Card players no longer need to drive to casinos to get their poker or blackjack fix. Smartphones and tablets now bring these games right to your fingertips, and millions of players have already made the switch to mobile gaming. The question remains whether these apps can truly replace the experience of sitting at a real casino table.
Why Apps Beat Traditional Casinos
Getting to a casino takes effort. You have to plan your evening, drive through traffic, hunt for parking, and then wait around hoping a good game opens up. Apps eliminate all of that hassle because you just tap your phone screen and start playing immediately.
The timing works out better, too. Most casinos shut down their smaller games late at night or during slow weekdays, but your phone never closes. You can jump into a tournament at 2 AM or play a few hands during your coffee break without worrying about whether tables are running.
For US mobile users, legal options have grown tremendously as states continue to legalize online gambling. Places that banned these apps completely just five years ago now have regulated sites operating legally, and the competition has pushed operators to offer better games and bigger bonuses to attract new players.
More Games Than You Can Handle
Walk into any casino and count the card games they spread. Most places stick to basic Texas Hold’em, maybe some Omaha, and standard blackjack tables because that’s what fills seats. Apps give you access to dozens of variations that you’d never find in person.
Poker apps run everything from Seven Card Stud to Chinese Poker to mixed games that rotate every few hands. Blackjack comes in countless flavors with different rules, side bets, and table limits that fit any budget. The selection exists because computers can handle complex games and find enough players worldwide to keep the action going.
Modern mobile platforms deliver high-quality visuals that rival what you’d see at premium casinos. The cards animate smoothly, and many apps support multi-table gameplay for players who want to increase their volume. You can often personalize your interface by changing backgrounds, card designs, and table themes.
Building Connections Through Apps
Most people assume that playing on your phone means losing the social side of card games completely. Mobile developers have worked hard to fix that problem by adding messaging systems, player communities, and tournament groups where people can get to know each other over time.
You can still make friends, share bad beat stories, and celebrate big wins with other players who become familiar faces in your regular games. The relationships build through repeated interactions and shared experiences, just through a screen instead of across a table.
Avoiding Risky Operators
Trusted casino apps use advanced security measures to keep your money and personal information safe. Companies with proper licenses follow strict rules about game fairness and must keep player money separate from their business accounts, plus they get checked regularly by government agencies.
Unfortunately, questionable operators also run mobile gambling sites and some care more about making quick money than protecting players. You need to do homework before putting cash into any app by looking up their license information, reading what other players say about them, and testing how fast they answer support questions.
Stick with established companies that show their licensing details openly and have operated for years without major problems.
Getting Value from Promotions
Mobile casinos usually offer bigger bonuses than physical casinos can afford to give out. Welcome deals, matching deposits, and player rewards can add serious money to your account when you understand how to use them correctly.
Every bonus has rules attached that control how you can play with that money and when you can cash out. Most bonuses require you to bet them many times over before withdrawing, and different games count differently toward meeting those requirements.
Always read the full terms before taking any bonus because some attractive offers have conditions that make them almost impossible to actually use.
Weighing Your Options
Casino apps are for players who care more about convenience and game selection more than socializing with other people. You get access to more card variations than any physical casino could run, you can play whenever you feel ready, and the software quality now matches what you’d find at top-tier live venues.
Approach mobile gambling with the same caution you’d use at any casino. Set firm spending limits, only play at licensed sites, and accept that the odds favor the house whether you’re on your phone or sitting at a real table. Apps can replace your casino trips completely or just give you something to do between live sessions, but pick whatever fits your lifestyle and preferences best.
Back in 2016, an enterprising young man named Tadas Peckaitis reached out to me to ask for some advice about the poker industry. That initial email turned into a business relationship and eventually into a lovely friendship. As a former professional poker player, Tadas originally envisioned his site, MyPokerCoaching.com, as a portal to get students to sign up for various courses that he had put together. As the years progressed, however, the site’s focus pivoted towards offering free poker training material.
Over the last decade, I’ve watched with pride as Tadas has worked hard to transition from being a poker coach to establishing himself on the media side of the poker industry. While we’re frequently in touch, I thought it would be fun to “check in” with him, almost 10 years after he launched his site, to get his reflections on the site’s evolution.
When you first decided to launch the site, what specific goals did you have?
After playing poker professionally for a couple of years, in 2015 I started coaching on the side. While all of this started with just giving some advice to my friends and helping them out, it soon evolved into a part-time gig where I taught players from the 2+2 forum and launched mypokercoaching as a simple website to provide my poker coaching services.
I never planned this to evolve into anything other than a platform to share my thoughts and a few occasional articles, but I am really glad it did.
What was it that initially made you want to stop playing online poker professionally and pivot towards poker coaching and then poker media?
This was really an organic transition. My biggest concern with poker was that it wasn’t really scalable, and I always wanted to do something that would move me from exchanging my time for money. This is probably the reason I was always involved in some other business endeavours aside of playing. At some point, I decided to try to combine both of these into one. This is how I started recording video courses.
I figured that if I were discussing the same 10 concepts repeatedly with my students, I would rather record some videos and then sell them at a much lower price to a wider audience, but it didn’t pan out that way. I spent a considerable amount of time creating these courses back in the day, when solvers weren’t readily available, and I thought I had developed extremely high-quality content.
