The launch of PokerStars in New Jersey back in 2016 was maybe the most anticipated event in the history of US online poker. Since, PokerStars has brought the heft of its international brand back into the US and re-established itself as a major player in the expanding US poker scene.

We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. PokerStars does not currently allow those from Arizona to play for real money on their website. Alternatives include Americas Cardroom, available to play for real money in all 50 states. Pokerstars, casinos in harlingen texas, en el poker que es mas alto, roulette lighter. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.

Its partnership with Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania and the launch of online poker in PA in 2019 brought it one step further into the US market. And PokerStars Michigan became the third state to see the return of PokerStars for online poker players when it launched, in partnership with the Odawa Casino Resort, in January 2021.

Current US states where you can play real-money poker on PokerStars:

How Can I Play on PokerStars in the US?

You can open a new PokerStars account from anywhere in the US (and play play-money poker). But you must be physically within a licensed state’s borders (and be of legal age) to play real money poker.

Below find a complete overview of what PokerStars currently offers poker players in the US; check back to see which new states have been or are soon to be added.

PokerStars marketing code

PokerStars Marketing Code:FREE30
Free Money Offer:Get $30 in free play with a $20 deposit
PokerStars Marketing Code:STARS600
First Deposit Bonus:100% up to $600
Available To:Adults 21 or older, located in NJ, PA or MI
Last Verified:Oct.7, 2020

How to Get Free Money on PokerStars

Players that open a new account at either PokerStars NJ, PokerStars PA or PokerStars MI are welcomed with either $30 free if they deposit $20, or a bonus match up to $600, not both.

Make a deposit of $20 or more using marketing code FREE30 and you are immediately eligible for:

  • $30 in free play

PokerStars Free Play Bonus includes:

  • $20 Bonus Money
  • $10 in Spin & Go tickets
  • Free entry into a $5,000 depositor freeroll
  • 1 million in Play-Money chips

Note:Freeroll ticket and play-money chips are added to your account immediately. The first $10 in bonus money is credited to your account within 36 hours of deposit; final $10 in bonus money credited to your account 7 days after first deposit.

Spin & Go tickets are awarded as follows:

  • Day 1: 3 x $1 Spin & Go tickets
  • Day 2: 1 x $2 Spin & Go ticket
  • Day 3: 1 x $5 Spin & Go ticket

PokerStars Spin & Go’s

Spin & Go’s are PokerStars’ signature Jackpot Sit & Go tournaments which multiply the prize pool randomly before the tournament begins. Buy-ins are from $1-$25 and each tournament then awards from 2x to 1,000 times your buy-in.

Spin & Go’s are three-handed turbo events that play out very fast and can give you amazing opportunities for big scores (up to $25,000 prize pools) compared to the buy-in.

Note that Spin & Go’s are not available in Pennsylvania.

PokerStars Deposit Bonus

The first-deposit bonus for PokerStars US players, using the marketing code STARS600, is:

  • 100% match bonus up to $600

That means whatever amount you deposit (up to $600) will be matched by PokerStars in bonus money.

Pokerstars Best Tournaments

The bonus releases in $10 increments for every 100 VIP Player Points (VPPs) earned. That is equivalent to an unprecedented 55% rakeback rate.

PokerStars awards VPPs at a rate of 5.5 for every $1 in rake paid at cash games, SNGs and tournaments. Any portion of the bonus not cleared within 120 days expires.

As part of the offer, players also get a $5,000 depositor freeroll ticket.

