01.30.2009 | 8:19 am | Poker
As the brand name which is the World Series of Poker continues to go from strength to strength it would appear that the record-breaking publicity which the event has attracted has led to a substantial increase in poker tours around the world. It seems as though each and every month brings in new poker tournament with many touring the world in a bid to increase their profile and attract “free” media attention. At the moment it appears as though Asia and the likes of Australia are the preferred location for such poker tour tournaments with these hotbeds of poker enthusiasts offering the perfect climate for success.
At a time when many industries around the world are suffering due to the economic downturn it would appear that demand for poker tours, often attracting substantial prize fund, has never been higher. Many believe that the massive publicity created by the World Series of Poker 2008 event has been the catalyst for the substantial rise in poker two is and the ever increasing amounts of money on offer. How long this initial burst of enthusiasm the last remains to be seen but sponsors and marketing agents seem to see poker tours as the perfect way to attract the attention of the online and off-line poker playing community.
This interest in poker tours is set to increase further as we approach the kick-off of the World Series of Poker 2009 which will be a little different from previous years. However, while the organisers may have tweaked with some of the playing formats they have increased their exposure to the TV market with the final table set to take place later in the year, and recorded for TV, as you saw for the first time in 2008. The value of the World Series of Poker brand should not be underestimated but all the longer the worldwide recession drags on the more chance that sponsorship income could come under pressure.
01.29.2009 | 8:21 am | Poker
As the online poker industry becomes ever more crowded and competitive there is a need to ensure that each potentially successful site offers something a little different from the norm. As a consequence, a number of poker sites have started to employ the services of real poker dealers who are visible when the game is in play and deal the hands for those involved. However, is this really something which will appeal to the masses and differentiate a poker site with a real dealer from one with a cyber dealer?
Research has shown that while the vast majority of poker players believe that poker sites are perfectly fair in their dealings, some poker players have suggested the lack of a human touch is something which has stopped them moving from the off-line arena to the online arena. There is some debate as to how large this area of the poker community actually is and whether it is something which could serve a niche market or a larger market.
One issue which the online poker companies have is the fact that an online poker dealer would obviously incur greater costs than a cyber poker dealer and whether this increased cost is recoverable via increased activity on the site is debatable. It does however show that the poker industry, and especially the online poker industry, is always looking for ways to differentiate different sites from the mass market.
The poker community is like any other online community in that word of any useful and interesting websites will spread like wildfire among friends and family often reducing the requirement for substantial marketing and promotional campaign. The jury would still appear to be out on whether online poker dealers have a place in the mainstream market or offer more of a niche play but for those who require the human touch maybe this is exactly what they were after.
01.12.2009 | 12:11 am | Poker
As Barack Obama awaits his inauguration as the next US president on 20 January there are many in the poker industry and poker community around the world who are looking to America’s first black president to bail out the online poker and online casino industry. It is known that Obama is a keen poker player and many are holding out hope that he will use his knowledge and close association with the game to make moves to lift the online ban. While suggestions were made during the presidential elections with regard to the possible lifting of the ban, the situation has gone very quiet of late.
A lifting of the ban could offer a very useful fillip to the US economy and inject a feelgood factor to US online poker and online casino players. While the issue of taxing online gambling sites has yet to be resolved there is speculation that the US government is looking to play a central role in the worldwide online gambling market and put itself forward as a tax base for the future. However, countries such as the UK also appear to be pushing themselves forward and the EU commission is not far behind having spotted the massive potential for tax income.
Many people believe that the ongoing threat that gambling companies could jump ship to other overseas countries will see the US authorities reverse their ban in the short to medium term. The immediate future is totally dominated by the falling US economy and it is unlikely that we will see any changes to the poker industry in the short term. Hopes of change are probably on a more short to medium term basis but nobody quite knows what to expect from Barack Obama when he finally steps into office.
01.9.2009 | 12:10 am | Poker
As the worldwide recession continues unabated we are seeing more and more people playing online poker for the first time with many looking for that elusive big pot win to bail them out of their financial trouble. While there are various warnings regarding how and when to play poker many people appear undeterred and convinced that somewhere out there is a large jackpot prize to help ease their financial woes.
The truth is that while yes there are substantial jackpots and gambling wins available, in order to make big money at online poker or general online casino play there is a need to have a clear head and reduce the pressure on yourself. Turning over a hand knowing that it could make or break your monthly budget, or worse, is pressure which will at some point push you into making the wrong decision. Some players will go over the top and lose everything while other players will be far too cautious and miss out on potential big money.
