After several years away from the spotlight, one of poker’s most iconic tournaments is making its highly anticipated comeback. The Bay 101 Shooting Star, the tournament that pioneered the bounty format craze, will return to the World Poker Tour (WPT) schedule this October with a $5,000 Main Event and the signature bounty system that made it famous.
Shooting Star Returns This October
Bay 101 Casino will once again host this legendary tournament from October 17-31, bringing back the excitement that poker fans have been eagerly awaiting. The event features:
- An officially sanctioned WPT Main Event with a $5,000 buy-in ($300 juice)
- Multiple Day One starting flights for maximum accessibility
- Special $2,500 bounties on select players (to be announced closer to the event)
- A comprehensive schedule of preliminary events currently being finalized
“Bay 101 Casino has long been a staple of the World Poker Tour’s rich history,” said World Poker Tour Chief Executive Officer Adam Pliska during the tournament’s return announcement. “The players, the fans, and the incredible team at Bay 101 create an amazing environment. We look forward to returning to this iconic venue once again.”
Bay 101 Casino Manager Samuel Quinto expressed similar enthusiasm about the tournament’s renewal: “The news of the Shooting Star returning to the World Poker Tour has been on everyone’s wish list for a long time. We look forward to recapturing the excitement of one of poker’s most talked about events.”
The Tournament’s Rich History and Notable Absence
The Bay 101 Shooting Star tournament was the brainchild of then-owner Marko Trapani, who created the innovative concept of placing bounties on select players at each table. When players eliminated these bounty targets, they claimed substantial cash prizes that reached as high as $5,000 in previous years.
Since its inception in 1997, the tournament proved extraordinarily successful. When tournament director Matt Savage joined the staff in the early 2000s, efforts were made to secure its place on the prestigious WPT roster.
Early WPT Success and Memorable Champions
The Bay 101 Shooting Star became one of the standout success stories during the WPT’s second season in 2004, alongside another prominent California poker event, the L.A. Poker Classic. What set the Shooting Star apart was its unique bounty format that created unparalleled excitement and strategy.
In that inaugural WPT event in 2004, 360 players competed for the title. The tournament was won by ‘Tiltboy’ Phil Gordon, who defeated then-World Champion Chris Moneymaker in a memorable final table showdown.
Throughout their partnership, the WPT and Bay 101 Shooting Star created numerous unforgettable moments:
- Gus Hansen made a stirring run in 2005 before falling short against Jay Martens and eventual champion Danny Nguyen
- Notable champions include Nam Le, Ted Forrest, Brandon Cantu, Steve Brecher, WeiKai Chang, James Carroll, Taylor Paur, and Stefan Schillhabel
- Poker legends like Jennifer Harman and Kathy Liebert reached final tables, adding prestige to the event
The Tournament’s Hiatus
For WPT Season XVI (2017), the Bay 101 Shooting Star was notably absent from the tournament roster. Like all WPT events, the Shooting Star must individually negotiate its place on the tour schedule. In 2017, the WPT and Bay 101 couldn’t reach agreement on scheduling, resulting in the tournament’s removal from the lineup.
Since 2017, negotiations between the two parties remained at an impasse—until now. The inclusion of the Shooting Star on the current WPT schedule marks the end of this lengthy absence and signals a renewed partnership.
Strengthening the WPT’s U.S. Presence
The addition of the Bay 101 Shooting Star represents a significant boost to the WPT’s domestic tournament offerings. Before this announcement, only three of the upcoming eight WPT events were scheduled on U.S. soil:
- Rolling Thunder at Thunder Valley, California
- Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown in Hollywood, Florida
- WPT Choctaw in Oklahoma
This return helps reverse the trend of fewer U.S.-based WPT events and provides American poker players with another premier tournament opportunity.
Tournament Schedule and Details
The WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star Main Event will run from October 25-29, with the final table delayed for later play in Las Vegas for television production purposes—a hallmark of WPT events.
While the complete tournament structure sheet is not yet available, players can expect updates and detailed information to be published on WPT.com as the event approaches.
The return of this iconic tournament promises to deliver the same excitement, innovation, and high-stakes action that made the Bay 101 Shooting Star a beloved fixture in the poker world. For players and fans alike, October can’t come soon enough.
