Overview
The DGE conducted an extensive review of the sale of the Rational Group to Amaya, a review that took over a year to complete. On September 30, 2015, the DGE announced that Amaya, Inc. Received a transactional waiver that will allow them to operate PokerStars and Full Tilt in New Jersey. For a poker player who cares about the art of game selection (as any winning player should), there's no better place to play at than PokerStars.com. While there is a high level of traffic at PokerStars, the game quality is among the poorest in all of online poker. Je hebt deze review al gerapporteerd Wouter Asselman 2 reviews. Helaas heb ik de laatste paar jaar ook Helaas heb ik de laatste paar jaar ook alleen maar slechte ervaringen met Pokerstars. Ik speel nu al 17 jaar op deze site en de eerste 13 jaar was het zo dat ik de ene keer wat won en de andere keer wat verloor.
- Get Up To 3 x Welcome Bonuses, $600 In Total
- Monthly Loyalty Tournaments $5k, $30k, $100k
- Smart, Smooth Software Which Is Great To Multi-Table
- Events Include WCOOP + SCOOP + Micro-Millions
Bonus Info
- Marketing Code
PSP3108 (Registration) - Bonus Code
STARS600 (Deposit)
PokerStars Review; Adam Mason Senior Editor. Updated June, 2020 Reading Time 5 minutes. PokerStars Welcome Bonus. 100% up to $600. Claim Your Free Bonus.
The Biggest Poker Site – But Are They Best?
Planet Mark's Summary:PokerStars did not grow to be 3 times bigger than even their closest rivals by chance. They have advantages in slick software, loyalty rewards and the size of their promotions which mean that most poker players end up on their site eventually.
Sure, there are some drawbacks, more ‘pro grinders' compared to other poker sites is the main one – and the tournament field sizes often get ridiculously big too. On balance the benefits are overwhelming. You can play in the Sunday Million, qualify for the EPT, enjoy the biggest choice of cash games, tournaments and sit n goes anywhere online. You can also try many different formats and game variations, including the famous Zoom Poker.
Many players miss out on the fact that you can get up to 3 welcome bonuses at PokerStars. Once you register you head to the cashier to make your deposits. Use bonus code STARS600 here up to 3 times within 90 days for a 100% match up to a combined total of $600.
I'm confident that once you see the cool software and start to enjoy the different loyalty rewards that you will agree that PokerStars are a cut above other sites. Remember to check out www.PokerStars.com today, because you don't want to miss out any longer!
PLAY POKER NOW!PokerStars.com Review - In Detail
Here is my detailed site review for PokerStars.com. I'll cover the different games, software and playability and the promotions and bonuses below. This review will finish with my summary and customary 'Planet Mark's Verdict' at the bottom of this page.
PokerStars.com are the biggest site by a long way. They regularly have peaks of 200,000+ simultaneous players - making them three times as big as their closest rivals (Titan Poker 3rd and 888 Poker in 2nd). This size advantage allows PokerStars to offer more games, bigger tournaments and promotions and to re-invest more in their players.. which attracts even more players to their tables! With amazing software and what is considered the best customer support of any site there are good reasons why this site is the best as well as the biggest.
Click Here To Check Out PokerStars Website For Yourself Now!
Marketing Code = PSP3108 For Your 100% Welcome Bonuses
PokerStars Review - Spotlight On Cash Games
With literally 1000's of tables to choose from and the fantastic Zoom Poker format on top, I'll break down what to expect for you game-by-game.
No-Limit Holdem is the main game, with tables starting with blinds of 1c / 2c and going all the way to $1000 / $2000. The key choices are for table size (2, 4, 6 or 9 players), speed (standard or fast), currency (Dollars or Euros) and stack size (shallow, normal or deep stacked). You will need to narrow the list using filters - after this you will see the tables listed with those with some empty seats on top.