In essence poker is a simple game made hard by those playing with many players often looking for hands which are not there and jackpot wins which are not even remotely within their grasp. The need to be realistic is vital, as is knowing when to walk away and call it a day. The best gamblers are the ones who survive for tomorrow and know that sometimes it is just not working and their luck is just not there. In these situations, walking away can clear your head, stop you taking undue risks and leave you refreshed and with funding for the next time.
While professional poker is a totally different ball game, in general if you are depending upon poker income to maintain your lifestyle and that of your family then you are playing a very risky game. As we mentioned above, poker is a game that should be played from the head not the heart and a game which needs to be played with a clear mind.
01.2.2009 | 2:48 am | Poker
As the Olympic movement looks towards 2012 in London there is a growing demand for poker to be recognised as an official sport, and not a game of chance, which many hope will prompt the consideration that poker is introduced as an official Olympic sport. This is a movement which has been ongoing for sometime and while historically it has often been mocked in the press, a number of governments and regulators around the world have recently recognised the game as a sport rather than an out and out game of chance. So should poker be introduced to the Olympics?
There is no sport or type of gambling which has caused more controversy and differing opinions than that of poker. While player numbers continue to grow, even in the current economic downturn, we have such movements as the church and various consumer groups steadfastly against the promotion and free participation in the game. Many believe that the church in particular is the one major hurdle to official recognition in a number of areas such as the Olympics but we appear to be reaching a possible crossover point which could prove interesting.
For many years poker and casinos have been hidden away from general society under strict regulations , and in many countries, left in the shadows. However, the Internet has been a godsend for the sector and the popularity of poker in particular has never been higher. The inclusion in the future Olympic movement would not only be a major feather in the cap of those behind the poker industry but also offer the ultimate promotional and marketing platform. Whether poker is seen as too “commercial” is also a factor which many have brought to light but one which can also be directed at other Olympic sports.
Could 2009 be a turning point for the poker industry?
11.11.2008 | 9:03 am | Poker
As the dust starts to settle on WSOP 2008 we can now look back at what has been possibly one of the best tournaments in history of the game. We saw a massive 6844 players enter in early July and got down to the last nine on Sunday, then came the head to head and the official unveiling of the new WSOP 2008 champion. But who took the crown?
While many of you will have checked the Internet already those who have not may be surprised to see Peter Eastgate the 22-year-old Danish poker player crowned as the new king of WSOP 2008. At just 22 years old he is the youngest winner of the main table in the history of the event and takes over a record set 19 years ago by the infamous Phil Hellmuth. While Eastgate was one of the favourites leading up to the event and rightly took his place in the head-to-head with Ivan Demidov he was still many many chips behind as the head-to-head began.
Having been literally tens of millions of chips down Eastgate managed to chip away at the Demidov superior chip pile until he has turned the tables with his opponent down to 16,000,000 chips and Eastgate himself in excess of 100 million chips. The new champ then literally squeezed and squeezed until his opponent was taken of the game.
Peter Eastgate now takes home in excess of $9 million for the first prize but his opponent also walks away with a cheque for nearly $6 million and while he may not be as famous as his victor he has also put himself into the record books. Those who want to see the action can watch various TV channels over the next few weeks were recorded footage of the full main table will be played over and over again.
11.10.2008 | 9:05 am | Poker
As we come to the end of be 2008 World Series of Poker competition, on reflection 2008 has been something of a momentous year for the poker industry even if the US ban regarding online poker did take away much of the shine. We have nearly $15 million shared between the first and second place in the World Series of Poker main table, we have seen TV companies falling over themselves to get poker onto the screen and player numbers continue to rise even in the midst of the current worldwide recession.
After the 2007 ban regarding US poker there had been many so-called “experts” who had suggested the industry was dead and could not survive without the US market. While it would be foolish to suggest that the US ban was anything but unhelpful it has focused minds on the rest of the world which had to some extent been ignored in favour of the US market which is/was absolutely enormous. However, there are signs that the US authorities may well be softening their stance and possibly looking towards the lifting of the ban in due course. Now that we have a new president on the way to the White House perhaps now is the time to push for change?
If the US authorities were to reverse the earlier ban this would be the icing on the cake as far as major players in the industry are concerned. The ongoing demise of the US off-line casino industry is of major concern and could actually speed up the lifting of the ban if trading conditions continue to deteriorate. However, online casinos are still performing fairly well bearing in mind the current situation and when you consider the lack of physical buildings and equipment required this leaves much more to plough into the marketing and promotions, trying to ensure further growth in the business.
