – €8,500 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event package
  • 2nd – €2,800 France Poker Series Monte Carlo package
  • 3rd and 4th – €55 live event qualifier ticket
  • 5th – 20th – €5.50 live event qualifier ticket

“We know our community is excited to get back to the live felt and that women’s qualifiers to live events are something our players tell us they would like to see,” Stars associate director of consumer engagement and public relations Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

“We’ve taken this on board and to celebrate International Women’s Day as one day in many where we want to engage and improve, we’ve given our female players an extra opportunity to win their way to one of our most loved events. Rewarding and giving opportunities to our communities is something we’re passionate about, and this is just one moment in which we plan to do so, with plenty more to come.”

Even more planned for Women’s Sunday

The weekly $22 Women’s Sunday tournaments provide a platform for players wishing to play with other women. A number of satellites are also offered from Thursday to Sunday, starting at just $0.22.

As part of the festivities, PokerStars ambassador GJ Reggie will play and stream the event on Twitch.

A bounty is also on her head in the form of a $215 ticket to the Sunday Million 16th anniversary event. That event runs March 20 with a $10 million guarantee.

“PokerStars is committed to the growth of the game and to supporting women in poker,” the company noted, “encouraging more to sit down and have fun at the tables, as well as ensuring women have a comfortable and safe place to play both live and online.”

GGPoker teams up with FLIP for special event

The Fantastic Ladies in Poker (FLIP) is also again teaming with GGPoker to offer a special event.

The $25 International Women’s Day Bounty Celebration plays out tonight with a $50,000 guarantee.

The event allows the site to recognize women in the game. GG has also run freerolls over the last week for entries into the tournament.

WPT highlights women’s organizations

The World Poker Tour is also getting in the act for International Women’s Day. The company is spotlighting four organizations advocating for women in poker including:

  • Ladies International Poker Series (LIPS)
  • Poker League of Nations (PLoN)
  • Poker Power
  • Women’s Poker Association (WPA)

LIPS is a nonprofit organization providing greater access to poker for women through live events across the United States.

“LIPS is the first poker tour established for women and expands the game of poker through live and online events across the US,” founder Lupe Soto said.

Poker League of Nations works to increase the participation of women in poker. The organization runs special events, staking opportunities, and an active online community. 

“Our community welcomes all who are aligned with our goal of empowering women through the game of poker,” CEO and founder Lena Evans said. “We aim to make women more confident in all facets of life through honing the skills necessary to be successful at the poker table”

Reaching out to players

Poker Power focuses on the connection between lessons present in the game and real-life application.

“Our organizations share a commitment to bring more women to the table and to empower them with game-changing skills,” Poker Power general manager Erin Lydon said.

“The power of poker is that by playing a game of strategy, we learn to master the game of leadership. As more women learn and play, the impact will be transformational for generations to come. It’s time to stop playing not to lose and start playing to win.” 

The WPA advocates for women in the poker industry by increasing the exposure of current female poker players. The group also hopes to foster new women players in the game. 

“It’s crucial that women, at any stage of their poker journey, always feel welcomed and supported, plus know what resources are available to them within the poker community,” WPA Vice President Tara Windsor-Smith said.

“Through strategic and thoughtful partnerships within the poker industry and purposeful WPA programs, we continue to bring awareness to women in poker within our industry.”

Recognizing women, special tournament

WPT management noted that it was proud to honor the women who have helped build and shape the company. Some of those include: 

  • Angelica Hael – vice president of tour management
  • Hermance Blum – vice president of marketing
  • Deborah Frazzetta – vice president of finance
  • Loc Sondheim – executive director of ad sales and distribution
  •  Cathy Zhao – senior director of tour management
  •  Mandy Glogow – supervising producer
  • Chelsea McGuire – senior director, business and legal affairs
  • Lynn Gilmartin – show anchor

The tour’s online subscription poker site, ClubWPT, is also hosting a special event with all those women above participating. The Women in Poker Bounty Tournament is set for Sunday and awards $9,000 in cash prizes and WPT Prime Passports.

The champion receives a $1,000 Passport. Each participating organization will also enter a designated player with a $1,000 Passport bounty.

The tour is awarding an extra $1,000 to the top tournament finishers. The action will stream live with Lynn Gilmartin as commentator, alongside WPT Honors recipient Linda Johnson and other guests.

“As we celebrate our 20-year anniversary, we are grateful to the women and men who continuously strive to increase the number of women in this game we love,” Hael said.

“We continue to be committed to increasing the number of people in our global poker ecosystem, and one of the ways we will achieve this is to energize, encourage, and empower more women to enjoy the game of poker.”

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Neymar Jr. Featured in Unique New PokerStars Games; Women’s Sunday Sees Start Time Shift 

PokerStars has unveiled new unique Neymar Jr. Kick-Off games with a football theme and buy-ins starting at $1.

Capitalizing on its recent partnership with football star Neymar Jr., PokerStars is offering poker players a chance to mix their loves of both games. The new exclusive Neymar Jr. Kick-Off game features rich graphics and buy-ins starting at just $1.

The games are open to players of all levels to take a shot at big cash prizes with up to $50,000 up for grabs. Whether a player is more of an attacker or plays a bit defensive, these competitions offer something new on the platform.

