Compete, Climb, and Conquer: PokerStars Live League Opens a Path to Team Pro

How the PokerStars Live League Works

While the Live League is officially a new leaderboard, the concept behind it isn’t entirely foreign. Players can earn leaderboard points across European Poker Tour (EPT) events and PokerStars Opens, with separate tiers based on buy-in levels. The race kicks off at the PokerStars Campione Open on March 10, marking PokerStars’ return to live events in Italy after a six-year hiatus.

The PokerStars Live League is structured into three tiers, ensuring that players across different bankroll levels can compete for rewards. The leaderboard tiers and their corresponding prizes are:

High Tier (€5,000+ buy-ins)

• 1st Place: 4 EPT Main Event buy-ins + 4 EPT High Roller buy-ins (€62,400 value)
• 2nd Place: 4 EPT Main Event buy-ins (€21,200 value)
• 3rd Place: 2 EPT Main Event buy-ins (€10,600 value)

Medium Tier (€1,000 – €4,999 buy-ins)

• 1st Place: 4 EPT Main Event buy-ins + 4 PokerStars Open Main Event buy-ins (€25,600 value)
• 2nd Place: 6 PokerStars Open Main Event buy-ins (€6,600 value)
• 3rd Place: 3 PokerStars Open Main Event buy-ins (€3,300 value)

Low Tier (€999 and under buy-ins)

• 1st Place: 10 PokerStars Open Main Event buy-ins + 10 PokerStars Open Cup buy-ins (€15,000 value)
• 2nd Place: 10 PokerStars Open Cup buy-ins (€4,000 value)
• 3rd Place: 5 PokerStars Open Cup buy-ins (€2,000 value)

While the prize money is more than impressive, there’s something even bigger at stake — the top 10 finishers in each tier will get the chance to audition for a PokerStars Team Pro sponsorship. According to PokerStars, the chosen ambassador will receive a one-year contract valued at €100,000, gaining entry to some of the most prestigious live events in the world — we’re talking not just EPT stops but major online series like SCOOP and WCOOP.

How It Works: Scoring and Events

Most leaderboards have tiers but all of them have a point system and this is how the PokerStars Live League works. Players earn leaderboard points by participating in EPT tournaments and PokerStars Opens, including marquee events such as the PokerStars-sponsored Irish Poker Open. Restricted entry tournaments, such as Seniors’ and Ladies’ events, are also eligible for points.

Leaderboard points are awarded based on Global Poker Index (GPI) rankings, but even those who don’t make the money in a tournament won’t walk away empty-handed. Players who bust out before cashing will still receive 20% of the points that a minimum cash would have earned.

To track progress, PokerStars will provide live updates and results through the PokerStars Live app.

New PokerStars Open Passport for a Bit More Flexibility

Alongside the Live League, PokerStars is introducing a new PokerStars Open Passport, designed to give players more flexibility in how they use their Gold Passes. With this Gold Pass ‘Passport’, players can choose up to four Main Event buy-ins across multiple PokerStars Open stops. Alternatively, those seeking a mix of live and online action can convert their Gold Pass into four Silver Passes, redeemable for a blend of live and online tournaments.

Players interested in the PokerStars Open Passport can contact PokerStars customer support for details on redemption and eligibility.

The Road to PokerStars Team Pro Begins

While we can’t speak for every poker player in the league, we can say that the PokerStars Live League couldn’t have come at a better time for European players looking to take their live tournament grind to the next level. The PokerStars Open action begins March 10 at the PokerStars Campione Open, with additional stops including the Irish Poker Open in April, EPT Monte Carlo in May, and PokerStars Opens in Namur, Malaga, Manchester, and Cannes.

PokerStars has hinted that more announcements are coming, so players should stay tuned for updates on additional stops and leaderboard tracking — we’ll be keeping an eye out as well.