Lex Veldhuis is on Fire in the PokerStars New Year Series

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor

Jan 03, 2024 6 min read

Biggest Payout of the Series Thus Far
Four Seven-Figure Prize Pools Up for Grabs
PokerStars New Year Series Results So Far
Head Down the Power Path to the New Year Series Main Events

The $35 million guaranteed PokerStars New Year Series kicked off on December 24 with the first events from a 350-tournament schedule. Stellar names have packed the 63 completed events so far, and PokerStars ambassador Lex "L. Veldhuis" Veldhuis has been mixing it up with the best of them.

Veldhuis is spending the next four months in New Zealand, meaning most of the PokerStars New Year Series tournaments shuffle up and deal during the morning for him. Poker players are not usually known for their punctuality or their willingness to rise and shine early doors, but the red-eye start times seem to be working in Veldhuis' favor.

On Christmas Eve, Veldhuis came out on top of the $1,050 NLHE 8-Max PKO event, and walked away with $24,220, including bounties. As Veldhuis was riding that tournament home across the finishing line, he triumphed in the $320 NLHE 8-Max PKO, boosting his bankroll by an additional $12,863.

Two wins straight off the bat set the tone for Veldhuis, and the popular Dutch streamer seems to be going deep in more than his fair share of New Year Series events. Veldhuis found himself third in chips going into Day 2 of the $2,024 NLHE 8-Max New Year Special, and with a legitimate chance of bagging the $79,374 top prize. However, the Poker Gods had other ideas, and things didn't plan out for Veldhuis. He crashed out in 15th from 211 entrants, a finish good for $6,389.

Alejandro Lococo — Alejandro \"Papo MC\" Lococo

Alejandro "Papo MC" Lococo, Veldhuis' teammate, navigated his way to the final table, but ultimately had to make do with a fifth-place finish worth $26,804. This event was eventually won by Ukraine's "drew.derzh" who defeated Jonathan "x_zola25" Skovsen heads-up, securing a $79,374 payday in the process.

Biggest Payout of the Series Thus Far

One of the other New Year Specials, the $202.40 buy-in edition, awarded the largest payout of the New Year Series so far. Some 3,392 players fought it out for the lion's share of a $750,000 prize pool. First place should have paid out $107,767, but a three-way chop changed that.

"cardinals970" finished third for $74,969, a few bucks more than "99dm84" collected for their runner-up finish. Mexico-based Felix "TheDegendFund" Van De Put scooped a $90,095 top prize.

Van De Put's impressive haul will only stay the largest New Year Series score for a few days because some massive events are on the horizon.

Four Seven-Figure Prize Pools Up for Grabs

In addition the $5,200 buy-in $350,000 guaranteed Titans Event on January 7, and the $10,300 buy-in, $600,000 guaranteed Super Tuesday High Roller on January 9, there are four upcoming tournaments each with a $1 million+ guarantee on their prize pool.

This Sunday, January 7, marks the first-ever mystery bounty event PokerStars has hosted, and what better way to get off the mark than by making the Sunday Million a mystery bounty edition? $109 is the buy-in, and $1 million is the guarantee; expect some incredible mystery bounties.

January 14 sees three No-Limit Hold'em Main Events commence at 5:30 p.m. GMT. They come with buy-ins of $109, $1,050, and $5,200, with guarantees weighing in at $1 million, $1.25 million, and $1.5 million, respectively. It would not be a surprise to see Veldhuis putting together a deep run in any of the aforementioned tournaments.

