PokerStars launches the Sunday Sweat tournament with sports betting elements

PokerStars has introduced a new tournament, Sunday Sweat, at PokerStars Open in Maryland, combining poker and sports betting. Find out more about the format and prizes.

PokerStars introduced a new tournament, "Sunday Sweat," with a sports betting twist New tournament concept: "Sunday Sweat" at PokerStars Open in Maryland From October 19 to 26, the PokerStars Open series took place at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland, featuring ten trophy events. The festival’s main highlight was the Main Event with a $1,100 buy-in and a $300,000 guarantee . Thanks to 599 entries, the prize pool nearly doubled the guarantee. While Day 2 of the Main Event was underway, PokerStars held the series’ final event — the “Sunday Sweat” . This $400 buy-in tournament was run in the Mystery Bounty format, but with a unique twist: a sports betting element was integrated into the game, giving players an extra edge when drawing bounties. As a result, the traditional poker Sunday was combined with the excitement of football day. How the "Sunday Sweat" format works The Mystery Bounty format means that once players reach the money, each time a player knocks out an opponent, they get to draw an envelope with a prize from a special chest. The bounty amounts in these tournaments are unknown in advance and can vary greatly. In "Sunday Sweat," a sports element was added to the classic Mystery Bounty mechanics. Organizers picked the day’s featured American football game (this time it was Cowboys vs Broncos ) and gave each participant a ticket to choose the winner of that match. With the game broadcast on multiple screens in the poker room, players could follow both their hands and their chosen team’s progress. The main intrigue was that if a player’s chosen team won, they gained an advantage when drawing their Mystery Bounty: the option to "Go for 2." This meant that if the player didn’t like the amount in the first envelope, they could return it and draw a second envelope, hoping for a bigger prize. Football, pizza, and big wins: the atmosphere of the first "Sunday Sweat" On this day, the poker room was filled not just with excitement, but also with a football vibe: the match was on the screens, and pizza was served at the tables for all participants. The tournament attracted 148 entries , and the prize pool reached nearly $50,000 . The top 20 players made the money, and the winner took home over $8,000 . The top bounties were $3,000 and $2,000 . Players actively discussed how to pick their team: some bet on the favorite to increase their chances for an extra shot, while others chose the underdog, hoping that an upset would give them an edge over most of the field. For example, PokerStars Ambassador Joe Stapleton joked that he would pick any team except the Cowboys. When the Cowboys vs Broncos game started, most players had already chosen the Denver Broncos. After the final whistle, it turned out the Broncos won convincingly, 44–24 . More than 75% of participants picked the winner and earned the right to a second bounty draw. When the tournament reached the ITM (in the money) stage, the "Go for 2" option became especially important. Almost everyone left in the tournament had the right to two draws, significantly increasing their chances of hitting a big prize. Every time someone knocked out an opponent, the tournament paused for the bounty draw, and the tension in the room grew. Some players drew two small prizes in a row, sparking lively discussions among the rest. The first big win came when one player drew a $400 envelope, but used his second chance and pulled $2,000 — the second largest prize. At first, he tried to hide his emotions, but soon couldn’t contain his joy. Later, when only six finalists remained, the top bounty of $3,000 was still in play. One player, who had already collected several bounties, got another chance to draw. After his fourth knockout and seventh attempt, he finally pulled the top prize — $3,000 . Before that, he had already collected two $500 bounties and one for $1,000. In the end, this player made a deal at the final table, finishing the event on a high note. The debut of "Sunday Sweat" was a success: the tournament drew a great turnout and received positive feedback from players, who enjoyed the mix of poker, football, and the unique sports element in the Mystery Bounty structure. Many felt the sports aspect refreshed the familiar format and made Sunday truly festive for fans of both games. Sunday Sweat tournament results Date: October 26 Venue: Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland Buy-in: $400 Number of entries: 148 Prize pool: nearly $50,000 Payouts: Top 20 First place prize: over $8,000 Top Mystery Bounties: $3,000 and $2,000 Featured football game: Cowboys vs Broncos (Broncos won 44–24) Over 75% of players picked Broncos and earned the right to double bounty draws Among the finalists: a player who collected $3,000, $1,000, and two $500 bounties made a deal at the final table PokerStars Ambassador participation: Joe Stapleton Players’ impressions and future plans Participants noted that the new format added energy and fun to the tournament, and the chance for a second bounty draw noticeably raised the excitement level. Many discussed how the sports element affected strategy: some preferred the safe pick, while others took risks on the underdog for a unique edge. Both organizers and players were pleased with the outcome: the room was filled with emotion, football talk, and the traditional pizza was a nice touch for the evening. Although the upcoming NAPT Las Vegas series (November 3–12) does not feature a Sunday Sweat event, the successful experience in Maryland shows the potential of this format for future PokerStars events. Context: what is Mystery Bounty and why is it interesting The Mystery Bounty format is a type of knockout tournament where, for eliminating an opponent, a player receives not a fixed reward, but a random prize from a pre-set pool. The bounty amounts are distributed randomly: some may get the minimum, while others can hit the top prize, which sometimes exceeds the first-place payout. In "Sunday Sweat," this format was enhanced with a sports twist: thanks to the football element, players could influence their chances at a big win by making a choice before the match even started. This added an extra layer of strategy and engagement, and the shared sports viewing experience boosted the sense of community and excitement. What this means for PPPoker club players For PPPoker club members, the "Sunday Sweat" experience can serve as a great example of how integrating outside entertainment and unexpected mechanics can liven up familiar formats. Even in online clubs, engagement elements can be added: tournaments with extra challenges, themed days, or "secret" bonuses for certain achievements. The Mystery Bounty mechanic has long been popular on PPPoker thanks to its unpredictability and the chance to win big regardless of final placement. Adding interactivity, such as shared sports viewing or team challenges, can make home club series even more exciting and attract new players. Inspired by PokerStars’ example, PPPoker club organizers can experiment with formats to keep regular tournaments interesting, create unique events, and strengthen the community atmosphere even online.