Tag: PokerStars

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US ambassadors reflect on memorable PokerStars moments

As part of the Big 20 Rewind, PokerStars ambassadors have reflected on their favorite moments from the online poker company. The American ambassadors were the latest to offer their special memories.

Jennifer Shahade (photos courtesy PokerStars)

Poker and chess pro Jen Shahade recently spoke about winning her first live tournament package via PokerStars. She remembers the entire trip as a life-changing experience.

“It was probably the first time I won a package to play in the PCA (PokerStars Caribbean Adventure) about 11 years ago,” she recalled. “It was my dream to go to one of those amazing EPT spots, but at the time I had just started my chess non-profit, so a satellite was my only way in.

“I remember screaming in excitement when I won the seat and having the absolute best time in the Bahamas. Not only did I learn a lot about poker, but the experience also introduced me to the amazing culture of poker and I made some lifelong friends, like Jamie Kerstetter, on that very trip.”

Returning to the US market

For Pennsylvania’s Keith Becker, PokerStars launching in Pennsylvania remains one of his favorite moments. Along with the Keystone State, the company now offers legal online poker in New Jersey and Michigan.

“In 2019, I was overjoyed to see an article come across my feed that PokerStars was finally launching in Pennsylvania on Nov. 4,” he says. “PokerStars coming to Pennsylvania changed my life, from participating in the ‘DareToStream’ competition, meeting my dual stream partner DareToStream, and now of course, I’m proud to call myself an ambassador for PokerStars here in the States.”

Even before he became a brand representative, Becker remembers following all the big PokerStars action online.

“Over the last 20 years, many of my favorite moments have been watching the streams of the EPT and other marquee live tournaments, with commentary from the inimitable James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton,” he says. “It leads to amazing moments like this incredible hero call from Erik Seidel: never miss this incredible coverage!”

Foresta also spoke about EPT coverage as his memorable highlight.

“One of my favourite moments in PokerStars history has to be the EPT Monte Carlo final table (see below),” he said. “This final table was completely stacked with amazing personalities and unbelievably strong players. This final table will go down in history as my favorite broadcast I have ever watched.”

The Big 20 Rewind reflects on PokerStars’ 20 years while also celebrating all those who’ve been there along the way. Click here for a complete preview and schedule.

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November 22, 2021November 29, 2021

PokerStars teams up with Missing People for #togetherformissing campaign

Every 90 seconds, someone goes missing in the United Kingdom. To raise awareness of the support available and to help reunite families with loved ones, the Missing People charity has teamed with PokerStars UK.

Flutter Entertainment has partnered to support the group’s work with missing adults and their families. The partnership utilizes the collective reach of Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Bet, and PokerStars UK to raise awareness and boost the charity’s campaigns.

Missing People is the only UK charity dedicated to bringing the 170,000 children and adults that go missing every year back together with their families.

The groups launched a campaign video at a media event on Nov. 17 at London’s Hippodrome Casino. Guests viewed the new campaign video and heard from the parents of Anthony Stammers, missing since 2012.

The evening included a poker event for media and guests. PokerStars also donated £100 to Missing People for every player at the Hippodrome playing in the PokerStars Mega Series on the same day.

“It was a real delight to gather at the Hippodrome with the incredible attendees from Missing People, who work endlessly to help reunite loved ones,” Flutter group head of corporate giving Sue Hammett said in a news release. “We were honored to have the Stammers family with us who were brave enough to share their story.

“This had an impact on everyone in the room and highlighted even further the importance of supporting Missing People. This is another important step in our relationship with Missing People and we hope that our support will continue to help reunite families across the UK.”

A look at the recent Missing People/PokerStars event. (photos courtesy PokerStars)

Helping those in need

In 2020, Missing People saw more than 700 adults reported missing found safe and well. Flutter seeded the #TogetherforMissing partnership with a £150,000 donation to support the group over the year.

PokerStars UK has also launched a new deck of cards which are “missing” Kings, Queens, and Jacks> These cards instead display the Missing People helpline number for anyone needing support.

“Missing People is pleased to have the opportunity to work with Flutter to help reach an adult audience at high risk of going missing – men aged 18-39,” Missing People CEO Jo Youle said.

“Our support exists for any missing person, every day of the year. Through this partnership we will also be able to highlight adults who are missing. We know opportunities like this to get the message out means so much for families of missing people that the charity supports.”

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Big 20 Rewind Roundup: Players Score Big Payouts, Overlays in Week 1 of PokerStars Series

The Big 20 Rewind series continues through Dec. 4 with big guarantees and big prizes. Here's a look at some winners from Week 1.

PokerStars began the celebration of its 20th anniversary with the Big 20 Rewind tournament series last week. Events run through Dec. 4 with some big guarantees and massive prizes on the line as well.

