Poker tourneys have the online game to thank
As professional poker player Phil Ivey and others made it to the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) this month, the role played by the online gaming in driving the growing success of the WSOP and offline gambling became even clearer in the eyes of industry observers...
AS PROFESSIONAL POKER player Phil Ivey and others made it to the final table of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) this month, the role played by the online gaming in driving the growing success of the WSOP and offline gambling became even clearer in the eyes of industry observers.
Although clearly affected by the ongoing recession, Las Vegas, and to an extent European casinos, have done very well out of the online poker craze in recent times. Large numbers of players have learnt to play online and have been introduced to the world of live poker and the enjoyment and buzz it brings.
The numbers don’t lie: 6,494 players entered this year’s WSOP compared with just 2,575 in 2004, 5,619 in 2005, 8,773 in 2006″¦ and just 512 in 2000, not even 10 years ago.
This stupendous rise in player numbers would not have happened without internet gaming. Which is why it was always puzzling to hear some of the Vegas casinos criticise the egaming market, saying it would take away business and drive down margins.
Even more intriguing was listening to some offline bigwigs at a recent conference claim that online could benefit their land-based businesses and had to be harnessed in the right way. Better late than never, one felt like telling them.