PokerStars does attract a lot of 'small stakes pros' who multi-table the games, making a small hourly profit from each game which adds up over time. Though the huge amount of players keep the cash games profitable, I do recommend you get to know the 'regulars' and use this information to avoid them in marginal spots - focusing on the fish instead!
Fixed Limit Holdem and Pot-Limit Holdem have fewer tables, though still a decent choice.
Next up are the Pot-Limit Omaha games, with high-only and high-low split spread. Again these range from micro stakes through to nosebleed high-roller tables and come in 2, 6 and 9 player versions with fast and deep stack options available too. This is the biggest selection of Omaha games online by a long way, meaning you should be able to find juicy games around the clock.
Stud Poker in several different varieties (high, high-low + razz) and several types of Draw Poker, Badugi and mixed games complete the offerings. One that I recommend you check out is the excellent 8-game, this is a mix of 2-7 Triple-Draw, Limit Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo, No Limit Holdem and Pot-Limit Omaha. These games are fun, loose and profitable!
Zoom Poker is the biggest and best fast-fold poker game around - with 1000's of players in different NL Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha pools. In this game, as soon as you fold any hand you instantly start a new one with others from your pool - which means no waiting around for others to finish their betting. There is a 'fast fold' button which speeds things up even more, letting you fold those trash hands before it is your turn to act - your opponents will not know you have folded until it is your turn to act.
With No Limit Holdem and Pot Limit Omaha both attracting huge pools of players, and Omaha Hi-Lo having a growing following too - it is clear that Zoom is here to stay. I recommend you check out this fast, fun and very profitable game soon.
I should note that PokerStars recently bought in some restrictions on what kinds of 3rd party software tools are allowed on their site. This was to ensure that players buy-in information on rivals did not have an unfair advantage over the newer players. For me the balance is still tipped in favor of multi-tablers. I would recommend that new players gain some experience at softer / more recreational sites before venturing above the micro-limits at PokerStars. There are simply too many grinders with a ton of experience and (allowed) tools waiting to spot newcomers and relieve them of their bankrolls at PokerStars.
PokerStars Review - Spotlight On Tournaments
Again the massive number of games means I need to split this section up. Since there are enough games for even the most hardened multi-tabler to feel happy, in every poker game and huge spread of buy-in levels, I'll break them up by size - starting with the feature events and drilling down to the bread and butter tournaments kicking off every minute of every day!
Ever dreamt of the life-changing money you would receive for winning the infamous Sunday Million? If $100k++ in your bank sounds nice then you will be pleased to know that the Sunday Million is just one of a list of 'Sunday Majors' which include the Warm-Up, Sunday $500, Kick-Off and Sunday Storm. These are hugely popular games, and have their own qualifier tournaments running all week to ensure that all players get to take a shot.
The Majors are not restricted to Sundays, with massive games running all week. On top of these PokerStars run some of the biggest 'Championships' for online tournament players. These are the World Championship, Spring Championship and Turbo Championship, each one a tournament event spanning weeks with a long list of events with huge prizes. Again, you'll get plenty of opportunities to qualify for seats - often from just a couple of dollars.
Next on the list are the 'Bigger' tournaments. This is a daily and weekly schedule of tournaments which have big guaranteed prizes compared to their buy-ins. For example the 'Bigger $8.80c' with a $60,000 prize pool guaranteed. These go all the way to $55 and $162, plenty of smaller games have guarantees too. For those who prefer Turbo speed tournaments there are the daily 'Hot' games, Zoom tourneys, 2x and 3x turbo qualifiers and many regular fast tournaments too.
Once we get into looking at the daily schedule the choice expands yet again - as do the guaranteed prizes. With $3,3 to $22 events in every variation you can imagine I'll challenge any reader to come back and say that they can not find a game that suits them! Many of these tournaments do get HUGE fields, which is why PokerStars have introduced games capped at 500 and 1000 players into their schedule.
Satellite qualifiers to major (often Televised) events are always available at PokerStars. These include European Poker Tour Events, the World Series Of Poker and lots more. Sub-qualifiers start from just a couple of dollars, while 'supersatellites' often give away 10's of seats in the live events at once.
