Last time I introduced the VIP program that comes automatically with your PokerStars download. I told you that once you start your account with a new PokerStars download, the first VIP level is BronzeStar, but you’d be better off making your way to PlatinumStar status each month for the best rewards. The site wanted a way to thank the consistent hardcore grinders, though, so they came up with Supernova and Supernova Elite. These are both yearly statuses that give benefits far greater than anything you receive in PlatinumStar.
Let’s start with Supernova as it is along the way to Supernova Elite. If you go ahead and make a PokerStars download and click the cashier button, you have the ability to look at how many VPP points you have earned and the VPPs you need to become a Supernova. When you first start your account, it will read “you need to earn 100,000 VPP by December 31, 2010 to achieve Supernova”. Once you have 100k VPP, you get to keep Supernova status until the end of February 2011. If you want to keep Supernova further into the year, you need to earn a minimum of 7.5k VPPs every month (although you are allowed to miss one month without penalty). You will want to be on a pace higher than 7.5k/month, though, because if you don’t have 100k VPPs by October, you will revert back to a monthly status. At this point, you’ll just need to get back to 100k for the year again.
Supernova benefits are awesome. The first thing you’ll notice is that your FPP multiplier increases to 3.5 which will really help you save up for that fancy iPod you want. You also gain access to the special Supernova items in the VIP store. Last entry I mentioned the quarterly million VIP tournament that Gold and PlatinumStars must satellite into. As a Supernova, you get a free ticket into all these events! At this VIP status, you also receive Milestone Cash Credits. You buy these once you hit certain VPP levels, and you’ll be pleased to find out that you don’t need to think about PokerStars bonus clearing like you do with the usual PokerStars bonus. You simply pay the FPP amount and the cash will immediately go into your account. As a Supernova, you get to earn up to $29.8k in Milestone Credits in one year.
How do you like the Supernova benefits? Go ahead and be prepared to be completely blown away by Supernova Elite, the VIP level that requires an incredible 1 million VPPs. There aren’t many players around that can play enough poker hands to earn a million VPPs, even if they have a year to attempt it. You’ll soon see that the work is worth it, however. You’ll start to receive 400% more FPPs at this level, and you probably know by now that you’ll have access to a few exclusive items in the VIP store. You’ll also have the chance at some extra Milestone Cash Credits to the tune of $100k. Many people find the MTT poker opportunities that Elite players receive the most exciting benefit, however. For starters, you get automatically registered in the WCOOP Main Event, a huge MTT poker series that PokerStars hosts in the second half of the year. Then you get to look at a list of fabulous live event packages that includes the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, WSOP Main Event, EPT Monte Carlo, and APPT Sydney. You get either one event package and $10k, or two event packages (which are worth more than $10k each).
PokerStars has done a great job of enticing people to play exclusively at their site. This can be great for you, though, because it’s actually possible to earn the equivalence of over 50% in PokerStars rakeback! It all depends on which Milestone Cash Credits you earn and what else you choose to do with your FPPs. This means that you play on the site paying very little rake with everything they give back to you. I can’t think of any other site with a better rakeback deal than this! Don’t wait any longer to play at PokerStars if you’re not already doing so. It’s time to start earning some VPPs!