Some of those special prizes include Platinum Passes, UFC tickets, and trips around the world. The series also is being broadcast on the PokerStars official Twitch page. Week 1 is now in the book and several players were rewarded with some major cores so far.

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Massive prize payout for first winner

Each Big 20 comes with a certain year and title pegged to a significant event in PokerStars history. The opening $11 event on Nov. 14 included a $100,000 guarantee and came with the “2001 – Year of PokerStars” tournament name.

This event saw 12,037 entries try to grab a piece of rewound history. In the end, Ireland’s “Chanaldo9” turned 11 bucks into $15,288.

On top of the win, Chanaldo also received a SLAM Package from PokerStars – quite a haul for the lucky winner.

This includes Main Event buy-ins to SCOOP and WCOOP. The winner also received an EPT package and a PSPC Platinum Pass.

‘Big trip’ with win for Swedish player

Event 2 was known as “2002 – Year of WCOOP” and came with a $1,050 buy-in. The tournament brought in 218 player with a $250,000 guarantee, offering a significant overlay.

Players from all over the globe were represented the at final table including the United Kingdom’s Ronan “Sw33ney” Sweeney and “MilkmanPro”.

It came down to Sweden’s “Hendurr” verses Denmark’s Christian “Equanimity911” Frimodt Pederson for the title. Hendurr came out victorious and snagged $48,889. Hendurr also won a trip around the world courtesy of PokerStars.

Making money in the Moneymaker

“2003 – Year of Moneymaker” honored Chris Moneymaker winning an $86 tournament to propel him to the World Series of Poker Main Event title. Last week’s $86 buy-in event offered a $125,000 guaranteed prize pool.

The winner also received $10,000 towards live buy-in events for 2022. The player pool swelled to 1,698 and Malta’s “GamadGADOL” scored the victory.

Besides the package, Gamad also won $20,552 after defeating Bulgaria’s “PSany2cando”. The runner-up finisher took home $14,776.

Many Streamers jumped in the event and showcased the tournament on Twitch. This included Kristian “BlueDucky45” Leger.

EPT pays off big with overlay

On Thursday, online warriors jumped into the fourth of the series, the $1,050 “2004 – Year of the EPT.”

This two-day event included a $250,000 guarantee as well as an EPT-style trophy and travel package. The event also saw an overlay as only 219 players entered the field.

At the end of the action, Sweden’s “S1xxten” captured the trophy and $48,687.

Satellites and side events

If some of these tournaments are out of a player’s reach, Stars is offering smaller buy-in qualifiers as well. Players can try and ladder up into the series.

The site is also offering free chances on their social media to get in on the action.

The series also includes multiple side events as well. “martin12389” of Argentina, “Syltty” of Finland, and “millimetre” of Russia won the first three side events of the Big 20 Rewind.

The first side event, a $215 freezeout, was particularly lucrative with “martin12389” winning $20,780 for first.

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November 16, 2021November 15, 2021

Upcoming Rewind events

PokerStars will offer a good mix of prizes over the next few days. Some of the special prizes include streamer packages, an electric car, and a trip to the Bahamas. Here’s a look at the weekend’s action:

Freeroll – Year of the EPTLive (Nov. 22) – $20,000 guarantee
$30 Year of the Turbo Takedown (Nov. 22) – $100,000 guarantee
$109 Year of SCOOP (Nov. 23) – $300,000 guarantee
$55 Year of the Big Game (Nov. 24) – $300,000 guarantee
$11 Year of Home Games (Nov. 25) – $100,000 guarantee

For a complete preview and series schedule, click here.

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

PokerStars Roundup: Parker Talbot Big 20 Memories, True Geordie Live Event, & Women Who Code

Here's a look at some of the news from PokerStars including Parker Talbot and the Big 20 Rewind, True Geordie's recent live event, and more.

As the Big 20 Rewind gets underway this week, several major moments in PokerStars’ receive the spotlight. Site ambassador and streamer Parker Talbot offered his own look at a big World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) moment.

That huge online series is the focus of this week’s action in the new series. In other news, PokerStars teamed up with YouTuber True Geordie in late October for a live event in London.

The company also recently announced an addition to its efforts to involve more women in poker. The site has announced a new partnership with the group Women Who Code.

♠♠♠ For a complete look at 20 years of big PokerStars moments, click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2. ♠♠♠

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November 12, 2021November 11, 2021

Parker Talbot talks 20 years of PokerStars

The Big 20 Rewind series kicked off on Sunday as part of PokerStars’ 20th anniversary celebration. The series runs through Dec. 4 and looks back at some of PokerStars most memorable moments.

Players will find 20 special tournaments with some additional big prizes on the line in each event.

PokerStars ambassador Parker Talbot offered a look at his own special moments on the site this week. That included some big finishes in WCOOP tournaments for the popular Twitch streamer.