PokerStars New Year Series Results So Far

Event	Entrants	Prize Pool	Champion	Prize
#2-L: $5.50 NLHE 8-Max PKO	10,758	$52,714	mike21_4life	$4,440*
#2-M: $55 NLHE 8-Max PKO	3,535	$176,750	DarkSkies21	$18,756*
#2-H: $530 NLHE 8-Max PKO	216	$108,000	dimadub93	$21,481*
#3: $109 NLHE 8-Max Big $109 Christmas Edition	993	$100,000	Foxdie999	$16,439
#4-L: $33 NLHE 8-Max PKO	4,635	$139,050	ShishuiUch1ha	$12,798*
#4-M: $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO	776	$155,200	Breno2728	$22,850*
#4-H: $1,050 NLHE 8-Max PKO	120	$125,000	Lex "L. Veldhuis" Veldhuis	$24,220*
#5-L: $11 PLO 6-Max PKO	2,382	$25,000	donkey7n2	$2,989*
#5-M: $109 PLO 6-Max PKO	346	$35,000	silage98	$5,255*
#5-H: $1,050 PLO 6-Max PKO	39	$40,000	ShipitFTW911	$17,503*
#6: $320 NLHE 8-Max PKO	226	$67,800	Lex "L. Veldhuis" Veldhuis	$12,863*
#7-L: $5.50 NLHE 7-Max Turbo PKO	7,462	$36,563	sirtenzoe	$3,480*
#7-M: $55 NLHE 7-Max Turbo PKO	2,242	$112,100	And_Blr	$10,702*
#7-H: $530 NLHE 7-Max Turbo PKO	136	$68,000	Heidegger807	$15,882*
#8-L: $3.30 NLHE 6-Max Monster Stacks	11,516	$33,857	mother68	$4,430
#8-M: $33 NLHE 6-Max Monster Stacks	4,415	$132,450	08141	$18,881
#8-H: $320 NLHE 6-Max Monster Stacks	352	$105,600	Sergey260594	$19,394
#9-L: $11 NLHE 8-Max PKO	11,524	$112,935	Mcdermutt	$8,266*
#9-M: $109 NLHE 8-Max PKO	2,414	$241,400	blaboub	$25,176*
#9-H: $1,050 NLHE 8-Max PKO	94	$125,000	Roman "RomeOpro" Romanovsky	$35,156*
#10-L: $5.50 HORSE	1,046	$5,152	GamarraFCP	$936
#10-M: $55 HORSE	204	$10,200	aDrENalin710	$2,065
#10-H: $530 HORSE	38	$20,000	Ac-King00	$7,301
#11-L: $11 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	8,142	$79,791	AAligator33	$6,940*
#11-M: $109 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	1,062	$106,200	VincentFirst	$13,446*
#11-H: $1,050 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	69	$80,000	1obster	$20,407*
#12: $109 NLHE 8-Max Fenomeno	691	$69,100	12371237	$11,917
#13: $55 NLHE Heads-Up Turbo Total PKO Zoom	1,555	$77,750	Log_Virus	$8,478
#14: $22 NLHE 8-Max Daily Eliminator	5,458	$109,160	hatenow88	$8,951
#15-L: $5.50 NLHE 8-Max PKO	13,059	$63,989	Jojo491973	$4,698*
#15-M: $55 NLHE 8-Max PKO	4,367	$218,350	ChristianBR4	$23,087*
#15-H: $530 NLHE 8-Max PKO	268	$134,000	JackRipperJr	$25,198*
#16-L: $11 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	10,467	$102,576	christi1298	$13,596
#16-M: $109 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	1,843	$184,300	superskill77	$27,677
#16-H: $1,050 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	189	$200,000	jpsalgadocr0	$39,729
#17-L: $2.20 PL Badugi 8-Max PKO	1,575	$3,087	Serge_rf95	$397*
#17-M: $22 PL Badugi 8-Max PKO	313	$6,260	17neffetS_BR	$1,262*
#17-H: $215 PL Badugi 8-Max PKO	32	$10,000	Dzmitry "Colisea" Urbanovich	$3,469*
#18: $11 NLHE 5-Max Win the Button	3,086	$30,242	Carokannix	$4,359
#19-L: $5.50 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	9,659	$47,329	Tommescrawn	$4,286*
#19-M: $55 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	2,913	$145,650	olionhysaj	$13,599*
#19-H: $530 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	171	$85,500	mc1dot	$18,222*
#20: $22 NLHE 4-Max Bounty Quads	2,486	$49,720	kistomika1990	$3,755*
#21: $33 NLHE 7-Max Hyper PKO	1,967	$61,822	No_to_peszek	$6,740*
#23-L: $2.20 NLHE 8-Max	9,550	$18,718	Braidote	$2,585
#23-M: $22 NLHE 8-Max	6,361	$127,220	GOT3As	$18,082
#23-H: $215 NLHE 8-Max	591	$118,200	Ilewxa	$20,735
#24-L: $11 NLHE 5-Max PKO	8,948	$87,690	penny1701	$6,314*
