New Jersey's online poker operators are in the midst of a fall swoon. Cash game traffic dropped by 10 percent week-over-week and aside from major tournament series, tournament guarantees are becoming harder and harder to hit. Here's US Poker's weekly look back at the cash game and tournament trends in the New Jersey online poker market. Dec 17, 2020 Poker Games and Traffic in New Jersey. What is the traffic like at New Jersey online poker sites? In fact, it's better than any other US state offering regulated gaming. WSOP/888 has the largest playerpool, not least because it's connected to networks in Nevada and Delaware. NJ Online Poker Sites. The New Jersey online poker market is relatively small when compared with the worldwide market. With a population of just over 8 million players, players need to be located inside the state in order to play. For a select number of sites, the ability to merge player pools with other states provide a small boost. The most popular online poker game in New Jersey by far is No Limit Texas Hold'em and almost every online poker site is ostensibly a Texas Hold'em poker site first and foremost. It's common to find this game in blinds starting at 1-2 cents up to $1-$2 during most hours of the day. Most NJ online poker tournaments are No Limit Hold'em as well. Pot Limit Omaha (PLO): Most NJ online poker sites run Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) games, just not as many as No Limit Hold'em. The stakes online in New Jersey run from $0.01/$0.02 to $25/$50, but the.
The birds might be chirping, but players haven't exactly been flocking to the poker tables.
As to be expected in early-Spring, month-over-month global cash-game figures are markedly down. And despite rebounding valiantly over the past week, history tells us that this overall downtrend could continue into May and June.
Yet since our last report, two of New Jersey's four primary poker networks – WSOP and 888poker – managed to hold their ground. The Party Poker NJ network and the Garden State's perennial last place finisher Ultimate Poker did not fare quite as well.
So is the party over, or are Party and Borgata merely biding their time, banking on the upcoming NJCOP to pull them out of the proverbial quicksand?
Cash-game volume swings up and down, and in some cases just down
For the first time since early-February,WSOP.com is threatening to strip Party Poker NJ of its Internet gaming crown.
Cash-game volume as of April 9th (7-day averages) as follows:
- Party Poker NJ: 177
- WSOP: 139
- AAPN(888 poker): 96
- Ultimate Poker: 6
Sadly, Ultimate Poker's single-digit cash-game averages virtually eliminate it from contention in the nascent NJ iGaming market. Unless it takes action soon, UP will be sharing a basement with the forgotten Betfair.
But the real story is Party / Borgata's fall from grace. Until recently, volume on the site has been volatile, with a nearly equal number of ebbs and tides. But since March 22nd, traffic has steadily crept downward, amounting to a nearly 19 percent loss in the past two weeks and change.
The upcoming Borgata Spring Poker Open and first annual NJCOP will undoubtedly spark renewed interest in the fledgling site, but there's little guarantee that any momentum gained won't quickly be lost in the weeks that follow.
And unlike the network's first foray into the land of six-figures, its second 100k guaranteed Sunday Major, held on March 31st, failed to boost cash-game volume. Not a favorable sign.
Volume on WSOP is down slightly since our last report, but up significantly over the past three days. This sudden surge can be partially attributed to a slew of new promos, not the least of which is its unprecedented Neteller match bonus.
To put the breadth of WSOP's promo into perspective, never before has a NJ site offered a four-figure match bonus. An additional $20 in free money rounds out an already delectable offer.
888 also shot slightly better than par, with volume trends mimicking those of WSOP and the global market.
In lieu of the recent stripped status points fiasco, 888 gifted players $1 for every 100 points accumulated – amounting to a paltry two percent in rakeback. Granted, 888 was not required to do anything, but seeing as the site's VIP Rewards scheme will not go live until May, in retrospect most players would have been better off grinding it out elsewhere.
I say 'most' because players who did manage to capitalize on 888's 80 percent rakeback promo are in fact much better off playing on 888 than anywhere else, at least until May 1st. My what a tangled web we weave.
What will be of particular interest is whether or not cash-game traffic on 888 will plummet in May. Forum posters on the Two Plus Two's 888poker USA thread appear confident that it will.
For now, 888 is skidding by on the merits of its recently concluded March Madness promo and latest software patch.
So who crashed the Party?
There isn't one all-telling factor that points to Party / Borgata's recent traffic failings, but a few theories stand out:
- Confusion has arisen regarding the status of the monthly $2.5k and $5k giveaways.
- The NJCOP withstanding, Party's April promos fail to reach the heights of months prior.
