Not sure if everyone is aware, but right now on Pokerstars they are having their 25th Billion Hand Celebration. What does this mean?

- for new players, $60k in first depositor freerolls
- reload bonus of 25% up to $250
- $2.5 million guaranteed in Sunday Million
- $1.25 million guaranteed Sunday Warmup
- $150k in milestone hands

For the player who finally reaches the 25 billionth hand, the money is going to get huge...

$100,000 in cash
European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Grand Final package
PokerStars Caribbean Adventure package
World Series package
World Championship of Online Poker Main Event ticket

Its a great promo, so if you don't already have a pokerstars account, create one today! Use marketing code CPF50 for $50 free when making your first deposit also in addition to the freerolls!
I was playing last night and saw somebody win $2500 for winning a certain hand. Pretty sweet.

What limits do you need to play to qualify?
JohnnieH;176896 wroteI was playing last night and saw somebody win $2500 for winning a certain hand. Pretty sweet.

What limits do you need to play to qualify?

It doesn't matter... the higher you play, the more that you can win, then they multiply that by your VIP level.

Here are the details from the site:

Milestone Hands will be announced on the table with a pop-up message, before play is paused to ramp up the excitement. A host will then arrive at the table to explain exactly what’s happening. Players involved in every millionth hand dealt during the 25 Billion Bash will win the following:
Limit / Winner / The Rest
Micro / $300 / $125
Low / $750 / $250
Medium / $1,250 / $500
High / $2,500 / $1,000

 There will also be a VIP multiplier, with bonuses for the following VIP tiers:
VIP Tier / Multiplier
SilverStar / 15% Bonus
GoldStar / 30% Bonus
PlatinumStar / 60% Bonus
Supernova / 120% Bonus
Supernova Elite / 200% Bonus
For example, if you are dealt into a Milestone Hand on a Medium stakes table and win the hand, you’d receive $1,250. If you are also a Goldstar VIP, you’d receive an additional $375 (30% Bonus).
anyone figure out when the big hand will go approximately?
Ya if you read the P* site, the winner of the 20 billionth hand had $11 in her account and was multitabling 1cent/2cent.

I wouldn't play too high anyways because everyone goes allin when you hit the milestone hand because you want to have a shot a winning and it could cost you a lot.
T8urmoney;176905 wroteanyone figure out when the big hand will go approximately?
This is what my pokerstars rep had to say:
There are milestone hands for every millionth hand dealt.

We expect it to be early next week, but the promotion has really taken off, and we are hitting all sorts of peaks with this, so could be even earlier.
feel free to analyze this one. the winner got 2k for this hand:

PokerStars Game #24917000000: Hold'em No Limit ($1/$2) - 2009/02/13 23:42:24 ET
Table 'Fides' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: AAindaBB ($205 in chips)
Seat 2: gplayer_unit ($113.25 in chips)
Seat 3: matze1987 ($225 in chips)
Seat 4: DerkDerk ($79.45 in chips)
Seat 5: element64 ($202 in chips)
Seat 6: fooligan dan ($268.40 in chips)
fooligan dan: posts small blind $1
AAindaBB: posts big blind $2
*** HOLE CARDS ***
gplayer_unit: calls $2
matze1987: raises $223 to $225 and is all-in
DerkDerk: folds
element64: folds
fooligan dan: folds
AAindaBB: folds
gplayer_unit: folds
Uncalled bet ($223) returned to matze1987
matze1987 collected $7 from pot
matze1987: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7 | Rake $0
Seat 1: AAindaBB (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: gplayer_unit folded before Flop
Seat 3: matze1987 collected ($7)
Seat 4: DerkDerk folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: element64 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 6: fooligan dan (small blind) folded before Flop
I believe $1/$2 NL is considered low? If thats the case, everyone is at least guaranteed $250 back according to the chart Graham posted, so I'm calling no matter what on that table.
So apparently I found a trick that many people seem to be doing. Basically two friends open like 10+ heads-up tables at like 1/2 or so. Then, just keep folding the blinds to get to the milestone hand. I just saw two guys do it (supernova and platinum star) and when it came to the milestone, the platinum star folded so the supernova would get more money ($2750!!!). I don't really agree with this, but I would rather someone from here won it than some random people.
westside8;176980 wroteI believe $1/$2 NL is considered low? If thats the case, everyone is at least guaranteed $250 back according to the chart Graham posted, so I'm calling no matter what on that table.
Medium you mean.
Thanks. Who's gone Supernova here and wants to play $5/$10 heads-up for $4,000 Milestone rollz? >:D

By the way, the bonus works out to 25% rakeback for tournaments and less than 12.5% for cash games. So players who already get rakeback (e.g, 27% at Full Tilt) need not bother depositing at P*.
Graham;176993 wroteI just saw two guys do it (supernova and platinum star) and when it came to the milestone, the platinum star folded so the supernova would get more money ($2750!!!).
You forget the FPP points earned clearing the bonus are yours.
i love these guys

PokerStars Game #24937000000: 5 Card Draw Limit ($15/$30) - 2009/02/14 14:33:17 ET
Table 'Leonid VII' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: cr0sss ($150 in chips)
Seat 4: NoFreeBids ($150 in chips)
cr0sss: posts small blind $10
NoFreeBids: posts big blind $15
*** DEALING HANDS ***
KataloAA joins the table at seat #2
wolliz joins the table at seat #6
basajax joins the table at seat #5
[EMAIL="deto@lol"]deto@lol[/EMAIL] joins the table at seat #1
basajax said, "am i in?"
basajax said, "but i didn't have cards.."
cr0sss has timed out
cr0sss: folds
Uncalled bet ($5) returned to NoFreeBids
cr0sss is sitting out
NoFreeBids collected $20 from pot
NoFreeBids: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $20 | Rake $0
Seat 3: cr0sss (button) (small blind) folded before the Draw
Seat 4: NoFreeBids (big blind) collected ($20)

a bunch tried jumping in before the deal to get the bonus.