“Way back, before I was even a PokerStars pro I actually came second on stream in the $215 WCOOP Warmup,” he says. “That one was super special to me as it came sort of in the peak of streaming. The viewership numbers were mad, and I believe I made a royal flush three-handed. It was just truly a wild ride.”

Talbot topped that finish recently in another WCOOP. The score turned around what had been a rough series up until then.

“My recent WCOOP win on the other hand was kind of the opposite of a minefield like the warmup. It was a $5,000 buy-in high stakes, smaller-field tournament, battling a bunch of strong opponents. It also came during a very bad series for me overall, so it almost felt like more of a relief and a pat on the back like, ‘Don’t worry buddy, you aren’t the worst player on the planet after all.’

“After snagging a couple of WCOOP titles now it is time for the SCOOP title and maybe once and for all to win the million. My second place will not stand.”

Looking back on the launch of the WCOOP is a major part of the series. The $1,050 “Year of WCOOP” tournament is set for Nov. 16. The tournament features a $250,000 guaranteed prize pool as well as a complete trip around the world.

PokerStars hosts True Geordie’s live Hippodrome collaboration poker night

True Geordie and a fan at his PokerStars live event.

In other poker news, PokerStars hosted YouTube star Brian “True Geordie” Davis’ poker night with his Twitch community on Oct. 27. The event was held at the iconic Hippodrome Casino in London.

Guests played a shootout poker tournament and each table included a bounty with PokerStars merchandise up for grabs. Each table winner went on to play in the final against True Geordie himself for a £4,000 prize pool. A £500 bounty was also placed on the YouTuber’s head.

Some renowned poker names attended including Laurence McKenna, Rory Jennings, Adam McKola, Laurence Bury. PokerStars team pros Mason Pye, GJ Reggie, and Spraggy also appeared. PokerStars commentator James Hartigan hosted the event.

Davis described the scene as a “poker game with the atmosphere of a boxing match.” Ultimately, Jack Brian took the top spot to win £2,500 and a PokerStars spade trophy.

Amazing night 🙌🏼 https://t.co/3SZg3jZJej

— True Geordie (@TrueGeordieTG) October 27, 2021

As part of the festivities, True Geordie’s community was able to meet and have some fun playing cards. Some have followed him for years, from early poker days to his big wins in the PokerStars Stadium Series and Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP).

True Geordie and his team reflected on the event’s success on their stream the following Friday.

Women’s technology group partners with online poker site

PokerStars has officially partnered with the largest and most active global community for women in technology, Women Who Code. The group’s goal is to “improve female representation and diversity and encourage women to grow their career within the industry.”

Women Who Code partners with industry leaders to redefine the talent pipeline. The group supports intentional, strategic, and impactful diversity and inclusion programs.

WomenWho Code aim is to create pathways to leadership within companies and the greater community. As a partner, PokerStars will be included in Women Who Code’s newsletters, social media and blog posts, and events.

“We are proud to officially become the first gambling partner of Women Who Code and recognize the same values and desire to inspire women to excel in their technology careers,” PokerStars associate director of public relations Rebecca McAdam Willetts said in a news release.

“Together, we hold a vision of a world where women are proportionally represented as technical leaders, executives, founders, VCs, board members, and software engineers.

“At PokerStars we are allies to all the amazing women in the industry. Bet on yourself, join our team and make your next chapter the best one yet. Remember, all it takes is two words … I’m in.”

PokerStars also works for the growth of poker by reaching and engaging new players from all walks of life. This includes engaging female players by shining a light on women in poker and in the industry.

Those efforts include unique content, special giveaways, and enhancing events and promotions. PokerStars’ online community “Our Voices” ensures female thoughts in the game are heard.

* Photos courtesy PokerStars

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20 for 20, Part 2: A Complete Look at Key Moments & Events in PokerStars’ 20-Year History

PokerStars' Big 20 Rewind begins Sunday, celebrating the site's 20th anniversary. Here's Part 2 of PokerScout's look at 20 big PokerStars moments and events.

PokerStars is launching the special Big 20 Rewind series on Sunday to celebrate the site’s 20th anniversary. The series features events honoring some of the biggest moments in the site’s history as well as some huge prizes.

With the Big 20 kicking off on Sunday, PokerScout takes a look at 20 of PokerStars’ biggest moments. Here’s the second part of our 20 for 20 series. (If you missed the first part of this series with No. 1-10, click here.)

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11 – World record online poker tournament

As the poker boom continued in the 2000s, PokerStars looked to make some news by setting a world record. In December 2009, the site held the biggest online tournament in history.

The $1 event brought in 149,196 entries and Stars broke that in December 2011 with 200,000 players. The latter event paid out $50,000 to the winner.

In the early stages of the tournament, the tournament’s traffic overwhelmed the site’s servers. All tournaments were paused for 20 minutes. PokerStars broke the record again in June 2013 with 225,000 entries.

