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Double the Knockouts: PokerStars Bounty Builder Series Returns with $15M GTD

Double the Knockouts: PokerStars Bounty Builder Series Returns with $15M GTD
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Iva Dozet News Editor
  • Fact Checked by: PokerListings
  • Last updated on: January 30, 2025 · 2 minutes to read

PokerStars is bringing back its Bounty Builder Series and even at first glance, it’s going to be two weeks of bounty-chasing madness from February 2 to February 17. There are 169 tournaments on the schedule and $15 million guaranteed for the entire series. In translation – there’s going to be no shortage of knockout action, regardless of whether you’re a low-stakes player looking for a shot at some extra cash or a high-roller hunting for six-figure payouts.

In this article, we’re break down everything you need to know about the PokerStars Bounty Builder Series.

Bounty Builder Series Highlights

To no one’s surprise, the spotlight of the Bounty Builder Series is on the two Main Events, both set for February 16, and each guaranteeing $1 million:

  • $109 Main Event – $1M GTD
  • $2,500 High Roller Main Event – $1M GTD

Their knockout format means that every elimination pays immediately, and the deeper you go, the bigger the the bigger the bounties get.

Of course, beyond the Main Events, there’s plenty of tournament variety on the schedule. Some of the key events include:

TournamentGTDDate
$109 Sunday Million$1M GTDFebruary 2
$55 Mini Bounty Builder HR$250K GTDFebruary 2
$215 Mystery Sunday Million$1M GTDFebruary 9
$5,200 Titans$200K GTDFebruary 2
$1,050 High Roller Mystery Bounty$125K GTDFebruary 16
$22 7-Max Turbo Mystery Bounty$80K GTDFebruary 17

Even from the highlights, you can see that PokerStars has ensured there’s something at every buy-in level, but no matter the tournament, expect the same core principle: knock out a player, win a chunk of their bounty, and keep building until you’re the one with the biggest target on your head.

Progressive Knockout (PKO) tournaments have taken the online poker world by storm in recent years, and if we’re being honest, it’s easy to see why. Unlike regular tournaments, where most of the prize pool is locked behind the final table, PKOs let players earn payouts immediately by knocking out their opponents.

Each player starts with a bounty. Take them out, and you get half of their bounty as instant cash, while the rest is added to your own. The more players you eliminate, the bigger your bounty grows — meaning you’ll become an even more valuable target. With knockout bounties ramping up as the tournament progresses, you’ll often see final tables with some enormous payouts.

Who’s Next to Join the Bounty Builder Hall of Fame?

Poker fans know it’s been a while since the last Bounty Builder Series took place in October 2023 and saw some massive results. In the $109 Main Event, Vietnam’s “flowerloveeee“ outlasted a 12,490-player field to claim $90,021, while Argentina’s “Mr.LuckyMan88” took down the $1,050 Main Event, pocketing $154,369. The question now is – who will join the Bounty Builder Hall of Fame in 2025?

Since these tournaments are known for drawing huge player pools and producing some of the biggest knockout payouts of the year, it’s still too early to tell. With two $1 million GTD Main Events this time around, plus the return of the Mystery Bounty format, expect some serious action at the virtual tables – we’ll be here to keep you updated!

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