How to Earn FPPs/VPPs at PokerStars
PokerStars has one of the best rewards programs of any online poker site. So it’s a good idea to understand how to earn frequent player points (FPPs) and VIP player points (VPPs) so that you can take full advantage of everything the rewards program has to offer you.
This article will explain how to earn FPPs and VPPs at PokerStars as well as some insight to what rewards you can get or incentives you have to do so.
How to Earn FPPs at PokerStars
Earning frequent player points at PokerStars is simple to do. You just play real money hands or games and pay into the rake. The number of frequent player points you earn depends on how much money you pay. It will also depend on your current VIP status as well.
As a BronzeStar (the lowest VIP tier), you will earn 1 FPP for every 1 VPP that you earn. As you move up in tiers, you’ll earn FPPs at an accelerated rate as outlined below:
- SilverStar: 50% Multiplier. You will earn 1.5 FPPs for every 1 VPP.
- GoldStar: 100% Multiplier. You will earn 2 FPPs for every 1 VPP.
- PlatinumStar: 150% Multiplier. You will earn 2.5 FPPs for every 1 VPP.
- Supernova: 250% Multiplier. You will earn 3.5 FPPs for every 1 VPP.
- Supernova Elite: 400% Multiplier. You will earn 5 FPPs for every 1 VPP.
How to Use FPPs
Once you earn frequent player points at PokerStars, there are a couple of ways to use them.
VIP Store: Inside the VIP store, you will find tons of stuff to spend your FPPs on. A few things worth mentioning include apparel, DVDs, books and tournament tickets. For the few that collect enough points, players can also pick up a Porsche Cayman S (3 million points).
Cash Bonuses: Players can exchange their points for cash bonuses ranging from $25 to $4,000. Many of these bonuses will require that you are a certain level VIP first before you’re able to pick up the bonus. The bonuses will be located inside the VIP store as well.
Tournaments: FPPs can also be used to buy into various tournaments on PokerStars. Many FPP tournaments will have real cash prizes or will be satellites into tournaments with cash prizes or satellites to live events.
How to Earn VPPs at PokerStars
You earn VPPs at PokerStars the same way you earn FPPs – generate rake while playing real money games at PokerStars. However, unlike the FPPs, VPPs are not redeemable for items or for cash. VPPs are only used to determine your VIP status.
VPPs are earned at the rate of 5.5 VPPs for every $1 paid into rake when you’re playing sit n go’s or tournaments. So if you were to pay $.50 into rake, you would earn 2.75 VPPs for example.
In cash games, how many seats at your table will determine how many VPPs are awarded per $1 paid in rake. At an 8-seat table, 6 VPPs are awarded for every $1 paid in the rake which is then split amongst the players dealt into the hand. With 7 or fewer seats, 5.5 VPPs are awarded and split for every $1 paid in rake.
VIP Levels
VPPs are strictly used for building up and maintaining your VIP status. The higher up the ladder you go, the more perks you are given. Here is a list of all the VIP tiers and the points needed to be given that status at PokerStars:
- BronzeStar: Anyone with an account
- SilverStar: 750 VPPs
- GoldStar: 3,000 VPPs
- PlatinumStar: 7,500 VPPs
- Supernova: 100,000
- Supernova Elite: 1,000,000
Once a player has a status between SilverStar and PlatinumStar, they will keep their status for the remaining of the current month and the whole month after. However, at the start of the new month, their total points for the month will reset at 0 and they will have until the end of the month to earn enough points (or more) to maintain their current status (or move up).
For Supernova and Supernova Elite players, once they reach their status they will have it for the rest of the calendar year. To maintain it the following year, they must earn so many points per month (7,500 for Supernova and 50,000 for Supernova Elite) and miss no more than one month. If they miss more than one month, they will lose their Supernova or Supernova Elite status. Supernova or SNE players will also need to earn enough points the following year (aside from maintaining points monthly) to earn their status again so they can start the following year with it.
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Written by Matt Geer