Nevada Traffic Report: WSOP NV Poised to Emerge From Summer Hangover

Written By Robert DellaFave on September 5, 2014
Nevada traffic numbers are still down since the end of summer but they should start to improve soon.

WSOP NV and the iPoker industry in general did not have a favorable last week of August. However, as days are becoming shorter and nights cooler, players are starting to return to their online poker sites.

We observed in June that Nevada’s traffic trends sometimes deviate from global market trends, particularly when the live WSOP event led to a significant increase in cash-game traffic. Although the change in season and the ensuing promotions may rekindle interest in Nevada’s budding iPoker market, it’s worth noting that the state has previously defied seasonal trends and may do so again.

Until provided with a reason to believe otherwise, I maintain my previous month’s forecast that the cash-game traffic of WSOP will gradually move towards and surpass the 100 benchmark. So far, it has done so, albeit most of its progress has been at the detriment of its main competitor, Ultimate Poker.

Cash-game traffic on WSOP NV shows signs of life

Data obtained from PokerFuse Pro via PokerScout reveals the 7-day cash game averages across all Nevada poker sites, as listed below (figures from August 19 are in parenthesis):

  • WSOP NV: 98 (96)
  • Ultimate Poker: 69 (61)
  • Real Gaming: 0 (0)

Real Gaming hasn’t yet achieved any notable 7-day averages, but it is drawing some traffic, albeit slight, with a 24-hour peak of 5.

WSOP NV seems to be experiencing a slight recovery after falling from a peak of 113 last month on August 9th. While the volume of ring game only increased by 2 percent in the past two weeks, it was still sufficient to exceed the global market, which has seen steady traffic levels.

On the other hand, Ultimate Poker experienced a significant loss of 11.6 percent of its players, partly due to the end of its popular Triple Play promo. The second-ranked network in Nevada hasn’t announced a promotion for September yet. It would be advisable for them to do so.

WSOP NV’s promotional schedule has not been particularly impressive. However, after a conversation with WSOP Head of Online Poker Bill Rini on Twitter, I learned that some of WSOP NJ’s promotions will be coming to Nevada. There is also a chance for exclusive promotions for Nevada players, though this has not been confirmed.

Here’s a quick preview of what’s set to take place at WSOP NJ for your reference:

  • Leader Board for Apps: Players who gain the highest number of weekly loyalty points from September 7 to 20 will share a prize pool of $5,000.
  • Poker-Palooza: From September 7th to 21st, participants in ring games stand a chance to win a variety of rewards, ranging from tournament tickets to cash prizes and instant bonuses.
  • Reload Bonus for September: Receive a match bonus of 100%, up to $400, when you top up your account with the promo code FALL2014 between 19th and 28th September.

Currently, WSOP NV and NJ are offering weekly cash prizes totaling $7,500 in New Jersey and $4,500 in Nevada to Sit & Go grinders who rank high on the September Sit & Go Leader Boards.

I would contend that the SNG leader boards by WSOP are among the most well-received promotions ever introduced in the regulated market. However, despite their commendable performance in boosting cash liquidity, these leader boards, by their very nature, could potentially have a detrimental impact on the attendance at ring games.

To illustrate, since the promotion was introduced in New Jersey, there has been a 2.5 percent decrease in cash game liquidity on WSOP.

Labor Day weekend negatively impacts tournament turnouts

Tournament traffic on Nevada’s online poker sites was notably lower week-over-week, with few exceptions. This essentially verifies that, like the rest of the world, holidays also have a negative impact on online poker MTT traffic in Nevada.

Below are the attendance figures for the Nevada majors last weekend:

  • The WSOP’s $15k Guarantee drew 96 participants, creating a $19,200 prize pool. This was an increase of 6 entrants, or 6.7 percent, compared to August 24th.
  • The Weekend Warm-Up event by WSOP ($55 R&A) drew in 39 players with 33 rebuys and 24 add-ons, resulting in a $200 overlay. The previous week’s event surpassed its guarantee by $1,400.
  • The WSOP’s $27.50, $3k Guarantee produced a prize pool of $3,200, which was $2,100 less than the previous week.
  • The WSOP’s $55 Freezeout with a $1k Guarantee had 44 participants, creating a prize pool of $2,200. While this may seem substantial at first glance, take into account that last week’s event attracted 62 participants.
  • This week’s Ultimate Poker’s $10,000 Sunday event saw the attendance of 91 participants, 4 more than the previous week, resulting in an overlay of $1,719.

Trends in Nevada’s tournaments almost mirrored those in New Jersey, where online tournament lobbies were as deserted as if virtual tumbleweeds were blowing across them.

For additional tournament participation statistics and outcomes, see the Nevada Weekend Tournament Review on PocketFives.

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Robert DellaFave

Robert, based in New Jersey, is the managing editor of OnlinePokerReport.com. He also writes for various online publications that focus on legal U.S. online poker and casino markets. Besides his journalism work, he designs games. You can find more from Robert by following him on Twitter at @DivergentGames.

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