Humor me for a moment and journey back to the last Golden Age of online poker in the US:
In the spring of 2010, you’re left with a measly dollar in your online poker account after a series of inexplicably bad beats. You gamble your last virtual cents to enter a Step 1 WSOP satellite. Despite the overwhelming odds, you emerge victorious, and this marks the beginning of your continuous winning streak.
Nine months later, you find yourself at the pinnacle of the poker world, boasting ownership of a WSOP Main Event bracelet.
The dream of numerous US-based online poker players before Black Friday was short-lived. Virtually every poker site that accepted players from the states was suddenly closed, quickly dissipating their dreams.
Over the last three years, online poker players have been forced to qualify for the World Series of Poker through other, less appealing methods. Some even completely gave up their dreams of participating in the world’s most esteemed live tournament series.
However, with the legalization of online poker in Nevada and WSOP.com, we are now entering a new era of online poker.
I would contend that it’s going to be even better than the previous one.
The WSOP.com edge
If it’s not already obvious, WSOP.com has strong connections to the most renowned live tournament poker. This gives it the distinct capability to provide numerous cross-promotional events, several of which will give players the chance to turn their online earnings into live WSOP entries.
Unlike previous years, players aiming to secure a spot in the Main Event or any of the numerous other WSOP events need not fear their funds being frozen or their preferred site being closed down by the Department of Justice. This is because WSOP.com is entirely legal in the states of Nevada and New Jersey.
Enough about logistics. Let’s demonstrate how WSOP.com is revolutionizing the game with its comprehensive range of exceptional promotions.
Qualifiers, qualifiers and more qualifiers
Seven fortunate players have already converted their $16.50 buy-in into an entry to the event, fondly referred to by some as the “Mini-Main Event.”
From May 22 to 29, WSOP.com held nightly qualifiers where the winner was granted entry into Event #8, the $1,500 Millionaire Maker. All of these online qualifiers are assured an opportunity to compete for the first place prize of a seven-figure sum.
Don’t worry if you missed the fun because WSOP.com just launched a range of new WSOP-focused qualifier events. In fact, until July 1, players in Nevada’s top poker room can get access to almost every WSOP event.
Contrast this with the time when PokerStars was the dominant force in the states. Even though it had a huge fanbase, PS players could seldom register for anything other than a WSOP Main Event qualifier.
On that note, the site will be launching a 25 Seat Main Event Scramble on July 5th, which, as you may have inferred, will grant over two-dozen players access to the most prestigious stage in poker.
In just its inaugural year in the regulated market, WSOP.com has successfully bridged the gap between online and physical play in ways never seen before. This can be attributed to its status as a legal poker operator and the advantageous brand association with the WSOP.
Player incentives
So far, poker operators in the regulated US market have not fully leveraged their affiliations to land-based casinos and events.
We’ve previously talked about how WSOP.com is blurring the lines between online and live poker. However, its celebratory and user-friendly promotions show a level of dedication that is unprecedented in the regulated iPoker industry.
The Multi-Table Madness promo, which awards a $100 bonus to lucky cash-game players just for sitting at a table, exemplifies the network’s heightened commitment to its patrons.
To sweeten the deal, if victorious players are at other cash-game tables, they will be awarded an extra $100 per table. This is truly getting money for nothing and free chips, pun intended.
Moving forward, SNG Leaderboards reward the site’s top players with a portion of $5,000 in weekly prizes. Additionally, the upcoming WSOP.com Online Championship will provide players with the chance to compete for a guaranteed prize fund of $560,000, dispersed over 15 events. Consider the Online Championship as WSOP.com’s method of giving players, who didn’t succeed in a live WSOP event, another shot at victory.
A new day for US online poker
Looking at WSOP’s promotional schedule takes me back to the times when PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker constantly amazed me with their incredibly appealing promotions. However, this time, I have minimal reservations about depositing money onto a poker site.
It seems a new era in online poker has commenced, poker enthusiasts.
