PokerStars
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PokerStars is the largest online poker cardroom in the world. [1] [2]
PokerStars' satellite tournaments produced the 2003 World Series of Poker champion, Chris Moneymaker, as well as the 2004 champion, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer. Those two now act as spokespeople for the cardroom, as does 2005 World Series of Poker champion Joe Hachem, also a regular player on the site. In March 2007 Poker Room Manager Lee Jones announced his retirement, effective April 1st. [3] His successor has yet to be named.
Launched in September 2001, PokerStars is owned by a Costa Rican company, Rational Enterprises. With its company headquarters on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, PokerStars is also licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Canada. Since relocating to the UK Crown dependency, PokerStars has been the subject of financial media speculation regarding a possible IPO or merger with a publicly listed company. Analysts estimated its market value would be approximately $3 billion (US), which would have made the company one of the world's largest privately held gambling companies.[4]
PokerStars overtook PartyPoker as the world's largest online poker room at around the time the U.S. Congress passed the SAFE Port Act. Many sites, including PartyPoker, immediately suspended business with U.S. gamblers, whereas others, including PokerStars, did not.[5]
PokerStars sponsors a stop on the World Poker Tour called the Caribbean Poker Adventure, and also is the principal sponsor of the European Poker Tour. In 2005, eGaming Review named PokerStars.com the "Best Poker Operator of the Year".
PokerStars offers eight varieties of poker games: Texas hold 'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo (8 or Better), Stud, Stud Hi/Lo (8 or Better), razz, five-card draw, and deuce to seven triple draw. HORSE and HOSE, "mixed games" that rotate through several of the above, are also playable.[6] Players can participate in real money games ranging from the micro limits ($.01/$.02) through the upper limits ($1000/$2000).
The home of the World Championship of Online Poker, the largest online poker tournament series in the world, PokerStars each day has over ten thousand players playing real money ring games, plus thousands more playing real money tournaments or free-play games.[7] As of March 2007 they have dealt over nine billion hands. PokerStars.com's play money players mix with those logging in from PokerStars.net, a free play-only site without real money games.
PokerStars sponsors several professional players, including Moneymaker, Raymer, Hachem, Bertrand Grospellier, Isabelle Mercier, John Duthie, Katja Thater, Lee Nelson, Luca Pagano, Steve Paul-Ambrose, Vanessa Rousso, Victor Ramdin, Wil Wheaton, Noah Boeken, WSOP bracelet winners Barry Greenstein, Humberto Brenes, William Chen and 1983 WSOP champion Tom McEvoy. [8]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Poker 2010
- ^ Poker Listings
- ^ Two Plus Two Forums: 'Cash In My Chips Please'
- ^ London Times: Pokerstars plans for $3 billion float
- ^ CardPlayer: PokerStars Will Keep Serving American Customers
- ^ List of games offered by PokerStars
- ^ Poker Site Scout: Online Poker Traffic Report
- ^ List of Team Pokerstars members from PokerStars site