the sb wasn't paying attention and timed out.

i think the bb got 3k just for being there.

someone said this guy had one another bonus earlier in the day. rigged?
The thing that enrages me the most is the microstakes players with like $5 at the table folding pre-flop on the milestone hand. Are people that retarded, or just not well informed of the promo, though I don't know how thats possible.
i think a couple here fit the definition of 'uber donk':

PokerStars Game #24942000000: Hold'em No Limit ($0.01/$0.02) - 2009/02/14 16:55:20 ET
Table 'Mashona IV' 9-max Seat #8 is the button
Seat 1: LeConner ($2.01 in chips)
Seat 2: Frangus01 ($1.78 in chips)
Seat 3: neivapoker ($0.83 in chips)
Seat 4: Ithildin ($1 in chips)
Seat 5: kaltrapuff ($1.59 in chips)
Seat 6: jrjumbo ($3.86 in chips)
Seat 7: parrelli85 ($3 in chips)
Seat 8: LUNA RENOI ($7.94 in chips)
Seat 9: Wirknerklahn ($1.80 in chips)
Wirknerklahn: posts small blind $0.01
LeConner: posts big blind $0.02
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Frangus01: raises $1.76 to $1.78 and is all-in
neivapoker: calls $0.83 and is all-in
Ithildin: calls $1 and is all-in
kaltrapuff: calls $1.59 and is all-in
jrjumbo: folds
jrjumbo leaves the table
parrelli85: raises $1.22 to $3 and is all-in
LUNA RENOI: folds
Wirknerklahn: folds
LeConner: folds
Uncalled bet ($1.22) returned to parrelli85
Wirknerklahn leaves the table
*** FLOP *** [8d Jc 2h]
*** TURN *** [8d Jc 2h] [9c]
*** RIVER *** [8d Jc 2h 9c] [Kd]
dannydeking5 joins the table at seat #6
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Frangus01: shows [9d Qh] (a pair of Nines)
Möp79 joins the table at seat #9
parrelli85: mucks hand
Frangus01 collected $0.33 from side pot-3
kaltrapuff: shows [8s 9h] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
kaltrapuff collected $1.67 from side pot-2
Ithildin: mucks hand
kaltrapuff collected $0.68 from side pot-1
neivapoker: mucks hand
kaltrapuff collected $3.98 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $7.01 Main pot $3.98. Side pot-1 $0.68. Side pot-2 $1.67. Side pot-3 $0.33. | Rake $0.35
Board [8d Jc 2h 9c Kd]
Seat 1: LeConner (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: Frangus01 showed [9d Qh] and won ($0.33) with a pair of Nines
Seat 3: neivapoker mucked
Seat 4: Ithildin mucked
Seat 5: kaltrapuff showed [8s 9h] and won ($6.33) with two pair, Nines and Eights
Seat 6: jrjumbo folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: parrelli85 mucked
Seat 8: LUNA RENOI (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 9: Wirknerklahn (small blind) folded before Flop
Heads up cash games are suspended now for the rest of the 25 billion promo. There goes that loophole.
moose;177023 wroteHeads up cash games are suspended now for the rest of the 25 billion promo. There goes that loophole.
Yea, I am surprised that they caught on and acted so quickly. Nice work stars!
i liked this hand for 750

PokerStars Game #24951000000: Hold'em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2009/02/14 21:50:14 ET
Table 'Dejopeja IX' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 2: poetic ($195.45 in chips)
Seat 3: glissdaddy ($108.85 in chips)
Seat 4: CC839 ($100 in chips)
Seat 5: MGoBlue56 ($128.70 in chips)
Seat 6: viviansdream ($100 in chips)
Seat 7: kowals50 ($83.90 in chips)
Seat 8: Federer1414 ($109.10 in chips)
Seat 9: Wake09 ($100 in chips)
kowals50: posts small blind $0.50
Federer1414: posts big blind $1
freddy827: sits out
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Wake09: folds
poetic: calls $1
glissdaddy: folds
CC839: folds
MGoBlue56: raises $127.70 to $128.70 and is all-in
viviansdream: folds
kowals50: folds
Federer1414: folds
poetic: folds
Uncalled bet ($127.70) returned to MGoBlue56
MGoBlue56 collected $3.50 from pot
MGoBlue56: shows [Ac Ad] (a pair of Aces)
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $3.50 | Rake $0
Seat 2: poetic folded before Flop
Seat 3: glissdaddy folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: CC839 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: MGoBlue56 collected ($3.50)
Seat 6: viviansdream (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: kowals50 (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: Federer1414 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 9: Wake09 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
BlondeFish;177000 wroteThanks. Who's gone Supernova here and wants to play $5/$10 heads-up for $4,000 Milestone rollz? >:D

By the way, the bonus works out to 25% rakeback for tournaments and less than 12.5% for cash games. So players who already get rakeback (e.g, 27% at Full Tilt) need not bother depositing at P*.
I'm pretty sure it has been calculated that if you reach SNE, the bonuses you get is 30%<.
moose;176997 wroteMedium you mean.
I stand corrected. Clearly I don't play that high...