Some pokerpulse observations from the past two weeks...

[Uglyowl]

Poker growth has come to a standstill over the past two weeks. Under 1% growth over a two week period.

I think this may be due to college finals, graduation approaching, and some decent weather, hope this is not a trend.

As for individual rooms, Party is showing evidence of flatlining. They had a blip during bonus time, but they have been even for more than a month now. Did the Empire closings hurt them?

Pokerstars has been making quite the run over the past month tacking on 5%/week.

Paradise is making a nice little run and may gain the #3 spot again in another month if it can keep it up.

Prima and UltimateBet seem to be having trouble adding players as well.

[GrannyMae]

nice post

why don't you do these every sunday owl?

[Uglyowl]

Thanks Granny,

I have quite a bit of data now and probably will. In the past I posted more of a numbers analysis (being an accountant), but will use more words and thoughts I think. Probably a more interesting post to read for a non-numbers geek like I am /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[GrannyMae]

but will use more words and thoughts I think

perhaps this is why i appreciated it so much. i loved the recap without a bunch of numbers and statistics. basic trends are what i think is most interesting as we approach the 'summer of poker', and you nailed exactly what i wanted to know.

what i really am interested in, and you have caught the trend, is the growth rate for stars. they have a marketing machine happening there now that is clearly the best in the industry. then i see that the numbers back that up.

the site with the most impressive growth is the site with zero new acct bonus, seldom reloads that are tough to clear, and not a hint of rakeback.

fascinating imo

[Uglyowl]

Also I might add:

Estimated Party marketshare 04/10/05: 39.6%
Estiamted Party marketshare 05/17/05: 35.2%

[Uglyowl]

It is quite amazing... Paradise seems to be doing something right as well. Although not Pokerstars great, they are reversing a long period of faltering with a very nice past month.

[IggyWH]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Granny,

I have quite a bit of data now and probably will. In the past I posted more of a numbers analysis (being an accountant), but will use more words and thoughts I think. Probably a more interesting post to read for a non-numbers geek like I am /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd like to see a comparison of today's numbers compared to when the WSOP starts airing on ESPN and then when the Main Event final table is.

Too bad I don't think numbers exist from last year to see if the boom created last year is anywhere near the boom (or the belief that there will be a boom) that happens this year.

[Uglyowl]

When the WSOP airs this year, I will have the #'s as well as any other time. I started a little more than a month ago collecting a limited amount of data.

The numbers are out there from last year, I am just not willing to pay for them right now. You can buy them from pokerpulse, but the reports are priced more for poker rooms and analysts who have more of a stake in knowing these things.

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
It is quite amazing... Paradise seems to be doing something right as well. Although not Pokerstars great, they are reversing a long period of faltering with a very nice past month.

[/ QUOTE ]

the synergy of being tied to the "world's largest sportsbook" is kicking in. the cross marketing to all them degenerate sports bettors is starting to pay off.

if paradise had TV commercials, i think they would be a solid third with nobody being a major threat. maybe they have some in production, but i swear i have seen TV commercials for every big site *except* paradise. makes me think they could pull away from the pack though i doubt they will ever threaten the big 2. anyway, a solid #3 would be great for ANY site to strive for.

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
Also I might add:

Estimated Party marketshare 04/10/05: 39.6%
Estiamted Party marketshare 05/17/05: 35.2%

[/ QUOTE ]

of course we know the sample size is too small. this could well be a blip. however, 5% is a significant loss for a one month period.

[dibbs]

Thanks for the info, great post.

I agree with your suspicion of college finals and nice weather have something to do with this. I myself have only had time to play a quick SNG or two in the past few weeks, and our local college games that ran daily are now totally gone, either kids are studying or writing essays or they are out drinking on the beach. I imagine during the summer though once kids get bored and start watching the WSOP episodes it will spark new interest, hopefully anyways.

[Shoe]

I was thinking the same thing about paradise commercials.... but then last week I actually saw a paradise commercial. It was a .com one too, on UPN late at night by me (around 12:00 - 1:00 AM). Almost every commercial during that time is a poker commercial though, mainly party and pacific.... i think gaming club too...

Hopefully it will be the first of many paradise commercials to come.

[GrannyMae]

no chit?

cheesy or good quality?

[Shoe]

I don't remember it exactly, (as I was playing poker at the time and only caught part of it), but it was decent quality.

If I remember correctly they had a number of good looking people (i noticed the females but the males looked like they were models too), all young, playing in a poker room having a great time.... i don't remember exactly but it did catch my attention before I noticed it was a paradise ad.

[hypermegachi]

i'm just wondering why Absolute Poker isn't on the list...whenever i log on i see 6k-10k players logged on. i'd figure at least a quarter are real money players.

[Uglyowl]

Pokerpulse does not track Absolute for some reason. The number runs around 10-15% of total players are ring game players there.

They have a play money bonus there for reaching $1.5M chip I believe and also alot of freeroll players in the tourney section hence the low amount.

[Leavenfish]

'the past two weeks'...

That's far to small a time frame to be making any judgments on...kind of like spotting 3 heads in a row on a 100 coin flips.

---Leavenfish

[solucky]

I am not surprised that Pokerstars is growing. They have a contract with "eurosport" a european-TV Channel, and they brought the EPT on air the final in Monte Carlo was on TV last weekend ( 3 days )..and you see any time Pokerstars.com it was printed on the tables /images/graemlins/smirk.gif. But guess with a timedelay the new players will try 2+2 and Party also.

Wolfgang

[Hood]

Anyone have any idea how pokerpulse works?

[Lurker4]

good post...looking forward to weekly updates if you plan on posting them

[RollaJ]

Owl, do you by any odd chance have numbers for a year over year comp.? Id think that people at this time may be moving around trying to qualify for the WSOP....... Just a thought

[villafan]

Nice job. How are the Cryptologic numbers?

[GrannyMae]

[ QUOTE ]
I am not surprised that Pokerstars is growing. They have a contract with "eurosport" a european-TV Channel, and they brought the EPT on air the final in Monte Carlo was on TV last weekend ( 3 days )..and you see any time Pokerstars.com it was printed on the tables /images/graemlins/smirk.gif. But guess with a timedelay the new players will try 2+2 and Party also.

Wolfgang

[/ QUOTE ]

when i was watching the NBC heads up on tivo last night, it struck me that the bump that stars is seeing is because they own 80% of the poker commercials running on that show.

so to tie this to another discussion, it is possible that NETWORK tv commercials can be mighty poweful.

greg and money's little 'sitting in the den' spots are very well made and run incessantly on that show.

[Uglyowl]

[ QUOTE ]
Nice job. How are the Cryptologic numbers?

[/ QUOTE ]

Crypto has been doing a nice job for the past month+. They are still the 8th place site, as they were on 04/10/05.

Crypto is fast closing in on Pokerroom and should pass them in the next week or so. Pokerroom has been terrible lately.

If they continue, I think they could pass UltimateBet in the next month to month and a half.

After that I see them lingering in 6th for awhile unless something of significance happens.

-Joe

[Uglyowl]

[ QUOTE ]
Owl, do you by any odd chance have numbers for a year over year comp.? Id think that people at this time may be moving around trying to qualify for the WSOP....... Just a thought

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have the numbers from last year. I have started tracking some on my own about 5 weeks ago.

I have thought about purchasing some reports if I ever get a website up and running.