#24-M: $109 NLHE 5-Max PKO	1,881	$188,100	Martboyo	$18,578*
#24-H: $1,050 NLHE 5-Max PKO	105	$105,000	Luis "luis_faria" Faria	$29,035*
#25-L: $5.50 PLO 6-Max PKO	3,111	$15,243	luizbode	$1,719*
#25-M: $55 PLO 6-Max PKO	723	$36,150	GHOSTFACE9.8	5,818*
#25-H: $530 PLO 6-Max PKO	86	$43,000	MaTitheone	$11,954*
#26-L: $3.30 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	9,071	$26,668	enjoyka771	$2,191*
#26-M: $33 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	4,322	$129,660	shanesc	$12,424*
#26-H: $320 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	275	$82,500	gnetaren	$12,891*
#27: $55 NLHE 7-Max Hyper PKO	1,382	$72,389	jambo669	$11,106*
#28: $27 NLO8 Heads-Up Turbo Total KO Zoom	914	$22,438	belyi9	$3,338*
#29-L: $3.30 NLHE 8-Max	9,598	$28,218	Kv3l3rt4k	$3,892
#29-M: $33 NLHE 8-Max	3,667	$110,010	babyb00mer	$15,765
#29-H: $320 NLHE 8-Max	369	$110,700	Inflaatio	$15,199
#30-L: $22 NLE 8-Max PKO Thursday Thrill	9,070	$181,400	IamTABASCO	$15,629*
#30-M: $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO Thursday Thrill	1,107	$221,400	Cbotacin	$31,673*
#30-H: $2,100 NLHE 8-Max PKO Thursday Thrill	113	$226,000	Shark180599	$50,990*
#31-L: $3.30 Stud	932	$2,740	MiStErZYX	$507
#31-M: $33 Stud	195	$7,500	Leon_Javur	$1,340
#32: $55 NLHE Heads-Up Total KO	1,398	$69,900	Peshka1991	$6,975*
#33-L: $11 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	9,586	$93,942	RenanLaPola	$8,361*
#33-M: $109 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	1,457	$145,700	Lanket	$16,116*
#33-H: $1,050 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	107	$107,000	mamamamama70	$24,866*
#34: $55 NLHE 8-Max Turbo PKO	1,283	$65,000	Zanos_Goda	$7,546*
#35: $109 NLO8 6-Max Turbo PKO	289	$30,000	Robin "Robinho" Ylitalo	$6,133*
#36-L: $2.20 NLHE 8-Max Deep Stack	10,414	$20,411	Zugolaro	$2,709
#36-M: $22 NLHE 8-Max Deep Stack	6,941	$138,820	vulturu13	$19,721
#36-H: $215 NLHE 8-Max Deep Stack	471	$94,200	PyThaGoLiX	$12,895
#37-L: $5.50 NLHE 6-Max PKO The Acai	9,894	$48,480	Moutatack2222	$4,253*
#37-M: $55 NLHE 6-Max PKO The Acai	3,720	$186,000	pushstyle777	$20,520*
#37-H: $530 NLHE 6-Max PKO The Acai	235	$117,500	iBreakU_U	$23,899*
#38-L: $2.20 8-Game 6-Max	1,838	$4,000	AlessandroBJ	$438
#38-M: $22 8-Gme 6-Max	780	$15,600	Gaisska	$2,648
#38-H: $215 8-Game 6-Max	125	$30,000	Leon_Javur	$6,744
#39-L: $5.50 NLHE The Rounder	7,241	$35,480	Ketamine2801	$5,054
#39-M: $55 NLHE The Rounder	1,285	$64,250	TarzanThorben	$10,015
#39-H: $530 NLHE The Rounder	231	$46,200	carta25	$8,913
#40: $109 NLHE 8-Max Fenomeno	693	$69,300	AngerFish425	$11,798
#41: $109 NLHE Heads-Up Turbo Total KO Zoom	878	$87,800	sanychamid	$9,001*
#42: $33 NLHE 8-Max Hyper PKO	1,557	$48,936	dholanda283	$5,989*
#43: $55 NLHE 8-Max PKO	3,400	$170,000	Tarcidio	$19,669*
#44-L: $2.20 NLHE 8-Max PKO	12,011	$23,541	DonZordon	$2,126*
#44-M: $22 NLHE 8-Max PKO	6,830	$136,600	Deobandi	$12,271*
#44-H: $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO	592	$118,400	Assad91	$16,411*
#45-L: $11 NLHE 7-Max PKO Big KO	13,517	$132,466	Jacks_Ten	$7,534*
#45-M: $109 NLHE 7-Max PKO Big KO	1,977	$197,700	starswins :)	$20,061*
#45-H: $1,050 NLHE 7-Max PKO Big KO	139	$139,000	Joker1002	$32,225*
#46-L: $11 Razz 8-Max PKO	784	$10,000	Sz4t4n	$1,358*
#46-M: $109 Razz 8-Max PKO	130	$15,000	chaka-G	$3,660*
#46-H: $1,050 Razz 8-Max PKO	30	$30,000	CMoosepower	$13,258*
#47-L: $5.50 NLHE 8-Max Turbo Copacabana	7,179	$35,177	gomsipjorn	$4,999
