(This article originally stated that 40 Platinum Passes would be given away in the US. However, the operator has clarified that while close to 40 Passes will be given away, the exact number is unknown.)
After an unplanned COVID-prompted two-year hiatus, the PokerStars Players’ Championship (PSPC) is returning for its second installment, and PokerStars US is giving away dozens of coveted Platinum Passes to the game.
US online poker players will be able to compete for the passes in both online and live poker events as PokerStars plans a return to live action in the country this year.
No matter whether players are in Michigan, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey, there will be chances to win one of the many Platinum Passes on offer to US players thanks to the operator’s US Road to PSPC campaign.
Players not just located in states where online poker is available (NJ, PA, and MI) will have the opportunity to win a Platinum Pass, but players from other US states are also likely to have the same chance as the Road to PSPC is expected to make a comeback in the country.
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Starting January 30, the second edition of the PSPC is returning to the Bahamas as part of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA).
Platinum Passes can be won in numerous ways, including the return of US live events, US online tournaments, and more
While details on how players can compete for the available American passes are scarce, the official announcement of the passes teased the return of live poker events sponsored by PokerStars in the US as one avenue to tickets. In addition to PokerStars live events in the US for the first time in years, there will be chances to win passes in online tournaments and other methods.
As with the inaugural version in 2019, the second running will be part of the storied PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) running from January 22 to February 3. While the PCA will be moving to a new venue for 2023, players looking for a couple of weeks in the Bahamas sun to go with their poker will not be disappointed — the beautiful Baha Mar Resort in Nassau, Bahamas, is the new poker home for the PCA.
Lots of Platinum for US Players
There will be more than 400 Platinum Passes handed out to players in various ways across the globe before everyone convenes in Nassau in January 2023 for the big game, and PokerStars is reserving dozens of those for American players to win on American soil. Details on how players can win the passes are still sparse, but what they will be eligible to win is already evident.
Platinum Pass — $30k Value
- Buy-in to the $25,000 PSPC
- Six nights of hotel accommodation for the winner and a guest in a 5-star hotel
- Airport transfer
- $1,900 expense money
- Platinum Pass Winner experiences during the event
According to the operator, the passes available to US players will be spread across various promotions and tournaments. Details on how to win the passes should be available soon, but one almost throwaway comment in the announcement heralds significant changes for the US poker landscape.
“Platinum Passes can be won in numerous ways, including the return of US live events, US online tournaments, and more,” states the promotional webpage. While that was the only indication of PokerStars live events returning to US soil, it will have players reminiscing about the epic live PokerStars events of the past like the North American Poker Tour (NAPT).
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- Play one hand & get $150 in bonus play funds
- Top-quality mobile app
- Best online MTT schedule
The PokerStars Players’ Championship
Despite having only run once in its history in 2019, the PSPC instantly became an iconic tournament. On the back of a massive ticket giveaway leading up to the inaugural event, the first running of the PSPC drew a record turnout of more than 1,000 entries, making it the biggest $25k game ever run on the live felt.
There was $26.5 million in the prize pool when the dust settled, with a massive $5.1 million up top for the winner Ramon Colillas. Colillas got to that top spot from a Platinum Pass, so the PSPC proved that qualifiers could go the distance from the start.
Over the next few months, Americans will look to that example as they try to take the first step of securing a Platinum Pass to the big 2023 event. Watch for details from PokerStars US in your jurisdiction soon, and plan your shot at the biggest $25k game in poker.
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