They’re running great promotions & everyone is excited to be able to satellite to WSOP events from their homes. I think, hands down, they have the best software compared to their competitors
WSOP Michigan real money online poker has taken more than one-fifth of the MI online poker market, the latest cash game traffic reveals.
According to data tracked by GameIntel, available on Poker Industry PRO’s Data platform, the average number of concurrent players across Michigan online poker apps currently totals just over 300. WSOP claims 66 of those seats — a 22% market share.
It is just shy of BetMGM Michigan, at 79, and far below the leading PokerStars Michigan, with 157 and over 50% market share. However, it is a strong showing for an operator that launched just two weeks ago.
The latest data also shows the launch of WSOP Michigan has been mostly additive — the two incumbents have retained their own cash game traffic; WSOP has brought in new customers.
Prior to its launch, the market was hovering at around 250 concurrent seats. Since its launch, it has stayed above 300, sustaining levels not seen since the first few months of the market opening.
The operator came big out of the gates with freerolls, guaranteed tournaments, and big welcome bonuses for new players. TheWSOP MI welcome bonus is the best in the industry, offering $50 in free money ($25 is a no deposit bonus just for signing up, another $25 for a first deposit) and then a huge $1000 deposit match bonus to players signing up using promo code FUSEBONUS50.
- Up to $100 in free play on your first deposit
- Play on the WSOP to win WSOP Bracelet and Rings
- Only site in Michigan to offer Online Qualifiers to live WSOP Series
- Great tournament action 24/7
On top of that, it has spread an aggressive MTT schedule and players have been enjoying huge overlays since its launch.
For example, last Sunday’s $50,000 Big Sunday Major, a $91+$9 tournament, attracted 284 players and 116 rebuys. This built a prize pool of $36,400, meaning WSOP had to make up $13,600 out of pocket to cover. That works out at a value of almost $50 for each player who participated — half the buy-in of the tournament.
There were similar spots of value elsewhere. The $25k Sunday Special PKO ($55 buy-in) attracted 238 players, to collect just $11,900 in entry fees — half of the target.
Some tournaments are doing much better. The $30k Sunday Special consistently covers: Last Sunday, 284 players built a prize pool of over $50k. However, it may well be that some players are being gifted these seats via promotions — the ratio of entries to re-buys certainly suggests a different makeup of players.
“I think the response has been great,” said Joe Cada, WSOP’s new online poker ambassador, in a recent exclusive interview with pokerfuse. “They’re running great promotions and everyone is excited to be able to satellite to WSOP events from their homes. I think, hands down, they have the best software compared to their competitors in the same market.”
WSOP Positions Itself to Take Advantage of Expanded Multi-State Poker
WSOP.com was the first operator to service interstate poker and is all-in on the future of online poker in the United States.
Still, WSOP will be happy with its performance to date. The operator is playing the long game as it waits patiently to connect its Michigan player pool with the existing WSOP US network that currently covers Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.
It is hard to judge how far off this is, but it is now almost certain that it will happen relatively quickly. As pokerfuse reported this week, a new agreement for all four states has been drafted, and it is currently under review by the Michigan Attorney General to ensure it is fully compliant with their laws.
Once that passes through, the MGCB says it is “confident” it will “sign the agreement expeditiously.” It will then be on each operator to receive the individual approval for multi-state poker.
It will be a transformative moment for US online poker. WSOP will certainly gain, expanding its three-state network to four, but PokerStars and BetMGM will also see a big benefit, creating a two-state network for the very first time. In that respect, it will create a more level playing field for the industry.
The biggest benefit will be for the players, who will enjoy much bigger tournaments and promotions and more games running around the clock. There is good reason to believe that it could create a domino effect — with more online poker rooms launching in Nevada, West Virginia, and Connecticut considering shared liquidity themselves. Pennsylvania should also take notice.
“WSOP.com was the first operator to service interstate poker and is all-in on the future of online poker in the United States,” said WSOP Executive Director, Ty Stewart, in a recent statement to pokerfuse. “We embrace any momentum to offer a unified experience for poker players to compete in regulated states and across new markets.”
- Up to $100 in free play on your first deposit
- Play on the WSOP to win WSOP Bracelet and Rings
- Only site in Michigan to offer Online Qualifiers to live WSOP Series
- Great tournament action 24/7
Meanwhile, the First-Ever WSOP MI Circuit Series Gets Underway Soon
In the meantime, WSOP is not holding back its ambitions. The operator has just revealed its first tournament series in Michigan — the very first WSOP MI Online Circuit Series — and it guarantees a whopping $500,000 over the course of 12 events.
Starting on Wednesday, April 20, one ring event is scheduled every day for 12 days through to May 1 — that’s 12 chances for Michigan online poker players to take home a coveted WSOP gold ring. Every tournament guarantees five figures, from the $109 PLO PKO 6-max (April 27, $15,000 guaranteed) through a variety of Monster Stacks, Freezeouts, Big $500s, and more.
The highlight of the series will be the Main Event. Sporting a $525 buy-in, it will need to attract 200 entries to cover its ambitious $100,000 guarantee.
WSOP MI Online Circuit Series: At a Glance
- 12 Ring Events
- Over $500,000 in Guaranteed Prize Money
- 12 Winners Take Home a Coveted WSOP Gold Ring
- Winners also Earn an Entry to the Tournament of Champions $1 Million Freeroll
- Buy-ins Range From $109 and Go Up to $1000
- Series Culminates in a $100,000 Guaranteed Main Event
Not signed up yet? Check out the WSOP welcome bonuses to boost your bankroll ahead of the first Online Circuit Series playing out on WSOP MI for real money »
