The Stars Group Announces PokerStars' Largest Ever Spring Championship of Online Poker

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TORONTO, April 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The Stars Group Inc. today announced that its 2018 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) will offer a guaranteed prize pool of $65 million, the largest in PokerStars' history, and approximately $10 million larger than last year's guarantee.

The annual online event, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, will take place from May 6 through 21 and will also guarantee at least one $1 million tournament each day. SCOOP offers tiered buy-in levels for each event, ranging from $2.20 to $25,000.

Five Platinum Passes to the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship (PSPC), which takes place in January 2019 in the Bahamas, will also be awarded to the main event winners across each buy-in level, the first-placed player on the SCOOP series leader board and the winner of an All-In Shootout Challenge. Each Platinum Pass is worth $30,000 and includes a $25,000 PSPC buy-in, accommodation at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and approximately $2,000 for travel and expenses.

The record-breaking guaranteed prize pool for the tenth anniversary edition follows last year's successful SCOOP series where PokerStars delivered the biggest day in online poker history and the largest ever online poker series overall. More than $39 million in prize pools were awarded over a single day and an overall industry record payout of approximately $94 million was awarded across the entire series. Later in 2017, PokerStars' World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) exceeded its advertised guarantee of $60 million to pay out approximately $91 million, becoming the second largest ever online poker series.

"2017 was a record-breaking year for SCOOP and online poker," said Rafi Ashkenazi, Chief Executive Officer of The Stars Group. "We're excited to increase our investment in the poker community again this year by delivering more winning moments during SCOOP 2018, which provides two of the most eagerly anticipated weeks in the online poker calendar."

About The Stars Group  

The Stars Group is a leading provider of technology-based products and services in the global gaming and interactive entertainment industries. The Stars Group directly or indirectly, including through its Stars Interactive Group division, owns gaming and related consumer businesses and brands, such as PokerStars, PokerStars Casino, BetStars, Full Tilt, and the PokerStars Players No Limit Hold'em Championship, European Poker Tour, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Latin American Poker Tour, Asia Pacific Poker Tour, PokerStars Festival and PokerStars MEGASTACK live poker tour and event brands. These brands together have millions of registered customers globally and collectively form the largest poker business in the world, comprising online poker games and tournaments, sponsored live poker competitions, marketing arrangements for branded poker rooms in popular casinos in major cities around the world, and poker programming and content created for television and online audiences. The Stars Group, through certain of these and other brands, also offers non-poker gaming products, including casino and sportsbook. The Stars Group, through certain of its subsidiaries, is licensed or approved to offer, or offers under third party licenses or approvals, its products and services in various jurisdictions throughout the world, including in Europe, both within and outside of the European Union, Australia, the Americas and elsewhere. In particular, PokerStars is the world's most licensed online gaming brand, holding licenses or related operating approvals in 17 jurisdictions.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements and Other Information 

This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can, but may not always, be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "would", "should", "believe", and similar references to future periods or the negatives of these words and expressions. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Please refer to The Stars Group's most recent annual information form and annual and interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for more information about the factors, assumptions and risks that may apply to The Star's Group's forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and The Stars Group undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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SOURCE The Stars Group