PokerStars The Big Game on Tour

After a long hiatus, PokerStars has brought back its hugely popular show, The Big Game. Now dubbed The Big Game on Tour, the new show has retained all the crucial aspects that made it so beloved among poker fans, with the main difference being how Loose Cannons can qualify for the seat.

Season 3 of the PokerStars Big Game started airing on May 10 on US television, while the first episode hit the operator’s official YouTube channel on May 11.

On this page, we bring you all the details of the latest season of The Big Game, including info on Loose Cannons, rules of the game, lineups, and, of course, a full overview of all episodes as they go live.

The Big Game Season 3 Overview

The latest season of The Big Game was announced in 2023, with PokerStars organizing qualifying tournaments during their NAPT stop in Las Vegas. Those who managed to get through the tournaments proceeded to the audition, where an expert panel selected two players who got their opportunity to sit at the big table.

The rules of the show haven’t changed much compared to the first two seasons, other than the fact loose cannons are now staked $50,000 (instead of $100,000). Each of them has to play 150 hands, and after the last hand, they get to keep any profits they made over the original $50,000.

Season 3 will feature two sets of five episodes, both of which were filmed in November in Las Vegas. The lineup for the first set of episodes includes the likes of Phil Helmuth, Maria Ho, Phil Laak, Alan Keating, and Jennifer Tilly. The second set of episodes, which will air later during the summer, will feature a fresh lineup as well.

The Return of the Loose Cannon

After making their way through the qualifying tournaments and undergoing the audition, two players were selected to fill in the loose cannon seats. Their names are Nikki Limo and Lily Newhouse.

Both loose cannons are huge poker fans but they’re not professional players, which is what judges in the panel were looking for. Additionally, both Newhouse and Limo have a strong presence on social media, which will certainly help increase the reach of the show.

Lily Newhouse is a mindset coach for poker players and CEOs, while Limo is a variety content creator with a YouTube channel with over 530,000 subscribers and almost 1,000 videos, with new ones added regularly.

The Big Game on Tour Rules

Most poker fans are familiar with the rules of The Big Game, but since show hasn’t been on since 2012, it doesn’t hurt to run through the basics quickly.

• Each loose cannon is staked $50,000
• Stakes played are $100/$200, with $200 big blind ante
• The action is pot-limit before the flop, and no-limit after the flop
• Each loose cannon has to play 150 hands
• At the end of the session, the loose cannon will keep all profits over the original $50,000
• If the loose cannon ends up with $50,000 or less, they don’t get any money

The loose cannon must be present at the table for all 150 hands. There are no additional requirements in terms of how many flops they have to see or anything along those lines, so, for example, if a player doubles up on the very first hand, they are allowed to fold the remaining 149 hands and lock up the profit.

In previous seasons, loose cannons were extended the same courtesy as pro players when it came to running the board multiple times and similar options, so we don’t expect any changes in that department.

These rules made for some interesting, exciting, and sometimes emotional situations during the first two seasons, forcing loose cannons to make some tough decisions on the spot. Season 3 of The Big Game is pretty much guaranteed to bring forth some of that emotion.

The Big Game Season 3 Lineup

Although we don’t yet know the names of all the players appearing on Season 3 of the PokerStars Big Game, what we do know tells us that the new season of the popular show should be an extremely fun one.

PokerStars gathered a nice selection of experienced pros and enthusiastic amateurs to fill the remaining seats, with every single one of them bringing something unique to the table.

Phil Hellmuth

The Poker Brat is one of the original lineup members, and he’s coming back for Season 3. Hellmuth definitely needs no special introduction, and his presence at the table will definitely add some flavor to the proceedings, especially if things aren’t going his way.

Maria Ho

Maria Ho is no stranger to poker shows, as she made countless appearances on many of them, including the recently concluded Game of Gold where she ran away with the win. Her great poker skills and her always calm and friendly demeanor make Maria a great addition to any poker lineup.

Phil Laak

Many poker fans will be thrilled to see The Unabomber in the lineup for The Big Game. Whatever you may think of his playing style, this is undeniable — Phil Laak adds plenty of color to every game he sits in!

Alan Keating

Mr. Keating is making his Big Game debut, and it’s safe to assume he’ll be one of the players driving most of the action. The mysterious millionaire has been one of the most popular faces in poker over the last few years, always bringing with him his calm charm and seemingly endless purse.

