May 31st, 2012 | 3:22 am
By James Spillane, Rakeback.com Staff Writer
Starting June 1st, all of the PokerStars VIP Store bonus options will be made easier to buy.
Replacing the famous $4,000 Supernova bonus - previously bought for 250,000 FPPs - will be a $1,600 bonus on sale for 100,000 FPPs.
Effective rakeback stays the same - each FPP still has a value of $0.016 for Supernovas, and is unchanged at all other VIP levels. It's just faster now to convert your FPPs into cash.
| New Bonuses (June 1st Onwards) | Old Bonuses | |||||
| Min VIP Level | Bonus | Cost | Value / FPP | Bonus | Cost | Value / FPP |
| Bronze | $10 | 1000 FPPs | $0.01 | $25 | 2500 FPPs | $0.01 |
| Silver | $25 | 2250 FPPs | $0.011 | $50 | 4500 FPPs | $0.011 |
| Gold | $75 | 6250 FPPs | $0.012 | $300 | 25000 FPPs | $0.012 |
| Platinum | $200 | 15400 FPPs | $0.013 | $650 | 50000 FPPs | $0.013 |
| Supernova | $600 | 40000 FPPs | $0.015 | $1500 | 100000 FPPs | $0.015 |
| Supernova | $1600 | 100000 FPPs | $0.016 | $4000 | 250000 FPPs | $0.016 |
PokerStars historically has offered both the lowest rake online, and the highest potential VIP rewards thanks to the Supernova Elite program. However, players have to grind high volume in order to earn the best effective rakeback from FPP bonuses and VPP milestones. Many players prefer alternative poker rooms that pay out flat rakeback daily on every dollar of rake paid regardless of volume.
Starting June 1st, that one facet of 'rakeback' on PokerStars - buying VIP store bonuses - will become a lot more liquid, closer in feel to flat monthly rakeback. Players will still however have to meet monthly VPP targets to keep their VIP status and be eligible to buy the bonuses they aim for.
Since the major changes to its rake structure at the start of the year, PokerStars has held regular meetings with player reps to discuss how to improve the VIP program. One issue raised was that bonuses take too long to purchase - these changes now allow for a more fluid conversion of FPPs to cash. No more dormant FPPs in accounts - grinders will realise their rakeback hourly faster, moving up in stakes faster, and recreational players should stay in the games for longer, pumping more money into the poker economy.
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