As the end of the year approaches, PokerStars is not only ramping up its promotional activities, but also looking toward 2014 with a new television show that online players can be a part of.

In 2014, PokerStars will debut a new televised poker program called “The Shark Cage,” and qualifying tournaments have already begun on the site. The show will feature five Team PokerStars Pros squaring off with an online qualifier in a preliminary heat. Six heats are scheduled, two each during the European Poker Tour events held at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, EPT Grand Final, and next season’s Barcelona kickoff. The finale of “The Shark Cage” will be at next year’s EPT stop in London, where the six heat winners will square off in a $1 million, winner-take-all match.

“The Shark Cage” will feature some unique formats that should provide for viewing excitement. Players will be limited to 30 seconds to make a decision, which should speed up the action. If a player is bluffed out of a hand on the river, he is sent to the “Shark Cage,” where he will have to sit out one orbit of action. If a bluffer gets called down, the bluffer goes into the “Shark Cage” for that orbit and the caller gets bonus chips. Finally, all players participating in the event will pledge to not make any deals should they reach the $1 million table.

Online players can earn tickets to qualifying events by making deposits on the site before November 30. Should a player make the top 50 in one of those qualifying tournaments, he will advance to the “casting stage” of the promotion. The “casting stage” will require players to demonstrate, through a two-minute video audition, why they should be part of “The Shark Cage.” Videos need to be uploaded to YouTube before Midnight on December 8 and players need to send an e-mail to PokerStars with the link. PokerStars will then review the submissions and two players will head to the Bahamas for the first two heats.

As the calendar turns toward the final month of the year, PokerStars is opening up its bank vault to hand out some holiday cash. Beginning on December 1, the PokerStars December Festivalwill begin with $27 million in prizes awarded through tournaments and cash games. Prize pools will receive extra money, random prizes will be awarded around the virtual room, and players will be able to take part in several big events.

Kicking off the December Festival will be “Double Vision Sunday” on December 1. For players who enjoy the different events held on PokerStars on Sundays (the Sunday Million, Warm-Up, Kickoff, and Storm), there will be two instances of each. Money will be added to various prize pools during the month to keep the Sunday Majors rich.

From December 2 to 8, “Golden Sit & Gos” will take place. Simply by sitting down in sit and gos on PokerStars, players will be eligible to get their part of $500,000 in cash. The money will be randomly handed out to players over the week.

Beginning December 9, “Mission Week” will see players awarded up to $25,000 for completing special objectives set out by PokerStars. Beginning December 16, “Milestone Hands” will be rewarded on PokerStars, with $700,000 available for players to divvy up.

The capstone to PokerStars’ December promotional drive is the $10 Million World Championship of Online Poker Challenge Series. Beginning on December 20 and running through December 22, an eight-event schedule will play out.

Whether you’re playing for some additional cash or the glory of the television lights, PokerStars seems to have all angles covered over the remainder of the year. If you don’t already have a PokerStars account, create one through PocketFives’ links to get a 100% deposit bonus up to $600 and one free month of PocketFives Training. Get started here.

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