This post is syndicated by the Las Vegas Advisor for the 888 casino group. Anthony Curtis comments on the 888 article introduced and linked to on this page.
A.C. says: You’ve probably heard the term variance in discussions and analyses of gambling games. This article will help you better understand what it means. Variance is an assessment of risk. In video poker, the risk of suffering a big loss is greater when variance is high. Correspondingly, high-variance schedules enhance the chances of getting a big win. Many players gravitate toward the higher-variance games because of that big-win factor, but those games often have lower overall return percentages. For example, a typical bar selection might include high variance 7/5 Double Double Bonus returning 96.71% and lower-variance 6/5 Bonus Poker returning 96.87%. It’s not a big discrepancy, but Bonus Poker is still the better game, yet it tends to get less play.
Low Variance or High Variance Video Poker – Which is Your Style?
This article was written by Jerry Stich in association with 888Casino.
As most video poker players know, not all video poker is alike. There are different games, different pay tables for each game, games with few jackpot-sized winners and those with many jackpot-sized winning hands.
Each of these variations in the game affect that specific game’s variance – a measure of the size of swings, both up and down, in the player’s bankroll.
This article explores the differences between high variance and low variance games.
Michel Dattani Justin Bonomo Rob Mariano David Costabile
On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode of 2023, Chad Holloway and Connor Richards come to you straight from the 2023 PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC) in the Bahamas. First, they discuss the full schedule reveal of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) schedule, and then dive headfirst into all things PSPC and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.
That includes interviews with PCA champ Michel Dattani, Survivor all-star “Boston” Rob Mariano, Billions and Breaking Bad actor David Costabile, and Justin Bonomo, who had a big win to extend his lead atop poker’s all-time money list.
They also chat about Nick Schulman replacing Gabe Kaplan on High Stakes Poker, the new Galfond Challenge between Phil Galfond and Dan “Jungleman” Cates, Perry Green‘s first tournament win in 35 years, and remember Julian Track and Jeff Fogel, who both, unfortunately, passed away.
Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
Time Stamps
Tell us who you want to hear from. Let us know what you think of the show — tweet about the podcast using #PNPod, and be sure to follow Chad Holloway, Jesse Fullen, and Connor Richards on Twitter.
Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here!
As society becomes more intertwined with the Internet, concerns about cybercrime grow stronger. The sports betting industry handles huge volumes of data on a daily basis and some fear it might be a prime target of cybercriminals. Sumsub, a universal verification platform, is aware of the danger.
Operators Should Be Wary When High-Traffic Events Approach
Sumsub published an article about the dangers of cybercrime ahead of the Big Game, which might be targeted by cybercriminals. As a major event, it would attract many bettors, thus increasing data volumes and threats alike. With many operators concerned about the event, Sumsub published some tips on what to expect and how to avoid danger.
Sports betting is becoming more popular in the United States by the year. Sumsub believes that around 83% of sportsbooks would experience a traffic increase during the last game of the football season.
The increase in volume will inevitably attract more cybercriminals and scammers, which is why operators should remain vigilant, Andrew Sever, CEO of Sumsub, warned. He noted that manual verification is not an optimal solution as it increases onboarding times. According to Sever, sportsbooks would do best to find a trusted verification provider.
Sumsub warned against the temptation of cutting corners to avoid long verification times as this way operators would risk fines for AML failures.
There Are Many Dangers
Sadly, fraud seems to be on the rise in the gaming sector, Sumsub noted. In Q1 2022, fraud increased by more than 50% year-on-year while fake account registrations skyrocketed by 85% quarter-on-quarter. The Big Game will likely attract more wrongdoers, which is why Sumsub advised companies to be wary of arbitrage betting, people with multiple accounts, identity thefts, account takeovers, money laundering, affiliate fraud and cybersecurity issues.
Sever said:
Big sporting events and hacking go hand in hand and the bigger the event, the more threats there are. Attackers can be individual hacker groups looking to make a quick buck or politically oriented groups wanting to steal sensitive information.
Andrew Sever, CEO, Sumsub
Not doing enough to prevent cyberattacks would endanger the safety of sports fans, athletes and organizers. Because of that, Sumsub believes that sportsbooks should create an automated verification flow that allows users to easily onboard and go through extra checks only when it really matters.
