Secure
Secure
Trusted
Trusted
VERIFIED BADGE
Verified
Flag Background

PokerStars US Announces September COOP Series

Written by Jennifer Newell
Last updated on
Jennifer Newell

PokerStars knows how to walk and chew gum at the same time. More accurately, the online poker operator knows how to operate massive tournament series in various parts of the world on separate platforms but at the same time.

Currently, PokerStars’ global site is running the World Championship of Online Poker, better known as WCOOP. It is its biggest series of the year and its flagship one as well. As it celebrates its 20th anniversary, WCOOP is in the midst of offering 306 tournaments and guaranteeing at least $100M in prize pools. Though it started back on August 22, it continues through September 15. It’s kind of a big deal.

Meanwhile, PokerStars is ready to offer COOPs for US players. The US Championships of Online Poker will run three series simultaneously – one in Michigan, one in Pennsylvania, and one for New Jersey players. Since the sites have yet to be connected across state lines (per delays in governors signing a multi-state agreement), PokerStars must keep the series separate.

This September, there will be a PACOOP, MICOOP, and NJCOOP.

Keep Your COOPs Straight

If you’re thinking you’ve already seen a COOP announcement this year for US players, you’re correct. However, that was the SCOOP series – the Spring Championship of Online Poker – earlier this year. It was the first baby of WCOOP and keeps players occupied in the spring months so they can remain patient for the WCOOP action in the fall.

This year was the first time PokerStars ran a SCOOP in Michigan. That created the opportunity for a triple series in the US market. And it did well.

-PASCOOP in Pennsylvania = 123 total tournaments, $2,642,485.55 prize money awarded

-MISCOOP in Michigan = 120 total tournaments, $2,356,657.40 prize money awarded

-NJSCOOP in New Jersey = 163 total tournaments, more than $1.36M prize money awarded

The triple series awarded 406 SCOOP titles from more than 117K entries in all.

Now, PokerStars is gearing up to offer the WCOOP action for those three states.

What US COOPs Have in Common

The three COOP series will have some things in common. The PACOOP for Pennsylvania, MICOOP for Michigan, and NJCOOP for New Jersey will all…

-Start September 10 and run through September 27

-Guarantee $4.5M in total across all three series

-Award special trophies to Main Event winners

They all share some of the most popular ways to win seats at discounted rates through satellites and even freerolls.

-Spin & Go: Three-handed, fast-paced SNGs will award Main Event satellite tickets starting August 31 at just $3

-Depositor Freeroll: Free tournament for all players depositing $30 or more with the appropriate promo code (PACOOP, MICOOP, or NJCOOP) starting August 31, with freeroll awarding 50 Main Event seats

-Second Chance Freeroll: All players who participate in COOP events and don’t make the money will receive tickets to Second Chance Freerolls, each awarding $5K in COOP tickets.

PACOOP-Specific Information

The Pennsylvania offering of COOP will guarantee $2M in prize pool guarantees, the largest in its still-short history. This will play out over 65 events. Buy-ins range from $10 to $1K, but most of them stay between $50 and $200. And then there will be the Main Event and its sister tournament, along with other designated “Championship Trophy” events:

-Event 5 on Sept 11 (6pm): $50 buy-in NLHE Big Kickoff 8-Max ($50K GTD)

-Event 24 on Sept 15 (8pm): $250 buy-in NLHE 6-Max ($40K GTD)

-Event 35 on Sept 18 (8pm): $250 buy-in PLO 6-Max High Roller ($20K GTD)

-Event 50 on Sept 23 (7pm): $250 buy-in NLHE PKO Thursday Thrill ($55K GTD)

-Event 61 on Sept 26 (6pm): $300 buy-in NLHE Main Event ($200K GTD)

-Event 62 on Sept 26 (6:30pm): $50 buy-in NLHE Mini Main Event ($40K GTD)

-Event 63 on Sept 26 (8pm): $1K buy-in NLHE 8-Max High Roller ($75K GTD)

-Event 68 on Sept 27 (8pm): $200 buy-in 8-Game ($20K GTD)

A PACOOP leaderboard challenge will award the top finishers in the series overall with prizes. The winner will receive a special trophy and $2,500 in cash, but all of the top 15 will receive cash. All will receive portions of $8K.

MICOOP-Specific Information

Michiganders will be able to play the MICOOP events, of which there will be 65. And that series will guarantee its largest to date at $2M in total. This series offers the same range of buy-ins as in Pennsylvania, along with two Main Event options and other Championship Trophy-designated events:

-Event 5 on Sept 11 (6pm): $100 buy-in NLHE 8-Max Big Kickoff ($50K GTD)

-Event 23 on Sept 15 (8pm): $250 buy-in NLHE 6-Max ($30K GTD)

-Event 34 on Sept 18 (8pm): $250 buy-in PLO 6-Max High Roller ($15K GTD)

-Event 49 on Sept 23 (7pm): $250 NLHE PKO Thursday Thrill ($40K GTD)

-Event 60 on Sept 26 (6pm): $300 buy-in NLHE Main Event ($150K GTD)

-Event 61 on Sept 26 (6:30pm): $50 buy-in NLHE Mini Main Event ($30K GTD)

-Event 62 on Sept 26 (8pm): $1K buy-in NLHE 8-Max High Roller ($60K GTD)

-Event 67 on Sept 27 (8:30pm): $200 buy-in 8-Game ($15K GTD)

Michigan will reward the top players in its series, too. Out of a total of $7,500 in prizes, the winner will receive $2K and a leaderboard winner’s trophy. The top 10 finishers will receive payouts for the most points collected in the series.

NJCOOP-Specific Information

New Jersey’s players will see a smaller series with only 60 events and $1M in guarantees. That is the same amount guaranteed last year. Prize pools and cash game traffic trackers show that the series will have difficulties with higher expectations than those. Buy-ins begin at $10 and top out at $1K but tend to average around the $100 or $200 buy-in mark. The two Main Events will be surrounded by other Championship Trophy events:

-Event 4 on Sept 11 (6pm): $100 buy-in NLHE 8-Max ($25K GTD)

-Event 14 on Sept 14 (7pm): $250 buy-in NLHE Super Tuesday ($35K GTD)

-Event 20 on Sept 15 (8pm): $1K buy-in NLHE 6-Max High Roller ($40K GTD)

-Event 25 on Sept 17 (7:30pm): $300 buy-in 8-Game ($15K GTD)

-Event 34 on Sept 19 (5pm): $300 buy-in NLHE ($50K GTD)

-Event 44 on Sept 23 (7pm): $250 buy-in NLHE 8-Max Thursday Thrill ($30K GTD)

-Event 52 on Sept 26 (5pm): $300 buy-in NLHE Main Event ($100K GTD)

-Event 53 on Sept 26 (6pm): $50 buy-in NLHE Mini Main Event ($22.5K GTD)

This leaderboard challenge for Jersey players will award $6K in total to the top 10 players, with $2K and a trophy for the winner.

 

search

Featured Blogs