PokerStars Michigan Review

PokerStars welcome bonus in Michigan

PokerStars offers not one, but two amazing bonus offers for you to choose from depending on your preferences. In addition, you are able to use both offers and stack them. For new players in Michigan, all you need to do is enter our exclusive code:

• Bonus code TBD lets you receive 100% up to $600 on your first three deposits in your first 60 days at PokerStars.
• Bonus code TBD redeems you $30 in free play with a $20 deposit.

Important: For FOX Bet players, if you already deposited there, you are ineligible for the bonus offers above.

PokerStars new player offers in Michigan

Matching deposit bonus

This lucrative bonus allows your deposit to be matched up to $600. Here are some additional relevant details:

• In order to release the bonus, you need to earn 180 redemption points (RPs) before $10 releases.
• For each $1 paid either in raked ring games or tournament entry fees, you receive five RPs.

You must deposit within your first 60 days, and you four months to clear this bonus.

$30 in free play

This technically is not a single cash payout type bonus. Instead, this bonus is distributed over a period of six days broken down either in the form of Spin & Go tickets or cash.

• Day 1: Receive five $1 Spin & Go tickets.
• Day 2: Receive five $1 Spin & Go tickets.
• Day 3: Receive five $1 Spin & Go tickets.
• Day 4: Receive a $5 cash bonus.
• Day 5: Receive five $1 Spin & Go tickets.
• Day 6: Receive a $5 cash bonus.

Read more about the Spin & Go formats in our poker games review section below.

How to sign up at PokerStars

The process of signing up for a new player account at Poker Stars couldn’t be simpler.

Geolocation requirements dictate that you are within Michigan’s borders. However, you don’t need to be a resident of the state as long as you are physically located in the state when you sign up, deposit, and play.

Make sure to enter in your personal information in order for PokerStars to determine not just your identity but also your age. Your email must be valid because PokerStars will send a validation code that you need to enter before submitting a new account.

PokerStars loyalty program

Technically called the Stars Rewards program, it is really different from other online poker rooms. Mainly, it revolves around earning RPs to unlock chests. Each chest contains some type of cash that equates to rakeback or even Spin & Go tickets. Depending on your chest level color, cash prizes can range from as little as $0.50 up to $700.

• Blue chest: Prizes of $0.50.
• Bronze chest: Prizes range from $0.60 to $12.
• Silver chest: Prizes range from $1.50 to $30.
• Gold chest: Prizes range from $5 to $100.
• Diamond chest: Prizes range from $12.50 to $250.
• Black chest: Prizes range from $35 to $700.

Based on a 28-day cycle, you need to earn 10 chests in order to move up levels over that time period. These chests also don’t just award cash prizes, but you can also receive RPs. Check your progress bar to see how close you are to earning chests.

Also, you don’t just have to earn RPs at poker, earn them while playing in the casino and sports betting platforms, as well. However, for poker specifically, you earn 100 RPs for each $1 in ring cash game rake or Zoom poker. For tournaments, you earn 45 RPs for each $1 paid in fees.

Excluded from earning RPs are no-limit and pot-limit higher stakes games such as $5/$10 and higher. For limit and 8-game, blinds of $20/$40 and higher are excluded as well.

Finally, each player’s progress bar is different, so it is very difficult to determine how much rakeback you’re actually getting.

How to download the PokerStars app

Just head directly to the Michigan PokerStars website and from there, click on “play poker now.” You’ll want to make sure you are downloading the Michigan app and not the free-play version or a different state.

PokerStars desktop version for Windows and Mac

From there, click on “run” and the process starts automatically. The entire setup may take a few minutes and then you are prompted to agree to the “end user license agreement.” Finally, launch PokerStars by double-clicking on the desktop icon.

PokerStars mobile app

The PokerStars app is available for either Apple or Android devices.

For iOS, the process also begins automatically.

For the PokerStars Android app, you may need to disable and re-enable your phone security settings for download. This isn’t because of anything that PokerStars has done. However, the Google Play Store does not allow real-money gambling apps.

Poker games at PokerStars MI

Remember that PokerStars is considered king of the online poker world. Thus, we expect this online giant to have high player traffic, all things considered.

Cash games will obviously have more players on a Friday night than say on a Monday morning. Look for player traffic to peak around 7-8 p.m. Whereas tournaments peak on Sundays, where you will find the highest guarantees of the week.

As far as poker game types and formats, there is certainly no shortage here. You can find even variants that most people have never heard of.

Cash games

There are so many types of formats that it is dizzying. Below we cover all the different types of cash games starting from the most popular.

Hold’em

Obviously, hold’em is most popular, with no-limit being the preferred game of choice. Stakes available range from as little as $0.01/$0.02 to $25/$50. Choose from either a full table of nine max, six-max or heads-up. Typically during high traffic hours, you will see stakes running up to $1/$2 on a consistent basis. For anything higher, games are difficult to start and find.

For limit hold’em, stakes run all the way up to $100/$200, but don’t expect to see this nosebleed game run except maybe at heads-up.

Omaha

Choose from pot-limit, hi/lo, five-card Omaha, five-card Omaha hi/lo, or Courchevel and Courchevel hi/lo.

Pot-limit is by far the most popular form. Again, stakes available range from as little as $0.01/$0.02 to $25/$50. Stakes actively running tend to be a bit lower, usually up to $0.25/$0.50. Although the available spread of Omaha games is impressive, it is rare to find any other type of variant running.