Sumsub’s Advice
Sumsub advised operators to follow these simple advice:
First of all, sportsbooks should request a minimum number of checks at the time of registration. Complicated registration processes might discourage customers from playing. When dealing with low-risk players bookmakers should use simplified checks, Sumsub believes.
When players make their first deposit, additional checks should be added. This can prevent people from making fake accounts or multiple accounts. During the onboarding stage, operators can also include biometric verification and facial recognition. These are even more important to introduce when players withdraw money.
Sever concluded that the aforementioned checks should help sportsbooks optimize verification time while still ensuring a high degree of security. He also promoted Sumsub’s automated solutions, which further reduce onboarding time and are proven to increase risk-free performance.
The company’s revenue for the quarter reached $1.59 billion, a modest 0.8% year-on-year increase. However, several notable metrics, like earnings per share, fell short of Wall Street’s estimates, while rising interest rates negatively impacted expenses. Despite the stagnating results, Penn Entertainment’s management remained optimistic for 2023, relying on its expansion efforts and strong momentum.
Management Remained Confident despite Mixed Metrics
Penn Entertainment’s overall results can be summed up as stable but unimpressive. The quarter’s $20.8 million net income was significantly lower than 2021’s $44.8 million for the same period. Adjusted EBITDA, on the other hand, scored substantially better, rising by 19% year-over-year to $438.3 million. Profits of 13 cents per share fell short of Wall Street’s forecasted $0.33 per share for an overall mixed result.
While the $1.59 billion in revenue is in line with projections, the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes added $60 million to Penn Entertainment’s quarterly interest expense, offsetting much of the company’s profits. The stagnation sharply contrasts Q3’s 8% revenue growth, but company officials insisted that matters were still well in hand.
2022 was a solid year for Penn despite ongoing macroeconomic headwinds.
Jay Snowden, Penn Entertainment CEO, and President
According to CEO Snowden, the company’s overall strategy remained sound and would lead to future dividends thanks to database growth and improved customer engagement. Penn’s interactive segment performed surprisingly well, recording a $5.2 million profit despite unfavorable factors. Such solid results can be just the bump in momentum the company needs heading into 2023.
The Company Has Gathered Significant Momentum
The quarter’s mixed results did not douse Penn’s optimism for the coming year. The operator had successful launches in several new markets, which are already paying dividends. According to Snowden, the company’s successes in Kansas and Maryland laid the groundwork for its stellar entry into Ohio.
Our deep customer database, retail footprint, and powerful Barstool Sports marketing engine contributed to a record number of first-time depositors at launch.
Jay Snowden, Penn Entertainment CEO, and President
The newly opened Ohio market is quickly proving to be a goldmine for operators, surpassing established markets like New York. As the initial rush to market settles down, Penn should be in a perfect position to leverage its Barstool brand and cement its substantial market share in the state. The company’s full-year revenue for 2022 should fall between $6.15 billion to $6.58 billion, providing a powerful launching-off point for future growth.
PokerStars wrapping the 2023 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) with the conclusion of the second ever PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship (PSPC). That $25,000 buy-in tournament attracted 1,014 entries and will award the winner a $4,053,200 top prize.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team has been on-site to offer live updates from a slew of PCA tournaments. Here’s a look at five of the more interesting hands captured in our live updates from the PSPC.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Barbero Makes an Ill-Timed Misclick
Jose Nacho Barbero
At the final table in Level 31 (125,000/250,000/250,000), Aliaksandr Shylko opened to 500,000 from under the gun with and Nacho Barbero was busy talking to the rail and didn’t notice the raise. Barbero raised to 5,125,000 in the small blind with , thinking he was just putting Max Menzel to the test in the big blind.
Menzel folded and Shylko jammed all in for around 12,000,000 which got a quick fold from the dumbfounded Barbero as the chip lead exchanged hands. Whether or not that hand will ultimate cost Barbero, who began the final table as chip leader, remains to be seen as the tournament is still in progress as of this publication.
Follow live updates from the 2023 PSPC here to see how Barbero does!
“Why Did You Fold?” “‘Cuz The Rest of the Table is So Bad”
Shaun Deeb
On Day 1 in Level 6 (400/800/800), Shaun Deeb was out of position in a heads-up pot against Xuan Liu on a board of .