PokerStars Download

New PokerStars players have two ways to download the PokerStars platform and hit the tables:

  • Full PokerStars download for PC or Mac (Apple)
  • Download PokerStars app for your iPhone/iPad/Android

Both are fast and simple. To start the download on your computer, just click the appropriate link below for your state to get to the main PokerStars download page. Here are shortcuts for NJ and PA:

PokerStars software works for both for PCsand Macs; it’ll self-prompt you to download the proper format for your computer type. Once you’ve downloaded the PokerStars software you’ll finish the registration process by:

  • Creating your Stars ID (your poker screen name)
  • Setting your password
  • Entering the rest of your personal details required (email, age, etc) a
  • Bonus Code (see above)

Your account will be operational in minutes. You can also access your 1 million in play-money chips right away. If you want to play real money poker at PokerStars, you’ll also need to:

  • Download the Geolocation software to confirm you’re within New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Michigan state borders
  • Make a deposit to your account via any of the accepted methods via the “Cashier” tab

More on your deposit (& cashout) options below.

Download the PokerStars App

PokerStars has a slick and easy-to-use poker app for playing both play-money and real money poker. You can open an account via the App alone or create an account on your desktop and then log-in via the App to play.

To download the app for your iPhone, iPad or Android:

Pokerstars Belgium

  • Download the app to your iOS or Android device
  • Register your account (or log in to your created account)
  • Make a deposit or buy/play with play-money chips

PokerStars App – Game Play

The PokerStars app is made for poker players so its known for its ease-of-use and in-game functionality.

Finding cash games and tournaments is simple with a slide bar to scroll through cash games, MTTs, SnGs and Spin & Go’s; there’s also a tab at the top to toggle between real-money and play-money games.

The Lobby, Cashier, My Stars account, Challenges, Leaderboards and Customizable settings are also easy to find and use. If you want to make a real-money deposit it’s hard to miss the “Deposit” icon – just tap and you’ll be walked through depositing in a few simple steps.

As for the action at the tables, as PokerStars has always been made by poker players the betting slide bars and buttons are well positioned and easily distinguishable to avoid misclicks.

Following the action at the table is clear and straight-forward and the betting bar allows for quick increment changes. Check/fold buttons are also big and visible as are set betting increments. Multi-tabling is also possible via the app.

PokerStars cash games and tournaments

Cash Games

PokerStars offers the widest variety of cash games in US online poker:

  • No Limit Hold ’em
  • Limit Hold ’em
  • Pot Limit Ohama
  • Limit Omaha Hi/Lo
  • Eight Game
  • Limit Stud
  • Limit Stud Hi/Lo

And the list goes on. No Limit Hold‘em games dominate the lobby with popular stakes running from $0.05/$0.10 to $2.50/$5.00. NL Hold ‘em Zoom Poker (fast-fold) games also go off regularly, even more so when there’s a cash game promotion running.

SNGs

SNGs are always popular on PokerStars. The ones that do run are generally low- to mid-stakes No Limit Hold ‘em turbo games. Most of the site’s SNGs are of the 6-max variety, although heads-up games run as well.

Spin ‘n Gos

Pokerstars Beat The Clock

As mentioned above, Spin & Go’s are arguably the site’s mostpopular format. These three-person, hyper turbo games are known for their randomized payouts and blistering pace.

The format is available at the $1, $2, $5, $10 and $25 buy-in levels, and feature jackpot prizes of 1,000x a player’s buy-in.

Multi-table tournaments (MTTs)

PokerStars is the home for New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan’s biggest online tournament series events. The annual New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan Championships of Online Poker and Spring Championship of Online Poker feature dozens of events and $1 million+ guaranteed prize pools.

PokerStars also host a nice selection of smaller tournament series events throughout the calendar year, and special events like PennsylMania. That’s a recurring special event which had a prize pool of over half a million dollars with just a $200 buy in on its first go.

As for its daily and weekly MTT schedules, PokerStars also makes the grade. The site offers a dozen nightly majors with buy-ins ranging from $5 to $100 and spanning multiple game formats.

