How PokerStars’ Sunday Warm Up prizes changed after Black Friday
The online poker scene, particularly on PokerStars, has seen its fair share of ups and downs, with the Sunday Warm Up tournament being a notable highlight. This week's leaderboard was a significant achievement for players, but the highest prize of the Sunday Warm Up remains elusive in search results.
In recent times, players have been able to win substantial amounts on PokerStars. A $1 rebuy tournament yielded over $6k in winnings. Looking back, the heyday of poker saw even more impressive payouts. Players could win at least $10,000 in rebuy tournaments with buy-ins as low as $3, $5, or $10 on PokerStars, or in the $26 freezeout on Full Tilt.
Before Black Friday, the Sunday Warm Up on PokerStars had a buy-in of $215 and a first-place prize of $124,358. The $3 rebuy tournament launched many careers, boasting a guaranteed prize pool of $40k. Even the Midnight Madness tournament, known for its less skilled, late-night or early morning players, could afford a week's worth of drinks with friends for the winner. After Black Friday, the Sunday Warm Up's buy-in decreased to $109 with a first-place prize of $12,000.
One player managed to win the Warm Up, Brawl, and FTOPS Mondays on PokerStars for $1,000 each before Black Friday, but their offline winnings never exceeded $50k. Seth Davis, while never winning the Sunday Warm Up or Sunday Million, has secured victories in the 2nd Chance and Super Tuesday during SCOOP. The $26 tournaments on Full Tilt offered a $35k guarantee and first place often paid around $10k.
The poker landscape on PokerStars and Full Tilt has evolved over the years, with tournament prizes fluctuating significantly. Despite the changes, the allure of these online tournaments continues to draw players, offering substantial winnings and career-launching opportunities.