Deeb checked on the turn and Liu bet 7,000. Deeb called. Deeb checked again on the river and Liu announced “all in” with Deeb covered, sending the American into a deep tank that extended several minutes. Eventually, Deeb folded to maintain his tournament life.
“Good fold,” commented table mate Eric Worre.
“I don’t think it was,” replied Deeb.
“Then why did you fold?” questioned Liu.
“‘Cuz the rest of the table is so bad,” replied Deeb as he was met with a big laugh from Worre, though no one else at the table seemed to think it was funny.
“Tell us how you really feel,” said Liu.
Rocco and Addamo Clash
Michael Rocco
In Level 10 (1,000/2,000/2,000) on Day 2, Michael Addamo raised to 4,500 from the hijack and was called by Michael Rocco in the big blind.
The flop came and Addamo continued for 2,000. Rocco put in a check-raise to 13,500. Addamo called.
The was the turn and Rocco checked. Addamo paused before betting 27,000. Rocco paused before calling.
The river was the and Rocco checked. Addamo went into the tank before betting 70,000. Action was on Rocco who moved all in for 123,000. Addamo went into the tank for several minutes before making the call. Rocco showed for full house to secure the double up as Addamo showed for a straight.
Addamo stood still in his chair as the remaining players went on break.
Volkmann’s Bluff Hunted Down
Bruno Volkmann
On Day 3 in Level 20 (10,000/20,000/20,000), Bruno Volkmann opened to 40,000 from under the gun and Matthew Hunt defended out of the big blind.
Hunt checked on the flop of and Volkmann continued for 20,000. Hunt called. Hunt check-called again on the turn when Volkmann bet 50,000.
Hunt checked a third time on the river and the Brazilian took about a minute before putting out an overbet of 460,000. Hunt took some time and called. Volkmann showed just an underpair with and Hunt tabled to win the big pot.
Matthew Hunt called Bruno Volkmann’s overbet bluff to win a big pot late in Day 3 of $25k PSPC https://t.co/XnDH1OnMeQ
— Connor “Panama Jack” Richards (@crichards1995)
Death By Quads for Gong
Jiachen Gong
In Level 23 (20,000/40,000/40,000) on Day 4, Philipe Pizzari opened to 80,000 from under the gun before Jiachen Gong jammed for around 400,000 from the big blind. Pizzari called.
Jiachen Gong: Philipe Pizzari:
“You like ace-nine,” said Gong as the cards were tabled.
Gong was in great shape for a double up but was immediately drawing thin after Pizzari made trips on the flop.
The turn gave Pizzari quads and the checkmark for the pot.
“I see why you like it,” commented Gong as the dealer finished the board off with the .
The Birth of Tragedy: Nitsche Bluffs Into Full House
Dominik Nitsche
Also on Day 4, albeit in Level 24 (25,000/50,000/50,000), Thomas Eychenne was in the big blind in a heads-up pot against Dominik Nitsche and got to the river on a board of .
The full action is unclear, but somehow all of Nitsche’s chips ended up in the middle on the river as he moved all in with Eychenne covered. Eychenne quickly called with the effective stack of 1,815,000.
Eychenne showed for a full house before Nitsche sheepishly turned over for an epic nine-high bluff. The German was left with crumbs as the Frenchman shot to the top of the counts.
The terms of the new deal, announced Friday, see Kaizen Gaming tap into Greco’s leading gameplay risk engine platform. Per the new collaboration, Kaizen Gaming will leverage the cutting-edge solution to boost its player management. At the same time, the company will benefit from boosting the trust in its online operations and ensuring unique gaming experiences for its customers.
Leveraging behavioral risk analysis and theoretical value modeling, Greco provides its partner operators with data that estimates player risk. This delivers efficiencies for gambling companies as they can make informed decisions, especially when making strategic changes. Ultimately, Greco’s risk management platform helps operators deliver better customer experience while at the same time benefitting from efficient operations.
