- WSOP NJ/NV network experiences surge in cash game traffic, doubling its usual number of seats.
- With 431 concurrent cash game seats, traffic at WSOP NV reaches close to its peak, approaching previous high of 434.
- WSOP 2023 sees record-breaking participation, with increased attendance and prize money.
- $10,000 WSOP Main Event expected to break records, surpassing 2006’s 8,773 entrants.
- WSOP US/888 network leverages WSOP hype, offering online bracelets and promotions, doubling traffic.
Cash game traffic at the shared WSOP real money network spanning New Jersey and Nevada online poker players has been on a tear thanks to the influx of players participating in the WSOP 2023 live series.
Since the series has begun, traffic at the lone WSOP NV, which shares its player pool with WSOP NJ and the three 888poker-branded racinos in Delaware, continues to climb and has leaped up from its usual position of around 200 concurrent cash game seats to double that figure.
The network is clocking in at almost its all-time peak of 431 based on the seven-day moving average tracked by GameIntel and available exclusively on the Poker Industry PRO platform. It is just a hair’s breadth away from surpassing its previous high of 434 achieved in February this year.
Unlike the typical lull in online poker during the summer, the WSOP US network experiences one of its busiest periods. This is primarily due to the annual two-month-long World Series of Poker festival in Nevada, attracting many players to the platform.
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WSOP 2023 Seeing All-Time High Participation
The 54th annual World Series of Poker kicked off five weeks ago, and it has seen unprecedented participation. The organizers have placed significant emphasis on making this year’s Main Event a record-breaking spectacle. As a result, many events have seen record attendance, with participation increasing by an average of 15% to 20% compared to the same events held last year.
To date, 75 events have concluded from the 95 live bracelet schedule at this year’s WSOP, generating over $250 million in prize money. At the current rate, the series is well on its way to approaching an unprecedented $400 million in total prize money.
The highly anticipated $10,000 WSOP Main Event, the pinnacle of the summer spectacle, is well underway and poised to break records. It is expected to surpass the 2006 record of 8,773 entrants and may even exceed 10,000 entrants.
Thus far, three of its four Day 1s have concluded, attracting over 5,200 players. Participation has increased by 30% compared to last year, and officials have reported that the Main Event is already 1,500+ entries ahead of last year’s pace.
WSOP 2023 Main Event Day 1 Turnout
| Day | Entries |
|---|---|
| 1A | 1080 |
| 1B | 1118 |
| 1C | 3080 |
| 1D | |
| 2ABC | |
| 2D |
The final starting flight, Day 1D, is anticipated to be the largest, with over 5,000 runners expected to participate. Additionally, registrations will be accepted during the first two hours of Day 2ABC and 2D, increasing the chances of reaching over 10,000 entries.
Increased Online Activity at WSOP US Network
With the sheer number of poker players descending upon Las Vegas, the shared WSOP US/888 network has seized the opportunity to leverage its monopoly marketing position in Sin City.
They have heavily marketed their real-money online poker platform to keep players engaged throughout the series, offering online bracelets, the 112 Seat Sprint campaign, reload bonuses, daily satellites, freerolls, Online Circuit Series, and Online Championships Series.
The result: The WSOP NJ/NV traffic has more than doubled, averaging over 400 concurrent cash game seats. This has allowed the network to claim the top spot in the regulated North American online poker market.
Year-over-year, the network is up by over 55%.
But most of the spike has come in the last week of June and the first week of July, with traffic gaining by a whopping 72%. Since that gain is based on a 7-day moving average, the absolute numbers for peak hours are even higher.
The actual number of online players on the platform may even be higher than that as the operator is heavily promoting satellites to the Main Event and other side bracelet events, which may be moving players away from the cash game tables to the tournament tables.
The online bracelets exclusively available to players in Nevada and New Jersey have also seen strong turnouts, with some events surpassing $1 million in prize pools.
With a couple of weeks of the WSOP remaining, there is still room for further growth before traffic quickly drops off. The operator hopes to retain a portion of its new customers even after the conclusion of the live series, as players return to their respective home states and countries.
