PokerStars celebrates its 14th anniversary on March 22. The site is marking the occasion with the biggest guarantee and prize pool for a single event in PokerStars history.
The Sunday Million just got a bit bigger. PokerStars is upping the ante to celebrate and the tournament will feature a $12.5 million guaranteed prize pool.
With so much on the line, the event should attract players looking to cash in for a massive score. The site began promoting this major event almost two months before cards are in the air.
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PokerStars Sunday “Multi-Million” details
Players can expect a $215 buy-in for the anniversary event. The site will also be offering numerous opportunities to win a seat with satellites start at less than $1.
The Million will also offer a 24-hour late-registration period, giving players extra time to sign up. The Sunday tournament has become a PokerStars staple and remains one of the most popular in online poker.
The first Sunday Million tournament was held on March 6, 2006. That tournament attracted 5,893 players and a $1.2 million prize pool. Canadian player “aaaaaaaa” won that first event for $173,843.
The Sunday Million remains the world’s biggest $1 million guaranteed weekly poker tournament.
Battle for PokerStars Platinum Passes continues
Beyond the birthday bash, 2020 is again a big year for the company for other reasons. PokerStars announced in August that the Platinum Pass promotion would be revived in 2019-20.
Several of those coveted prizes have already been awarded with more packages up for grabs throughout the year. The €22,500 buy-in ($25,000) PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) is set for Aug. 20-24 in Barcelona, Spain.
A Platinum Pass includes a buy-in for the event and a complete travel getaway Barcelona. It is one of the most coveted prizes in poker and the buzz should build throughout the year.
A two-time Platinum Pass winner ready for Barcelona
Canada’s Jennifer Carter made some news recently after winning her second straight Platinum Pass. Carter enjoys playing small-stakes tournaments on the site via mobile phone.
In 2018, she topped a field on more than 21,000 players in an online freeroll to win her seat in the Bahamas. Amazingly, she won yet another pass in October.
That came after starting out in a $2 Mega Path tournament. She then moved up three more steps to earn a seat in Barcelona this August. She’s now one of just three people to have won a Platinum Pass twice.
She told the PokerStars blog that she tried the $2 Mega Path route about 50 times before hitting paydirt. Her story shows how the event appealed to small-stakes players and professionals alike.
“I don’t know how I did it,” she told the PokerStars blog. “Because it’s me. I can’t beat $.01/.02 online! It’s unbelievable. I was literally baking muffins during this tournament, doing dishes.
“And then in Step 4 I was just sitting in my bed knitting. I don’t have a bankroll because I can’t even win a $1 tournament. But I can win the biggest ones. I just don’t get it.”
PokerStars awarded more than 300 Platinum Passes over 13 months for the inaugural PSPC in January 2019. The event was held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas and featured a $26 million prize pool.
Platinum Pass winner Ramon Colillas topped a field of 1,039 to take home $5.1 million. Carter will once again be among the field in Barcelona hoping for a deep run.
“It feels like full circle right now,” she said. “I’m thrilled. It’s unbelievable.”