 

How to play Neymar Jr. Kick-Off events at PokerStars

The Neymar Jr. events feature different football-inspired gameplay. Players start each match by buying in from $1 to $25 and finish each game by scoring a goal. The higher the buy-in, the closer to the goal a player starts.

As the game begins, players at the same buy-in level compete in “sprints.” These are four-person progressive knockout Sit & Go tournaments that last about five minutes.

When someone is eliminated, their value is split two ways. A percentage is added to the winner’s value and a percentage is awarded as cash directly to his or her wallet. This cash prize can be multiplied as well, meaning players could win more than $50,000 at higher stakes.

As players knock each other out, their own bounty values increase. They then move to the next sprint, where they are matched with players of similar bounty values.

When a player wins a sprint, they can jump right into the next one or save it for later. Every completed sprint gets players closer to the finish line, where they can be crowned one of many Kick-Off champions.

Any player winning a sprint and earning $50 or more scores a goal and wins their own bounty value. They also score all the additional bounties accumulated during the completed sprints.

Neymar Jr. Kick-Offs have already launched on the .NET platform. The games will roll out across additional markets throughout November.

Women’s Sunday starting time moved one hour 

Players who enjoy PokerStars’ weekly Women’s Sunday tournament will now notice the event running just a bit earlier. The new time, at 13:40 (ET), is meant to help more players get involved and will be reviewed via player feedback.

Late registration is still available for 90 minutes. A number of satellites starting at just $0.22 will also continue from Thursday to Sunday.  

“We’ve been doing a lot of work over the past year to enhance our Women’s Sunday and engage our female community in a way that rewards and entertains best but also works alongside their other priorities,” PokerStars associate director of consumer engagement and public relations Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

Stars tested the buy-in at the lower price of $22 earlier this year. That received a positive response among players and saw increased attendance with the lower buy-in now in use.

“We’ve now also decided to amend the time of the event to see if it works better for our players,” Willetts said. “As always, we’d like to hear feedback on this and many other topics and would encourage women in our community to sign up to our insights community ‘Our Voices’ so we can continue to improve and offer the best experience possible.”

Since March, PokerStars has added extra value to one event a month for Women’s Sunday players. That has included tickets for events like SCOOP, WCOOP, and the Bounty Builder Series.

PokerStars has also worked to engage female players by shining a light on women in poker and the industry. Those efforts have ranged from unique content to special giveaways.

The company has also enhanced events and promotions to ensure better engagement and inclusion.

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PokerStars Roundup: French Player Scores €1M Spin & Go, Promotions, Big Name Winners

France's “Nikitaanna” recently scored a massive Spin & Go win at PokerStars for €1 million.

Spin & Go tournaments offer a fun way to play a quick tournament at PokerStars with a shot at some big cash. French player “Nikitaanna” recently chalked up a massive win in one of these three-handed events.

This lucky player turned €5 into a €1 million payday recently. The jackpot becomes just the most recent massive payout to an online poker player via Spin & Goal.

Here’s a look at that win and some other winners and promotions at the site.

Scoring big at PokerStars

A Spin & Go allows three players to battle it out for a random prize determined after all players are registered. The payout can be twice the buy-in all the up to many thousands times the buy-in.

The recent big winner is a 60-year-old recreational and longtime small stakes Spin & Go player. Nikitaanna had previously played real money online poker as a hobby for several years.

“I was really focusing on playing, and trying to make the best of it,” Nikitaanna said. “The pressure was on and I was not putting myself in complicated spots … but I realized soon that I had to be a little bit more aggressive. I believed in myself every second and we played heads up for 10 minutes or so.”

That self-confidence certainly paid off in a big way.

Nice additions for Women’s Sunday

PokerStars continues working to get more women in poker. A big part of that is the Women’s Sunday event and the site is adding even more this week.

Players will find an extra $750 in added value with tournament tickets also awarded for top finishers.

PokerStars is working to bring more women into poker and has announced a permanent cut to the Women’s Sunday tournament buy-in for $22.

The Women’s Sunday winner on June 27 not only scores first-place money but also a $530 tournament ticket. Players finishing second through fifth place also take home $55 tickets.

The weekly $22 event comes with a $2,000 guaranteed prize pool. Late registration and re-entry are available for the first 90 minutes.

Players can also win an entry through satellites running Thursday through Sunday. Qualifiers start at just $0.22.

Big names take titles

At the PokerStars tables, a few big names and PokerStars ambassadors have scored well of late. Poker superstar Adrian Mateos won the $1,500 Sunday High Roller Club event for $37,980 on June 20.

In other Sunday action, Swedish pro Niklas “Lena900” Astedt took down the $1,050 Sunday Cooldown for $20,213, including bounties.

PokerStars streamer Parker “Tonkaaaa” Talbot won a $215 Bounty Builder for $19,504. Here’s a look at his winning moment.

In the United States, PokerStars made some news this year by adding a few poker streamers to its roster of players. The Summer Stacks series is currently underway in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Jersey and one of those ambassadors took a title.

Ambassador Mark “naigo1” Foresta is a 28-year-old software engineer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When not at his regular job, Foresta takes to Twitch when playing poker.

Viewers were recently treated to Foresta securing a Summer Stacks title for $11,000. Here’s a look at his win.


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