Jennifer Tilly

Jen Tilly has taken up poker much more seriously in recent years, and she’s never been afraid to mix it up with the “sharks.” Always ready with some funny story up her sleeve, Tilly will, at the very least, help keep the atmosphere at the table light and friendly.

Arden Cho

Arden Cho is many things — an actress, a model, and a social media influencer, but she’s also an avid poker fan. Cho took up the game a long time ago and has a great passion for poker. It will be interesting to see how she does in this particular lineup.

Lex Veldhuis

Lex is a member of the PokerStars Team Pro, and in addition to his stellar results, he made his claim to fame as a Twitch streamer with a big following. While tournament poker is his bread and butter, Veldhuis is certainly no stranger to cash games either.

The Big Game Season 3: Watch All Episodes

• Episodes aired: 5
• Total hands played: 150

Episode 5 (June 8)

• Loose Cannon: Nikki Limo
• Lineup: Phil Hellmuth, Arden Cho, Jennifer Tilly, Lex Veldhuis, Griffin Benger

It’s the final episode of the first half of The Big Game Season 3, and it has it all: sick coolers, huge pots, and Nikki Limo, the loose cannon, trying to make something happen with less than 25 hands to go. Can she do it? In the meantime, Arden Cho and Jen Tilly play a pot of $400,000!

Episode 4 (June 1)

• Loose Cannon: Nikki Limo
• Lineup: Phil Hellmuth, Arden Cho, Alan Keating, Jennifer Tilly, Lex Veldhuis

The loose cannon is running out of time at the Big Game table and is on the lookout for opportunities to get her chips in the middle. Arden Cho is on a serious comeback trail, with cards finally coming her way, while Keating continues to brawl without even looking at his cards. In the meantime, Lex is struggling to find a winning path.

Episode 3 (May 25)

• Loose Cannon: Nikki Limo
• Lineup: Phil Hellmuth, Arden Cho, Alan Keating, Jennifer Tilly, Lex Veldhuis

Alan Keating is determined to get back in the black, and Lex Veldhuis is more than happy to provide the action Mr. Keating is seeking. Hellmuth’s slow and steady approach continues to pay off dividends, and things are finally starting to look up for Arden Cho.

Episode 2 (May 18)

• Loose Cannon: Nikki Limo
• Lineup: Phil Hellmuth, Arden Cho, Alan Keating, Jennifer Tilly, Lex Veldhuis

Things are heating up as the loose cannon gets active and Phil Hellmuth picks up a few hands he likes. Mr. Keating is trying to get back some of his losses, while Arden Cho is struggling to catch a break and get things moving in the right direction. All this and more on Episode 2 of the PokerStars Big Game on Tour!

Episode 1 (May 11)

• Loose Cannon: Nikki Limo
• Lineup: Phil Hellmuth, Arden Cho, Alan Keating, Jennifer Tilly, Lex Veldhuis

The action gets underway in Las Vegas as cards get in the air. Nikki Limo takes her seat as the loose cannon, with $50,000 in her stack. Everybody else starts with the same amount, except for Mr. Keating, who has the entire table well covered, sitting with $250,000 in front of him – and he’s here to play some cards!

FAQ

What is The Big Game on Tour?

The Big Game on Tour is the third season of PokerStars’ popular poker game show The Big Game, in which a selected contestant (the loose cannon) is staked to play against five other players and allowed to keep all profits over the original stake amount after playing 150 hands.

Where can I watch The Big Game?

All episodes of The Big Game are readily available on PokerStars’ YouTube channels. You’ll find all episodes from the previous two seasons, as well new episodes from Season 3.

How are loose cannons selected for The Big Game?

For The Big Game Season 3, loose cannons were selected during the 2023 NAPT in Las Vegas. They first had to qualify via live freeroll tournaments, after which all the winners faced the panel of judges who eventually selected two players to get a seat in The Big Game.

How much money is a Loose Cannon staked for The Big Game?

For Season 3, loose cannons were staked $50,000 each, and allowed to keep any profit over that original $50,000. For the first two seasons, loose cannons received the initial stake of $100,000.

Can anyone become a loose cannon on The Big Game?

Almost everyone is allowed to try and qualify. PokerStars has different rules for different seasons, but as long as you meet the criteria like the age (which was at least 25 for Season 3), you can give it a try.

Does a loose cannon really get to keep all the money they win on the show?

Yes, every loose cannon gets to keep 100% of whatever they win over the original stake amount. They don’t have to split any of their winnings with PokerStars or anyone else. All winnings are entirely theirs to keep.