Sign up | Forgot password?

PokerStars has taken their initial deposit bonus up to a whole new level. Gone are the days of the $50 deposit bonus, which has been replaced with a new 100% up to $600 initial deposit bonus. This bonus is available to all new players depositing for the first time. To guarantee the maximum possible bonus, as well as many other perks, make sure you use the Bonus Code STARS600 when prompted. As soon as you have deposited at least $50 your account will be credited with a matching amount of pending bonus money. Even if you are unable to deposit $600 at once, you can still receive all $600 in bonus by depositing twice more within 90 days. To our knowledge PokerStars is the only site with this option, and is just another great example of their excellent customer service.

Also, be sure to use the Marketing Code flopturnriver when registering your new account. Not only will you receive the 100% bonus but you will also become eligible to play in our monthly private tournaments including two freerolls and the FTR300, a $3 buy-in, $300 money-added event.

Your bonus will immediately hit your account and can be found in your Cashier under the "Check My Bonus Status" tab. The bonus clears in $10 increments, which is great for those playing smaller stakes who cannot clear the bonus quickly. For every dollar in bonus players have to earn 17 VIP Player Points, also known as VPPs. VPPs are earned by paying rake in real money cash games or fees in multi-table tournaments and/or SNGs.

For tournaments, 5 VPPs are awarded for every $1 in tournament fees paid. For example, playing a $20+$2 SNG will earn a player 10 VPPs. Cash games are a bit more difficult to calculate, as the amount of VPPs earned depends on the amount raked from each pot. Unlike other sites, PokerStars VIP System does not depend on whether or not you contributed to the pot. As long as you were dealt cards you will receive VPPs once the rake reaches a certain amount. At $1/2 stakes and below, all players will receive 1 VPP once the rake hits $.40. A 2nd VPP is awarded when the rake reaches $2 at 6-max and $3 at Full-Ring games. A 3rd and final VPP is awarded if the rake ever reaches $5, which typically only happens at high stakes limit games.

PokerStars has also recently implemented a new VPP system for many of their tables. The new system awards 5 VPP per $1 paid in rake to the entire table. From there it is split equally among all of the players dealt in the hand. This system was brought about in an attempt to make the entire VPP program more fair for players playing different games. Previously, it was found that at most Full Ring cash games, players were accumulating VPPs at a much faster rate than at other games. This new system is in effect on all 6-max tables, Full Ring Limit games up to $.25/$.50, Full Ring No-Limit games up to $.05/$.10 and all Heads-Up tables.

This is a solid deposit bonus which expires in 6 months after your initial deposit. In the past PokerStars made a player clear the entire bonus before crediting their account. However, their new policy credits your account after you earn 170 VPPs for $10 in bonus. Those who enjoy multi-tabling should have no problem clearing this bonus in its entirety. For the micro stakes players, this bonus will take some time to clear; however, the fact that you receive the bonus in $10 increments makes it worth your while.

PokerStars also offers a few reload bonuses through out each year, typically in the $200-$300 range. These bonuses are not as lucrative as most sites initial deposit bonuses, but they are a nice little perk for staying loyal to PokerStars.