PokerStars ON Goes Big on Bounties with New $1 Million Tournament Series

It took the tournament team at PokerStars Ontario little more than two months to bring their brand of big-money events to the province. Despite going live in Ontario on June 28, PokerStars ON is already rolling out some of its best tournament innovations for locals.

The latest round of action gets underway on Sept. 4 with the $1 million guaranteed Bounty Builder Series. Running through until Sept. 19, the maiden series will feature a mixture of low and mid-stakes MTTs that culminate with a $100,000 main event costing $200. 

Then, after a few days’ rest, the tournament train powers back into life on Oct. 1 with the inaugural PokerStars Ontario Championship of Online Poker (ONCOOP). 

Two Series in Two Months at PokerStars Ontario

‘COOP events are always a big deal and, even though the details are being kept secret right now, the guarantee is likely to hit seven figures. In lieu of announcing the ONCOOP schedule, PokerStars Ontario will be paying out at least CA$1 million in the Bounty Builder Series. 

As the name suggests, the 100+ MTTs on the schedule will use PokerStars’ progressive knockout format. For those who don’t know, progressive knockout (PKO) tournaments give you two ways to win. Each MTT has a prize pool that goes to the top finishers. 

In addition to the main prize pool, each player has a bounty on their head. Eliminating a player adds 50% their bounty to yours. The remaining 50% of their bounty gets credited to your account in cash. Therefore, the more players you eliminate, the bigger your bounty becomes and the more prize money you win.  

Big Bounties and Bigger Prize pools at PokerStars ON

You have two goals in a PKO event:

1. Outlast everyone else and win the biggest prize possible.

2. Eliminate as many players as you can so you win even more money. 

This dynamic means players are often more aggressive in bounty events which, in turn, means the action is looser. Does that increase the variance? Possibly. Does it make these tournaments more exciting? Definitely. 

The Bounty Builder Series would be enjoyable even without a $1 million guarantee. However, the fact you get to play for five and six-figure prize pools, on top of taking other player’s bounties, is even better. 

And, to top it all off, there are buy-ins to suit all bankrolls. Bounty Builder events will cost between $10 and $500. If that’s still a little too much to stake, there will be satellites available before and during the series. 

Then, once the PKO action is over, you can regroup and set your sights on the inaugural PokerStars Ontario Championship of Online Poker. Both series are open to PokerStars ON customers. That means you need to be at least 19 years old and in Ontario. 

If you’re eligible, click here to join PokerStars Ontario and claim your welcome bonus before anteing up in the latest big-money tournaments.

What if I Don’t Live in Ontario?

PokerStars is a global brand and, where one of its regional apps go, others typically follow. That proved true again this week when PokerStars USA announced its 2022 ‘COOP schedule. 

Available to registered players physically located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, the U.S. Championship of Online Poker will feature over 200 tournaments and a total guarantee of $4.5 million. 

The series will run from Sept. 9-26. Among the 200 MTTs, there will be 18 special events in each state, as well as six opportunities to win a $30,000 Platinum Pass. PokerStars ‘COOP 2022 will also feature a $300 main event, and the Platinum Pass invitational. 

To get in on the action, click here to learn more about PokerStars USA and use our secure sign-up link to join if you’re 21+ and located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Michigan.