- Speaking of the NJCOP, the payout structure for Event #1 ($50k Freeroll) is not exactly what some players anticipated. Unbelievably, only the top three runners of the expected thousands will receive small cash prizes. Others winners will gain entry into NJCOP events. Comparatively, last week's $88,888 freeroll on 888 awarded nearly $15,000 in cash to the first place finisher.
- Party / Borgata's rake is on the high side, and its signup bonuses (particularly Party's) are fairly weak.
- Not much attention has been dedicated to Party's software, which is still prone to lag and riddled with bugs.
Tournament turnouts hold steady
Sunday Major turnout figures are nearly identical to what they were two weeks ago.
There's been a tendency for players to sign up for Majors across multiple sites, indicating that while most cash-game players are loyal to one site, tournament players tend to spread the wealth.
Numbers as follows:
- Party / Borgata $50,000 Guaranteed: 304 entries, beat guarantee by $6,240
- WSOP $25,000 Guaranteed: 133 runners, exceeding guarantee by $1,660
- 888 Poker Big Sunday $10k Guaranteed: 45 entrants, $1,675 overlay
- Ultimate Poker $20,000 Guarantee: 125 runners, $8,625 overlay
Despite exceeding its guarantee, the 304 entries for Party's $50k ties for the lowest turnout since the tournament structure was altered in early-February.
Week-over-week tournament turnouts on WSOP and Ultimate Poker were down ever so slightly, while the Big Sunday rebounded.
Predictions for next time
Now that the Borgata Spring Poker Open is in full swing, expect more players from NJ's neighboring states to be playing online. Thus, overall traffic numbers should rebound slightly this week.
As the hype for the first NJ-based WPT Championship and NJCOP reaches a fever pitch, I wouldn't be surprised if cash-game volume exploded.
Either way, April 19th through the 27th should be an exciting time in New Jersey.
Contents
- 1 Cash game traffic then vs. cash game traffic now
- 2 Other metrics yield more positive results
Unfortunately, the entrance of the world's largest operator hasn't meant much for the market's piddling online poker cash game traffic. That is roughly in the same place now as it was when PokerStars opened its doors last March.
But that's doesn't necessarily mean the industry hasn't made strides in the past 12 months. They're just in other — and some would say moreintegral — areas of the business.
Cash game traffic then vs. cash game traffic now
According to Poker Industry Pro via PokerScout.com, NJ online poker cash game traffic was sitting at an average of 316 concurrent players in the week leading up to PokerStars' March 16, 2016 arrival.
During that same timeframe this year, liquidity hovered right about 350, marking a 10.8 percent increase.
However, this uptick must be taken with a grainofsalt. PokerStars is in the middle of hosting a month-long 1st Year Anniversary Special event. More than one event on the schedule encourages players to mix it up at the cash game tables, thus artificiallyinflating liquidity.
Not to mention, cash game volume has tumbled over the past week — presumably due to PokerStars shifting its promotional focus back to tournaments. In the past seven days, rolling seven day averages have plummeted from 345 to 308.
The big picture in NJ online poker
Turning to the big picture, the cash game trends over the past 12 months have followed a nearlyidenticalpattern to those of the 12 months prior, with just a couple exceptions:
- There was a biguptick in liquidity from mid-March to early April 2016, that did not occur the year prior. This surge was precipitated by the entry of Stars.
- The seasonal swoon was moredramatic, but because liquidity was starting from a higher point, it never dipped below its 2015 low point.
- The 2015 seasonal uptick began in early November. Last year, we had to wait until early December for traffic to really pick up.
Excluding the two week period immediately following Stars' launch, the high and low points for cash game liquidity were remarkablysimilar in the pre- and post-PokerStars eras:
- March 2015 – February 2016: High point of 393 on November 20, 2015; Low point of 273 on September 19, 2015
- March 2016 – February 2016: High point of 400 on January 1, 2017; Low point of 281 on September 12, 2016
Suffice it to say, once the novelty of PokerStars' entrance wore off, there hasn't been much to get excited about on the cash game front. Little to no positive movement has been the story.
Other metrics yield more positive results
The birds might be chirping, but players haven't exactly been flocking to the poker tables.
As to be expected in early-Spring, month-over-month global cash-game figures are markedly down. And despite rebounding valiantly over the past week, history tells us that this overall downtrend could continue into May and June.
Yet since our last report, two of New Jersey's four primary poker networks – WSOP and 888poker – managed to hold their ground. The Party Poker NJ network and the Garden State's perennial last place finisher Ultimate Poker did not fare quite as well.
So is the party over, or are Party and Borgata merely biding their time, banking on the upcoming NJCOP to pull them out of the proverbial quicksand?
Cash-game volume swings up and down, and in some cases just down
For the first time since early-February,WSOP.com is threatening to strip Party Poker NJ of its Internet gaming crown.