12 – PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), PokerStars Live

Live events have become a major part of the PokerStars experience through the years. From 2004-19, Stars went the extra mile to make the PCA a premier live event on the tournament calendar.

A trip to the Bahamas offered the best of both worlds for many players – a great beach vacation and some great poker action.

Some of the biggest names in poker attended with players like Gus Hansen and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier claiming the Main Event title.

The event culminated with the PokerStars Players Championship in 2019 and PokerStars decided to move on to other live options afterward. The PSPC was next set for Barcelona, but COVID delayed that. The PCA created a unique tropical environment on the poker calendar.

13 – Building a Twitch platform

Jason Somerville mans the microphone on his Run It Up Twitch channel.

PokerStars now has numerous Twitch streamers as part of the company’s lineup. The site uses the platform to showcase major online events.

The platform has grown in popularity in recent years and offers a way for the site to reach its community of players. Back in 2015, however, poker was new to the site and Jason Somerville led the charge. He saw the site as a way to showcase online poker and build an audience.

His Run It Up platform offered something new to the poker world and PokerStars took notice. Somerville became a team pro and helped launch PokerStars streaming efforts. Twitch has become a bigger part of online poker in recent years and continues to grow.

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14 – Relaunch into the USA

Black Friday left PokerStars locked out of the US market. However, that changed in March 2016. After changes in the American market, online poker has become a state-by-state proposition.

Stars was able to relaunch initially in the state of New Jersey. The platform is also now operating in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The company continues to see growth in the US, especially post-pandemic. PokerStars USA will look at additional US markets as more states seek legalization.

Interstate compacts are expected to be unveiled at some point, which should also add to the company’s US growth significantly.

15 – PokerStars television and streaming efforts

The Chris Moneymaker success apparently taught the company a lesson: televised poker helps grow the game and the brand.

The company has not only been a major sponsor of televised poker events but also produced its own programming such as The Big Game.

“Time to look either real smart, or real dumb.”

Is this ludicrous laydown from @ikepoker the best hero fold?

Vote now 👉 https://t.co/pTYsTIqt2F pic.twitter.com/8WceFywLo4

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) November 9, 2021

PokerStars Live events are regularly filmed for broadcast and also streamed online. The PokerStars.tv YouTube channel offers poker fans with plenty of viewing options.

In recent years, the site has moved more into Twitch streaming as well. This has allowed the site to begin streaming major online final tables as well.

16 – Home Games bring friends together

The Home Games feature has been around for several years and allows players to compete against friends. While the feature may not get the notoriety of some of the site’s other bells and whistles, Home Games offers a unique feature for players.

The setup offers players to select cash games, tournaments, and several poker variants. Each poker club can even keep their own leaderboard. The feature is available in play money and real money gaming, and is extremely user friendly.

In 2020, Home Games became even more popular as the COVID pandemic struck. The service adds some fun to a night of online poker with friends.

17 – Company acquisitions

As the most popular online poker site in the world, PokerStars began attracting attention from investors and larger companies. The Scheinbergs planned to take the company public by the mid-2000s, but Black Friday may have curtailed those plans.

Industry insiders believed the company may have been worth as much as $2 billion at the time. In the aftermath of Black Friday, the company was eventually sold.

Amaya Inc. (later known as The Stars Group) agreed to purchase the company in 2014 for $4.9 billion. The move meant Stars would be part of a publicly traded company and showed just how popular online poker had become.

That wouldn’t be the first time a suitor would come calling. In 2019, gambling giant Flutter Entertainment purchased Stars from Amaya in a $6 billion deal.

Flutter, based in Ireland, includes some of the largest gaming brands in the company. Those include FanDuel, Paddy Poker, and BetFair, and PokerStars remains part of the group.

18 – Zoom, zoom goes the poker

Fast-fold poker first went live on the site in 2012 and became an instant success. PokerStars excels at the software experience and creating new products and games.

The new Zoom game meant players no longer had to wait for a hand to complete. Fold your cards and simply get zoomed to another table with a hand already getting underway.

This style of cash game may not be for everyone, but showed Stars continues to think outside the box. The effort brought something new to cash games and remains a popular format on the site still.

Stars has also created completely new games in recent years. The site tinkers with varying games, bringing in new ones and shelving others. These are met with varying interest, but show its attempts to offer something new for players.

A look at PokerStars’ virtual reality game platform.

19 – Playing poker in virtual reality

PokerStars went full VR in September 2018. The new virtual reality product isn’t yet for real-money gaming but Stars hopes the product helps attract new players.

The game features all kinds of bells and whistles as players battle it out in a completely alternate world. The game has appealed to gamers beyond the poker world.

In 2020, PokerStars even upped the ante by signing site ambassador Mason Hughes, who is solely devoted to the VR game.