#47-M: $55 NLHE 8-Max Turbo Copacabana	1,445	$72,250	dougmd83	$11,085
#47-H: $530 NLHE 8-Max Turbo Copacabana	175	$87,500	Chris "ImDaNuts" Oliver	$17,628
#48-L: $2.20 NLHE 6-Max Turbo	6,752	$13,233	coucou27	$1,884
#48-M: $22 NLHE 6-Max Turbo	4,059	$81,180	Bernardo807	$11,604
#48-H: $215 NLHE 6-Max Turbo	368	$73,600	twardy666	$13,517
#49: $2 NLHE Heads-Up Turbo Total KO Zoom	2,013	$40,260	victhereaper99	$3,662*
#50-L: $5.50 NLHE 6-Max Deep Stack	11,598	$56,830	Slavik_54rus	$7,431
#50-M: $55 NLHE 6-Max Deep Stack	3,719	$185,950	Teddygram902	$22,581
#50-H: $530 NLHE 6-Max Deep Stack	320	$160,000	Jesper8	$24,241
#51-L: $20.24 NLHE 8-Max New Year Special	15,796	$300,000	Runne1	$31,385
#51-M: $202.40 NLHE 8-Max New Year Special	3,392	$750,000	Felix "TheDegendFund" Van De Put	$90,095
#51-H: $2,024 NLHE 8-Max New Year Special	211	$406,729	drew.derzh	$79,374
#52-L: $11 PLO 6-Max	2,389	$25,000	Michael Keys	$3,143
#52-M: $109 PLO 6-Max	397	$39,700	Coldiiik	$6,164
#52-H: $1,050 PLO 6-Max	78	$78,000	Nadhob	$16,760
#53-L: $5.50 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	10,517	$51,533	578346	$3,961*
#53-M: $55 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	3,005	$150,250	tycu112	$15,888*
#53-H: $530 NLHE 5-Max Turbo PKO	224	$112,000	chiefofxocolatl	$16,462*
#54: $109 NLHE 8-Max Turbo PKO	856	$85,600	capper95	$11,487*
#55: $22 NLHE 7-Max Hyper PKO	3,401	$71,250	Alada222	$5,240*
#56: $27 NLHE 8-Max PKO	5,335	$130,974	0wnr00	$12,763*
#57-L: $2.20 8-Max PKO	12,297	$24,102	brian pot153	$2,003*
#57-M: $22 NLHE 8-Max PKO	8,931	$178,620	b1o0m4r1n32	$16,969*
#57-H: $215 NLHE 8-Max PKO	1,033	$206,600	mindgamer	$26,845*
#58-L: $11 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	10,553	$103,419	TBD
#58-M: $109 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	2,197	$219,700	TBD
#58-H: $1,050 NLHE 8-Max Super Tuesday	214	$214,000	TBD
#59-L: $2.20 NL 2-7 Single Draw PKO	1,301	$2,549	Chudy_089	$319
#59-M: $22 NL 2-7 Single Draw PKO	370	$7,400	grigoriy9	$1,503*
#59-H: $215 NL 2-7 Single Draw	49	$10,000	Yuri "theNERDguy" Dzivielevski	$3,809*
#60: $109 NLHE 8-Max PKO Big KO	1,388	$138,800	magrao13	$14,266*
#61-L: $5.50 NLHE 6-max Turbo PKO	9,985	$48,926	prosky12	$4,481*
#61-M: $55 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	2,973	$148,650	Seanlazdi	$14,648*
#61-H: $530 NLHE 6-Max Turbo PKO	236	$118,000	Sintoras	$27,164*
#62: NLHE 8-Max Hyper PKO	2,662	$55,768	oKiNeK	$6,522*
#63: $55 NLHE 7-Max Turbo PKO	1,552	$77,600	idar0365	$9,791*

*includes bounty payments

Head Down the Power Path to the New Year Series Main Events

Satellite for the New Year Series Main Events run around the clock, but you can also bag yourself a sweet package by heading down the PokerStars Power Path. You can redeem your Silver Pass for a $2,500 ticket bundle, and your Gold Pass for a $10,300 ticket bundle.

Exchange a Silver Pass for two $1,050 New Year Series Main Event tickets, two $19 New Year Series Main Event tickets, eight $22 New Year Series tickets, and $6 worth of tournament dollars.

Redeeming a Gold Pass grants you an awesome package of a $5,200 New Year Series Main Event tickets, four shots at the $1,050 buy-in Main Event, four $109 New Year Series Main Event tickets, six $55 New Year Series tickets, plus $134 worth of tournament dollars!

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Matthew Pitt Senior Editor

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