Cash-game volume as of April 9th (7-day averages) as follows:
- Party Poker NJ: 177
- WSOP: 139
- AAPN(888 poker): 96
- Ultimate Poker: 6
Sadly, Ultimate Poker's single-digit cash-game averages virtually eliminate it from contention in the nascent NJ iGaming market. Unless it takes action soon, UP will be sharing a basement with the forgotten Betfair.
But the real story is Party / Borgata's fall from grace. Until recently, volume on the site has been volatile, with a nearly equal number of ebbs and tides. But since March 22nd, traffic has steadily crept downward, amounting to a nearly 19 percent loss in the past two weeks and change.
The upcoming Borgata Spring Poker Open and first annual NJCOP will undoubtedly spark renewed interest in the fledgling site, but there's little guarantee that any momentum gained won't quickly be lost in the weeks that follow.
And unlike the network's first foray into the land of six-figures, its second 100k guaranteed Sunday Major, held on March 31st, failed to boost cash-game volume. Not a favorable sign.
Volume on WSOP is down slightly since our last report, but up significantly over the past three days. This sudden surge can be partially attributed to a slew of new promos, not the least of which is its unprecedented Neteller match bonus.
To put the breadth of WSOP's promo into perspective, never before has a NJ site offered a four-figure match bonus. An additional $20 in free money rounds out an already delectable offer.
888 also shot slightly better than par, with volume trends mimicking those of WSOP and the global market.
In lieu of the recent stripped status points fiasco, 888 gifted players $1 for every 100 points accumulated – amounting to a paltry two percent in rakeback. Granted, 888 was not required to do anything, but seeing as the site's VIP Rewards scheme will not go live until May, in retrospect most players would have been better off grinding it out elsewhere.
I say 'most' because players who did manage to capitalize on 888's 80 percent rakeback promo are in fact much better off playing on 888 than anywhere else, at least until May 1st. My what a tangled web we weave.
What will be of particular interest is whether or not cash-game traffic on 888 will plummet in May. Forum posters on the Two Plus Two's 888poker USA thread appear confident that it will.
For now, 888 is skidding by on the merits of its recently concluded March Madness promo and latest software patch.
So who crashed the Party?
There isn't one all-telling factor that points to Party / Borgata's recent traffic failings, but a few theories stand out:
- Confusion has arisen regarding the status of the monthly $2.5k and $5k giveaways.
- The NJCOP withstanding, Party's April promos fail to reach the heights of months prior.
- Speaking of the NJCOP, the payout structure for Event #1 ($50k Freeroll) is not exactly what some players anticipated. Unbelievably, only the top three runners of the expected thousands will receive small cash prizes. Others winners will gain entry into NJCOP events. Comparatively, last week's $88,888 freeroll on 888 awarded nearly $15,000 in cash to the first place finisher.
- Party / Borgata's rake is on the high side, and its signup bonuses (particularly Party's) are fairly weak.
- Not much attention has been dedicated to Party's software, which is still prone to lag and riddled with bugs.
Tournament turnouts hold steady
Sunday Major turnout figures are nearly identical to what they were two weeks ago.
There's been a tendency for players to sign up for Majors across multiple sites, indicating that while most cash-game players are loyal to one site, tournament players tend to spread the wealth.
Numbers as follows:
- Party / Borgata $50,000 Guaranteed: 304 entries, beat guarantee by $6,240
- WSOP $25,000 Guaranteed: 133 runners, exceeding guarantee by $1,660
- 888 Poker Big Sunday $10k Guaranteed: 45 entrants, $1,675 overlay
- Ultimate Poker $20,000 Guarantee: 125 runners, $8,625 overlay
Despite exceeding its guarantee, the 304 entries for Party's $50k ties for the lowest turnout since the tournament structure was altered in early-February.
Week-over-week tournament turnouts on WSOP and Ultimate Poker were down ever so slightly, while the Big Sunday rebounded.
Predictions for next time
Now that the Borgata Spring Poker Open is in full swing, expect more players from NJ's neighboring states to be playing online. Thus, overall traffic numbers should rebound slightly this week.
As the hype for the first NJ-based WPT Championship and NJCOP reaches a fever pitch, I wouldn't be surprised if cash-game volume exploded.
Either way, April 19th through the 27th should be an exciting time in New Jersey.
Contents
- 1 Cash game traffic then vs. cash game traffic now
- 2 Other metrics yield more positive results
Unfortunately, the entrance of the world's largest operator hasn't meant much for the market's piddling online poker cash game traffic. That is roughly in the same place now as it was when PokerStars opened its doors last March.