“Picking up your chips and throwing them into the center of the table is such a simple action, yet it’s so satisfying to do in VR,” he told PokerScout after being named VR ambassador. “Every action you take is intuitive to what you would do in a live poker game.”

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November 10, 2021November 10, 2021

20 – Playing small ball

Through the years, recreational players have remained a key cog in the wheel at PokerStars. The Micro Millions series launched in 2012 and offers low rollers a series of their own.

The series offers players plenty of bang for the buck. Players have a chance at a nice prize pool for tournament entries of only a few bucks.

The efforts to appeal to rec players continues with most series offering some type of freeroll and satellite options.

♠♣♦♥

Being the biggest company in a market can come with plenty of criticism. PokerStars gets its fair share. But the company remains focused on pleasing customers and growing the game two decades after opening the virtual tables.

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

20 for 20, Part 1: A Complete Look at Key Moments & Events in PokerStars’ 20-Year History

PokerStarsPokerStars' Big 20 Rewind begins Sunday, celebrating the site's 20th anniversary. PokerScout looks at 20 big PokerStars moments and events.

PokerStars remains a titan in the online poker industry and players continue flocking to the site. With the Big 20 kicking off on Sunday, PokerScout takes a look at 20 of PokerStars’ biggest moments. (Look for Part 2 on Friday.)

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1 – PokerStars debuts, changes face of online poker industry

Online poker debuted in the early ‘90s as a free-to-play game. Planet Poker became the first real money site in 1998, but struggled with technical issues.

PokerStars was the brainchild of former IBM Canada programmer Isai Scheinberg. A poker player himself, he envisioned a platform more appealing to players. He brought the programming skills to make that happen.

The site first launched in beta form on Sept. 11, 2001, before beginning with real money poker on Dec. 13, 2001. The first event was a $11 Limit Hold’em tournament with a $500 guarantee.

That event gave the site a nice start, producing 100 entries for a $1,000 prize pool. A player named “oscar” became the site’s first winner.

What kind of tournaments were available? Even in those early days the platform gave players several options. Beginning in December 2001, the site ran Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Stud games with stakes from $0.10/$0.25 to $1/$2,

Players instantly loved the software’s ease of use and functionality. Stars went on to become the largest poker site in the world. Shceinberg sold his share in the company in 2014 for $4.9 billion.

2 – Chris Moneymaker wins the World Series of Poker Main Event

The company’s biggest shot in the arm came in 2003. With televised poker booming after the World Poker Tour’s debut, Chris Moneymaker turned an $86 satellite into a World Series of Poker Main Event title.

The Moneymaker win had it all: a perfect surname, ESPN showing the hole cards, big bluffs, and huge money. The event helped usher in poker to the mainstream and helped kickstart the poker boom.

The story also brought massive attention to PokerStars, with players around the world taking note. The notoriety from Moneymaker’s everyman win sent players around the world to the site hoping for their own success story.

He was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 2019 and remained a Team PokerStars member until the end of 2020.

2020 has been a year. Sad news. Thanks for everything ⁦@PokerStars⁩ pic.twitter.com/tT1rZ12QGr

— Chris Moneymaker ⭕ (@CMONEYMAKER) December 31, 2020

3 – Daniel Negreanu signs as an ambassador

By 2007, Daniel Negreanu was already one of the most recognizable names in poker and that remains so today. “Kid Poker” already had two WPT titles and three WSOP bracelets.

Negreanu was perfect for the era of televised poker: funny, personable, and highly skilled. PokerStars recognized this and signed the poker star in June 2007.

Quickly becoming the face of the site for years, Negreanu was engaging with fans and media at live events. A poker lifer, PokerStars found the right player to represent its product.

The partnership lasted until 2019, when Negreanu announced a new sponsorship deal with GGPoker. Negreanu has moved on, but remains an important part of PokerStars’ history.

The company continued signing some of the biggest and best in the game including Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier. The company has also reached outside for ambassadors, such as recently signing football superstar Neymar Jr.

4 – Paying back Black Friday players

The United States federal government cracked down on online on April 15, 2011. The day is known as Black Friday by poker players.

The move shut American players out of their online poker accounts. The actions also exposed the financial irregularities at Full Tilt Poker.

The feds referred to the site as a “Ponzi scheme” and charged that owners had been dipping into player funds. Players were left in limbo as to whether they’d ever recoup funds they had locked on the site.

To the contrary, PokerStars began player cashouts on April 26 and offered some salvation for Full Tilt players as well. As part of its agreement with the federal government, PokerStars acquired the failed online poker outfit.

The agreement included the company paying back players from that site who had not received their funds.

5 – Sunday Million becomes a staple

PokerStars debuted the first Sunday Million on March 4, 2006. The event is now the longest running weekly tournament with a $1 million guarantee.

That first tournament topped the guarantee with a prize pool of $1.2 million. Canada’s “aaaaaaaa” became the Sunday Million’s first winner for $173,843.