Weekend tournaments guarantee as much as $50,000, and often more during special events. Here’s a quick glimpse of PokerStars’ most popular tournament offerings in the US:

  • The Big $5(4 p.m. EST): $5 buy-in, $500 guaranteed
  • The Big $30(5 p.m. EST): $30 buy-in, $1,000 guaranteed
  • The Big $50(6 p.m. EST): $50 buy-in, $2,000 guaranteed
  • The Big $10(6 p.m. EST): $10 buy-in, $1,000 guaranteed
  • The Big $20(7 p.m. EST): $20 buy-in, $1,500 guaranteed

More daily tournaments include:

  • Hot Turbos
  • KO Fever
  • Nightly Stars
  • Moonlight Express for No-Limit Hold ’em
  • Change-up for Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and Stud

Sunday Majors on PokerStars US

  • Sunday Warm-Up(4 p.m. EST): $50 buy-in, $8,500 guaranteed
  • Sunday Storm(5 p.m. EST): $10 buy-in, $4,500 guaranteed
  • SundaySpecial(6 p.m. EST): $200 buy-in, $45,000 guaranteed
  • Sunday High Roller(7 p.m. EST): $500 buy-in, $15,000 guaranteed
  • SundaySupersonic(10 p.m. EST): $75 buy-in, $5,000 guaranteed

PokerStars Home Games

One of the favorite features for some players on PokerStars is the Home Games feature, which allows you to set up your own private poker club. You can then invite your friends to play poker online in any format you like, from cash games to tournaments to SnGs.

If you live or play in PA and NJ you can do so against each other with real money in your accounts. You can also play with play money and settle up outside of the poker game itself.

PokerStars Deposits & Cashouts

Deposits

With fully licensed and legal online poker comes a slew of easy-to-use and secure deposit and withdrawal methods. All transactions, via either the desktop or app, are encrypted, secure and protected.

Once your proper account ID and verification are set-up depositing to PokerStars NJ or PokerStars PA is virtually instantaneous. Popular deposit methods include:

  • Instant e-checks (ACH)
  • Skrill
  • Mastercard/Visa credit or debit cards
  • PokerStars Instant online banking
  • PayNearMe (7/11)
  • Cash at the Live Casino partner’s cage (check with casino to confirm: Resorts Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ; Mount Airy Casino in PA; Odawa Casino in Petoskey, MI)
  • PokerStars Play+ Card

Of these, players should consider Instant e-checks as their first line of offense. The Play+ Card is also a great option for players who have trouble completing ACH transactions. Those who favor in-person transactions are best opting for PayNearMe or cash at the casino cage.

Cashouts

Players are slightly more restricted with regard to withdrawals but still have plenty of options in both states:

  • Instant e-checks
  • Skrill
  • Cash at the cage
  • PokerStars Play+ Card

Generally speaking players must use a method as a deposit vehicle first before withdrawing via the same method.

Poker Stars Promotions

Alongside the Free Play and Deposit Bonuses, PokerStars NJ and PokerStars PA run plenty of ongoing promotions for players. Among the current or past promotions we’ve seen:

  • $10,00 Summer Holidays Challenge
  • Daily $20,000 Golden Button Challenge
  • Monthly MTT Leaderboards
  • Online satellites and Spin & Go’s for live tournament seats and packages

Check PokerStars’ promotions page in a particular state for ongoing promotions.

Pokerstars Betfair

PokerStars Live Tournaments & Packages

PokerStars hosts some pretty spectacular live events around the world and players in the US can take advantage of low buy-in satellites online to win seats and packages. Players can win seats and full travel packages to live events including:

  • European Poker Tour
  • PokerStars Caribbean Adventure
  • PokerStars Live London

and more. Also expected to return in 2020 was the:

  • PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship (PSPC)

The first edition ran in 2019 and awarded over $26 million in total to players that cashed.

Buy-in is €22,500 (approximately $25,000) but you can win your way there for much, much cheaper via the online satellites. Find the full daily and weekly satellite schedule for live events in the ‘Events’ and ‘Live’ tabs in the lobby.

PokerStars player rewards

All real money poker players at PokerStars are eligible for reward prizes through the Stars Rewards Program. Players get personalized rewards based on their playing preferences across all of the site’s products – casino and sports betting included.

