The first weekend of PokerStars' SCOOP Warm-Up series delivered solid action in the high-stakes events, with Jamie Dwan and Mongolia's "ezmng" securing the biggest headlines.
Dwan, registered as "jamiedwan21," won the $1,000 Monday High Roller (#09-H) for $21,611. That score helped the United Kingdom build an early lead on the countries leaderboard, with six titles claimed across the opening two days.
The top payout of the young series went to "ezmng," who beat a tough 40-player field in the $5,000 Titans (#05-H) to take home $73,348.
Sunday saw Brazil's "brazil5card" capture the $109 Sunday Special PKO (#04-L). That event drew 6,635 entries to build a $663,500 prize pool well above its $500,000 guarantee, with the winner collecting $58,742 total. Brazil now has five titles in the series so far.
Opening Weekend Highlights
| Event | Buy-in | Winner | Country | Winner Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $109 Sunday Special PKO (#04-L) | $109 | brazil5card | Brazil | $58,742 |
| $5,000 Titans (#05-H) | $5,000 | ezmng | Mongolia | $73,348 |
| $1,000 Monday High Roller (#09-H) | $1,000 | jamiedwan21 | UK | $21,611 |
Running February 1-16, the SCOOP Warm-Up offers 69 events with $10 million in guarantees. Buy-ins range from $2.20 to $5,200, with high and low versions inspired by the main SCOOP lineup.
Players can chase seats in the flagship Main Events via the Ticket Machine raffle, which runs February 1-12 and gives away $200,000 worth of tickets. Each day, completing challenges adds entries: play one event for one entry, two events for a second, and at least two knockouts for a third.
The separate SCOOP Prize Vault promotion runs through February 28 and unlocks more than $450,000 in SCOOP tickets. Starting March 1, players can open a Locked Chest for a chance at tickets worth up to $1,050.
SCOOP 2026 Set for March Dates
PokerStars has shifted the 2026 Spring Championship of Online Poker to March 1-25, moving it earlier from the usual May window.
The change positions the series in a quieter part of the calendar with fewer overlapping events, less appealing weather for outdoor distractions, and a natural tie-in to the start of spring. The festival keeps its familiar multi-tiered format, high-stakes fields, and proven structure that has made SCOOP a cornerstone of online poker for more than 15 years.
Full 2026 details, including guarantees and the complete schedule, will be released soon. PokerStars said the adjustment is part of ongoing efforts to refine timing and deliver the best possible experience without changing the series' core appeal.
