While the past year certainly had its challenges, 2020 was a good one for online gambling as a whole. Online casinos, poker rooms, and betting sites saw a significant increase in traffic.
As one of the industry leaders, 888 has had a very successful 2020, with many interesting developments. We are bringing you a recap of the past twelve months, highlighting some of the most important moments for 888.
XL Inferno Series a Huge Success Dishing Out $1.8 Million
The first really big moment for 888poker happened in May, when their XL Inferno Series turned out to be a great success.
Taking place over eleven days, the series featured 34 events and offered $1.5 million in guaranteed prizes.
By the time it was all said and done, the guaranteed prize pool was shattered as players took home a total of $1,851,663, with the total number of entries across the series adding up to 46,649.
This was the largest prize pool to be awarded in a single series organized by the operator in over a year, setting the tone for the things to come in the near future.
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888 Holdings Reports Significant Surge in Traffic on its Poker Platform
The company reported a big increase in year-to-year revenue for the first half of 2020. According to the official statement, numbers for the period January 1 – June 23 were up 34%, with the online poker segment doing particularly well.
New Mobile App Set to Transform the Players’ Experience
With more and more players opting to play from their mobile devices, 888 has put a lot of focus on improving its mobile app. In August, the company finally came out with a brand new mobile platform, promising to transform the on-the-go poker experience.
The biggest change was switching from the more traditional landscape to the portrait view. The new mobile app also supports playing up to four tables at the same time and enhanced navigation.
Although many new features were added to the app, improving the overall quality and experience, players can still only play Hold’em games via their phones, while PLO tables are only available through the desktop platform.
The 888 Millions Superstorm Becomes the Biggest Online Tournament Series Ever
In September, 888poker rolled out its biggest-ever online tournament series with 888 Millions Superstorm.
With 480 events spread across several weeks and a grand total of $8,000,000 in guaranteed prizes, the series offered daily regular and “mini” events, catering to all players, from casuals to high rollers.
The pinnacle of the series, the 888 Millions Superstorm Main Event, had the guaranteed prize pool of $1,000,000. There were multiple Day 1s leading up to the grand finale on October 11.
Classic Tournaments Added to the Daily Schedule
Around the same time it launched the Millions Superstorm, 888poker decided to spice up its daily tournament schedule with five new events named “Classic.”
Classic events feature buy-ins ranging from $5 to $100, they are played 8-handed, and there are no rebuys.
The good news for the players is that these tournaments also have reduced rake, making them a rather appealing proposition for serious grinders.
888 Receives Pennsylvania Gaming License Improving its Foothold in the US
October of 2020 was particularly important for 888. The company was awarded a gaming license in Pennsylvania, paving the way for it to become the second online poker room in the state.
While it is still uncertain when an 888-branded app will go live in Pennsylvania, this was an important step for the company as they have their eyes set on the growing US market.
According to the company’s CEO Itai Pazner, 888 is planning to launch into several new markets in 2021, and further improve its position in the States in 2022.
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888 Celebrates the Launch of Its New Made To Play Platform
At the end of October, 888 officially launched its brand new poker platform with the new aptly named slogan Made To Play. Taking advantage of new technologies, the platform is geared particularly towards mobile players whose numbers have been constantly growing.
To celebrate the launch of the new app in style, 888 is giving away $1,000,000 in prizes until January 10, 2021.
Prizes are being distributed through freeroll tournaments, random cash drops, and daily happy hours, giving all players a chance to partake in the festivities.
XL Winter Series Awards More Than $1.3 Million in Prizes
888poker had a very strong finish to 2020. Their XL Winter Series wrapped up on December 20, having awarded more than $1.3 million in cash prizes.
The $500,000 guaranteed Main Even was the highlight of the series and for the first time, the tournament was held in the progressive knockout (PKO) format.
The eventual winner, a player hailing from Russia, took home just shy of $35,000 for the first place finish and an additional 26,177 in bounties, for the grand total of $60,861.
