With a guaranteed $1 million prize pool and three different buy-in levels, the Summer Series is sure to bring players in from all over the country, and we look forward to hosting them at our world-class property.
The PokerStars US real money platform is set to make a major splash in the US online poker market with the announcement of the PokerStars Summer Series. The inaugural tournament will take place at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, marking the operator’s first live poker event on US soil in six years.
Running for three consecutive weeks from August 24 to September 10, the series guarantees a cool $1 million prize pool. Each week features three major events with varying buy-ins at different entry levels.
The action kicks off on August 24 with a $550 buy-in and $200,000 guaranteed prize pool. Weekend 2, from August 31 to September 4, offers a $1100 buy-in level and $300,000 guaranteed. Finally, Weekend 3, spanning September 7 to 10, features a $220 buy-in and $500,000 in guaranteed prizes.
Overview of the PokerStars US Summer Series
| Dates | Buy-in | Guaranteed | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 24 – 27 (Weekend 1) | $550 | $200,000 | 9 |
| Aug 31 – Sep 4 (Weekend 2) | $1100 | $300,000 | 10 |
| Sep 7 – 10 (Weekend 3) | $2200 | $500,000 | 8 |
| Total | $1,000,000 | 27 |
- Play one hand & get $150 in bonus play funds
- Top-quality mobile app
- Best online MTT schedule
Each of these three signature events will have multiple Day 1s and will be complemented by turbo satellites starting at $80. The series will also include a variety of side events, including NLH Turbo events and “One and Done” satellites, making for a total of over two dozen tournaments.
All tournaments will take place at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, which boasts a 30-table poker room.
“We are thrilled to welcome PokerStars to Live! Casino and Hotel Philadelphia and host the inaugural Summer Series,” said Anne Tran, Director of Poker Operations for Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia in the press release. “With a guaranteed $1 million prize pool and three different buy-in levels, the Summer Series is sure to bring players in from all over the country, and we look forward to hosting them at our world-class property.”
Online Qualifiers to Run in All Three States
In the run-up to the operator’s first live event in many years, PokerStars will run online qualifiers in July and August across its US rooms. These qualifiers start at a mere $5 buy-in, offering players the chance to win one of six Summer Series packages. Three packages will be available on the shared liquidity MI & NJ network, while the remaining three will be on the standalone PokerStars PA real money network.
The qualifying packages will be available on July 23, July 28, and July 30, providing one package for each of the three signature events.
The package includes entry into the feature event ($550, $1100, or $2200) and perks worth $1700, such as travel expenses, accommodation at a five-star hotel for two people, and food and beverage credits. In addition to the six packages, PokerStars US will run seat-only qualifiers throughout August.
Satellites will also be available, offering players the opportunity to win a share of $50,000 in seats.
| Packages | Market | Date |
|---|---|---|
| $550 Qualifier Package | 1 in MI/NJ, 1 in PA | Sunday, July 23 |
| $1100 Qualifier Package | 1 in MI/NJ, 1 in PA | Friday, July 28 |
| $2200 Qualifier Package | 1 in MI/NJ, 1 in PA | Sunday, July 30 |
In a unique twist, players will also be able to qualify for the PokerStars US Championship of Online Poker (USCOOP) events through live satellites held alongside the main events. These satellites, priced at $80 and $300, give players a chance to secure seats in the operator’s most prestigious online tournament series in the US.
A total of six qualifying events for the USCOOP will take place, each awarding 20 Main Event seats worth $300 and four $2500 High Roller seats.
Last year, the USCOOP series across three states awarded over $5 million in prizes, and this year’s prize pools are expected to exceed $6 million, thanks to the launch of the shared liquidity network in New Jersey and Michigan, earlier this year.
“I am super excited about PokerStars Summer Series in my hometown of Philadelphia,” said PokerStars US ambassador Jennifer Shahade. “It’s great to see that there are so many ways to satellite in online at all buy-in levels and I look forward to meeting many of the qualifiers on the felt. See you in September!”
- Online Qualifiers now running, including Freerolls
- PokerStars’ first-ever EPT stop in Cyprus!
- EPT Main Event October 16 – 22
- Includes Mystery Bounty, High & Super High Roller Events
Return to US Soil After Six Years
While PokerStars has organized live events in the US in the past, including the Road to PSPC events and the Megastack live tournament series, the upcoming Summer Series will be the first to run under the PokerStars LIVE! branding in six years.
The last land-based tour in the country was the PokerStars Megastack series held at the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in October 2017. These events catered more to recreational players with lower buy-ins than the flagship tours. Prior to that, the operator hosted the PokerStars Festival in New Jersey in the fall of 2016.
Unfortunately, both of these live series suffered from low attendance and overlays, leading to a pause in PokerStars-branded live events in the US.
However, with live poker making a grand comeback post-COVID, PokerStars has been actively relaunching live events worldwide. In 2022, several dormant tours returned, including regional tours in key markets such as the UK, Ireland, France, and Spain.
PokerStars also revived the APPT brand, covering key Asian regions, and the LAPT, which includes Brazil. Additionally, the operator brought back the PSPC and PCA tournaments, with the latter two held earlier this year in the Bahamas.
While the operator made a comeback in all major jurisdictions where it operates online poker rooms, it had yet to reenter the US market. That has changed now, as PokerStars looks to capitalize on the growing online poker market in the US. The operator has even hinted at reviving its long-dormant North America Poker Tour (NAPT) later this year.
