Stars Bonuses for May

[Gunslinger]

How are you playing so little that you can't make Silver? I can get there in like 5 days or less if I really put in the time, and I don't think I'm playing that much bigger than you are.

Just real life, dude. 10-12 hour work days plus 2 little kids means I don't get to play nearly the volume I'd like. I have so much down time at work to browse forums online (get fired if I tried to play), but at home I get to play maybe 1-1.5 hours a night, 3-4 nights a week. And I'm only 4-tabling. I could probably squeak out Silver if I really tried, but it'd be hard to maintain it every month. And that situation is nowhere near as good as rakeback, basically.

[Garoen]

i feel your pain gunslinger. i play about as much as you do, albeit probably at lower stakes, and silver is nearly impossible.

[Gunslinger]

I was intrigued, so I ran some numbers. Let's say I could comfortably play enough hands each month to make silver, but not higher. Silver is 1200 VPPs/month. For 25NL, a generous rate is 1 point every 8 hands (on average it's a little worse). So to earn 1200 points, I'd have to play 9600 hands.

What are the benefits of silver? You get a monthly freeroll, I think. I have no idea what its value is, based on average attendance. It would be worthless to me, I have no time for tournaments.

The first cash bonus you can buy is $50 for 5000 VPPs. To earn enough points to buy this, I would have to play 40,000 hands ((5000/1200) * 9600). I would then have to clear 350 more points to get the money, which is another 2800 hands, but at least those would count towards the next bonus.

With rakeback at 25NL, I consistently earn 1 buy-in for every 5,000 hands I play. This adds +1.0 PTBB/100 to my winrate, BTW, which is not insignificant. This money is deposited directly into my FT account, no need to be cleared.

FT: (40,000 hands/5000) * $25 = $200.

Stars: 40,000 hands = $50.

What VIP level do you need to reach for it to be equal value? Platinum? Supernova? Maybe my numbers are off somewhere, but not by much.

This is not meant to bash Stars at all, or advertise FT. Stars is easily the top-notch site. I don't have a giant bankroll, so I'm not stressed about security. Stars support is obviously better, but I can count the number of times I've e-mailed either support on one hand.

This is just about micro stakes cash game players. Stars makes is very clear that unless I can generate a LOT of rake for them every month, there's no incentive for me to play there.

[xDiamond_CutteRx]

One thing I hadn't considered is that I'm used to the FPP rate from 4 fast 6-max PLO tables. Even compared to 6-max Hold'em, I would not be surprised if there was enough action for me to earn almost twice the same FPP's per hour. Maybe twice is pushing it, but I'll bet at least 50%. In comparison to 9-handed non-fast tables, I'll be I get at least double.

That may explain why I get points so much faster, Gunslinger. Playing four fast PLO tables, I can clear about 50-60 VPP/hour.

[miaowmiaowchowface]

wait is there any bigger instant cash?

nto that it matters cuz the aus dollar keeps going up OMG ITS KILLING ME