PokerStars Red Spade Passes offer US players a chance to go on the road with their favorite sports teams. The latest installment of this unique giveaway promotion is underway in Michigan. Four lucky Red Wings fans will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Toronto in April to watch Detroit’s NHL team square off against long-time rivals, the Maple Leafs.
Stoking that particular hockey rivalry seems to be a particular strategy for PokerStars. Just before Christmas, it brought some Leafs fans across the border in the opposite direction, awarding Red Spade Passes on PokerStars Ontario and treating the winners to VIP tickets for a game against the Red Wings in Detroit.
Staci Wixted, Head of Partnerships and Business Development, PokerStars North America said:
We love creating unique experiences for our players and the Red Spade Pass is the ultimate fan experience bringing together the thrill of poker, casino, and sports. We’re pleased to be able to offer another unique Red Spade Pass experience with the Detroit Red Wings and give fans an experience they won’t find anywhere else.
This is the second Red Spade Pass opportunity for players on PokerStars Michigan. The first, which came earlier in 2024, sent fans down to Las Vegas to watch a game against the Golden Knights. However, games against the Leafs hold special significance. Detroit and Toronto were among the NHL’s Original Six, alongside Montreal, Boston, Chicago, and New York.
Granted, the Red Wings’ most famous rivalry is against the Blackhawks. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some trips to Chicago in a future promotion. Unfortunately, Illinois doesn’t have legal online poker yet, so it would only be a one-way promotion.
What Red Spade Passes offer, and how to win them
For the current promotion, PokerStars is giving away four passes—two through poker tournaments, and two through a raffle for casino players.
One of the poker tournaments already took place on March 4. However, that leaves one more pass up for grabs next weekend, on March 15.
Casino players just have to play any eligible casino game for their chance. Every $25 in bets earns one raffle ticket.
To comply with sweepstakes laws, PokerStars is also offering a chance to win with no purchase necessary. This is a write-in promotion open to any US resident with a PokerStars account. To receive a free raffle ticket, write to PokerStars, #1096 2230 Route 70 W STE 2, Cherry Hill, NJ, 08002, and be sure to include:
- A copy of any valid US photo ID
- Name
- Address
- Gender
- Age
- Email address
- PokerStars account username
Write-in raffle entries will go into the same draw pool as those earned through casino play.
What’s up for grabs is a two-night stay at a Toronto hotel, transportation, food & drink, a visit to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and, of course, VIP suite tickets to the April 17 game between the Red Wings and Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena.
An American twist on the Red Spade
Red Spade Passes have been around for a while on PokerStars’ international sites. In their original form, they were VIP trips to see Formula 1 events.
These were big-ticket promotions, involving international travel and a famously expensive sport.
When PokerStars first brought the promotion to the US in 2023, it stuck with the Formula 1 theme, offering American players their chance to travel to Las Vegas to cheer on Team Oracle Red Bull. Because of the cost and the comparatively small size of its US sites, it was only able to offer one pass per state—one each in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
By changing to US sports league rivalries, it can afford to be a lot more generous and stoke these rivalries on a recurring basis, as we’re seeing in Michigan.
Aside from Red Wings hockey, it has treated PokerStars Pennsylvania players to go attend NBA road games with the Philadelphia 76ers.
So where does that leave players in New Jersey? So far, they haven’t had their turn with Red Spade Passes, except for that single F1 pass in 2023. However, the New Jersey Devils seem like the obvious choice for a Garden State promotion. The only problem may be that their biggest rivals—the Islanders and Flyers—are both a little too close to home to make for an exciting trip. Still, if I was a betting man (which I am), I would wager that PokerStars is in the process of cooking something up for Devils fans.
About the Author