“We are proud to have Kaizen Gaming on board as our latest partner.“
Ozric Vondervelden, co-founder and CEO of Greco
Ozric Vondervelden, Greco’s co-founder and CEO, said that the company is excited to join forces with Kaizen Gaming. He explained that the two companies share the same values by focusing on people and technology. Finally, Vondervelden predicted that the collaboration will benefit both Greco and Kaizen Gaming.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Greco, a company that shares our commitment to continually improving the player experience.“
Michail Koutsoukos, director of CRM at Kaizen Gaming
Kaizen Gaming’s director of CRM, Michail Koutsoukos, added that the company is delighted to join forces with Greco. He outlined that Greco’s unique gameplay risk engine will deliver efficiencies that will reduce risk and help the company better evaluate its players. Finally, Koutsoukos said that Kaizen Gaming is looking forward to the success the new partnership will bring.
Greco Continues to Grow
The latest deal with Kaizen Gaming comes on the heels of another partnership announced this week by Greco. Earlier this week, the company revealed it joined forces with Betsson, the globally recognized iGaming company that consists of 20 brands.
Under the terms of the deal, Betsson will benefit from Greco’s leading solution. Ultimately, the company will be able to develop better strategies for risk mitigation and leverage Greco’s solution to detect “unfavorable player behavior.” Just like with the latest deal, the collaboration is expected to benefit the two companies.
Boyd Gaming Corporation posted its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2022. As reported by the gaming and hospitality giant, the three months ended December 31 were very successful for the company, as was the entire year.
Q4 Saw Boyd Gaming Perform Strongly
As announced, Boyd Gaming recorded revenues of $922.9 million in Q4 2022, representing a noticeable increase from the prior year period. Net income for the three-month period sat at $172.7 million, which translates into $1.63 per share. Boyd Gaming noted that this is a substantial increase from Q4 2021 when the company recorded a net income of $109.8 million with $0.96 per share.
The company also shared figures about its adjusted EBITDAR, which was $360.1 million in Q4 2022, a slight year-on-year increase. Adjusted earnings, meanwhile, were $181.8 million, or $1.72 per share, Boyd Gaming added.
EBITDAR was significantly affected by the company’s impressive performance in Las Vegas, the release stated.
In addition, the company paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15, just as it had promised earlier.
The Company Beat Its Annual Record
Taking a look at how Boyd Gaming fared in 2022, we see that the company saw revenues increase to $3.56 billion for the year. This figure was accompanied by a net income of $638.4 million, or $5.87 per share. It should be noted that all of these metrics are higher than the ones recorded in 2022.
Adjusted EBITDAR for the year, meanwhile, was $1.39 billion, a very slight increase on the prior year’s $1.37 billion. Adjusted earnings for the period, on the other hand, were estimated at $662 million, which represents $6.07 per share.
Boyd Gaming added that just like in 2021, its 2022 pretax income was impacted by charges. This year, the company has to pay $19.8 million to extinguish a debt. The company’s total debt currently sits at $3.09 billion.
In 2022, Boyd Gaming continued to repurchase shares, taking back $107 of its stock. Moreover, by December 31, the company had $283.5 in cash.
CEO Smith Praised the Results
Boyd Gaming’s president and chief executive officer, Keith Smith, addressed the Q4 results, calling them “a strong conclusion of another record year.” He praised his team for the record-breaking revenue and EBITDAR, adding that the operating teams remain focused on augmenting revenues, inspiring loyalty among customers and managing expenses.
We continued to return significant capital to our shareholders with nearly $600 million in share repurchases and dividends in 2022. In all, 2022 was another strong year for our Company, and we remain confident in our operating model and our team’s ability to successfully navigate the year ahead.
Keith Smith, CEO, Boyd Gaming
Smith pointed out that Nevada was one of the keys to the company’s success in 2022. He also noted that in 2022, the company acquired Pala Interactive and expanded its sports betting deal with FanDuel, which will further help the company in the long run.
Gaming Innovation Group (GiG), an iGaming company offering cloud-based product and platform services and performance marketing to its B2B partners, announced that it has completed an Ontario-oriented agreement with the local operator Casino Time.
GiG Pens Deal
The completion of this deal follows a Head of Terms agreement announced on November 30 last year. As previously discussed, GiG will provide its new Canadian partner with its award-winning platform, sportsbook and omnichannel solution.