Players who play real money games earn Rewards Points as they play. As you accrue points you’ll fill up an on-screen progress bar. When you reach the end of the bar for that reward level you will earn a Reward Chest to open.

Inside the Chest will be personalized rewards that best suit your level of play. There are six chest levels of increasing size and average value:

  • Blue Chest ($0.25-$5)
  • Bronze Chest ($0.60-$12)
  • Silver Chest ($1.50-$30)
  • Gold Chest ($5-$100)
  • Diamond Chest ($12.50-$250)
  • Black Chest ($35-$700)

Chests can contain StarsCoin — a virtual currency that players can spend at the site’s rewards store — tickets, and goods tailored to players’ preferences. Players can also win Top Rewards, which are massive prizes divided randomly among chests.

Boosts are also available whereby players will earn points at an augmented rate for a limited time.

PokerStars Customer Service

PokerStars offers an extensive FAQ portal divided into four primary sections:

  • Support
  • Deposit and Cash Out
  • Security
  • Account

Most of the common questions people have when creating/using a PokerStars account can be solved right there. Players can also fill out the site’s support form to request a callback or written response from an agent.

Is PokerStars Safe?

Beyond being one of the most reputable online poker brands in the entire world, every PokerStars US poker site is subject to rigorous vetting and regulations by the individual state’s Department of Gaming Enforcement.

  • In NewJersey, PokerStars has been approved and licensed by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE).
  • In Pennsylvania, PokerStars has been approved and licensed by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PCGB).
  • In Michigan, PokerStars has been approved and licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MCGB).

It’s more than accurate to say PokerStars stands apart as one of the safest poker sites online.

PokerStars VR

Virtual Reality has come to poker in the form of PokerStars VR. If you choose to dive in, your perception of live poker will never be the same.

You’ll need the proper VR equipment (and graphics support) to try it out but if you do you’ll be rewarded with a one-of-a-kind, authentic, free poker experience like you’ve never seen before. PokerStars VR offers:

  • Dazzling realism from chip to cards to players to dealers
  • Real opponents in free ring games
  • Immersive, total poker experience with authentic body language, props and accessories
  • Play against your friends on private tables or against other players across the world
  • Streaming media integration
  • Free chips and in-game purchases
  • Exotic playing locales including Macau 2050, Monte Carlo Yacht, Showdown Saloon and Galaxy Space Station
  • New SnGs plus weekly leaderboards

You can download PokerStars VR from:

  • Oculus Store
  • Steam
  • Viveport

PokerStars US FAQ

Is PokerStars Legal in the US?

Yes. PokerStars officially relaunched to players in New Jersey on March 21, 2016. It launched in Pennsylvania on Nov. 4, 2019. It arrived in Michigan on January 29, 2021. These are currently the only 3 states where PokerStars can legally offer online poker games for real-money but more are soon to come.

Can I play at PokerStars in states outside of New Jersey?

PokerStars is currently licensed to offer games in three US states: New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Michigan.

Players from anywhere can sign up and create a new account but to play real money poker online (either cash games or tournaments) you must be physically within the state’s borders. You do not have to be a resident of either state to play.

How does PokerStars know I’m in NJ, MI or PA?

In order to abide by official state gaming regulations PokerStars must guarantee players accessing its real-money games are within state borders. To do so, players on PokerStars must download a geolocation app along with the PokerStars software or PokerStars App.

Can PokerStars US players play against international PokerStars players?

No, PokerStars US only includes players within the US as of 2019. There is a current compact that allows for a shared player pool between online poker players in New Jersey, Nevada and Delaware but PokerStars does not have a site in Nevada or Delaware.

PokerStars PA and MI players are also ring-fenced and only able to play against each other. There is a likelihood, though, that all state player pools will eventually be merged among similarly licensed online poker states.

One day there is hope the full international player pool (or a portion of it) will be available again to US players.

