PokerStars Debuts New “Sunday Sweat” Tournament with a Sports Betting Twist

PokerStars made its latest stop at Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland for the PokerStars Open from October 19–26, hosting ten trophy events. The festival was headlined by the $1,100 Main Event with a $300,000 guarantee, which was smashed as the 599-player field nearly doubled the prize pool.

While Day 2 of the Main Event was underway, PokerStars introduced a brand-new tournament to close out the series, the “Sunday Sweat.” The $400 Mystery Bounty event followed the familiar format but added a sports betting twist that could give players an extra edge when pulling bounties, creating a perfect blend of Poker Sundays and NFL Sundays.

How the “Sunday Sweat” Works

Once players reach the money, the Mystery Bounty portion kicks off as usual, with a pull from the bounty chest for each knockout. But the Sunday Sweat adds a twist, as PokerStars selects a marquee NFL game from the late afternoon slate (last week it was Cowboys vs Broncos) and gives every player a ticket to pick the winner.

As the game plays out on multiple TVs, with the broadcast sound filling the poker room, players can sweat both their cards and their chosen team. Why the sweat? If their team wins, they earn an advantage when drawing a Mystery Bounty, and they can “Go for 2” if they’re not pleased with the amount of their first pick, returning it and choosing another envelope.

Touchdowns, Pizza and Big Scores

With the NFL games already playing on TVs throughout the poker room, many players were sweating the afternoon action long before the cards hit the felt. But the “Sunday Sweat” built on that energy, attracting 148 entries, and by the time registration closed, the prize pool had climbed to nearly $50,000, paying out the top 20 finishers, with first place earning more than $8,000 and top bounties of $3,000 and $2,000 up for grabs.

Once the tournament was underway, the room carried a lively buzz, with players talking football and sharing their thoughts on how the sports twist added to the Mystery Bounty format. As the first break approached, tournament staff handed out tickets for players to pick the winner of the featured NFL game, Cowboys vs. Broncos.

The extra “mulligan” on the bounty pull weighed into players decisions as discussions broke out over who to pick. Some based their choice on who they thought was simply the better team, while others debated whether it made more sense to take the underdog, figuring that if they won, they would be one the few players who would earn the chance to pull twice. Then there were several players like PokerStars Ambassador Joe Stapleton, who’s decision was easy, anybody but the Cowboys.

As kickoff approached, the Cowboys vs. Broncos game came on across the poker room’s TVs, just as tournament staff rolled out boxes of pizza for the players. The upstairs tournament room in Maryland was filled with football on the screens, pizza on the tables, and cards in the air, to make for a perfect football Sunday atmosphere.

When the final whistle blew, the Broncos had cruised to a 44–24 victory, a result that thrilled most of the field. More than 75% of players had picked Denver, earning themselves an extra shot at the big bounty.

When the tournament finally reached the money, that NFL twist really became a huge factor, as almost everyone who made it that far had picked the Broncos. That meant every time a bounty was pulled, it potentially came with two chances instead of one. As the tournament would pause for every elimination to pull a bounty, a few players pulled back-to-back small prizes, to much delight of the remaining players.

Then came the first big hit, as one player pulled a $400 bounty, and with their second try, found $2,000 — the second-highest prize in the chest. The winner jokingly tried to play it cool, putting on a stoic face, before breaking into laughter and a big grin.

Later in the night, as play got down to the final six, with the top $3,000 bounty still in play, another player who had already collected several bounties, was up again. After his fourth bounty and seventh pull from the chest, he revealed the $3,000 top bounty, adding to an already impressive run that included two $500 bounties and one $1,000 bounty. Fittingly, he then went on to chop the tournament, capping off a well-earned finish to a great night, and great event.

A Sunday Hit

The first Sunday Sweat was a clear success, as It drew a strong turnout, and and postive feedback from the players, who throughout the day enjoyed the mix of football, pizza, and poker. The added sports betting element gave the Mystery Bounty format a fresh twist, making it a fun change of pace, and a perfect way to spend a Sunday for poker and football fans alike.

Although there won’t be a Sunday Sweat at the upcoming NAPT Las Vegas running from November 3-12, the positive response in Maryland suggests this format could easily find its way back in the future.