This article was first published in February 2023.

PokerStars prides itself on providing the most player-friendly poker experience. That’s whether you’re playing strictly online or if you like to play your poker face-to-face.

And one area that PokerStars truly excels is the transition between the two.

For close to two decades, players have been migrating from the online tables to live events after winning an online EPT satellite. We have all heard the numerous stories about EPT satellite qualifiers striking it rich after booking their seat for peanuts.

But before you start dreaming about hoisting a trophy aloft, you’ll probably want to know exactly what happens when you win an EPT satellite.

How do you get to an event? Who sorts out your accommodation? What do you need to do yourself, and what will PokerStars take care of?

This guide should demystify some of these things.

You won an EPT satellite! What now?

The very moment you win an online satellite to a live event on PokerStars, an automated email will head directly to your inbox.

The wording may change very slightly, but here’s the message that players received after winning seats to either the Eureka Prague Main Event or the EPT Prague Main Event.

That’s all fairly straightforward, and will at least confirm with you that it wasn’t just a dream. You did indeed win the tournament, you just need to wait now for further details.

The important point here, however, is that you need to make sure your email address is up to date in the PokerStars client. Most correspondence from here is going to be via email. So you’ll want to be sure the messages can get through.

The follow-up emails

With a few sporadic exceptions, there are usually two types of EPT satellite winners. Players who have won “seat only” and those who have won a “full package”.

“Seat only” is just that. Your online satellite victory has bought you your buy-in to the target tournament. It’s your responsibility now to get to the venue, sort out your accommodation, and then play.

If you’ve won a full package, however, you’ve also already sorted yourself some additional bonuses.

Your next email from PokerStars will tell you much more about what you’ve got, what you haven’t got, and what you need to do now.

Again, wording changes slightly from event to event, but here’s an example of a qualifier’s email for the upcoming PSPC.

There’s a reference there to another email regarding hotel. The general gist is that PokerStars will almost always take care of your hotel booking. You just need to specify what kind of room you want, what days you’ll be arriving and leaving, and any other specific requests.

Flight booking will be your responsibility. The package comes with a good chunk of money added to your PokerStars account — in the instance above, $1,900.This should cover the flight (or pay a good part of it, at least). But you’ll need to make the booking.

However, be sure to let PokerStars know details of your flight because one of the qualifier perks is a taxi transfer to your hotel. This is always welcome, and it’s usually pretty plush too.

If you’ve always looked on enviously at an airport at the people searching for their name on a board, to be whisked away by a chauffeur, that’s going to be you!

Player liaison

The next message you’ll receive from PokerStars will come from a Player Liaison officer. This is another great part of the PokerStars Live experience.

Every qualifier is allocated a player liaison, and this person will speak your language, both literally and metaphorically.

You’ll be able to ask them any questions you want, in whatever language you want, and they’ll be able to answer. But, even more importantly, they will be very experienced in what happens at live poker events. And they’ll be familiar with the concerns and demands of someone new to this world.

The player liaisons are absolutely invaluable. No question is ever considered too basic, and no request is too much to consider.

In a previous life Willie Elliot, who is now Customer Engagement Manager for PokerStars Live Events, used to be a poker player who would qualify for events himself. So Elliot and his team knows exactly what qualifiers tend to need, and do everything they can to make it happen.

Message received

Here’s a look at a Player Liaison email, this one sent to qualifiers to EPT London:

Hi

Congratulations on qualifying for EPT London, we’re delighted to have you join us.

My name is Willie Elliot and I’ll be your live event liaison, before, during and after the event.

You can find my full details below, if you have any questions or run into any issues, please feel free to reach out at any time, by email, text, or WhatsApp and I’ll try to respond promptly. If you ever want to have a call about any issues, just let me know a convenient time and we can arrange that.

I’ll be in London throughout the duration of your stay and I’ll help make sure you get the various rewards we have for our Full Package qualifiers, such as:

• Free transfer from airport to hotel (for EPT Full Package qualifiers)
• Free food & beverages in our Player’s Lounge (exclusive for qualifiers and high rollers, from 12 noon until 10pm each day)
• Facebook group invite, to chat to other qualifiers/players
• Exclusive qualifier merchandise
• Online account assistance with PokerStars staff
• Free entry to an “all-in shootout tournament” on October 22 at 11am where one of the EPT/UKIPT London qualifiers will receive a Platinum Pass worth $30,000.

We also have a range of activities that are complimentary for players and their guests to take part in, while you’re in London with us, such as:

• Five-a-side football tournament with PS ambassadors, 20th October (10am to 3pm)
• EPT/UKIPT Players Party, Wyld Club at the Hilton, 21st October (from 8pm)
• Crystal Maze Experience on the 22nd (5pm to 8pm)
• City Bus Tours (on demand, from PS Travel desk)
• Family & Guest Activities – Afternoon Tea, London Bus Tour, 21st October (3pm to 5pm)
• Family & Guest Activities – ‘Tina – The Tina Turner Musical’, 25th October (7pm)

If you’re interested in any of these for yourself or your guest, please let me know and I can reserve a place for you.

You are welcome to join our PS Live Events Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PSLiveAskTheTeam

And finally, we have a new PokerStars LIVE app available to download.
This gives you real time EPT live results, schedules, structures, seat draws, regular chip count updates, payouts, tournament clock, and more.

Link here for Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pokerstars-live/id549121555
Link here for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.europeanpokertour.www

I look forward to welcoming you back to our first EPT in London since 2014.

Thanks

And that’s really it. Win your package and the rest is simple. We look forward to seeing you on the EPT.

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