Poker Stars

Not open to US players

100% Up To $600

Regular Bonus: 100% / $600

PokerStars is the largest poker site in the world, offering massive volume in cash games and tournaments 24 hours a day. It sets the standard in the industry for tournaments as well with an unmatched selection and sit-and-gos at all stakes starting up virtually every second.

The software is also top-notch and offers fast play, high reliability, great multi-table options and a lots of customization - it pretty much sets the bar for the industry there as well.

If you're looking for a downside, though, it's probably the inconsistent competition. Because of the huge player base there are some very fierce opponents on the site if you wander into the wrong game.

If you like more obscure poker variations, PokerStars is for you with a wide spread of games offered - Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Seven-Card Stud in all versions, H.O.R.S.E., H.O.S.E., 2-7 Triple Draw, Five-Card Draw, Razz, 2-7 Single Draw Lowball, Badugi, 8-Game, Mixed Hold’em and Mixed Omaha Hi/Lo. By the time you read this, they've probably added more.

In addition PokerStars has several features in its software that you won't find anywhere else including private HomeGames and Time Tourneys.

PokerStars also has a superior loyalty program and becoming a Supernova player is a status that is coveted throughout the online poker community.

Bottom line, PokerStars is one of the best poker sites in the world and if the competition wasn't so tough at the higher stakes, it would be tough not to rank PokerStars higher.

In 2011 PokerStars was forced out of the U.S. market but its doors are still open to anyone outside of the U.S. and it remains one of the biggest online poker sites in the world.

PokerStars Review

Bonus Clearing: 

 

The bonus is released in $10 increments at a rate of 20 VPP per $1 of bonus (25 VPPs per €, 30 VPPs per £). Players may make up to three deposits in total to claim the full bonus but they must be made within 60 days of the first deposit. Players then have 120 days to earn the full bonus amount.

 

Loyalty Program/Promotions

 

PokerStars offers loyal players a great loyalty program with two types of points earned for real-money play:

1) VIP player points (VPPs)

2) Frequent Player Points (FPPs)

VPPs determine your VIP level and can't be exchanged for cash or prizes. FPPs can be used to buy merch, electronics, etc. in the store, can be turned into cash or used to play in special points tournaments. The higher your VIP level, the faster your FPP accumulation, the better perks you get, etc.

Players achive Silverstar status at just 750 points and it's possible to progress all the way to Supernova Elite, which is one of the most highly sought after achievements in online poker. The PokerStars VIP program is one of the best in the industry and progressing through the various status levels awards players cash back, exclusive freerolls and frequent player points multipliers.

1-3 FPPs are awarded per raked real-money hand depending on total rake; 5 FPPs are awarded for each $1 in tournament fees.

 

TOURNAMENTS AND FREEROLLS

 

PokerStars is the biggest online poker site in the world and is, hands-down,the place to go for tournaments. The high traffic ensures anyone looking for a tournament will find one that suits both his wallet and his game preference.

Most events have low to medium buy-ins and run often and the smaller buy-in tournaments tend to be quite loose and juicy. For the high-stakes players there are plenty of $500 or more buy-in tournaments, with prize pools often passing the $1 million mark. The bigger buy-in events, however, tend to have some very tough competition and are not very easy to win or cash in.

Thankfully, the opposite is true for the smaller buy-in tournaments offered - these can see thousands of beginners battling it out, making some of the small guaranteed events very profitable for skilled players.

For example PokerStars runs 45-player and 180-player multi-table sit-and-gos that get running whenever they have enough players - generally, they start up every few minutes, so you never have to wait long. These are some of the softest tournaments on the Web.

PokerStars also hosts the biggest guaranteed tournaments in the world, including the renowned PokerStars Sunday Million.

For those looking for the ultimate in online poker tournament series the World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) and Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) are compelling arguments for PokerStars. Each one has offered a staggering $30 million guarantee in the past with the main events awarding over $1 million to first place.

Aside from the guaranteed tournaments, PokerStars runs the most satellite tournaments to major live and online poker events, like the World Series of Poker, the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, Latin America Poker Tour and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, to name just a few.

PokerStars is always expanding its tournament offerings based on player feedback. Some of its latest additions are the "Time Tourneys", in which the tournament goes for a set amount of time (min: 15 minutes, max: 180 minutes) and then players are paid based on their finishing stack size. In many ways the Time Tourneys have more in common with cash games.