March 9, 2009 (InfoPowa News) — The numbers are staggering, attracting as much attention as the billions that governments are throwing at sub-prime crisis mortgage banks; PokerStars talks in the millions and billions when it comes to online poker action.
Millions in tournaments, billions in poker hands dealt online and now the news that the giant Internet poker website recently signed its 20 millionth player. That number equates to something like the populations of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York combined.
The 20 millionth player account opened is a Slovakian player using the Internet nickname "Piposko," according to a release from PokerStars, and he signed up on February 21st, receiving a $215 tournament ticket for being the 20 millionth player. Just three years ago, in March 2006, the company advised that its membership had reached a then record of 5 million player accounts.
The landmark signup follows the dealing of the 25 billionth hand at PokerStars on February 16th (see previous report) when the company rewarded the players involved in the epic Omaha high/low hand with over $30,000 each as the $100,000 prize was divvied up between the two pot winners with the other players in action at the table receiving $33,333.33 just for being in the right place at definitely the right time.
Going back a little further in the InfoPowa news archives, Pokerstars set a new Guinness world record in December 2008, when its $11 buy-in, $500,000 tourney pulled in 35,000 players (and there would have been more but for a company imposed max) to claim the record for the largest number of Internet players in action online simultaneously at one website.
For years now, the firm has dished out winner checks from million dollar plus guaranteed prize-pools in regular Sunday tournaments that attract thousands of online poker hopefuls; it's upcoming Spring series of tournaments will showcase an investment of over $30 million in prize-pool guarantees.
Congratulations to an online poker enterprise that clearly has got it right, giving players a heady and must-come-back mix of diverse tournaments, massive player action from global player liquidity and huge prize-pools.