Poker Sponsorships

A poker sponsorship is the dream of many serious poker players, especially those who aspire to play the game they love for a living. A poker sponsorship deal provides you with financial security and a strong support network, which helps you thrive as a poker player. The road to getting a poker sponsorship is not always an easy one. It’s populated by numerous competitors who are also looking to secure their future in the world of poker. To even be considered, you need a combination of skill, drive, a marketable personality, and a solid track record as a winning player.

If you’re looking for a fast track to a poker sponsorship deal, there are some shortcuts you can take to help you quickly arrive at a sponsorship destination. The built-in VIP program at PokerStars and the external poker rewards program offered at Buy-in Bank are excellent paths to poker sponsorship.

Pokerstars VIP program

Many online poker rooms have built-in VIP programs, but few rival the industry leading program offered at PokerStars. Their VIP Program is designed to provide their highest raking players with a plethora of rewards and the kind of exposure that often leads to a sponsorship deal with either Team PokerStars or competing poker rooms.

When playing at PokerStars, all users receive two types or reward points: VIP Player Points (VPPs) and Frequent Player Points (FPPs). VPPs are earned for every raked hand played and every tournament fee paid. Their primary purpose is to determine your monthly rewards level. Players who earn 1,000,000 VPPs in a calendar year attain Supernova Elite status, which rewards them with free buy-ins to two live poker tournaments, such as the EPT Monte Carlo or the WSOP Main Event, as well as entry into the online WCOOP Main Event hosted exclusive at PokerStars and valued at $5,200.

In addition, all PokerStars players receive FPPs based on their VIP level and the number of VPPs earned each month. FPPs can be spent in the PokerStars VIP Store on a variety of items. If you’re serious about finding a sponsorship deal, you should use them to buy-in to PokerStars sponsored live events, like the EPT, APPT, LAPT, and others.

Players who play an extremely high volume of hands annually can gain a tonne of much needed live tournament exposure by taking advantage of PokerStars VIP program. By earning entry into multiple live poker events hosted by PokerStars, you will be able to get on their radar, travel the circuit, and have a much better chance of being considered for a sponsorship deal with Team PokerStars.

Buy-in Bank’s Road to Sponsorship

Buy-in Bank is a poker rewards program that is free to join. The major difference between this program and PokerStars’ VIP Program is that Buy-in Bank account holders are able to earn rewards points while playing at multiple online poker rooms. It’s similar to an airmiles plan which allows its members to earn points and exchange them for free flights, simply for making purchases at participating stores.

The “airmiles” earned by Buy-in Bank account holders are called Grinder Points. These points are earned like VPPs: for all rake and tournament fee paid at any poker room linked to a Buy-in Bank account. Grinder Points can also be earned by completing various promotions offered at the site, such as their sponsorship poker league. They can be spent in the Buy-in Bank’s Poker Tour Store, which is similar to PokerStars VIP Store, but focuses solely on buy-ins and sponsorship packages to poker tournaments around the world.

In addition to this rewards program, Buy-in Bank also runs a Road to Sponsorship program available to all account holders. Members who are interested in the promotion are asked to wear Buy-in Bank poker gear whenever they play live tournaments. In return for displaying the Buy-in Bank brand, users will be considered for poker sponsorship deals if they can:

- Qualify for three or more live tournaments with a minimum buy-in of $2,500
- Do so within any rolling 12 month period
- Cash in at least two of the tournaments

Members that meet these criteria are invited to submit a poker resume and receive an online interview with the Buy-in Bank marketing department. The higher you cash in the events and the better impression you make during your interview, the greater chance you have of receiving a backed sponsorship deal to continue promoting the Buy-in Bank brand at live tournaments.

In comparison to reaching PokerStars Supernova Elite status, Buy-in Bank’s Road to Sponsorship is much more attainable to lower and medium volume players. To reach Supernova Elite status, players need to rake either $165,000 in cash games or $181,000 in tournament fees. Buy-in Bank account holders can earn buy-ins to three $2,500 tournaments for as little as $21,000 in rake at some of their partner poker rooms, making it a greatly discounted Road to Poker Sponsorship.