PokerStars is expanding its enormous online poker platform into the Keystone State thanks to the recent changes for legal online poker in Pennsylvania.
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The company became the first online poker site in the state when it began live testing on Nov. 4. The site was fully approved two days later. The client integrates the online poker site with the FOX Bet app and the PokerStars online casino.
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The company provides a similar online poker experience as that of its New Jersey operation when it comes to game selection, banking options, bonuses, promotions and more.
Players in Pennsylvania have an attractive welcome package along with plenty of monthly reload-match offers.
The reliable software package from PokerStars comes equipped with a plethora of customization options to give the company the advantage in a brand-new market.
The in-house team at PokerStars has also done a fantastic job implementing new varieties and styles to ensure the most significant assortment of game types in the US.
With that in mind, let’s take an in-depth look at the potential bonus offers that you can expect as a new player. Then we will share other promotions designed explicitly for its loyal customers.
Also, we will walk you through the game selection, tournament selection, and payment methods before we conclude our review with poker software and customer support.
PokerStars PA entered the market with some attractive welcome offers, including limited-time freerolls.
There are two deposit bonuses, but players must make a choice between them.
Players can choose between one of two deposit offers. The first offer promises to give players $30 free if they deposit $20 into their new accounts. Use the marketing code FREE30 for this offer.
The other offer is a 100% deposit match up to $600. The marketing code for this offer is STARS600. However, as is the case with most deposit matches, there is a significant playthrough requirement attached to this promotion.
So, players will have to decide how they want to proceed. Honestly, though, there really isn’t a wrong choice.
Online Poker | PokerStars PA |
---|---|
PokerStars Marketing Codes | FREE30, STARS600 |
Welcome Offer | $30 free after $20 deposit OR 100% match up to $600 |
Last Verified: | February 2021 |
Even though players are most excited about the classic poker variants, other variations are expected to make their way to Pennsylvania on the PokerStars platform.
In fact, PokerStars in New Jersey currently impresses with the biggest selection of online poker varieties with a total of 17 games.
You should be able to find the perfect online poker game by using built-in filters to find games by type, the maximum number of players, stakes and buy-in levels. Furthermore, you will have the option to hide full tables for added convenience.
Online poker enthusiasts in Pennsylvania will also have the same features and customization options as players in New Jersey when it comes to saving filters for future use.
The wide range of poker games that will likely make their way to Pennsylvania include:
We anticipate that No-Limit Hold’em will dominate the games lobby where limits should range from $0.05/$0.10 up to $25/$50. However, Limit Hold’em will also be quite popular among players with stakes going as high as $100/$200 on most days.
The table limits for these games will coincide with the limits for Texas Hold’em. However, it will greatly depend on player traffic and the variant you wish to play on the day.
Once PokerStars in Pennsylvania launches, you should see more than 400 players on various cash games at any given time.
Player traffic generally peaks between 7-8 p.m. That’s when you should see an increase to 700-800players, if not more.
Over the weekends, player traffic should even increase to around 1,000-1,200 players at any given time.
During the first week of play, PA’s numbers outpaced NJ and had more than 500 players on a weekday.
Poker tournaments are going to be one of the most attractive features for the online poker community in Pennsylvania. These should eventually become ever more populated.
To successfully build a robust tournament schedule, along with a selection of options, there needs to be a sizeable player pool to join in on these events. As we’ve all witnessed with new online poker rooms, it takes time before poker tournaments gather momentum.
However, with PokerStars aiming to become the biggest online poker operator in the Keystone State, we expect to find a wide variety of tournaments with some sizeable prize pools.
Poker tournaments are ideal for transforming a small buy-in into a massive payday. This is especially true for tournies that come equipped with guaranteed prize pools.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the poker tournaments that should make their way to Pennsylvania.
The PokerStars platform in the Keystone State already provided a Championship of Online Poker tournament series to players in the newly legalized state. The first PACOOP blew the guarantees out of the water, leading PokerStars to bump them up twice from $1 million to $1,225,000.
Sundays are the most important day when it comes to online poker in New Jersey; we expect that it will be the same in Pennsylvania.
You will notice that all the Main Events will occur on a Sunday at PokerStars Pennsylvania, usually between the hours of 6-8 p.m. every week. The required buy-ins will likely range between $5-$250, depending on the size of the prize pool that should be worth $10,000 or more.
