PokerStars Announces NAPT Live Stream and Revival of The Big Game
This November, the igaming world will focus on the NAPT festival in Las Vegas as the North American Poker Tour makes its return after 12 years. In addition to the tour, PokerStars is set to reintroduce “The Big Game,” a well-received television poker show.
PokerStars has scheduled three days of live streaming. Activities will commence on Friday, November 10, capturing Day 3 of the $1,650 NAPT Main Event as it progresses to the final table. This will be followed by the broadcast of the final table on Saturday, November 11, and the $5,000 High Roller final table on Sunday, November 12.
The live stream will be available on PokerStars’ Twitch and YouTube platforms. The PokerStars commentary team, consisting of James Hartigan, Joe Stapleton, Maria Ho, Griffin Benger, and Nick Walsh, will oversee the English commentary. For the Brazilian audience, a separate stream in Portuguese will be presented by Felipe de Paulo and Flavio del Valle.
Poker enthusiasts can also anticipate the return of “The Big Game.” Distinct for its cash game format, “The Big Game” allows a qualifier, termed the “Loose Cannon,” to participate in a high-stakes game against seasoned players. If the Loose Cannon completes the 150-hand session without going bust, they can retain any profits made.
On Sunday, November 5, PokerStars will host exclusive satellites to allow players to qualify for “The Big Game on Tour” without any charge. From these tournaments, 20 winners will advance to the casting stage on November 6 and 7. A panel, which includes show hosts James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton, will then select two players to be staked $50,000 to participate in “The Big Game on Tour.”
Details regarding the participants for “The Big Game on Tour” remain pending. However, two sessions of the $100/$200 No-Limit Hold’em cash games are planned for Wednesday, November 8, and Thursday, November 9. These games are set to feature a mix of familiar and new poker talent. Following this, the event will be transformed into a 10-episode series scheduled to premiere in 2024.
“The Big Game was one of the most beloved poker programs of all-time,” said VP of PokerStars North America, Steve Preiss. “As we continue our focus on creating the best poker content, re-imagining and re-launching The Big Game was a no-brainer.
“The Big Game on Tour will bring a level of play that hardcore fans expect from poker content. But we also will capture the journey from start to finish of our Loose Cannons in a way that hopefully reaches new audiences as well.”
