The PokerStars Winter Series kicked off this past weekend for players in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ontario and there have already been a few dozen winners crowned across those markets.
The PokerStars Winter Series runs Jan. 12-29 and offers $5 million in guaranteed prizes. It will culminate with $300 buy-in Main Event Championships, but there are plenty of other highlights across the series.
Matt “5u1ly” Sullivan & Zach “KennyTheRipper” Gruneberg Start Hot In PA
Some of the early winners on PokerStars PA included“NutFlopper412” (Winter Series 02: $100 NLHE [Friday Freezeout], $10K Gtd – $3,274), “gorb575” (Winter Series 05: $100 NLHE [Kickoff], $40K Gtd – $8,405) and “blankface777” (Winter Series 06: $20 NLHE [Mini Kickoff], $10K Gtd – $2,160).
The biggest winner so far has been Matt “5u1ly” Sullivan, who got through a field of 1,025 runners in the $70,000 guaranteed Winter Series 09: $100 NLHE [Sunday Special] to win $15,367.
Sullivan defeated heads-up opponent “Deuce9off” ($10,953.30), while others at the final table included “Farnese x” (3rd – $7,808.89), “broadstrtbully” (4th – $5,565.73) and “Flash7779916” (5th – $3,967.44).
Meanwhile, longtime Pennsylvania crusher Zach “KennyTheRipper” Gruneberg took down the $40,000 guaranteed Winter Series 10: $500 NLHE [Sunday High Roller – PKO Edition] for $13,635 as he defeated “MatthewMara” during heads-up play, who also finished sixth in the Sunday Special for $2,828.12.
Other players to nab early victories in the series include “OMC Escher” (Winter Series 08: $20 NLHE [Mini Marathon], $6K Gtd – $1,547), “krisdq345” (Winter Series 11: $10 NLHE [Mini Sunday Special], $7.5K Gtd – $1,273) and “zj1393” (Winter Series 12: $50 NLHE [Nightly Stars Turbo Edition], $10K Gtd – $2,620).
PokerStars PA Winter Series Results So Far
| DATE | TOURNAMENT | ENTRIES | PRIZE POOL | WINNER | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 01: $10 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Mini Turbo Warm Up], $5K Gtd | 528 | $5,000 | “marmar732” | $882 | |
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 02: $100 NLHE [Friday Freezeout], $10K Gtd | 177 | $16,248.60 | “NutFlopper412” | $3,274 | |
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 03: $50 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Turbo Warm Up], $10K Gtd | 384 | $17,472 | “jakey0619” | $2,979 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 04: $10 NLHE [Winter Nightly Mini Stars], $5K Gtd | 640 | $5,824 | “PokerPete215” | $1,005 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 05: $100 NLHE [Kickoff], $40K Gtd | 515 | $47,277 | “gorb575” | $8,405 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 06: $20 NLHE [Mini Kickoff], $10K Gtd | 688 | $12,521.60 | “blankface777” | $2,160 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 07: $20 NLHE [Midstack Madness – PKO Edition], $3K Gtd | 325 | $5,915.00 | “kcr109” | $884 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 08: $20 NLHE [Mini Marathon], $6K Gtd | 478 | $8,699.60 | “OMC Escher” | $1,547 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 09: $100 NLHE [Sunday Special], $70K Gtd | 1,025 | $94,095 | Matt “5u1ly” Sullivan | $15,367 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 10: $500 NLHE [Sunday High Roller – PKO Edition], $40K Gtd | 118 | $55,460 | Zach “KennyTheRipper” Gruneberg | $13,635 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 11: $10 NLHE [Mini Sunday Special], $7.5K Gtd | 776 | $7,500 | “krisdq345” | $1,273 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 12: $50 NLHE [Nightly Stars Turbo Edition], $10K Gtd | 294 | $13,818 | “zj1393” | $2,620 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 13: $30 NLHE [Hyper-Turbo, Sunday Hyper], $3K Gtd | 172 | $4,695.60 | “Manimal7985” | $937 |
“MartinChatwn” and “opedaddy” Among Big Winners in New Jersey and Michigan
The Winter Series is off to a strong start on the Michigan and New Jersey shared liquidity platform. Through Sunday’s completed events, 13 separate players have claimed titles with plenty more to come.
It all started with “paintermom4200” taking down the $10 Turbo Progressive KO tournament for $574 plus bounties, beating out a field of 992 entrants on Jan. 12.
The following day, Angel “Chr0meKing” Lopez took down Event #5: $100 Winter Series Kickoff for $11,399, beating out 720 entries. There was $50,000 in prize money guaranteed, but that guarantee was smashed and the pot cracked $66,000.
The biggest winner of the Winter Series opening weekend in MI/NJ went to “opedaddy,” who collected $17,512 for taking down Event #9: $100 Sunday Special for $17,512 in a massive field of 1,213 players on Jan. 14. On that same day, “MartinChatwn” won $16,624 for topping Event #10: $500 Sunday High Roller, which had 137 entrants and an $80,000 prize pool.
PokerStars MI/NJ Winter Series Results So Far
| DATE | TOURNAMENT | ENTRIES | PRIZE POOL | WINNER | PRIZE (IN USD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 01: $10 Turbo Progressive KO | 992 | $9,027 | “paintermom4200” | $574 + bounties | |
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 02: $100 Friday Freezeout | 261 | $23,959 | Mike “ForTheThr1ll” Haberman | $4,572 | |
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 03: $50 Turbo Progressive KO | 628 | $28,574 | “DegenCNol” | $1,915 + bounties | |
| Jan. 12 | Winter Series 04: $10 Winter Nightly Mini Stars | 1,169 | $10,637 | “greeneggs123” | $1,710 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 05: $100 Winter Series Kickoff | 720 | $66,096 | Angel “Chr0meKing” Lopez | $11,399 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 06: $20 Mini Kickoff | 1,123 | $20,438 | “vblinkchikv” | $3,284 | |
| Jan. 13 | Winter Series 07: $20 Midstack Madness | 699 | $12,721 | “hashtagbitcoin” | $853 + bounties | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 08: $20 Mini Marathon | 764 | $13,904 | “VryAvrg” | $2,359 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 09: $100 Sunday Special | 1,213 | $111,353 | “opedaddy” | $17,512 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 10: $500 Sunday High Roller | 137 | $80,000 | “MartinChatwn” | $16,624 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 11: $50 Turbo Nightly Stars | 405 | $20,000 | Naichang “cncly1314” Chen | $3,642 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 12: $10 Mini Sunday Special | 1,115 | $12,500 | “arenk222” | $2,009 | |
| Jan. 14 | Winter Series 13: $30 Hyper-Turbo | 236 | $6,655 | “YupImUpstuck” | $1,283 |