But that's doesn't necessarily mean the industry hasn't made strides in the past 12 months. They're just in other — and some would say moreintegral — areas of the business.
Cash game traffic then vs. cash game traffic now
According to Poker Industry Pro via PokerScout.com, NJ online poker cash game traffic was sitting at an average of 316 concurrent players in the week leading up to PokerStars' March 16, 2016 arrival.
During that same timeframe this year, liquidity hovered right about 350, marking a 10.8 percent increase.
However, this uptick must be taken with a grainofsalt. PokerStars is in the middle of hosting a month-long 1st Year Anniversary Special event. More than one event on the schedule encourages players to mix it up at the cash game tables, thus artificiallyinflating liquidity.
Not to mention, cash game volume has tumbled over the past week — presumably due to PokerStars shifting its promotional focus back to tournaments. In the past seven days, rolling seven day averages have plummeted from 345 to 308.
The big picture in NJ online poker
Turning to the big picture, the cash game trends over the past 12 months have followed a nearlyidenticalpattern to those of the 12 months prior, with just a couple exceptions:
- There was a biguptick in liquidity from mid-March to early April 2016, that did not occur the year prior. This surge was precipitated by the entry of Stars.
- The seasonal swoon was moredramatic, but because liquidity was starting from a higher point, it never dipped below its 2015 low point.
- The 2015 seasonal uptick began in early November. Last year, we had to wait until early December for traffic to really pick up.
Excluding the two week period immediately following Stars' launch, the high and low points for cash game liquidity were remarkablysimilar in the pre- and post-PokerStars eras:
- March 2015 – February 2016: High point of 393 on November 20, 2015; Low point of 273 on September 19, 2015
- March 2016 – February 2016: High point of 400 on January 1, 2017; Low point of 281 on September 12, 2016
Suffice it to say, once the novelty of PokerStars' entrance wore off, there hasn't been much to get excited about on the cash game front. Little to no positive movement has been the story.
Other metrics yield more positive results
In terms of gross gaming revenue, PokerStars has had a more significant impact, as industry revenue is up 13.8 percent in the past year.
Of course, much of those gains can be attributed to the site's highlypublicized return. But even still, there hasn't been a month in the past year in which industry revenue hasn't grown by at least five percent, with eight-percent growth or higher a common occurrence.
These figures carry even more positive weight when one considers that during the year prior, year-over-year revenue was down in 11 out of 12 months, and by doubledigitmargins in eight of those months.
So how exactly did the industry manage to generate so much more revenue when cash game traffic was relatively flat?
The short answer is that cash game traffic isn't everything. That is especially the case nowadays, when operators must rely on a variety of formats to keep their heads above water.
Tournaments
On the chart, notice the large spike in October. That month, year-over-year revenue shot up 24.9 percent. It just also happened to be the same month that PokerStars ran it's $1.1 million+ guaranteed NJCOOP.
Never before has a single tournament series had such a profoundimpact on industry revenue. PokerStars' ability to draw tournament traffic during its one-off events is clearly one of the operator's biggest strengths. And there's no reason to believe this we won't see similar upticks when it hosts events of this nature going forward.
Spin & Go's
One of the primary reasons why revenue climbed by a larger percentage than cash game traffic is because PokerStars introduced its popular Spin & Go format to the NJ online poker market.
We can't pinpoint how much revenue these slot machine/poker hybrid games generate on a monthly basis. But we can say that with clarity that's Spin & Go's are both the highest raked game that PokerStars offers. It's also the format that runs with the most regularity.
If that's not a profitable combination, then nothing is.
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Live events
PokerStars has helped the industry grow in ways that aren't measured on revenue charts, namely via its liveevents.
In 2016, PokerStars collaborated with its online gambling partner ResortsAC on two occasions. The first, RunItUp: Resorts Rumble, occurred just two months after PokerStars launched, and was designed to be more of an introduction than a full-fledged tournament event.
New Jersey Online Poker - Best NJ Online Poker Sites 2020
The second, PokerStars Festival Resorts (Oct. 29 – Nov. 6, 2016) focused more on tournaments, but attempted to engage players via a variety of other events.
Nj Online Poker Traffic School
Unfortunately, not all that many players showed. This was no fault of PokerStars, who clearly pulled out all the stops. Instead, it was more a reflection on the average Resorts gambler, who may not be overly familiar with poker because Resorts doesn't have it. Casino chip collecting.
NJ Online Poker - 2020 Guide To New Jersey Poker Sites
Despite the poor attendance, both of these events pushed the online poker awareness needle in the right direction. Any continued efforts could result in even greaterawareness, and subsequently increasedrevenue for both PokerStars NJ and Atlantic City in general.