09.9.2008 | 9:20 pm | Poker, News
It was announced yesterday that the leading online poker provider, PokerStars.com, is about to release a licensed version of its Mac poker software which can be downloaded from the end of September onwards. The company, which is based in the Isle of Man, has developed this software just in time for the start of the seventh edition of its World Championship of Online Poker. It is hoped that this move will increase the number of players in this tournament – the highest earner for PokerStars in its annual calendar. This is because the provision of a Mac version of the software will open the tournament to those with Apple computers.
It has been said by industry analysts that Macintosh has been constantly improving as a gaming platform for four years now, and PokerStars has been developing the new compatible software for the past year in order to make its services more accessible. A member of Team PokerStars, Australian champion Joe Hachem, said yesterday that “This is a great addition for both PokerStars.com and the poker playing audience…This will allow Mac users to experience the world’s largest online poker site without third-party applications. I know a lot of the actors and musicians I coach via PokerStars.com will appreciate its release as the creative community use Macs before any other computerâ€. It is clear that many users will therefore benefit from this move.
However PokerStars is not the first online gambling site to use Mac-based software – the Ongame-powered PokerRoom.com was the first to embrace this technology, while PartyGaming.com is currently running a beta test. In addition, ParadisePoker.com, AbsolutePoker.com and SunPoker.com offer Mac-compatible web-based versions of their software. This means that PokerStars is set to join some illustrious online gaming sites, hopefully increasing its popularity and revenue.
09.5.2008 | 4:34 am | Poker, News, Poker Stars, casinos
As we near the final table of WSOP 2008 the tension is starting to mount and the money is starting to flow on who will pick up the prize this year. A quick look at the betting exchanges will show you that there is a very small band of the final 9 whom gamblers think are in with a chance but could it all change when the event begins?
As a taster here is a list of the betting exchange odds for each of the players left at the final table of the main even WSOP 2008 :-
Dennis Phillips 9/2
Craig Marquis 12/1
Ylon Schwartz 9/1
Scott Montgomery 11/2
Darus Suharto 12/1
David Rheem 11/1
Ivan Demidov 9/2
Kelly Kim 39/1
Peter Eastgate 11/2
The odds would suggest that the likes of Dennis Phillips, Ivan Demidov, Peter Eastgate and Scott Montgomery are in the driving seat but is it really that clear? Or will we see one of the so called outsiders sneak in and grab the pot?
The beauty of poker is that fact that it can change from hand to hand and results can literally turn the betting on its head in a matter of minutes. While all of the players at the final table know what they can do and how to play the game, playing the final table at the main WSOP event can be daunting for even the most hardened professional.
How easy must it be to let your heart rule your head, to feel you heart pumping and make the wrong move or fall for a well disguised bluff?
Life in the world of poker is never straight forward and while those carrying big chip stacks to the final table have the cutting edge at the moment, this can all change very very quickly.
08.15.2008 | 8:20 am | Poker, News, casinos, gambling
It was announced yesterday that the groundbreaking London-based online poker room, PKR.com, surpassed other leading online gambling companies such as Betfair, and one of the leading UK gambling company Ladbrokes, in terms of the number of clients it attracted last year.
This is an especially remarkable achievement due to the fact that PKR.com has not yet celebrated its second birthday – its second anniversary is in fact on Sunday, August 17th. This clearly shows the potential for innovative online gambling websites to grow and expand, surpassing their more traditional rivals – and certainly indicates that the online gambling field in the UK is set for further expansion, with even more unique and original companies setting up every week.
In the last 12 months alone, over 1.1 million people have signed up to PKR.com, taking their total membership to the astonishing figure of 2 million in less than 2 years. This makes the site the fastest growing online gambling internet resource which does not accept US players, and the second fastest growing overall in the world – clearly showing the increased interest from Europe in the online gambling sector. The incredible growth of PKR.com was illustrated last month where the site surpassed Betfair and Ladbrokes to become the 15th busiest network worldwide for ‘real money’ internet poker.
Alongside the growth in clientele has come an expansion of the brand itself – it has launched a television series, PKR TV, which reaches a potential audience of 15 million people across Europe, as well as its own magazine, entitled Stacked, and the launch of the loyalty program Club PKR, which rewards regular customers with bonuses and hints and tips on how to succeed in their games. Whilst this expansion is impressive, Managing Director Simon Prodger is realistic about the future, saying that the company’s aim for next year is simply to “build on our achievements and keep looking forwardsâ€.
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