PokerStars US’s dates for its leading Spring Championship of Online Poker, also commonly abbreviated SCOOP, are out and poker fans could not be any more excited. SCOOP will run on PokerStars MI, PokerStars NJ, as well as PokerStars PA between March 25th and April 11th. All the 3 big series in each of the 3 states have promised participants guarantees of $4.5 million.
Each series in each state has guaranteed players at least $1 million across more than 100 tournaments. Each Main Event will also boast 6-figure guarantees, making this year’s SCOOP the largest in the 3 respective online poker markets. Because the player pools in each of the 3 states have not yet combined, each of the regional SCOOP versions in the 3 states will still be distinct.
The good news is that PokerStars may finally be getting its platform organized for the shared liquidity network that has been in the works for years now. If the 3 states agree to combine their player pools, the 3 states will effectively create one of the most vibrant and most successful online poker networks in the country. For the first time in the tournament’s history, all SCOOP events have been scheduled to run over the same dates across the 3 participating states.
The schedules of all 3 tournaments are also very similar with only minor differences in buy-ins and guarantees. SCOOP has become popular among online poker players thanks to its 3-tier buy-in structure. Punters in Michigan and Pennsylvania will be treated to 40 different events while poker players in New Jersey will have 35 events to choose from.
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The Tournament Is Designed to Accommodate Players of All Budget Types
Each of the tournaments will offer 3 buy-in tiers for low, medium, as well as high rollers. These different tiers will allow online punters with different bankroll sizes to sign up for the tournament. Casual and novice poker players will have lots of events to choose from that will be priced adequately between $10 and $20 with thousands of prize money guaranteed in return. To accommodate poker players with access to larger bankrolls, PokerStars has also organized tournaments that range between $100 and $200.
Like other iterations of SCOOP in previous years, this year’s tournament highlights No-Limit Hold’em games primarily. However, punters will also have an array of traditional gaming formats to select from. Every market will also be treated to a PLO Spring Championship trophy event, as well as 8-Game and HORSE tournaments. Poker players in Pennsylvania and Michigan will also have Razz and PLO8 tournaments available.
All through, the SCOOP schedule will also include particularly reserved Trophy Events. In these Trophy Events, winners will be allowed to take home physical SCOOP trophies alongside their prize money. PokerStars has organized 9 such events in every state, which means that 27 cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs. Every series of courses will lead up to the Main Event.
The Main Event in the lower tournament tiers will be referred to as the Mini Main and will offer punters a $50 buy-in. The mid-tier event, on the other hand, will be referred to as the official Main Event and will offer an affordable $300 buy-in that will be split over 2 exciting days. High Roller, alternatively, will most likely choose the $1000 buy-in higher tier Main Event.
To keep participants occupied and entertained, PokerStars will also have a series of promotions and satellites on offer for its customers. The qualifiers and promotions go a long way in keeping poker lovers entertained and incentivized so that seats can be occupied. New customers that are joining the PokerStars network will be treated to the Main Event Depositor Freerolls which offers customers guarantee tickets to the Main Event.
The Free Rolls for the Main Event Depositor will be determined by the freeroll that the punter gains access to. Any player that deposits a maximum of $200 will be given access to both freerolls, which will thus maximize their chances of being awarded the free tickets to the Main Event. New PokerStars customers can also take advantage of the welcome bonus available for first deposits.
To give customers even more ways to walk away winners, PokerStars will also organize a special Spin and Go which will offer participants additional ways to win their tickets to the Main Event. Players will also be given Second Chance Freerolls while more than $10,000 will be awarded in prizes to Second Chance Freerolls in the 3 states.
In addition to all these perks, PokerStars will also award online poker players with a brand new rewards program that has been designed with player feedback, as well as increased transparency. The new rewards program has been touted as the most generous program in the country’s history with online poker and will award customers for their play across all poker games.
This will include players taking part in tournaments and those participating in cash games. PokerStars customers will continue receiving personalized rewards based on their behavior, interests, and activity on the app.
Pokerstars to Focus On Growth in Ontario Market After SCOOP
Once SCOOP is finalized in all 3 states, PokerStars is expected to then turn its attention to the recently legalized Ontario iGaming market. Not too long ago, regulators in Ontario shared a list of 13 operators that have already started the process of obtaining iGaming licenses, which will include online poker. Unfortunately, PokerStars was not among the operators included in the list.
In the past, PokerStars has expressed its interest to launch its platform in the regulated online poker market in Ontario. The Ontario iGaming market started operating officially on April 4th and is expected to grow into one of the most successful online poker markets in the globe. PokerStars has reportedly been working hand in hand with AGCO and IGO and hopes to be getting close to debuting its product for poke lovers and iGamers in Ontario.
