Jackpot PKO (Tournaments) 

Jackpot PKO (progressive knockout) tournaments are a new poker tournament format where a random multiplier is applied to any bounty won. Winamax Poker was the first to introduce these tournaments, before BetClic followed suit soon after, but it was GG Poker that brought this unique format to the wider mainstream in 2026. 

What are Jackpot PKO Tournaments? 

Jackpot PKOs are normal bounty poker tournaments with a twist. Every time a player is knocked out, a bounty is won in the form of an instant cash prize. The twist comes at this point when the bounty is awarded. Instead of immediately winning half of the eliminated opponent's bounty (with the other half being added to the bounty of the player that knocked them out), a random multiplier will be applied. 

The multiplier can be less than 1.0x, meaning the player wins less than the actual bounty on offer. However, it could also be several hundred times the original bounty. Ultimately, that's the added gamble when playing these tournaments. Smaller wins will be more frequent than a standard bounty tournament at the same buy-in, but when you hit the big multipliers, wins can be significantly larger. 

Another feature of jackpot progressive knockout tournaments is the tier levels. While these can differ between poker sites, tier levels often correlate with the amount won in bounties (not the specific number of knockouts earned). This means as you accumulate bounty prizes, you move up the levels depending on the size of the bounties won. Once you reach the higher tiers, your multiplier range often narrows considerably. For instance, at the elementary tier, you might have a multiplier range of 0.4x - 400x, but at the highest tiers, that range could be 1x - 10x. 

How Do Jackpot PKOs Work (Example)?

We've explained what jackpot PKOs are, but let's see how they actually work in action. Here's a quick run through of a hand in a $40 jackpot PKO tournament where every player's bounty starts at $10.  

1. Hands are dealt and played through as normal, ending in one player knocking out another with a bounty of $10.
2. A wheel animation pops up on screen and spins to randomly decide the multiplier. 
3. It lands on 1.5x, meaning the cash bounty prize the player wins is $7.50. 
4. The other half of the bounty is added to the bounty of the victorious player. 
5. Play continues on to the next hand, and the player's bounty is now $17.50. 

Let's break this down further. In the example above, a player hasn't won a bounty before in the tournament and is therefore on the first tier level. Their own bounty is $10, and they knock out another player with a $10 bounty. In a regular knockout tournament, the player would just win half of their opponent's bounty ($5) and the other half would be added to their own bounty. 

However, in the example the multiplier lands on 1.5x. This means the actual bounty won is $15 ($10 x 1.5). The same concept then applies, with $7.50 being won by the player who earned the bounty and the other $7.50 being added towards their own bounty. 

Jackpot PKOs vs Other Bounty Tournaments

Jackpot PKOs are a fairly new concept, but there are several different versions of bounty tournaments that all share similarities with the jackpot PKO format. In this section, we'll quickly compare them all, outlining the differences between jackpot PKOs, regular PKOs, mystery bounties and standard knockout tournaments.

Jackpot PKOs vs Regular PKOs - What's the Difference? 

Regular PKOs are perhaps most similar to jackpot PKOs. Both have bounties in play from the start, both formats include bounties increasing as players gain multiple KOs and both involve half of the bounty won being added to the victorious player's own bounty. 

However, the jackpot element and multiplier dynamic is the main difference. It's what makes regular PKOs the steadier option in terms of volatility. But while jackpot PKOs can cause heavy variance on bankrolls, the allure of hitting the jackpot multiplier makes them a little more exciting to some players. 

Jackpot PKOs vs Regular KOs - What's the Difference? 

Regular KOs are the most basic form of knockout tournament. There are no variable bounty amounts. Instead, every time a player is knocked out of the tournament, a fixed bounty amount is awarded. This means that unlike PKOs, where bounties are often significantly larger towards the latter stages, a bounty is worth the same regardless of the stage the tournament's in. 

For this reason, these regular KOs are the most standard version of the format and the easiest to understand. If you're new to knockout poker, these are great tournaments to start with. 

In terms of jackpot PKOs, the differences between the two are stark. Jackpot PKOs have aggregating bounties where half of the totals won for each KO gets added to the player/s that win the hand. There is also a variable element, where random multipliers are added to bounty prizes that makes this format way more volatile. 

Jackpot PKOs vs Mystery Bounties - What's the Difference? 

Mystery bounty tournaments share one main concept with jackpot PKOs - the jackpot element. Though it works a little differently between the two. In jackpot PKOs, players can hit a jackpot bounty via the multiplier dynamic, whereas mystery bounties have predetermined prizes. Usually, there's one main 'jackpot' bounty prize and several other large bounties to be won, but these are all known to players beforehand. 

In jackpot PKOs, there's no guarantee a jackpot bounty (or multiplier) will be hit in the tournament. Whereas in most mystery bounties, all bounty prizes will be won. Another huge difference is that in mystery bounties, bounty prizes often can only be won once the bubble has burst, while in jackpot PKOs bounties are in play from the start. 

Jackpot PKO Tips and Strategies

Due to the unique dynamic of jackpot PKOs, optimal strategy deviates from standard poker tournaments. Below are three quick tips and considerations to make at the table that can give you a better chance of being successful in this format. 

1. Be Aware of Stack Sizes Preflop - You cannot win a player's bounty if they have more chips than you. This should be your first consideration before a hand. Check the table, evaluate which players you cover (and thus could potentially win their bounty) and act accordingly. Chips still matter, but there's no point going to battle with a mediocre holding if an opponent has you covered. 
2. Adjust Preflop Range Based on Bounties - Things change a little if you cover opponents, especially if they're very short or if they have a particularly large bounty. If you're strong in a hand, you want to try get to a stage where the opponent/s you cover commit their entire stacks. What's more, preflop ranges should be a little looser, as winning a large bounty could make a hand that seems like an easy fold, actually be a bet, raise or call. 
3. Take Advantage of Your Own Bounty - Players always want to chase bounties. If you have a large bounty, you can use this to your advantage. Shoves or large bets are more likely to get called by weaker hands, as opponents look to secure your bounty prize. However, be cautious when you're holding a weaker hand. Bluffs are less likely to be successful. 

Where to Play Jackpot PKO Tournaments? 

GGPoker is the best online poker site if you want to play jackpot PKOs. Winamax and BetClic also offer the format.

Jackpot PKO poker tournaments haven't been around for long, but in the short time they've been available, they've gathered huge interest from online players. GGPoker launched jackpot PKOs in 2026, which gave thousands of players worldwide their first opportunity to try out this unique format. 

It saw huge success early on, with the $5 Ocean KO Opener setting a record for the largest online poker tournament in history, with over 420,000 entrants. GG wasn't the first to debut jackpot PKOs, though. 

Winamax was the trailblazer in this respect, launching Space KO tournaments (their version of jackpot PKOs) in December 2024. While it was largely successful, Winamax only being available in France and Spain limited the format from gaining mass popularity on a global scale. 

It took 15 months for another site to launch a jackpot PKO, with BetClic announcing Smash KO tournaments in March 2026. 

*Worldwide means available in multiple regions throughout the world, but not in countries where poker is illegal or GGPoker is not available.

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