FOX Bet and PokerStars are bringing online poker and sports betting to the state of Michigan. Thus far, just a few weeks into the experiment, things couldn’t go much better as the multi-entertainment platform is already thriving. And the chief marketing officer of PokerStars’ partner company, Andrew Schneider, told CardsChat News in an interview that the relationship is mutually beneficial.
Schneider joined the online sports betting site last May after serving as the VP of marketing for Disney. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the FOX Bet.
The executive played a large role in bringing the suite of gaming brands to Michigan. And he said, in more or less words, that it’s a match made in heaven.
“Our partnership (with FOX) is beneficial all round,” Schneider tells CardsChat News. “While our primary intention is to heighten sports viewing, there are many sports fans who like to play poker and poker players who enjoy betting on sports also.”
In 2019, FOX Corporation purchased a 5% stake in The Stars Group, which owns PokerStars, for $236 million. Together, they launched the FOX Bet app to provide a sports betting product for customers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. FOX Bet, PokerStars, and Stars Casino are ultimately owned by Flutter Entertainment, a global sports betting and gaming company.
The app is now live in Michigan along with the world’s largest internet poker brand. At present, the shared platform is the only place Michiganders can legally gamble online. That appears to be working out great for Schneider’s company.
Just over two weeks into the launch, PokerStars MI is already the 15th largest poker site in the world, surpassing PokerStars NJ and PA, with a seven-day average of 500 cash game players in games consistently. Michigan is the 10th largest state in the country based on population (9.98 million).
” Where most competitors just offer sports and casino, offering poker really rounds out our entertainment offering for our community, and all of that via one account and easily navigable app,” Schneider says. “Our relationship with FOX helps to drive further awareness of our multi-product offering, which is beneficial to our players because in turn it potentially creates a healthier poker ecosystem with bigger prize pools.”
FOX Bet, PokerStars Coming to More States in the Future?
Schneider said he’d love to bring FOX Bet and PokerStars to all 50 states. But for the time being he’s more focused on “making sure that our customers are satisfied and bringing the best and safest online gaming experience to players in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.”
As for if he anticipates PokerStars MI merging with the platforms in NJ and PA, he can’t comment on that right now. But a shared liquidity deal between the three large states would certainly be welcomed within the US online poker community.
Schneider also addressed the upcoming Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP), a local version of the popular annual PokerStars series, World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). Yes, there will be a MICOOP series coming up real soon.
“The inaugural MICOOP series starts on February 20 and runs until March 8. It features a massive $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool and offers at least 50 tournaments with a wide range of buy-ins from $20 to $500,” Schneider said.
The series culminates on March 7 with the $300 buy-in Main Event, a two-day tournament, which features a $125,000 guaranteed prize pool.
“We are confident that MICOOP will be a great first tournament series in the state,” the former Disney exec stated.