The event continues bringing in big fields each Sunday and has become a staple in the industry. Stars continues to up the guarantees for anniversary years.

This year’s 15th anniversary edition featured 69,876 entries for almost a $14 million prize pool, topping the $12.5 million guarantee. Vanessa Kade came out on top for $1.5 million.

The $1.5M moment. 👇

Congratulations to @VanessaKade on winning the #SundayMillion 15th Anniversary. 👏 pic.twitter.com/F5i2PRrPaK

— PokerStars (@PokerStars) March 23, 2021

6 – Platinum Pass rocks the poker world

Throughout 2018, the Platinum Pass became the hottest ticket in poker. The site planned to run the $25,000 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) in January 2019 in the Bahamas as part of the annual PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

A pass awarded a player a complete buy-in and travel package valued at $30,000. The site gave out passes in numerous ways, including smaller buy-in tournaments as part of the Moneymaker Tour. The site also awarded passes via social media, contests, and more.

In the end, PokerStars awarded 320 passes for the big week at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. That comes out to $9.6 million in tournament entries and travel packages. The promotion garnered the site plenty of attention and players enjoyed taking a shot at a Platinum Pass.

7 – PokerStars Players Championship

After the Platinum Passes were awarded in 2018, there was still a tournament to play. The $25,000 PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) event in the Bahamas had a unique vibe and plenty of positive energy.

The field for the tournament also featured some unique dynamics. There was a large contingent of pros but also a major pool of poker novices who also won Platinum Passes. Many players also bought into the tournament, swelling the prize pool even more.

Ramon Colillas celebrates winning the PSPC in the Bahamas. (photo courtesy PokerStars)

The event saw some great stories of players winning a pass and then finding a nice score in the tournament. Jacki Burkhart was one of those. She won a contest involving Maria Konnikova, in which she wrote her own poker story.

“I still can’t believe it,” she told USPoker before heading to the Bahamas.

“I was actually going to do a couple of those other PokerStars’ challenges to have a better shot at winning a Platinum Pass. But as it turned out, I put so much time into the story that it took all my free time. It took about three weeks, so I ended up putting all my eggs in one basket – and won.”

This poker story had a happy ending. Burkhart finished 38th for $86,400. The event attracted a total of 1,039 entries and a prize pool of $26.5 million.

In the end, Spain’s Ramon Colillas came out on top for $5.1 million after gaining an entry with a Platinum Pass.

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8 – WCOOP tournament series launched

The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) series annually features some of the biggest events in poker. The festival launched in 2002 and offered an online alternative to major live events like the WSOP and WPT.

WCOOP continued to grow in size throughout the years and is held each September. Stars now also offers several versions including the Spring COOP (SCOOP).

Versions of the series can be found on the Southern Europe platform for players in France, Spain, and Portugal. COOP series are also held in the US markets as well. COOP events continue to attract huge fields and are some of the biggest events in online poker.

9 – EPT grows poker in Europe

The European Poker Tour is one of the top poker tours in the world with major prizes from glamorous casinos across the continent. The tour debuted in September of 2004 with the EPT Barcelona Open. That first event featured a €1,000 Main Event that drew 229 players.

The series was created by television director and poker player John Duthie. However, in 2011 PokerStars purchased the entire tour and the EPT has seen wins from some of the biggest names in poker.

Several EPT tournaments ran online in 2020 and the tour recently relaunched with events announced in Russia, Brazil, and the Czech Republic.

10 – Spin & Go sets a trend

Quick, short-handed tournaments with random prizes have become popular options for online poker players. These events have become easy for mobile players and those on the go. Most online sites now offer some form of this poker concept.

PokerStars first launched Spin & Go events in 2014. There had been other versions, but the tournaments became a hit for Stars.

The events allow players to win as much as 10,000 times a player’s buy-in, offering a nice jackpot-style payday.

♠♦♣♥

Check back Friday for No. 11-20.

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November 8, 2021

Complete Schedule Released for PokerStars Big 20 Birthday Bash; Huge Prizes on the Line

PokerStars is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the new Big 20 Rewind from Nov. 14 – Dec. 4 with $5.5 million guaranteed and some huge prizes.

PokerStars is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the new Big 20 Rewind. The series runs Nov. 14 – Dec. 4 with $5.5 million guaranteed and promises some unique events.

The celebration features buy-ins for all bankrolls with events meant to represent a major moment in PokerStars history. The site is also putting some major extra prizes on the line as well. Some of that includes online tournament tickets, Platinum Passes, trips around the world, and more.

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Inside the PokerStars Big 20 Rewind schedule

With huge moments through the years, both live and online, PokerStars made plenty of poker history in its 20 years. Players jumping in the Big 20 action will find plenty of interesting events.

