The PokerStars Mystery Bounty Series returns this spring, running from April 26 to May 4, 2026. The series is designed for fans of the high-variance, high-reward mystery bounty format, featuring over $3 million in total guarantees across the schedule.
Key Events & Guarantees
The series kicks off with the $75 buy-in Sunday Special on April 26, featuring a $350,000 guaranteed prize pool.
The festival continues throughout the week, with 55 tournaments in total across the series, with buy-ins ranging from $5.50 to $215.
The Mystery Bounty Series reaches its climax on the first weekend in May, with two flagship tournaments on the final Sunday
$109 Main Event: $500,000 Guaranteed
$11 Mini Main Event: $100,000 Guaranteed
PokerStars Mystery Bounty Series
How the Mystery Bounty Format Works
Unlike standard “Progressive Knockout” (PKO) tournaments, where you see the bounty value immediately, the Mystery Bounty format adds an element of surprise:
In the early stages of the tournament, it plays like a standard “Vanilla” MTT (no bounties are awarded yet). Once the tournament reaches a specific point (when the “In The Money” bubble bursts, but it can vary), the mystery bounty phase begins.
Every player you eliminate from this point forward earns you a “Mystery Bounty” token. You then “draw” a prize from a pool of rewards. These rewards can range from small amounts to “jackpot” bounties, often significantly larger than the first-place prize money.
PokerStars Mystery Bounty Series Full Schedule
Date
Time (ET)
Event #
Tournament Name
Buy-in
Guarantee
Apr-26
14:05
1
Deep Stacks
$11
$60,000
15:05
2
Late Reg Edition
$55
$100,000
15:30
3
Sunday Stackosaurus
$215
$75,000
16:30
4
Fabulous Forty
$5.50
$30,000
18:05
5
Sunday Special (2-Day Event)
$75
$350,000
18:30
6
PL Omaha
$22
$15,000
19:05
7
Sunday Storm (2-Day Event)
$11
$80,000
20:05
8
Final Table Bounties
$22
$50,000
21:30
9
Big Mystery
$5.50
$20,000
22:30
10
NL Hold’em
$55
$75,000
23:05
11
Goose Hunt
$5.50
$10,000
Apr-27
17:05
12
Ten Percenter
$11
$50,000
18:05
13
Late Reg Edition
$55
$100,000
19:05
14
8-Game
$22
$8,000
20:30
15
Total Mystery
$22
$35,000
21:30
16
Goose Hunt
$5.50
$15,000
Apr-28
17:05
17
Mostly Mystery
$11
$40,000
18:05
18
Late Reg Edition
$55
$80,000
19:05
19
PL Courchevel Hi/Lo
$22
$6,000
20:30
20
Ten Percenter
$22
$30,000
21:30
21
NL Hold’em
$5.50
$15,000
Apr-29
17:05
22
Big Antes
$22
$50,000
18:05
23
Super Sixteen
$55
$60,000
19:05
24
NL Omaha H/L
$22
$10,000
20:30
25
Big Mystery
$11
$40,000
21:30
26
Total Mystery
$5.50
$10,000
Apr-30
17:05
27
Mostly Mystery
$11
$40,000
18:05
28
Late Reg Edition
$55
$100,000
19:05
29
NL 2-7 Single Draw
$22
$5,000
20:30
30
Ten Percenter
$22
$40,000
21:30
31
NL Hold’em
$5.50
$15,000
May-01
17:05
32
Fabulous Forty
$22
$50,000
18:05
33
Big Mystery
$22
$50,000
19:05
34
PL Omaha H/L
$22
$10,000
20:30
35
NL Hold’em
$11
$40,000
22:00
36
The Rounder
$22
$25,000
23:05
37
Goose Hunt
$11
$15,000
May-02
16:05
38
Deep Stacks
$22
$50,000
17:05
39
NL Hold’em
$11
$50,000
18:05
40
Late Reg Edition
$55
$80,000
19:05
41
PL Badugi
$22
$5,000
20:30
42
Final Table Bounties
$22
$30,000
22:05
43
NL Hold’em
$5.50
$15,000
23:05
44
NL Hold’em
$55
$20,000
May-03
14:05
45
Deep Stacks
$11
$50,000
15:05
46
Late Reg Edition
$55
$100,000
15:30
47
Ten Percenter
$22
$50,000
16:30
48
NL Hold’em
$5.50
$25,000
18:05
49
Main Event (2-Day Event)
$109
$500,000
19:05
50
PL Omaha
$22
$20,000
19:05
51
Mini Main Event (2-Day Event)
$11
$100,000
20:05
52
Fabulous Forty
$22
$50,000
21:30
53
Big Mystery
$5.50
$15,000
22:30
54
Total Mystery
$55
$50,000
23:05
55
Win The Button
$5.50
$10,000
Will Shillibier
Managing Editor
Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor.
He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.
