PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, has altered its rebuy tournament structures. Surveys were sent by the site to thousands of players, with changes announced this week by PocketFives.com member Bryan S – PokerStars. In addition, PokerStars has launched the Million Dollar Challenge, featuring a chance to play Daniel Negreanu heads-up on the FOX television network later this year with $1 million up for grabs.

After online poker players cast nearly 20,000 votes, Bryan announced, “About 80% of those who responded (in each survey) voted for 60-minute rebuy periods. About half of those want 10-minute levels and the other half of those want 15-minute levels.” As a result of the study, five rebuy tournaments will see rotating blind levels based on the day of the week, according to the following schedule:
14:15 ET: $3.30 rebuy
10-minute levels on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
15-minute levels on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

16:00 ET: $11 rebuy
15-minute levels on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
10-minute levels on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

18:00 ET: $5.50 rebuy
10-minute levels on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
15-minute levels on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

20:00 ET: $3.30 rebuy
15-minute levels on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
10-minute levels on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

22:00 ET: $11 rebuy
10-minute levels on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
15-minute levels on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

On Sundays, the five aforementioned rebuys will carry 12-minute levels and 60-minute rebuy periods. The new structures kick in on Monday, August 24th on the virtual felts of PokerStars. The feedback has been mostly positive from PocketFivers, many of whom voiced their choice for the changes. Check out the thread in Poker Discussion for more information.

The PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge pits players from the site against Negreanu(pictured at right), a member of its Pro team. Daily freerolls for the Million Dollar Challenge are ongoing on PokerStars. Players who finish in the Top 10 in each are asked to submit a two-minute video outlining why they deserve to take on Negreanu on national television with $1 million on the line. Contestants can even bring two friends to the show should they be chosen to appear in a plot that sounds similar to NBC’s “Face the Ace.”

The twice-a-day freerolls can be found by clicking on “Tourney” and “Regional” in the PokerStars lobby and run at 8:00pm and 11:00pm ET. PokerStars has purchased five one-hour time slots on FOX (the national network, not Fox Sports Net). The show will air in the coming months on Sunday afternoons either before or after NFL football depending on a viewer’s market. No specific air dates were released at press time for the PokerStars Million Dollar Challenge.

“Face the Ace” is sponsored by rival site Full Tilt Poker, whose pros that have appeared on the show include Gavin Smith, Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, Erick Lindgren, and Howard Lederer. It has struggled in the ratings on Saturday nights and now moves to a monthly appearance during the afternoon. The next episode of “Face the Ace” will grace television screens on September 12th.

Visit PokerStars today. We’ll see you on the felts!