Under the agreement, the brand should go live in the second quarter of 2023, making Casino Time the fifth regional operator to be powered by GiG. The supplier has been making impressive strides in Ontario ever since securing a license from the Alcohol and Gambling Commission of Ontario in July 2022.
Although not the first supplier to hit Ontario’s fresh iGaming market, GiG has quickly cemented itself as one of the most successful ones. The company’s commitment to using best-in-class technology in key functional areas, including player account management, trading and risk management and automated marketing has helped it find many new partners.
GiG’s reliability is something that many companies appreciate, which is why the supplier now has an extensive online and retail reach in the Canadian province.
Casino Time Thrilled to Go Online
Casino Time is a fresh joint venture of retail companies in Ontario’s Charitable Gaming sector. The charity model the brand uses, already popular among local retail players, will now be extended to the iGaming sector for the first time.
Casino Time’s chief executive officer and founder, D’Arcy Stuart, commented on the company’s planned online launch. He thanked the Ontario charities for their continuous support of his company and promised to create engaging experiences for the customers. As stated by Stuart, the company’s plans are to offer online bingo, slots, sports betting and live casino games to local customers.
Meanwhile, Marcel Elfersy, Gaming Innovation Group’s chief commercial officer, said that his team is happy to support Casino Time and help the company make a foray into iGaming.
Combined with our commitment to expansion in complex regulated markets globally, we’re demonstrating that we are well positioned to power the needs and aspirations of land-based operators looking to enter the online space.
Marcel Elfersy, CCO, GiG
GiG has been actively signing agreements with new partners. In January, the company announced two notable Europe-oriented Head of Terms arrangements. The first of them will establish a partnership between the supplier and a famous European land-based operator, while the second one will see GiG enter Swiss iGaming with an undisclosed company. The latter agreement was just confirmed by GiG.
The new partnership extension builds on a strong foundation between the duo. In fact, Paddy Power and Playtech have collaborated for more than a decade, helping each other grow further into the iGaming vertical. Now, thanks to the new collaboration, Playtech will continue to be the exclusive provider of self-service betting terminals (SSBTs) for Paddy Power. The deal applies to both Ireland and the UK markets, ensuring further the leadership position of Paddy Power.
“We are pleased to continue our strategically important relationship with industry leader Playtech.“
David Newton, COO at Paddy Power
David Newton, Paddy Power’s COO, said that the company is delighted to extend its strategic collaboration with Playtech. Moreover, he explained that Playtech’s terminals play an important and crucial part in the company’s retail operations and its future growth strategy. Finally, Newton said that Paddy Power is looking forward to expanding further this partnership “in the coming years.”
Details of the new collaboration emerged after only recently, Paddy Power secured “Superbrand” status for its campaigns from the Center of Brand Analysis. The prestigious status acknowledged the brand for its creativity and engagement within the British gambling market.
Playtech Is Delighted to Extend the Deal with Paddy Power
The new deal comes amid a time when Playtech continues to grow its presence and solidify its position as the go-to provider for retail sports betting terminals. What’s more, only recently, the company announced the launch of Player Props and Betbuilder, offering new markets and features. At the same time, the testament to the popularity of Playtech’s sports betting shops was reaffirmed in light of their performance during the recent World Cup.
“Paddy Power has grown into a leading force since its inception over 30 years ago, and we look forward to building on our successful partnership with them.“
Shimon Akad, COO at Playtech
Shimon Akad, Playtech’s COO, said that over the last three decades, Paddy Power expanded its presence significantly. He pointed out that Playtech will be delighted to continue its strong and successful collaboration with the brand.
Akad added that the company continues to invest in its software solutions, which in turn, brings benefits to its partners. Finally, he outlined that Playtech will continue to work on new technologies that will help digitalize the retail gambling sector.
In case you didn’t know, PokerStars is back in the United States. It actually has been for quite some time in New Jersey as well as in Michigan and Pennsylvania, though each was a segregated market. At the start of the New Year, PokerStars hit the ground running by becoming the first online operator to merge their NJ and MI player pools, instantly making it the largest online poker network in the US.
One man responsible for making that happen was Managing Director of North America for PokerStars Severin Rasset, who helped usher in a similar liquidity merge in Europe.
