It’s the battle of the bounty tournament series this month with PokerStars and GGPoker putting up a combined $70 million in guaranteed prize money.
The two biggest names in online poker are going head-to-head over the next three weeks in a battle for bounty supremacy. PokerStars is hosting a $20 million guaranteed Bounty Builder , while its main rival, GGPoker, is putting on a $50 million Bounty Hunter.
Having the world’s two largest poker operators battling for supremacy is as much a sign of the industry’s current strength as it is a boon for players. Indeed, as long as you aren’t in a ring-fenced market, it’s possible to take part in both series and play for $70 million in guaranteed prizes.
PokerStars gets bounty season underway
PokerStars Bounty Builder series is first out of the gate on October 15. Action begins with a $55 No Limit Hold’em warm-up. That tournament has a $175,000 guarantee and sets the tone for a schedule that runs through until October 30 and contains over 140 MTTs.
Topping the bill during two weeks of bounty-based action are two main events. One costs $109, the other costs $1,050. These two tournaments alone will pay out at least $2.2 million, but there’s plenty more to play for.
PokerStars has packed a lot into its two-week schedule and, as is the nature of bounty events, you can make a profit without finishing top in an event. As well as running tournaments where you win money each time you eliminate a player, PokerStars’ Bounty Builder series covers a variety of formats, including semi-turbo, monster stacks and high rollers.
Some of the highlights to look out for during the PokerStars Bounty Builder series are:
- Bounty Builder Series Warm-Up: $55 NLHE – $175,000 guarantee
- Bounty Builder Series Titan: $5,200 NLHE – $400,000 guarantee
- Bounty Builder Series Sunday Million: $109 NLHE – $1,000,000 guarantee
- Bounty Builder Series: $109, 5-Card PLO8 – $25,000 guarantee
- Bounty Builder Series Adrenaline: $22 NLHE 25BB Stacks – $40,000 guarantee
Players can enter directly, go through direct satellites or enter PokerStars new Power Path qualifiers. Anyone who goes through the Power Path and wins a Bronze Pass gets access to $109 MTTs in the Bounty Builder Series. Make it through the Silver Power Path and there’s a ticket bundle up for grabs that consists of 10 x $109 tickets, 15 x $55 tickets, and 25 x $22 tickets.
GGPoker guarantees $50 million in bounty prizes
Kicking off a day after PokerStars’ series starts is GGPoker’s Bounty Hunter. Like its counterpart, the Bounty Hunter series is open to players with access to GGPoker’s international network. There will be hundreds of MTTs to choose from between October 16 and November 7, including these highlights:
- $210 Mystery Bounty Main Event – $5,000,000 guarantee + $500,000 top bounty
- $50 Global MILLION$ Bounty Edition – $1,000,000 guarantee
- Special Edition GGMasters $25 Bounty Freezeouts
The total guaranteed prizepool for GGPoker’s Bounty Hunter is $30 million more than its counterpart, which is understandable given that it goes on for longer. Satellites come as standard, and there are buy-ins under $10, so both bounty series are perfectly pitched at players across the board.
The lead up to Christmas means major events are harder to come by, but the end of October is shaping up to be a bountiful time for online poker players. While PokerStars and GGPoker have their own battles in terms of prominence and dominance, the rivalry is proving fruitful for everyone this month.
