WSOP Nevada has come a long way since its launch last year in Nevada. The same thing can be said about the online gaming market in the US. In the wake of 2011’s Black Friday, the idea of US players getting another shot at playing poker online seemed like a pipe dream. A lot can happen in a year’s time and the world WSOP Nevada launched in has taken some impressive steps.
The US now has regulated markets in Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware. Online poker in those three states has experienced some growing pains, but the market is constantly evolving. Industry insiders and poker operators are even hopeful that 2015 will see California enter the market in a big way. But for now, one year has passed and WSOP Nevada is planning to celebrate the occasion with a series of promotions.
Happy Birthday Promos
September 19, 2013 marked the launch of WSOP.com in Nevada. The site became the second destination for players to experience real-money, online poker. An Anniversary Tournament Series kicked off on Friday, September 19 and runs for nine days through September 27.
One of the first promotions players can get their hands on is a September reload bonus of 100 percent up to $400. Using the code “FALL2014” players can use the bonus that clears at a rate of $10 for every $50 in rake paid. The reload bonus starts on the anniversary date and ends September 28.
From September 19-27, players will also earn double VIP points while playing. This “Double Me Up” promotion is also going the extra mile with WSOP awarding 919 bonus points to 19 randomly selected players during the nine promotional days.
Anniversary Tournament
During the Anniversary Tournament Series, a new tournament is featured each day to round out the birthday festivities. $70,000 in prize money is guaranteed across all nine events to give players their own reason to celebrate.
Many players will be eyeing Sunday, September 21 when the traditional Super Sunday $15,000 guaranteed tournament gets significantly bigger. For a $200 buy-in, players will now have a shot at the guaranteed prize pool of $25,000. Satellites are also available to players from $25 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a guarantee of five tickets to the main event. Other events during the Anniversary Tournament Series offer a $5-$100 price range to enter.
Looking Back
Before WSOP.com entered the Nevada market, Ultimate Poker was the sole site for US players to go to. Launching with 888 software, WSOP.com brought Omaha, Seven Card Stud and Texas Hold’em along with some geolocation and financial transaction problems.
Since that launch, many of those issues have been ironed out. It only took six weeks to take the market lead over Ultimate Poker. After the World Series of Poker live tournament series, WSOP.com saw a doubling of cash game traffic with new visitors interested in playing poker. Marketing pushes and playable satellites at the Grind Room in the Rio casino only increased the site’s popularity.
As more states and sites enter the market, WSOP.com Nevada may face more competition but the potential to share liquidity among states could be a positive. With the first anniversary celebrations, WSOP.com is hoping to draw in both new and old players while looking forward to another year in the unpredictable US market.