“We had similar things happening in Portugal, which was operating as a closed liquidity for a while,” he explained. “Portugal has about 14 million inhabitants. So, very similar to the size of New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Then Portugal joined with Spain, which was a big, dynamic change to the market.”
He added: “I’ve been through quite a lot of these changes in the regulatory and so just using this experience while getting the most out of the team in the US and plugging my experience in with their expertise and their own experiences, I think we’re gonna have a really good mix.”
Rasset recently spoke to PokerNews at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) in the Bahamas about recent developments concerning PokerStars US including the reveal that they’re offering $1 million in guarantees each week, updates on Pennsylvania and Nevada, and the potential return of live events in America.
Exclusive: PokerStars Managing Director Severin Rasset on “Way More Generous” Rewards for Players
On the Merging on MI & NJ Markets
On January 1, PokerStars flipped the figurative switch to merge the New Jersey and Michigan player pools. There wasn’t a major celebration straight away, but it was a momentous day for online poker.
“Very exciting days. When you work for months on liquidity – the technical team, the commercial teams – to arrive there seeing it going live and immediately making an impact,” Rasset explained. “This is something that we’ve been looking forward to. Having more liquidity means that we can do much more, we have the right product, we have the right software, but having the ability to get more depth and breadth, more games, it’s something that is really making a big difference.”
He continued: “Having this ability to suddenly merge liquidity between New Jersey and Michigan is a game changer for us and hopefully just the first step or so, like offering a much bigger liquidity for all American players.”
With an expanded player pool, Rasset and company know it is more important than ever to keep their foot on the gas by appealing to players, be it through either promotions, new games, or tournament series.
“What is important is that you continue to offer something that you know is really strong and can be differentiated from the rest of what is offered. We are also launching Zoom, a different type of cash game that requires liquidity. So, we’re doing it in a temporary fashion to see if players like it, and we’re gonna also do it during peak hours to make sure that we can actually run them. We’re gonna learn from that to see, again, what is the reaction from players. We adjust to make it appealing for them.”
Severin Rasset at the 2023 PSPC.
Rasset was also excited to reveal that February brings a very exciting development – that PokerStars US will be guaranteeing $1 million in weekly prize pools for NJ & MI, while Pennsylvania will offer $500,000!
“Also, $1 million guaranteed on a weekly basis is even more important to me than a series because the series is creating like a peak of activity, but the weekly schedule is what says to players they can come back any day, you can come back any weekend, whenever you feel like playing there will be something exciting waiting for you. And that’s really what makes a difference in terms of keeping players engaged.”
SCOOP Upcoming
While the specifics are yet to be announced, Rasset did confirm that PokerStars US will offer a SCOOP series, which is slated to be even bigger and better than the recently-completed PSPC Online.
“A couple of teasers that I think we’re going to try even bigger than what we did for the PSPC is SCOOP,” said Rasset. “It’s something that is really deeply ingrained into the history of PokerStars and is something that we have been very proud of really creating this championship. I think winning an event in the scope of the SCOOP means something for the players, there is a lot of pride. We want to make sure that we create the best offering, so I think we’re going to try to surprise them with bigger guarantees than we did for the PSPC Online.”
Detroit Red Wings, PokerStars Form Online Poker Partnership in Michigan
Will Pennsylvania Also Merge?
As of 2021, Michigan had a population of 10 million, while New Jersey had 9.2 million. That means if Pennsylvania were ever to join the network with its 13 million population, the player pool would grow exponentially. However, that’s not an easy process as Pennsylvania would first have to navigate political hoops to join the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA).
“If it was up to me, we’d do it tomorrow,” said Rasset. “There are a few steps that are important. We are working with the regulators to explain to them why we think it’s a benefit, and we feel now we have much more ammunition to explain to them given what’s happening with New Jersey and Michigan merging. But there’s also a political aspect.
He continued: “We need the Governor of Pennsylvania to sign the MSIGA, and that’s part is outside of our control. The best that we can do is explain the rationale that we think it’s having a positive impact for the player experience, and then hope for the best. But we know that when Pennsylvania joins we will be aiming to be the first one to release and bring them into the merged player pools.”
Learn more about PokerStars in PA here!
What About Nevada?