You can also participate in multiple satellite tournaments throughout the week. These award entries into the larger tournaments on Sunday for a fraction of the original entry price.
Spin & Gos are considered the most popular tournaments at PokerStars New Jersey. We believe that these will eventually prove just as popular in Pennsylvania.
The welcome bonus at PokerStars PA is the same at PokerStars NJ, a $10 bonus for Spin & Go play.
These tournaments are essentially the same as Sit & Gos, complete with a smaller number of players and much faster gameplay.
The initial buy-in should be relatively low, while a multiplier spin feature will determine the prize pool. The multiplier value can reach up to 1,000 times the current buy-in value.
Once player traffic reaches a sizable figure within the Keystone State, PokerStars will provide an arsenal of multi-table tournaments (MTT). MTTs will impress with smaller buy-ins and bigger payouts due to the size of the player base involved.
As you play and advance throughout the tournament, you will be seated with winners from other tables. You eventually will make it to the final table or you fall out due to running out of poker chips.
MTTs take a lot longer to complete when compared to Spin N’ Go tournaments.
There should be hundreds of smaller daily tournaments available, allowing you to enjoy poker variations like Omaha or Texas Hold ’em in the Keystone State.
These tournaments will come equipped with extremely low buy-in requirements and a decent prize pool. PokerStars is already renowned for providing the most extensive selection of tourneys in the Garden State, so we expect the same for players in Pennsylvania.
Your daily tournaments should also include a good mixture of change-up, turbos, and knockout tournaments.
The PokerStars software should provide Pennsylvania customers the convenience and flexibility to play on their desktop computer, along with the ability to play via a mobile browser-based website and mobile app. Apple and Android apps are available.
The PokerStars mobile poker app will give you access to all the cash games and tournaments. Also, you can claim promotions, contact support, make deposits, request withdrawals and more. The mobile poker apps should run smoothly, much like the Pokers NJ app.
In a state with many available banking options, PokerStars made it a point to have a variety of choices from the outset.
The professionalism of PokerStars shines brightly when you look at how quickly it handles deposits and processes withdrawals through the poker software.
That efficiency should surely be the case for Pennsylvania players, regardless if you are using your desktop computer or mobile device.
One missing PA option for now is PayPal, which is available in NJ.
Each deposit method will allow you to deposit funds instantly without having to worry about any hidden fees or charges from the operator’s end. Each payment method is safe and secure.
All of your financial and personal details will be safeguarded using SSL-encryption technology.
When it comes to withdrawing your winnings, PokerStars PA will be able to process your payment within 24 hours. Examining the NJ site, you should receive your winnings within 3-10 working days, depending on your preferred payment method.
E-wallet options will reflect in your funds within 48 hours, while ACH can take up to five days to clear your funds.
The customer service center at PokerStars is renowned for providing professional support quickly and effectively. We expect the support desk at PokerStars PA to be no different.
You’ll be able to reach a PokerStars representative in several ways to ensure your query or request is dealt with as soon as possible.
The contact methods should include:
The customer service center in Pennsylvania should be available 24/7. Alternatively, you should also have access to a comprehensive FAQ section on the official site. It can assist you with a range of queries from registering a new account to making a successful withdrawal with step-by-step instructions.
Summary
PokerStars in Pennsylvania follows in the footsteps of its New Jersey counterpart and offers one of the best online poker sites in the state. Likewise, bonuses are generous and simple to clear.
*PokerStars MI online poker is now live in Michigan!
If you’re in Michigan and have been waiting anxiously for online poker to become available to you, the wait is now over! PokerStars launched on January 29, 2021.
In Michigan, The Stars Group secured a partnership with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority, granting the global gambling giant access to the state’s regulated gaming industry. With PokerStars now in Michigan, the online poker site is now live in three states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In all three states, PokerStars operates legal real-money online poker in a ring-fenced market.
PokerStars Michigan is offering a very generous welcome package for new customers. The first is a $30 free play bonus and the second is a 100% deposit bonus up to $600. More on how these two bonuses work can be found below.
