Spin & Go Games Get Makeover at PokerStars as Value War Restarts

December 6th, 2019 | by Kaycee James

PokerStars has overhauled its Spin & Go games in an effort to provide more incremental value to fans of lottery-style gaming.

PokerStars overhauls its Spin & Go tables in an effort to dominate the STT market. (Image: PokerStars)

Part of the operator’s recent software update, the changes have introduced new buy-ins, jackpots and rake charges.

The first noticeable difference for Spin & Go regulars will be the buy-in changes.

PokerStars Shakes Things Up

Removed from the lobby are tournaments costing $7 and $15. In their place, PokerStars has introduced Spin & Go games costing $5 and $10.

As well as changes at the lower limits, $60 tables have been swapped for ones boasting a $50 entry fee.

In adjusting certain buy-ins, PokerStars has also redrawn its rake boundaries:

Games costing between $0.25 and $2 will be raked at 8%.

Games costing between $5 and $10 will be raked at 7%.

Games costing between $25 and $50 will be raked at 6%.

Games costing $100+ will be raked at 5%.

The rake charges apply to standard and the newly introduced Flash Spin & Go tournaments.

Finally, PokerStars has introduced a rotating jackpot. Offering a $1 million prizepool, the “special” will move between buy-ins at random intervals, thus giving more players a chance to win larger payouts.

Spin & Go Changes Could Reignite Industry Battle

The latest update reconfirms the importance of lottery-style tournaments for PokerStars. In April, it launched a selection of UFC themed Spin & Go tables.

Part of its recent partnership with the MMA company, the move was seen as another shot at its main rival, Partypoker.

Indeed, with sit and go tournaments becoming something of a battleground in 2019, Partypoker upped the ante in February with a $1 million game. Costing $5 to enter, the Spins tournament put the top operators on notice and prompted a wave of innovations across the industry.

The initial flurry of activity was followed be a lull at the tail end of the summer. However, as 2019 draws to a close, it seems the single table tournament (STT) war is ramping back up.

At almost the same time as PokerStars released its update, Partypoker introduced a new weekly sit & go leaderboard worth $25,500.

888poker has also made a play for dominance in recent days. One of the only online poker sites to have four-seater lottery-style games, it’s now fallen in line with its peers and removed a seat its tables.

Overall, the latest developments should prove positive for players. Although the rake charges will remain a source of contention, price reductions and increased jackpots across all three sites should result in more activity heading into 2020.