Nevada is the most mature online poker market in the US, though right now WSOP.com is the only operator. PokerStars was prevented from entering the market when it launched as they were deemed a “bad actor” for continuing to offer its services to US players after the UIGEA in 2006. According to legislation, bad actors were barred for 10 years. Well, that period is almost up, so has PokerStars thought about Nevada?
“Yeah, absolutely,” said Rasset. “That’s something that we’re always looking at on a regular basis. It’s also important to notice that our sister brand, Fan Duel, also got licensed over there. So, this is something that we’re working with them to see what would be the right requirements for us to be able to be there. It’s something that we evaluate on an ongoing basis. There’s no immediate plan to come there, but we are looking into it.”
Return of Live Events
Prior to Black Friday, PokerStars had launched their own tour in the United States called the North American Poker Tour (NAPT). It proved to be quite successful in its short existence. Given that PokerStars has return to the US, at least in a trio of states, have they thought about returning to the live space on a more permanent basis?
“We’re seeing the PSPC at the moment and the excitement that it creates for players. They truly enjoy this experience, and I think that’s something that is really complimentary to what we offer online, but it’s a completely different poker experience when you play live versus playing online … but the short answer is yes, we are also going to be back live in the US, and I think that’s something that will also help overall to show that we have this passion for poker, we have an appreciation for the players, and that we know how to run things to make a difference.”
While Rasset couldn’t share specifics regarding any upcoming live efforts, he did indicate that there is likely to be movement on that front later in 2023.
Learn more about PokerStars in MI here!
The Future of Poker in US
Severin Rasset
The expansion of online poker in the US has come at a snail’s pace, but given what’s happened both in that space and with live poker as of late, Rasset it bullish on the future.
“Coming from Europe with having brand operations experience for a long time over there. There is an excitement about poker overall, both live events and online,” he explained. “There is a character about the game that is really quite unique in the market, and the players have this passion that you feel is here to stay. So, I took the job here because I really believe that there is a strong future for poker overall in the US and because I think with PokerStars we have the best brand to actually deliver the best product. With states opening one by one, I think that we have like 5-10 years ahead of us where the seeds will just continue to grow on a regular basis”
He added: “There are [legislative] drafts in Indiana; New York is showing some movement. You have states that seem to be happening in the next three to five years, and the goal is to put us in the best position so that when there is a new state opening or joining the liquidity we can actually make sure that we’re ready. We can immediately add players to the overall pool. The vision is to create a large merged player pool in the US where we can offer more and more exciting tournaments with every year being better than the one before.”
Learn more about PokerStars in NJ here!
$1 Million a Week on PokerStars MI/NJ
As Rasset mentioned, one of the most exciting announcements is that PokerStars is offering $1 million in guaranteed prize pools on a weekly basis to players in Michigan and New Jersey. This will be offered across a packed schedule of daily and nightly tournaments.
With an attractive variety of daily tournament buy-ins starting at $5 and ranging up to $250, as well as reoccurring nightly tournaments ranging from $25-$50 buy-in, the new guaranteed prize pool gives the PokerStars community even more rewards and games every day. Since shared liquidity was announced on January 1, players have been enjoying PokerStars US’ largest guarantees to date. With more players, more tournaments and bigger prizes, the excitement keeps growing.
Similarly, players in Pennsylvania will play for a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool with the same tournament structure. Reoccurring nightly tournaments include:
and 
, thinking he was just putting 
. 
river and Liu announced “all in” with Deeb covered, sending the American into a deep tank that extended several minutes. Eventually, Deeb folded to maintain his tournament life. 
and Addamo continued for 2,000. Rocco put in a check-raise to 13,500. Addamo called.
and Rocco checked. Addamo went into the tank before betting 70,000. Action was on Rocco who moved all in for 123,000. Addamo went into the tank for several minutes before making the call. Rocco showed 
for full house to secure the double up as Addamo showed 
for a straight. 
river and the Brazilian took about a minute before putting out an overbet of 460,000. Hunt took some time and called. Volkmann showed just an underpair with 
and Hunt tabled 
to win the big pot.
flop.
for a full house before Nitsche sheepishly turned over 
for an epic nine-high bluff. The German was left with crumbs as the Frenchman shot to the top of the counts.