Courchevel is an interesting variant of Omaha where there are five cards dealt and the first flop card is face-up from the start of each hand.

Other games

It must be said that on this list, stud is the most popular. Most of these games rarely, if ever, run.

• Stud
• Stud hi/lo
• Razz
• HORSE
• 8-game
• Five-card draw
• 2-7 triple and single draw
• Badugi

Zoom

Fast fold or quickly fold your hand. Essentially, you join and are placed at a table. As soon as you fold your hand, you are moved to a new table where a new hand immediately starts. In this manner, you don’t need to wait for the hand to play out. Thus, there is no waiting.

Although Zoom poker is popular on PokerStars’ international market, it doesn’t seem to be popular here in the US yet. Possibly, if the shared liquidity or a player pool comes to pass, this poker format could catch on.

Sit-n-go (SNG) tournaments

At PokerStars, you can choose to either fill a single table or up to three tables for sit-n-gos. Also, you have a choice between NLHE, PLO and PLO8. Then, you can pick between six-max or heads-up. Available stakes range from as low as $0.25 up to $500. Obviously, the micros and lower stakes will have a better chance of filling versus the high limits.

Spin & Go tournaments

Known as PokerStars’ tournaments with their own unique spin, these tournaments tend to be more popular than the traditional sit-n-gos. Tickets for these tournaments range anywhere from $1 up to $25.

The format is three-handed, and the spin on the prize pool can range anywhere from 2x to 1,000x your buy-in. The spin begins as soon as the tournament fills. Typically, you will receive a spin of 2x.

Please note that historically, Spin & Go tournaments were not available right at launch in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Thus, we would expect Michigan to be the same.

Multi-table tournaments (MTT)

There are tournaments, particularly the no-limit hold’em variety, that run pretty much every few minutes.

The Daily Bigs

Don’t miss these daily freezeouts that give you a 10,000 starting chip stack along with eight- to 12-minute blind intervals.

The Hot Turbos

KO Fever

Known as a Progressive Super Knockout, this format sees all players having a bounty placed on them. So, if you eliminate someone, you get their bounty, which is a cash prize. For each player you knock out, your own bounty increases.

Nightly Stars

This tournament runs nightly with a fantastic $10,000 guaranteed. Buy in for $100 at 7 p.m. ET.

Moonlight Express

This is a late-night poker tournament with a hyper-turbo format, which means blind levels only last three minutes. Buy in for $20 at midnight ET with a guarantee of $1,500.

Change-Up

Are you looking to play something else besides no-limit hold ’em? Then this is the tournament series for you! Choose from Omaha, Omaha hi/lo, or stud.

Sunday Majors

No doubt about it, if you like playing tournaments, Sundays are PokerStars’ biggest day.

Banking at PokerStars

As expected, there is a wide variety of banking options associated with PokerStars MI.

How to deposit

Do keep in mind that there is a minimum $10 to deposit for most methods.

• Skrill
• Bank transfer
• Visa and Mastercard
• PayPal
• Stars transfer
• PayNearMe
• VanillaDirect
• Casino cashier cage
• Play+ card

Note that VanillaDirect is not available on mobile.

For a fast deposit experience, we recommend Skrill, bank transfer, and Visa/Mastercard. However, there is typically a high rate of declined transactions when you directly enter your Visa or Mastercard info. This is because most credit card purchaser agreements blocking any transactions deemed to be gambling.

How to cashout at Poker Stars

There are fewer methods available for withdrawing, but rest assured that your funds are completely safe and secure. Most importantly, your funds are held separately in segregated bank accounts and never used for any operational expenses. Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of playing at a fully legal and regulated poker site.

• Skrill
• Bank transfer
• PayPal
• VanillaDirect
• Casino cashier cage
• Play+ card

From the poker client lobby, click “cashier” and then “withdraw.” Enter your desired amount and click “submit.” For first withdrawals, there will very likely be an additional review. However, do note that PokerStars always reserves the right for any additional reviews for withdrawals, and this process takes time.

Also, PokerStars always credits withdrawals back to the method(s) you chose to use for deposits. This isn’t due to PokerStars, but rather this is a regulatory requirement.

Bank transfers typically take anywhere from three to 10 business days after approval to arrive in your account. Whereas, Skrill and PayPal appear within minutes, almost instantly. For the casino cashier cage, this typically takes around two hours. Thus, there are definitely pros and cons associated with banking methods as far as how fast you need your funds. Personally, we highly recommend Skrill and PayPal for deposits and withdrawals based on how fast you can move your funds.

Poker Stars customer support

You really only have one method of contacting support, which is through email. Fortunately, it appears that PokerStars is typically responsive and can solve most issues in a timely fashion. There is also an extensive help section listed on its website for more common questions or concerns.

PokerStars is owned by The Stars Group. In fact, PokerStars worldwide is so dominant, it is responsible for over two-thirds of the online poker market. Previously, PokerStars gained notoriety when Chris Moneymaker, who won the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event, satellited in through an online qualifier. This kicked off the online poker boom called the “Moneymaker effect,” and PokerStars was at the helm of the online poker craze.

PokerStars was forced to leave the US market after the Department of Justice shut down online poker in the US, an event known as “Black Friday.” Currently operating in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, The Stars Group is next eyeing Michigan for launch. In Michigan, The Stars Group has officially partnered with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority.