PokerStars, Twitch have symbiotic relationship
PokerStars announced on Monday that players can now link their PokerStars and Twitch accounts for the chance to participate in “exclusive activities” and win prizes.
In a promotion that will last until just before Christmas, PokerStars will give away two Platinum Passes to the 2020 PokerStars Players No Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) in Barcelona to qualifying Twitch streamers.
At the inaugural American Poker Awards, Twitch was awarded the 2014 “Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year” award
Twitch, launched in 2011, is known primarily as a video game streaming platform, but it allied itself early on with the poker community.
At the inaugural American Poker Awards, Twitch was awarded the 2014 “Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year” award for opening up its site to poker streaming.
Watch and stream poker for chance to win
In order to win a Platinum Pass, players must first link their PokerStars and Twitch accounts. PokerStars provides instructions for how to do so – via the poker client, Stars website, Android app, or iOS app – in the blog post announcing the promo.
After that, it will take some luck and creativity.
On December 23, PokerStars streamers Georgina “GJReggie” James and Mason “pyefacepoker” Pye will each select a Platinum Pass winner. They will judge the entries based on “innovation,” “entertainment value,” and “quality of production.”
The Platinum Pass includes a €22,500 (USD $24,783) entry into the PSPC, accommodations at five-star hotel for six nights, plus €1,250 (USD $1,377) in travel expenses. Winners of the Twitch promo will also receive $1,000 in their PokerStars accounts, plus a streaming-ready PC.
PokerStars is also entering everyone who connects their PokerStars and Twitch accounts by December 1st into a $5,000 All-In Shootout tournament. The event takes place at noon eastern on December 2.
2019 PSPC delivered on promise
PokerStars unveiled plans for the PSPC in 2018, hyping it for an entire year before the event debuted in January of this year.
The $25,000 buy-in tournament attracted 1,039 entries making it the largest $25,000 live poker tournament ever. It demolished the previous mark of 639 set at the 2007 World Poker Tour Championship.
A total of 320 Platinum Passes were awarded for the 2019 PSPC
Part of the year-long build-up to the PSPC involved doling out Platinum Passes so that people who wouldn’t normally be able to afford the $25,000 buy-in could play in such a huge event. A total of 320 Platinum Passes were awarded for the 2019 PSPC.
PokerStars added $1 million to the PSPC prize pool, which ended up totaling $26.5 million.
Ramon Colillas, a Platinum Pass winner himself, won the 2019 PSPC and its $5.1 million first prize.