Launched in September of 2001, PokerStars is the largest online poker room in the world. It is best known for holding the satellite tournaments that produced the 2003 and 2004 World Series of Poker champions (Chris Moneymaker and Greg “Fossilman” Raymer). PokerStars is licensed by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. It is also licensed in Italy by the Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato (AAMS).
First Deposit Bonus
When you become a member of PokerStars, you will be eligible for their 100% First Deposit Bonus. Not only is this bonus valid for up to $600, but it is also valid for the first three deposits you make in ninety days, which makes it much easier to maximize the value of this bonus.
Promotions
Members of PokerStars can take advantage of over a dozen different bonuses and promotions. Some of the promotions offered by PokerStars include:
* Turbo Takedown – A monthly Frequent Player Points tournament with a $1,000,000 prize pool.
* Battle of the Planets – Sit & Go challenge that offers the chance to win a share of over $3,000,000 in cash prizes.
* PokerStars Sunday Million – Play for at least $1,500,000 every Sunday at 4:30PM ET.
* PokerStars also provides its members with the Frequent Player Program. This loyalty program allows members to earn Frequent Player Points (FPPs), and then redeem them for apparel, electronics, tournament entries and other prizes.
Software & Graphics
The PokerStars downloadable poker room software can be installed on Windows and Mac computers. The software for both types of computers offers the same wide variety of features, including choosing different lobby and table themes, choosing your own poker avatar (which can even be a real picture of yourself), the ability to jot down notes about your opponents, detailed statistics and hand histories, table resizing and many more features that take your online poker experience to the next level.
Games Available
Regardless of what types of poker games you enjoy the most, you will be able to find them at PokerStars. Once you enter their poker room, you will be able to play 2-7 Triple, Razz, 8-Game Mix, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi Lo, Badugi, Five Card Draw, HORSE, Omaha High, Omaha Hi Lo, Omaha, Single Draw and Texas Hold’em (including pot limit and no limit games). All of the games can be played for real money, but they can also be played for free money, which provides a great learning experience if you are new to the game of poker (or want to learn a different style of poker).
Support
Because they are the largest online poker room in the world, PokerStars has a large support team that is available around the clock. If you need to contact their support team, you can send an email inquiry to support@pokerstars(.)com. While PokerStars handles the majority of their support through email, if you have an issue making a deposit into your account, you can get phone assistance by sending an email to dad@pokerstars(.)com (DAD stands for Deposit Assistance Department). The email should have “Phone Request” in the subject line, and should contain your phone number and the best time for the PokerStars support team to call you.