New additions to the tournament schedule include 'Phased' tournaments (which run over 2 days), progressive knockouts (your bounty grows as you eliminate more opponents) and a much bigger selection of Zoom Poker tournaments.
Finally the 180 Player SNGs come under 'tournaments' for me. These start as soon as 180 players join, start at $1 and include turbo and rebuy versions. Hugely popular, these games are kicking off every couple of minutes - great for those of us who love tournaments, yet do not have the 4 hours+ needed for the bigger games.
You'll find this the best tournament selection anywhere online by a long way - simply unmatched anywhere else.
PokerStars Review - Spotlight On Sit N Goes
If you have read this far then you will not be surprised to know that PokerStars.com have the biggest and best selection of Sit N Goes too! I have a separate section of this site covering these games and will direct readers who enjoy them to my PokerStars SNG Review for more.
PokerStars Review - Software And Playability
PokerStars have their own software client, which is often called the best out there. While I'll agree that this is a very good and very player-friendly design, it is not actually my favorite (this is currently the US-Friendly Carbon Poker). On the plus side, you can upload your own picture to play with at the tables, the games are super-fast and smooth and the client does easily support playing multiple tables at the same time.
Recently, PokerStars have introduced mobile versions of their software covering all of the major platforms. You can play on iPhone, iPad and Android devices - the mobile clients now include the awesome Zoom Poker too!
PokerStars Review - Bonuses, Incentives And Promotions
This could be another long list - I'll separate out the initial bonus, ongoing rewards and special promotions.
As a new player at PokerStars.com you can claim up to 3 welcome bonuses totalling $600 in your first 90 days. Use PokerStars Marketing Code PSPxxxx when you register your account (choose 'Affiliate Marketing Code' from the drop down list - you can not miss it!), then bonus code STARS600 for each deposit. The good news is that the points you earn in real money play to clear this bonus also count towards your VIP Club Level and your 'Stellar Rewards' bonus too.
Ongoing rewards are one of the secrets of success for this site - players get rewarded for their loyalty in several different ways. First up are 'reload bonuses' which typically happen 3 times a year. You get an extra bonus just for depositing more, if you are enjoying the games there anyway then this is basically a freeby!
Next the famous player loyalty scheme called the 'PokerStars VIP Club' has many different levels and a cool store where you can exchange the points you earn for gadgets, books, tournament entries or cash bonuses. As you play more you climb the levels all the way from 'Bronze Star' to 'Supernova Elite' which is worth $100k per year in bonuses alone!! Extra ongoing incentives include Stellar rewards, which are milestones of points for smaller rewards (great for smaller stakes poker fans), and not forgetting the tournament leaderboards - which between them give away $800,000's each year. Note that the top level of benefits was recently cut back (30% returns are now the max), the rewards were redistributed to the lower levels.
You would be right to wonder how other sites are able to compete with these rewards.. and I have not even started the specials and promotions yet!
There are simply too many to mention, milestone hands, tournament events, satellites for live events, special Sunday Millions with added cash, a quarterly VIP freeroll with a million dollar prize pool. Regional events, ladies events, the chance to win a Lamborghini and many more. There is no other way to put it, PokerStars.com Promos are simply awesome - make sure you keep an eye on their website so you do not miss out on the latest deals.
PokerStars Review- Summary And Planet Mark's Verdict
Biggest and best sums up PokerStars.com nicely. While I am sometimes concerned that having a site able to offer games and incentives that much bigger than their rivals could be bad for poker as a whole - there really is no reason why you should not be taking advantage as long as you keep your eyes open for the pro-grinders at the tables.
Remember that you can claim your welcome bonus over up to 3 deposits - meaning you can check this site out before you committ to moving your poker bankroll there. Simply choose 'Affiliate Marketing Code' from the drop down list of 'Where did you hear about us?' during registration, then use PokerStars.com Marketing Code PSPxxxx in the new box that appears.