PokerStars MI Promo Code | None - just click this link |
Free Money | $30 Free |
Deposit Bonus | 100% up to $600 |
Bonus Valid | February 2021 |
MI Partner | Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians |
Online Since | January 2021 |
With the $30 free play bonus, players who deposit $20 or more using a special bonus code receive a $20 cash bonus plus $10 in tournament tickets. Players may also receive a ticket to a PokerStars MI Depositor Freeroll, which gives you a free chance to boost your bankroll right from the get-go.
The 100% deposit bonus is a welcome offer in which PokerStars will match your deposit up to $600. Deposit $100 and you can get another $100 match from PokerStars. Deposit $200 and you can get a match bonus of $200. The maximum match bonus PokerStars offers with this promotion is $600, but it doesn’t all need to be made at once, which is a good thing for those looking to space out their deposits more. With this bonus, players can make three qualifying deposits in 60 days and receive up to a maximum combined amount of $600.
With the 100% match deposit bonus, you’ll need to earn redemption points to clear the bonus money. For every 140 redemption points earned, $10 of the bonus money will be released. For every $1 that is spent on tournament fees or rake, five redemption points will be earned.
PokerStars online poker is available in Michigan via two software platforms. Those are desktop and mobile, and mobile will be available for iOS and Android devices.
The PokerStars desktop platform can be accessed via download to your desktop from the PokerStars MI website. Within the client, players will be able to find all of their favorite cash games, tournaments, and more. Players can also bounce between PokerStars Casino and FOX Bet for sports betting, so all three are under one roof.
One good thing about the PokerStars desktop client is that it automatically issues updates so the software is always the latest available.
With the PokerStars MI mobile app, players get everything they find on the desktop client but in a mobile version that can be taken anywhere within state lines. Much of the digital world is going mobile-first and PokerStars definitely understands that, which is why the company’s mobile products are top of the line.
Whether you have an iOS or Android device, PokerStars has a mobile product available for you. The mobile platform utilizes geolocation technology to determine a player’s location. If the location is not within Michigan state lines, the player won’t be able to play PokerStars online poker, and this also goes for playing PokerStars MI Casino or sports betting at FOX Bet in Michigan.
When it comes to online poker, PokerStars is often the first brand people think of, which means that’s where people go to play online poker when PokerStars is available in their region. With the brand providing legal online poker in Michigan, we can expect the site to gain a significant portion of the market share and have a wide variety of games running around the clock.
PokerStars MI has cash games running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Limits start as low as $0.01/$0.02 and go much higher. There are different types of limits available, too, including games with no-limit, pot-limit, and limit betting.
One of the best things about cash games is that players can come and go as they please, unlike a tournament or sit-n-go where players are locked into playing until they bust out or win. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, cash games allow players to sit in on the action and get up whenever they would like to do so.
Cash games may also be referred to as “ring games,” but the two phrases go hand in hand.
PokerStars is widely known for its robust multi-table tournament offering, which includes daily tournaments that run on a regular schedule and bigger tournament series that take place at various time periods throughout the year.
Like cash games, PokerStars has levels of tournaments available for everyone, including freerolls that can offer prizes without an entry fee. On a daily basis, we can expect to see PokerStars MI offer daily tournaments with big prize pool guarantees, such as $5,000, $10,000, and even $15,000. On Sundays, which is online poker’s biggest day of the week, we can expect PokerStars MI to offer even larger events.
PokerStars is well known for its big tournament series. In New Jersey, there is the PokerStars NJCOOP, which is the New Jersey Championship of Online Poker. In Pennsylvania, there is the PokerStars PACOOP, which is the Pennsylvania Championship of Online Poker. Don’t be surprised to see a PokerStars Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP) soon after the site goes live, which will include a wide variety of tournaments and juicy guarantees.
For those that like the tournament style of poker but don’t want to play for long hours against hundreds if not thousands of opponents, then sit-n-gos could be right up your alley. Sit-n-gos, which are often referred to as “SNGs” for short, are single-table tournaments available on-demand rather than on a schedule. Just like other poker tournaments, SNGs start players with a set amount of chips and play until a winner is crowned.
Spin & Gos are PokerStars’ turbo jackpot SNG offering. When players enter, a random draw determines the prize pool that is being played for and prizes can range from 2x to 1,000x the buy-in. Spin & Gos have become very popular due to their fast play and jackpot offering, but they are more gimmicky than regular SNGs.