The schedule offers a complete PokerStars retrospective, highlighted by the $55 Big 20 Finale. The three day event runs Dec. 5-7 and comes with a $5 million guarantee. Here’s a look at the complete series and prizes available.

Nov. 14: 2001 – Year of PokerStars

Buy-in: $11
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $100,000
Prize: SLAM package (SCOOP & WCOOP Main Event buy-ins), EPT package, PSPC Platinum Pass

Nov. 16: 2002 – Year of WCOOP

Buy-in: $1,050
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $250,000
Prize: Luxury trip around the world

Nov. 17: 2003 – Year of Moneymaker

Buy-in: $86
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $125,000
Prize: 20th Anniversary “PokerStars Passport” including $10,000 in buy-ins for live events in 2022

Nov. 18: 2004 – Year of the EPT

Buy-in: $1,050
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $250,000
Prize: 20th Anniversary trophy in the style of the original EPT, plus an EPT package

Nov. 19: 2005 – Year of the PCA

Buy-in: $109
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $100,000
Prize: Luxury trip to the Bahamas

Nov. 21: 2006 – Year of the Sunday Million

Buy-in: $215
Start time: $215 (two-day event)
Guarantee: $1,000,000
Prize: Tickets to a major sports event final held on a Sunday

Nov. 22: 2007 – Year of EPT Live

Buy-in: Freeroll
Start time: 14:05 ET
Guarantee: $20,000
Prize: Streaming package (gaming station, chair, headset, webcam)

Nov. 22: 2008 – Year of the Turbo Takedown

Buy-in: $30
Start time: 14:30 ET
Guarantee: $100,000
Prize: An electric car valued up to $100,000

Nov. 23: 2009 – Year of SCOOP

Buy-in: $109
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $300,000
Prize: 20th anniversary luxury watches for all three winners

Nov. 23: 2009 – Year of SCOOP

Buy-in: $1,050
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $700,000
Prize: 20th anniversary luxury watches for all three winners

Nov. 23: 2009 – Year of SCOOP

Buy-in: $10,300
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $750,000
Prize: 20th Anniversary luxury watches for all three winners

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Nov. 24: 2010 – Year of the Big Game

Buy-in: $55
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $250,000
Prize: State-of-the-art TV and surround sound system

Nov. 25: 2011 – Year of Home Games

Buy-in: $11
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $100,00
Prize: Home Game package with table and poker set including the use of a dealer and chef for one night

Nov. 26: 2012 – Year of Zoom

Buy-in: $11
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $125,000
Prize: Tickets to the Monte Carlo Grand Prix plus an EPT package

Nov. 27: 2013 – Year of the PKO

Buy-in: $22
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $225,000
Prize: UFC tickets

Nov. 28: 2014 – Year of Spin & Go

Buy-in: $10
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $150,000
Prize: Dinner at a Michelin three-star restaurant for the winner and two friends with a value of up to $5,000

Nov. 29: 2015 – Year of Sports & Casino

Buy-in: $55
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $200,000
Prize: Trip to Las Vegas

Nov. 30: 2016 – Year of the USA

Buy-in: $200
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $200,000
Prize: Trip to New York

Dec. 1: 2017 – Year of Twitch

Buy-in: $11
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $100,000
Prize: Trip to TwitchCon in Amsterdam

Dec. 2: 2018 – Year of the Platinum Pass

Buy-in: $5
Start time: 13:05 ET
Guarantee: $50,000
Prize: $10,000 in tickets to Year of the PSPC tournament for top finishers

Dec. 3: 2019 – Year of the PSPC

Buy-in: $25
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $150,000
Prize: Platinum Pass for PSPC 2022

Dec. 4: 2020 – Year of the Arena

Buy-in: $5,200
Start time: 13:05 ET (two-day event)
Guarantee: $300,000
Prize: VIP Live Foo Fighters arena concert experience

Dec. 5: The Big 20 Finale

Buy-in: $55
Start time: 13:05 ET (three day event ends on Tue 7 December)
Guarantee: $5 million

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Mixed Games Festival Heads to PokerStars With Ambassador Mason Pye Hosting New Series

PokerStars ambassador Mason “Pyefacepoker” Pye hosts his own micro stakes mini mixed game series from Nov. 5-7 with $110,000 guaranteed.

A new series coming to PokerStars seems a perfect fit for low rollers who are fans of mixed games. Brand ambassador and SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker) champion Mason “Pyefacepoker” Pye bring his own micro stakes mini series to PokerStars.

“Pye’s Mixed Games Series” features 20 events running from Nov. 5-7 with combined guaranteed prize pools of more than $110,000.

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Inside the PokerStars Mixed Games Festival

The new series brings the fun of mixed games to those with lower bankrolls. Players will find several poker variants to check out throughout the series.

Buy-ins for the series range from just $1.10 to $11, with the $11 Main Event offering a $20,000 guarantee. Just as in many bigger buy-in series, players can look to see some of their big runs streamed online.