If you love online poker then you need to see for yourself what makes PokerStars.com so popular - I'm very confident that you will quickly start to wonder why you did not play there sooner!
More PokerStars-Related Articles
Fifty50 SNG Strategy (Similar To Double-Or-Nothing SNGs, With A Twist!)
WCOOP and SCOOP (the big PokerStars tournament events held each year) Info Can Be Found In The 'Online Events' Section Of My Poker Satellites Page
Alternatives To The Sunday Million, This One Covers Some Ideas For Big Sunday Games Not On PokerStars!
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When it comes to playing cards online, no name looms larger than PokerStars. They've been operating for well over a decade, and during that time they've established themselves as one of the premier places to get your virtual poker fix.
Yahoo fantasy not updating points. I've been a loyal customer for almost three years, and I'm continually surprised by everything the site has to offer. As a way of paying them back for all they've done, I've decided to sit down and write a PokerStars review to assist others who might be in the market for a new place to gamble.
Please keep in mind that I'm not receiving any money from the company for this article. I'm simply a loyal fan of PokerStars, and my thoughts below are honest and unbiased. Not to sound cynical, but most online reviewers can't say the same.
A Brief History of PokerStars
PokerStars launched their online operations in September of 2001, and they started accepting real-money wagers three months later. Their business experienced a major boost in 2003, after online satellite winner Chris Moneymaker advanced to win the
World Series of Poker.
In 2006, the Isle of Man-based company became the largest online poker room following the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the withdrawal of PartyPoker from the U.S. market. Three years later, they would set a record for the largest Internet poker tournament with 149,196 participants, although that number would be surpassed in 2013 (this time with 225,000 players).
In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice seized the URLs of five gaming sites, including PokerStars.com, accusing them of violating money laundering and federal bank fraud laws. All civil complaints against PokerStars were dropped in 2012, after the company reached a $225 million settlement that included the purchase of Full Tilt Poker.
Following their truce with American authorities, PokerStars is now free to apply for a license in any U.S. state where online gambling is regulated. On March 21st, 2016, for example, the company launched real-money play for gamblers within the state of New Jersey.
Banking Options
The deposit and withdrawal options for PokerStars vary depending on your country of residence. No matter where you live, though, you can count on a wide range of selections being available. As an example, let's look at what's offered to Canadian players:
- Instant eChecks (deposit and withdrawal)
- Instadebit (deposit and withdrawal)
- VISA (deposit and withdrawal)
- Entropay (deposit and withdrawal)
- MasterCard (deposit only)
- Paysafecard (deposit only)
- Wire Transfer (withdrawal only)
- Direct Bank Transfer (withdrawal only)
Now let's review what Chinese poker players can expect:
- VISA (deposit and withdrawal)
- Entropay (deposit and withdrawal)
- MasterCard (deposit only)
- WebMoney (deposit and withdrawal)
- AstroPay (deposit only)
- Check (withdrawal only)
As you can see, just about any nation should have multiple choices for both deposits and withdrawals. That makes things easier on the customer, allowing them to send or receive cash without having to jump through a bunch of pointless hoops.
Software Quality
In keeping with their reputation as one of the best gaming sites around, PokerStars offers software that's both intuitive and easy to understand. The graphical displays are crisp and vibrant, and both Mac and PC formats are supported. Since a number of players have displayed a preference for mobile gaming in recent years, the company has risen to the challenge by introducing downloadable mobile clients for iOS and Android. The latter options are just as solid as their more stationary counterparts, although the overall selection of games isn't as robust. How to play video poker at casino.
In fairness, though, there have been some growing pains since the Amaya Gaming Group purchased PokerStars for $4.9 billion in 2014. Significant lags have been reported by numerous players, including times when an entire table freezes up for several minutes. This has been most common on multi-table tournaments, although I've been fortunate enough to avoid such hassles to this point. (This review does a good job of explaining post-Amaya changes in more detail.)
