PokerStars Review 2026
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PokerStars is one of the most established and trusted online poker rooms in the world, known for its unmatched tournament variety and 25-year legacy in the space. While GGPoker has overtaken it in overall cash game traffic in recent years, PokerStars remains a top destination thanks to its deep game selection, prestigious tournament series, and one of the most structured loyalty programs in online poker.
New players can register using PokerStars promo codes to unlock the site's 100% welcome bonus up to $600, along with access to daily promotions like Power Path and Jet Set Challenge. As soon as your account is verified, you can dive into cash games, Zoom fast-fold poker, and a packed tournament schedule that includes flagship series like SCOOP, WCOOP, and the iconic Sunday Million
PokerStars Games
PokerStars offers one of the deepest game selections in online poker, with everything from mixed games to fast-fold formats.
| Game | Format |
|---|---|
| Texas Hold'em | Classic community-card poker |
| Omaha & Omaha Hi-Lo | 4 hole cards, standard and split-pot variants |
| Seven Card Stud & Stud 8 or Better | No community cards, standard and split-pot variants |
| Razz | Lowest hand wins, Stud variant |
| 2-7 Triple Draw & Single Draw | Draw poker, lowest hand wins |
| HORSE | Rotating mix of five classic variants |
| 8-Game | Rotating mix of eight variants |
| Zoom | Fast-fold poker |
| Spin & Go | Randomized jackpot 3-player format |
PokerStars Rake
PokerStars applies a standard rake to cash games and tournament buy-ins, with the exact percentage and cap varying by stake, game type, and format. Much of this rake is returned to players through Stars Rewards, meaning your effective cost of play can drop significantly depending on your loyalty tier and volume.
| Game Type | Typical Rake | Rake Cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-Limit Hold'em (Full Ring/6-Max) | ~5% | Varies by stake, capped per pot | Lower stakes often see proportionally higher effective rake |
| Pot-Limit Omaha | ~5% | Capped per pot, similar to Hold'em | Slightly higher rake at micro stakes in some formats |
| Zoom Poker | ~5% | Capped, comparable to regular cash games | Rake contributes to reward points at the same rate as standard tables |
| Mixed Games (HORSE, 8-Game, Stud) | ~5% | Capped per pot | Lower average rake impact due to typically higher average stakes |
| Tournaments (MTT/Sit & Go/Spin & Go) | 5-10% of buy-in | Fixed fee, not pot-based | Fee scales down slightly at higher buy-in levels |
Tournaments
Amazing selection of poker tournaments for all stake levels. On PokerStars, tournaments might feel a bit different than on other top poker sites due to the higher average skill level of the players.
| Tournament | Details |
|---|---|
| SCOOP | 400+ tournaments, ~$45 million guaranteed, buy-ins $2.20-$10,300 |
| WCOOP | 300+ tournaments, $100 million+ guaranteed, buy-ins $5.50-$25,000 |
| MicroMillions | 200+ tournaments, $3.5 million guaranteed, buy-ins $0.22-$22 |
| Sunday Million | Iconic weekly event, typically $1 million guarantee, $109 buy-in |
| Power Path | Qualifiers to EPT, BSOP, PokerStars Open, and APPT from small buy-ins |
PokerStars Cash Games
PokerStars offers one of the deepest cash-game menus online, with strong software supporting high-volume multi-tabling.
| Cash Game Area | Notes |
|---|---|
| NLH | Strong traffic from micros upward, especially 6-max |
| PLO | Good availability at low and mid stakes, including Zoom pools |
| Zoom | Signature strength, fast, smooth, high traffic |
| Mixed games | One of the few sites with meaningful mixed-game traffic |
PokerStars Promotions: Built Around the Stars Rewards -system
PokerStars offers a solid range of promotions built around its Stars Rewards ecosystem, seasonal tournament series, and ongoing player missions. When you log in to your account, you'll see all available promotions and bonus offers.
| Promotion | Details |
|---|---|
| Power Path | Four-step qualifier route from $0.50 buy-ins to Spade, Bronze, Silver, and Gold Power Passes worth up to $10,300, redeemable for EPT events or top online tournaments |
| Early Bird Zoom | Doubles Reward Points for the first 10 players starting NLH/PLO 6-max Zoom pools up to $2.50/$5 stakes |
| All-In Poker Leader Boards | Weekly leaderboard with $12,000 in cash prizes; players earn random points after every all-in hand, win or lose |
| Jet Set Challenge | Seasonal promotion (five weekly continents) offering up to $300K in Sunday Million Anniversary tickets through landmark-based challenges |
| Wildcard Wins Leader Board | Weekly sports betting leaderboard offering Silver/Bronze Power Passes and Sunday Million tickets, running June 15-July 19, 2026 |
PokerStars Stars Rewards Loyalty Program
PokerStars uses a chest-based loyalty system called Stars Rewards, where players earn Reward Points on every dollar of rake or tournament fees paid.
A central feature is the tiered chest system, ranging from Blue at 15% effective rakeback up to Black at 40%, with Select and Select+ tiers offering fixed daily cash rakeback of 50-60% for high-volume players.
| Chest Level | Points Required | Chest Value | Effective Rakeback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 2,000 | $3 | 15% |
| Bronze | 6,000 | $10.50 | 17.50% |
| Silver | 20,000 | $40 | 20% |
| Gold | 50,000 | $125 | 25% |
| Diamond | 120,000 | $360 | 30% |
| Black | 250,000 | $1,000 | 40% |
| Select | $50,000 rake/year | Daily cash | 50% fixed |
| Select+ | $100,000 rake/year | Daily cash | 60% Zoom & Spin / 50% other |
PokerStars Software & Features
PokerStars continues to set the software standard in 2026, with clean, responsive, and highly customizable tables. High-volume grinders can run up to 24 tables simultaneously, supported by a comprehensive settings panel with granular controls over the playing experience.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Multi-tabling | Up to 24 tables simultaneously with custom layout options |
| Table customization | Themes, animations, graphics, chat settings, and color-coded stacks for quick visual reads |
| Hotkeys & bet slider | Configurable hotkeys and bet slider for faster, more efficient play |
| Run It Twice | Toggle available at eligible cash game tables |
| Auto Buy-In/Rebuy | Automatic buy-ins for cash games and rebuys for tournaments |
| HUD compatibility | Supported for third-party tracking software in most markets |
| Built-in replay tool | Review key hands and tournament moments directly in the client |
| Player notes | Tag and annotate opponents, with notes carrying across all tables automatically |
| Multi-currency support | Manage balances across different currencies without switching accounts |
