Veteran Poker Players Cleaning Up Online

Veteran Online Poker Players Benefitting from Casino Closures

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 05/10/2020

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Jerry’s greatest advantage is his extensive experience on the casino floor. His time as a casino manager taught him everything about what makes a player tick. Besides being a skilled poker player, he has deep knowledge of all live table games and gambling regulations in the US.

4 Poker Chips, Photo by © Peakpx

Rising Prizes Due to More Players

Officials from the online poker community have said that there are two key reasons why experienced online poker players are now able to win more. The first reason is that more people are now playing online poker, and this means that the prize pot automatically increases. So, experienced players are able to play for jackpots that are significantly higher than they otherwise would have been.

In addition, many of those who are now joining online poker sites have very little experience with the game. This means that experienced players now find themselves playing against much weaker players, which gives them a better chance of winning. While it is common for the top players to benefit from so-called “fish” it’s now easier than ever.

Donnie Peters from the online poker community, PocketFives.com, said:

What this means is that not only are those who make their income from poker able to do so more efficiently because they’re playing against a larger population of weaker competition, but the money that can be won from online poker tournaments has grown.

Last week saw the guaranteed prize pot for the GGPoker tournament increased to over $500,000 for the first time. This was due to an influx of new players, with a total of 3,662 joining up. Likewise, the WSOP.com Super Circuit Series saw its prize money rocket from $1.24 million to $4 million. This was due to more people signing up. The online tournament was in place of a live tournament that was meant to take place in Las Vegas.

Peters said that professional poker players were now able to win not only more money per tournament but also win more times. He said that while the current situation is an ‘unfortunate’ one, it had resulted in the popularity of online poker soaring.

Concerns Over Spending on Gaming Sites

While the figures show that online poker is an industry that is doing very well during the COVID-19 global pandemic, some have also expressed concerns about the situation. While research has not yet been published in the United States, studies conducted in other countries have shown that many are gambling more often on online poker and casino sites.

The data taken from these reports and studies has resulted in officials pressing gambling states to take steps to address the situation. On 20th April, the Stop Predatory Gambling group called for the suspension of state lotteries until the global pandemic and the lockdown come to an end.