What caused the delay of PokerStars in New Jersey?

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement had concerns about the past legal issues of PokerStars involving the US Department of Justice. The original PokerStars founder had not yet settled with the US Government at the time of the sale to Amaya Gaming.

The sale of PokerStars satisfied any issues New Jersey regulators had with the company.

Are SNG tournaments available ?

Yes. PokerStars has SNGs. Michigan and New Jersey (but not Pennsylvania) have Spin and Go’s as well.

Why does PokerStars have a casino partner in each state?

New Jersey interactive gaming law requires software providers to partner with Atlantic City casinos through their existing license. Casinos can host up to five gaming sites on a brick-and-mortar license.

Likewise, Pennsylvania and Michigan require online poker sites to have a land-based partner.

Which Atlantic City casino is PokerStars’ partner?

PokerStars is partners with ResortsCasino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Which Pennsylvania casino is PokerStars’ partner?

PokerStars is partners with Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania.

Which Michigan casino is PokerStars’ partner?

PokerStars is partners with Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey.

Does PokerStars offer casino games?

Yes, PokerStars offers casino games via Stars Casino. You can also sports bet with its sister set, FoxBet.

How big are the Sunday PokerStars tournaments in New Jersey?

Due to the market’s low-population cap, the tournament prize pools on PokerStars New Jersey are not nearly as large as they on the operator’s international site.

At present, the biggest Sunday major is the Sunday Special, which guarantees $50,000. Following that is the Sunday High Roller ($500 buy-in, $15,000 GTD).

There is also a bevy of nightly and weekly tournaments that guarantee a minimum prize pool of $10,000.

PokerStars US Review

PokerStars Quick Review

  • Traffic - 91

  • Depth of Game Selection - 93

  • Software - 98

  • Customer Support - 84

  • Promotional Value - 94

92

Summary

The PokerStars client is nothing short of stellar, matching the quality of its award-winning international platform nearly every step of the way. PokerStars also offers two generous, first-time deposit bonus; one tailored toward recreational players and another to regulars. Biannual tournament events that guarantee over $1.2 million each and an eclectic mix of game formats round out New Jersey's most complete online poker package. Now if only customer service were more accessible.

PokerStars’ History

PokerStars is the world’s largest online poker site. It peaks in the neighborhood of 20,000 players daily, according to PokerScout.

In addition to its international poker site, it also holds licenses in the ring-fenced markets of Italy, France and Spain. It is the largest site in two of these three regulated and ring-fenced countries.

PokerStars was not always the largest online poker room in the world. PartyPoker held that distinction until October 2006, when it left the US market. PartyPoker has the most cash-game players, but PokerStars had more tournament participants.

As a result, PokerStars immediately became the largest cash-game site when it announced it would stay in the US market after 2006. It raked an estimated $2 million per day after this decision.

PokerStars’ legal woes

Because of this success, the US Department of Justice took notice. PokerStars became the target of an investigation from the US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York.

On April 15, 2011, an indictment was unsealed that named PokerStars and two executives. The charges related to violating the Illegal Gambling Business Act and the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Furthermore, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker were also named on the same indictment.

PokerStars immediately withdrew from the US market, as did Full Tilt and Absolute Poker. Most noteworthy is that PokerStars was able to reimburse account balances for US players within 10 days. Full Tilt and Absolute Poker were unable to pay.

Subsequently, PokerStars acquired Full Tilt through a corporate settlement with the US Justice Department worth $731 million. Part of this settlement went toward paying Full Tilt Poker players that were victims of what the federal government described as fraud.

Once these charges were settled, PokerStars attempted to gain licensing in New Jersey for the state’s new interactive gaming industry that launched in November 2013. They partnered with Resorts.

PokerStars previously attempted to buy the Atlantic Club. They infused the ailing casino with much-needed cash while it attempted to get licensed. Atlantic Club backed out of the deal after the guaranteed closing date passed.

