PokerStars unveiled the 2021 edition of the Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP) last week, much to the excitement of the tournament grinders around the world. It runs from April 4 through April 28, and boasts of $100 million worth of guaranteed prize pools.
The 2021 SCOOP is the 13th of its kind and one that will go into PokerStars’ history books thanks to breaking down several milestones.
SCOOP events have awarded a gargantuan $999,353,882 in prize money over the years. This means a magical figure of $1 billion is within touching distance. Indeed, SCOOP’s prize money will smash through the almost unbelievable $1 billion barrier during the first day’s action on April 4 because those opening 18 tournaments have combined guarantees in excess of $7.3 million.
The total number of entrants is another statistic approaching an eye-pleasing number. Some 9,280,540 PokerStars players have bought into SCOOP events over the past 12 years. We should see that figure grow to more than 10 million by the time the final event’s late registration period ends on April 28.
PokerStars Spring Championship Of Online Poker (SCOOP) Running Totals
| Year | Events | Tournaments | Entries | Prize pools | Winners' Prizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 22 | 66 | 199,958 | $39,372,270 | $7,124,302 |
| 2010 | 38 | 114 | 461,936 | $63,802,405 | $10,812,323 |
| 2011 | 38 | 114 | 404,320 | $43,165,800 | $7,335,468 |
| 2012 | 40 | 120 | 525,034 | $62,363,099 | $10,015,732 |
| 2013 | 44 | 132 | 563,715 | $72,198,931 | $11,405,032 |
| 2014 | 45 | 135 | 593,410 | $77,382,546 | $12,213,724 |
| 2015 | 46 | 138 | 569,087 | $76,532,354 | $11,974,465 |
| 2016 | 56 | 168 | 599,081 | $94,175,890 | $13,977,109 |
| 2017 | 57 | 171 | 687,440 | $89,524,008 | $13,583,310 |
| 2018 | 61 | 183 | 851,178 | $90,306,039 | $12,461,957 |
| 2019 | 73 | 219 | 1,038,080 | $105,418,207 | $15,618,444 |
| 2020 | 124 | 372 | 2,787,301 | $185,112,333 | $25,246,387 |
| Totals | 644 | 1932 | 9,280,540 | $999,353,882 | $151,768,253 |
SCOOP has come on in leaps and bounds since its debut in 2009. Only 22 events (66 tournaments) took place that year. PokerStars paid out $39,372,270, which included $7,124,302 to the events’ champions, in 2009, impressive figures but figures dwarfed by the incredible numbers put up in 2020.
The 2020 SCOOP was the biggest and richest in the history of the festival. PokerStars extended the series because the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic put paid to plans to host live events. This extension resulted in 2,787,301 entrants battle it out across 124 events (372 tournaments) and a cool $185,112,333 awarded. The 2020 SCOOP champions won combined prizes weighing in at a colossal $25,246,387 – most online poker festivals do not even have $25 million guaranteed, period.
Multiple SCOOP Winners; Anderson Leads The Way
The biggest, richest online poker tournaments attract the game’s stars. These elite grinders do everything in their power to become a SCOOP champion and bag a bankroll-boosting prize. Some excel at the SCOOP tables, some have a seemingly unnatural ability to get the job done in SCOOP events.
Calvin “cal42688” Anderson is one such player. Nobody has taken down more SCOOP events than the Mexico-based American. Anderson has won ten SCOOP titles over the years, although he is trophy-less in the last two festivals.
| Year | Event | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | $16.50 Pot Limit Omaha Rebuy 6-Max | $26,940 |
| 2011 | $2,100 Razz | $46,200 |
| 2011 | $215 Seven-Card Stud | $23,643 |
| 2013 | $215 Fixed Limit Hold’em | $23,643 |
| 2014 | $2,100 H.O.R.S.E | $47,065 |
| 2015 | $2100 Seven-Card Stud | $36,600 |
| 2016 | $27 8-Game | $7,511 |
| 2017 | $530 NLHE 3-Max Turbo Zoom PKO | $62,919 |
| 2018 | $1,050 Fixed Limit Omaha Hi-Lo | $26,305 |
| 2018 | $2,100 NLHE 6-Max | $126,659 |
Anderson is one of 193 players to have secured at least two WCOOP titles. Shawn “buck21” Buchanan and Mike “SirWatts” Watson have six SCOOP titles on their poker resume. Connor “blanconegro” Drinan also has six SCOOP titles, thanks to winning five such titles in 2020, the most anyone has won during a single festival.
A host of other players have five SCOOPs, including British duo Luke “lb6121” Schwartz, and Benny “RunGodlike” Glaser.
Biggest Ever SCOOP Prizes
Talal “raidalot” Shakerchi is another PokerStars player who loves SCOOP. You would love it too had you taken down four of its events. Shakerchi hold the record for the biggest SCOOP prize ever won. He banked $1,468,001 when he topped a field of 824-players in the 2016 SCOOP Main Event.
Shakerchi’s massive haul bested the $1,304,720 won by Mustapha “lasagnaaammm” Kanit also from the SCOOP Main Event but in 2015.
Gianluca “Tankanza” Speranza is one player who is almost guaranteed to buy into the 2021 SCOOP Main Event. The Austria-based Italian won the 2018 Main Event for $1,133,160, which is still the fifth-biggest SCOOP prize in history. Speranza did the unthinkable in 2019 and successfully defended his title, locking up an additional $1,028,203 in the process. Amazingly, Speranza finished 49th in the 2020 edition, narrowly missing out on an unprecedented three in a row.
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