PokerStars WSOP Qualifiers
Last time I mentioned that you can gives a thumbs up to American poker online by playing World Series of Poker qualifiers on Full Tilt Poker, and today I will show the way that you can do the same by playing on PokerStars. PokerStars also offers several opportunities to win your way into the WSOP, and there are also plenty of bonuses available for those that play in the Main Event.
If you’re already planning your trip to Vegas, I probably won’t have to force you to support American poker online because you’ll have a huge number of ME satellites to choose from with PokerStars. If you like playing in standard cash satellites, you are sure to see plenty of regular MTTs of all stakes that give ME packages to the winners. If it’s not your style to blow the bankroll on qualifiers, you can start small and go up the ladder in Steps Satellites. Steps Satellites are also good for higher stake players that don’t want to play huge field satellites because they can buy-in to the middle or even the end of the ladder. And as usual, PokerStars is offering ways for you to win your way into the WSOP for free. Provided you aren’t keeping your Frequent Player Points for a special Pokerstars bonus, you can use them to buy-in to FPP satellites. Think about how jealous your fellow players will be once they find out you won your entry to the ME without even spending a dime of your own cash!
To help out its players, PokerStars has ensured that the Main Event prize awarded in satellites has a few bonuses aside from the tournament buy-in. Here is a list of the extra things you receive: $1,000 to buy anything you want (most people spend this on airfare), 8 nights hotel accommodation at the Palms, and free transportation to the Rio for the event. If you already have Vegas accommodations, you can choose to receive $1k instead of staying at the Palms. If you were planning on playing the ME anyway, it might still make sense to make a poker deposit into PokerStars and attempt to win your way in because the site makes it incredibly convenient for its players.
I briefly mentioned that the site has some PokerStars bonus prizes available if you sign an agreement and wear some PokerStars gear during the Main Event. The first thing is an automatic free 50k VPPs at the start of next year. With this VPP lump sum, you’re already half way to Supernova for 2011! If you place in the money in the ME, you get to choose between a 2011 NAPT or PCA prize package. The ultimate prize, though, is the Main Event Champion Bonus that includes $400,000 cash, free online tournament buy-ins, and free live tournament buy-ins. This huge bonus is worth $1 million when all the free MTT poker is considered!
At first you might consider that a Full Tilt Poker download is superior because they give $10 million for placing 1st in the ME, but also consider that you’re signing a 10 year endorsement contract to receive that money. You are offered the same value over a year at Full Tilt and PokerStars ($1 million), but PokerStars only makes you sign a one year deal. I think both site’s incentives are worth considering, and it all depends on whether or not you want a long term contract.
