What Is a Win the Button Tournament?
Win the Button is a tournament structure where the pot winner receives the dealer button, changing the usual clockwise button rotation.
Understand the format ↓How does Win the Button work?
PokerStars' published format awards the button to the winner of each pot; some events return to normal movement later. Multiway or split-pot situations follow the event's specific rules.
Prizes and payouts
The button rule affects position, not the posted prize pool.
This is a tournament structure, not a poker game. The event can use Hold'em, Omaha, or another published game. Always read that event's rules and prize schedule.
A practical example.
You win a pot from an early seat and receive the button for the next hand under that event's rule.
What should you verify?
Confirm button assignment after split pots and whether or when normal button movement resumes.
Operator and venue rules control the exact entry, blind, bounty, payout, and cancellation terms. Poker TDA's tournament procedures cover a different layer of tournament play.
Check your understanding.
What changes in a Win the Button event?
Frequently asked questions
What does Win the Button mean?
Win the Button is a tournament structure where the pot winner receives the dealer button, changing the usual clockwise button rotation.
What can you win?
The button rule affects position, not the posted prize pool.
What should you check in the lobby?
Confirm button assignment after split pots and whether or when normal button movement resumes.
Related poker terms
Compare related formats
Source documents
Reviewed 2026-10-15. These are original educational explanations. The named sources publish the underlying rules; Flawless Poker does not issue official rulings.
- PokerStars Tournament Types ↗Operator-specific format descriptions
- PokerStars Tournament Rules ↗Operator-specific event procedures