PokerStars History

2008: PokerStars TV and the LAPT

New and ever-growing live poker tours, video content and even more choice for online players typified PokerStars approach to 2008. Once again the PCA kicked the year off as 1,136 players battled for a Main Event worth more than $8.5 million at the Atlantis Resort and Casino. Team PokerStars Pro ‘ElkY’ was crowned champion for $2 million, further strengthening his image as one poker’s best tournament players.

At the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final, 842 players put up €10,000 each, creating a Main Event prize pool of €8,420,000 (approximately $13.2 million). The event was won by Canadian Glen Chorny, who took home the first prize of €2.02 million (more than $3.1 million).

New Games and New Tours

In May, the first Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) event took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 314 players paid $2,500 each to enter, with Dutch player Julien Nuijten winning the $222,940 first prize. And in August, PokerStars added 2-7 Single Draw, Mixed Hold’em, Mixed Omaha, and 8-Game Mix to its game offerings, with Badugi following in November.

Prior to the LAPT’s introduction, July saw PokerStars launch its media website, PokerStars.tv, with video blogs, live coverage of PokerStars events, and replays of online events.

In September, the 2008 WCOOP drew alongside the World Series of Poker* in terms of size, with 33 events and total prize money of $39,958,000. The Main Event, which had a $5000+$200 buy-in for the first time, had a prize pool of $10,925,000. ‘Ckingusc’ won the event and the $1,265,423 first prize.

More World Records

In December, PokerStars entered the Guinness Book of World Records once again for the largest number of players in a poker tournament. 35,000 people paid $11 each to participate. That same month, 250,000 players were on PokerStars simultaneously for the first time.

*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars License Company, LLC ("Caesars"). Caesars does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.