It appeared Atlantic Club was hoping to fetch a higher sales price. That never materialized. Atlantic Club fell into bankruptcy and closed in January 2014. Subsequently, its assets were divided between Caesars Entertainment and Tropicana Entertainment through a bankruptcy auction.

While PokerStars resolved its case through a civil settlement, executives of PokerStars never resolved their charges. This was the reason cited by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for suspending its gaming license application for two years.

PokerStars’ new owner and eventual entry into New Jersey

Rational Group, the parent company of PokerStars, decided the solution was to sell the company. Amaya Gaming was the suitor.

Amaya Gaming acquired PokerStars in July 2014 for $4.9 billion. As a result, PokerStars’ equity holders left the company at the close of the transaction.

It appears that this merger was the catalyst that gave PokerStars the green light in New Jersey. The Division of Gaming Enforcement is satisfied that PokerStars is now suitable.

Amaya Gaming was already licensed in New Jersey. It maintains several casino platforms, as well as Betfair’s poker platform.

Bet

The path was more straightforward to PokerStars to get licensed in Pennsylvania and Michigan, and it managed to be the first online poker site regulated by the state gaming control boards to launch in each state.

Amaya Gaming would either need to defeat that language in bills before they become law or prevail in court challenges under the position that the so-called bad actor clauses are unconstitutional.

Additionally, online poker regulations in Nevada include a tainted asset clause. This means that the sale of PokerStars does not clean the brand in the eyes of regulators. Unless current Nevada law changes, or is found unconstitutional, PokerStars will never operate in Nevada.

Delaware has no such language in its online poker regulations.

Legal and Licensed
  • Online poker in Michigan
  • Trusted Name
  • Earn prizes inside custom chests
  • Best poker software in the industry

*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.

What bonuses to expect from PokerStars Michigan?

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 CodeNone - just click this link
Free Money$30 Free
Deposit Bonus100% up to $600
Bonus ValidFebruary 2021
MI PartnerLittle Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
Online SinceJanuary 2021

How the bonus works

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.

Advantages of playing online poker at PokerStars MI

  • Global online gaming leader: PokerStars is a global gaming leader, and it all started with the company’s flagship online poker product. Over the years, PokerStars online poker has only gotten better. Whether it be software, available games, or safety and security of the platform, there is a reason that PokerStars is the leading online poker platform in the world.
  • Casino, poker, and sports betting all in one: PokerStars online poker is within the portfolio of The Stars Group. That portfolio also includes online casino and sports betting (FOX Bet). With all three legal in Michigan, players to have access to all three verticals under one roof. This is an extremely convenient part of PokerStars’ offering in Michigan.
  • Great user-friendly software: As we’ve already stated, PokerStars is a global gaming leader and you can’t be a leader without leading software. PokerStars’ online poker software is the best in the world. It’s very user-friendly, intuitive, and allows for a wide variety of games to be offered.
  • Safety and security: As part of PokerStars’ leading software is top-notch safety and security. PokerStars leads the way in this regard and players can confidently feel safe and secure with PokerStars through everything from game integrity to banking.

Which software platforms are available for PokerStars Michigan?

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.

Desktop software

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.

Mobile software

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.

PokerStars MI game selection

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.

Cash games

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.

Tournaments

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.

Sit-n-gos and Spin & Gos

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

Pokerstars Bet Slider

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.

What will traffic be like for PokerStars MI?

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 MI loyalty program

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.

What kind of banking options are available at PokerStars MI?

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:

  • Instant eChecks
  • Credit/debit card (Visa and MasterCard)
  • PayNearMe
  • Stars Transfer (Online Bill Pay)
  • Skrill

Pokerstars Net My Account

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.

Customer support

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.

More about Odawa Casino and the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians

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.

Conclusion

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.

PokerStars MI Verdict

  • Software
  • Traffic
  • Loyalty Program
  • Deposit Bonus
Summary

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.