PokerStars Home Games is the site’s private poker club offering, where players can set up private games to play against others, both for real money and for play money. With PokerStars Home Games, users can set the game types and limits for what is available in the club, or they can schedule tournaments with other players in the same club. The customization options are plentiful and many players have transitioned their live home games to online with PokerStars Home Games.
PokerStars is now the first online poker platform available in Michigan, which gives the operator a great leg up on the competition. Michigan has a population of nearly 10 million, which is between the populations of Pennsylvania (12.8 million) and New Jersey (8.9 million), so it’s likely we’ll see the same sort of traffic we’re seeing from PokerStars PA and PokerStars NJ.
That means PokerStars MI should have anywhere from 250-1,000 players on at a given time and tournaments should attract hundreds of players on a regular basis with the biggest events drawing more than 1,000. With this much traffic, PokerStars MI should have no problem running games around the clock.
PokerStars has the Stars Rewards loyalty program. Players earn rewards points for playing real-money online poker and those points can lead to personalized rewards from PokerStars. The rewards come in the form of PokerStars Chests and when you play enough to unlock a Chest at a certain level, you’ll be able to open the Chest to reveal the reward. The Chests contain rewards that are catered to your poker play.
With the Chests, players can win StarsCoin, which is PokerStars’ online currency that can be used in the PokerStars Rewards store.
There are a couple of negatives with the program, though. The Stars Rewards program is a little tricky to understand at first. That said, once players get the hang of it it’s pretty simple to follow. Another knock is that the rewards received aren’t going to blow you out of the water most of the time. Every once in a while you might get a very big reward, but that won’t happen most of the time. Still, some rewards, no matter how decent they are, are better than no rewards.
PokerStars provides a wide variety of banking options across its verticals, and online poker should fall right in line. Depositing and withdrawing funds is easy and secure with PokerStars, as these are areas of the platform where great emphasis is placed.
Let’s take a look at the banking options we expect to see with PokerStars MI online poker:
As PokerStars is partnered with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Michigan, players are able to deposit and withdraw cash at Odawa Casino, with locations in Petoskey and Mackinaw City.
Of course, because PokerStars MI just launched in the Wolverine State, we’ll need to wait and see exactly which cashiering options are available.
If you’re in need of customer support, PokerStars has help available through Live Chat and Email. On the desktop/browser platform and mobile apps, you’ll find the contact information in your player account, located under the “Help” or “Support” section.
The Live Chat option will likely lead to a faster response than going through email, so keep that in mind. Live Chat representatives are frequently available to assist.
As we’ve mentioned, The Stars Group is partnered with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Michigan. The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians owns and operates two brick-and-mortar venues in Michigan, Odawa Casino Petoskey in Petoskey, Michigan, and Odawa Casino Mackinaw in Mackinaw City, Michigan.
Opened in 2007, Odawa Casino Petoskey boasts 50,000 square feet of gaming space that includes nearly 1,000 slots, dozens of table games, a high-limit gaming area, and a live poker room. Odawa Casino Mackinaw, opened in 2016, is smaller at 6,100 square feet of gaming space and features 220 gaming machines.
Although PokerStars is commonly seen as a global brand, the site is expected to make a big splash in the regional Michigan market. PokerStars has an incredible amount of experience with its online poker product, which includes being one of the most veteran operators in the U.S. regulated online poker space.
In New Jersey, PokerStars launched after competitors WSOP and partypoker but quickly made up ground. In Pennsylvania, PokerStars was the only operator with online poker for quite some time. With the head start it got, plus the knowledge of what it learned from launching in NJ, PokerStars has been very successful in Pennsylvania and should be very hard to overtake for market share. Having launched regulated online poker in two different states before Michigan, PokerStars MI rolled out just days after online gambling went live.
As we’ve come to expect from PokerStars in other regions of the U.S. and across the globe, the standard is high because PokerStars is the one who sets the standard. We have high expectations for PokerStars MI online poker and players should, too. Expect good traffic, a wide variety of games for all levels, and plenty of big tournaments to be won.
With amazing software, tons of banking options and the first to go live in MI, PokerStars is on its way to dominating another US market. Whether cash games, tournaments or sit n gos are your game of choice, you cant go wrong with PokerStars.