Player Traffic
Pokerstars Complaints
If you're interested in large numbers of players and a generous pool of opponents to choose from, there's no better option than PokerStars. According to one leading gaming site, the lowest amount of traffic experienced by PokerStars during a 24-hour period is still double the peak hours of their competitors.
When I wrote this review, for example, there were 90,266 players on the site, as well as 5,545 ongoing tournaments. This was around 7pm on a Monday, so you can imagine how many people they draw later at night and on the weekends.
Game Selection
No Limit Texas Hold'em is king at PokerStars, but the site also has a number of other poker variants to choose from, including Stud, Badugi, and Omaha. Large-scale tournaments on the weekend offer up to $1 million in guaranteed money, and there are also ring games and sit & go options to choose from.
At any given time, you'll find thousands of tournaments waiting to be entered, which is a claim that most competitors can't make. If you're nervous about risking your own money, you can also choose the free play option and just compete for fun.
In recent years, PokerStars has also added sports betting and casino games to their menu. The casino offers all the classics you would expect, including slots, video poker, blackjack, and roulette. The betting option, meanwhile, is offered through the BetStars brand and initially included 23 different sports. A select number of jurisdictions were available when BetStars debuted, but that number is expected to increase throughout 2016 and beyond.
Pokerstars.com Review
(If you're interested in gambling games other than poker, we've gathered together lists of internet's top online casinos and poker rooms.)
Deposit Bonuses
Pokerstars Home Game Review
Both mobile and PC customers can enjoy deposit bonuses from PokerStars. These may change on occasion, but the following are being offered as I write this review:
First Deposit Bonus – All players making their first deposit qualify for this 100% matching bonus that pays up to $600. In order to release the bonus, you'll need to earn 200 VIP Player Points by playing real-money games for every $10 in bonuses, although the clearance rate depends on your currency:
$20 Free – By making a deposit of at least $20 into your PokerStars account, you'll be eligible to receive $20 worth of free play and $1 million in play money chips. This bonus amount can't be withdrawn, but it can be used to fund your poker exploits.
Daily Super Rewards – Deposit at least $10 and earn a week of free gifts worth $25. Prizes include tickets to sit and go, spin and go, and tournaments, as well as cash credit.
The bonuses offered by PokerStars are solid, although they're nothing that's going to change the face of the industry. For those who are serious about poker and planning to play a substantial amount anyway, the 100% matching bonus is a great way to immediately increase the size of your bankroll.
VIP Club
Every PokerStars player is a member of the VIP Club, and playing in real-money games allows you to climb up the ladder towards free cash and prizes. Players are required to complete steps each month in order to maintain or increase their VIP status, and failure to do so results in an immediate drop.
Once you've accumulated enough StarsCoin (by completing steps), you can spend it on a wide array of items. These include clothing, electronics, cash rebates, and even donations to charitable organizations.
Customer Service
PokerStars has representatives standing by 24/7 to assist you, and they can normally be reached via email or contact support form. I wish a phone number was also available, but that's simply not the case. For those having trouble making a deposit, the site also offers a live chat function.
I've had mixed results when dealing with the customer service department, although I don't hold the company responsible when one of their employees decides to get snippy after a long day. The positive representatives I've dealt with far outweigh the negative ones, and the bottom line is that they always manage to answer my question or help resolve an issue.
Conclusion
I recommend PokerStars for anyone who loves the game of poker. That may sound simplistic, but this is a case where a site dominates the market and truly offers something for everyone. Sharks can find plenty of prey to feast on, while fish have the opportunity to hone their abilities against players of all skill levels. Whales should also feel right at home, as they can put their big bankrolls to the test in an endless variety of tournaments.
While some software issues have cropped up in recent years, PokerStars remains one of the must-play sites in the online gambling industry. From their selection of games to impressive guaranteed payouts, they are continually positioned among the elite.
This review was made by: LegitGamblingSites.com Rating: 4.2 out of 5