Pye and fellow PokerStars ambassador GJ Reggie will stream much of the series on the PokerStars Twitch channel.

“The Mixed Games Series is the perfect opportunity for players to dabble into variants other than No Limit Hold’em,” Pye said in a news release. “Not only are mixed games fun, they help you become a better overall poker player and with tournaments aimed at those with modest bankrolls, there never has been a better time to get involved and join the movement.”

The idea for the festival actually came about during one of Pye’s streams in 2018.

I'm just saying @PokerStars. #MixedGamesMovement pic.twitter.com/oa5Jgg0qUd

— Mason Pye (@pyefacepoker) September 27, 2018

PokerStars has now made that happen. Here’s a look at the complete series.

PokerStars offers opportunities to qualify for free

Beyond simply buying into an event, PokerStars is giving players other low-cost opportunities to qualify. That includes a chance to win some free tournament entries.

Viewers watching the PokerStars ambassadors’ Twitch channels can earn some free entries into the series. Players can look for PokerStars Chests with series tickets from $1.10 up to $11 randomly dropped into their accounts.

Additionally, Pye’s Mixed Games Series takes place at the same time as PokerStars “Dare 2 Stream” competition. This new contest allows players to compete for a shot at becoming a PokerStars ambassador.

There is plenty going on at PokerStars, and that also includes the Championship of Online Poker in Southern Europe. The platform offers €7 million guaranteed for players in Spain, France, and Portugal.

Stars is offering numerous chances for players to win this fall.

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November 1, 2021

Big 20 Rewind Celebrates PokerStars’ 20th Anniversary; Players Vote on Huge Moments

PokerStars is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the special Big 20 Rewind series, running Nov. 14 to Dec. 4 with 20 nostalgic tournaments.

This year marks PokerStars’ 20th anniversary and the company is celebrating with a special tournament series. The Big 20 Rewind runs from Nov. 14 to Dec. 4 with 20 nostalgic tournaments.

Each event honors an iconic moment in the online poker operator’s history. The series was created to celebrate 20 years of history, winning moments, and great stories.

“We kick-started our 20th anniversary with the announcement of our new and improved Rewards program,” PokerStars managing director of poker Severin Rasset said in a news release. “Now we’d like to thank the PokerStars community with a huge celebratory series, with big guarantees and winning moments.”

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November 1, 2021November 1, 2021

Inside the Big 20 Rewind at PokerStars

When events kick off, players will find tournaments representing each year from 2001 to 2020. The festival features a $5.5 million guarantee as well as huge additional prizes.

Some of those bonus rewards include an around the world vacation, an electric car, and luxury watches. A poker package to some of PokerStars’ most notable events will also be up for grabs. Some of the tournaments highlighted in the series include:

2001 – the site’s first $11 buy-in event with $100,000 guaranteed
2006 – the first Sunday Million; a $215 buy-in with $1 million guaranteed
2014 – Spin & Go events debut; $10 buy-in with $150,000 guaranteed
2018 – year of the Platinum Pass; $5 buy-in with $50,000 guaranteed
2019 – the PokerStars Players Championship (PSPC) played out in the Bahamas; $25 buy-in with $150,000 guaranteed

Signature events, big prizes, fans vote in numerous player award categories

Beyond those anniversary events, the $55 Big 20 Finale closes out the series on Dec. 5. The tournament comes with a $5 million guarantee.

Beyond those events already revealed, players can get involved in the Big 20: Players Awards. Voting is open now for players to select some of the top players and moments in poker history.

Who wins is up to the PokerStars community and voting is open at the PokerStars Blog. Voters will find categories like:

Best bluff
Best her fold
Sickest bad beat
Best celebration
Best winning moment
“WTF” moment

Videos of these big moments are also available for players to review. During the Big 20 Rewind, the PokerStars Twitch channel will feature a number of PokerStars ambassadors streaming the events.

Special editions of the Poker in the Ears podcasts are also in the works. Guests will include Colin Murray, the original voice of the EPT, and poker pro Antonio Esfandiari.

“The past 20 years have been an incredible journey, and each tournament has been designed to look back at those special moments and reward our community with some unforgettable prizes,” Rasset said “We hope our players enjoy the celebration, and we’re looking forward to the next 20 years with them.”

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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.

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October 26, 2021October 25, 2021

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 Brings COOP To Southern Europe, $7M Guaranteed; Big 20 Rewind Series Coming

The PokerStars Southern Europe Championship of Online Poker (SECOOP) runs Oct. 31 to Nov. 21 with more than €7 million guaranteed. The series features 232 events and plenty of opportunities to earn entries at reduced price points.

With the series kicking off on Halloween, even more is planned. A series of Halloween-themed events get the fun started with some scary guaranteed prize pools. PokerStars Southern Europe is available for players in:

France
Spain
Portugal

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