That said, many well-known players were launching their own training sites, and I decided to create a platform where I could review their offers, rather than directly competing with their courses. Step-by-step, this became a full-time endeavor over the years, so I started to scale back on playing poker and traveling to concentrate on building the website to give it a real shot.
At what point did you decide to redirect the site’s focus towards offering free poker training material, and why?
It all started with me writing occasional articles. However, as soon as I began promoting other training sites, such as Upswing and Pokercoaching, I realized the gap between paid and free content. I then hired additional writers to help me build a useful strategy library that would be accessible to everyone, and we dove into it.
While the vision of how this should look changed multiple times over the years, I believe we are nearing the final iteration with structured content that helps everyone easily master the basics.
What’s your “60-second elevator pitch” for why someone should visit your site? Who would you say is the site’s primary target audience these days?
If you want to learn poker basics for free and in a structured way, mypokercoaching.com is the only site you need to visit. While I understand the appeal of consuming endless YouTube content and reading random articles, this is actually more a form of entertainment, since it is extremely hard to transition it into actionable knowledge.
You need a structured, step-by-step approach to learn core concepts. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of time. This is exactly what we offer to our audience in the form of a learning path, where you can just select which section you want to improve, and we will help you with that.
What have been some of the highlights of your time running the site?
Without a doubt, that would be the ability to meet new people. This helped me build many new friendships and have very impactful conversations, both within and outside of poker, which I am truly grateful for.
You’ve published a TON of free poker training content over the years. Between that and the type and amount of content offered to people who pay for premium poker training content, how do you decide what specific types of training content to continue publishing on your site, and how do you plan for the future in that regard when the game seems to constantly be evolving?
That is a great question. I always think from the perspective of the player, and what would be the most beneficial and efficient way to learn in today’s environment.
I started publishing general strategy concepts, covering basic tips and how to play specific hand groups, which evolved into more specific range breakdowns detailing exactly how to play in various situations.
Of course, we also write some random, fun articles to make the entire process more enjoyable and not just “hard” work. We also need to create supporting content around core topics to break them down better and have pages that structurally make sense for Google algorithms, as well. However, I always try to think about what kind of content I would prefer to consume when learning, and we strive to go in that direction.
A decade ago, did you think you’d be where you are on your poker journey? How do you see MyPokerCoaching continuing to evolve over the next few years?
By no stretch of imagination would I have guessed that I would be able to enjoy the game that I love from a different angle than just playing. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to meet a multitude of wonderful people, build something in a niche I love, and have thoroughly enjoyed this process.
As for the future, it is challenging to predict what new AI opportunities will bring to the learning space, but I remain optimistic that we will find a way to adapt and offer additional value to our players. Poker is not going anywhere.
When most people hear about “poker” they either imagine some tuxedo-wearing James Bond villain showdown or some old junkies playing something with cards and suddenly scream their lungs out like they have won the lottery. But one thing is sure, poker isn’t dead. It just changes its costumes. It left the casinos, went online, and now it’s sliding right into the world of crypto.
The first time you hear “crypto poker”, it sounds like something invented by a group of computer geeks who want to play some cards whenever they want while making money. And in some ways, that’s not too far from the truth.
But here’s the twist. What started as a niche hobby of mixing poker with cryptocurrency has now turned into a global phenomenon. And at the heart of this transformation are platforms like BC.Game, reshaping how people think about poker, online gaming, and even the idea of cryptocurrency. If you don’t know what that is yet, don’t panic. By the end of this article, you’ll understand why BC.Game is one of the hottest platforms in the crypto gaming space and why crypto poker clubs might just be the wildest revolution in poker history.
So, grab your seat and let’s play.
The Rise of Crypto Poker: From Basement Hobby to Global Craze
Poker has always been about more than just cards. It’s strategy, psychology, risk-taking, and yes, a fair bit of bluffing. But poker in the digital age is a whole new beast.
Back in the early 2000s, online poker platforms popped up everywhere. People loved the idea of logging in at midnight, playing against strangers, and maybe winning enough money to skip work the next day. But there was always a catch, “the money”. Withdrawals were slow, banks were suspicious, and let’s be honest, nobody likes waiting a week to cash out their winnings.
Then cryptocurrency entered and suddenly, players had a way to move money quickly, securely, and anonymously. For poker players, this wasn’t just convenient; it was revolutionary. Imagine winning a hand, clicking withdraw, and seeing the funds in your crypto wallet almost instantly. No middlemen, no banks calling you to ask how you earned the money and no unnecessary drama. For players curious about where crypto poker fits in the wider world of blockchain gaming, crypto casinos are shaping the same kind of innovation; offering instant payouts, anonymity, and global access.
And this is where BC.Game comes in. BC.Game was founded in 2017 and from the very beginning, they started on building the wagon. While other platforms treated crypto like a side gig, BC.Game went all-in by making it the backbone of the entire platform.
So, What Makes BC.Game Stand Out?
BC.Game isn’t just another online casino that accepts Bitcoin. It’s built around the crypto ecosystem. Here’s the fun part:
- They Speak Crypto’s Language
Most online poker sites eventually added Bitcoin as a payment option, but it felt like they’re doing it against their own will. BC.Game, on the other hand, was designed with crypto players in mind from the start. They support hundreds of cryptocurrencies, making the whole process smooth. - Community is Everything
This is the secret sauce. BC.Game didn’t just build a platform; they built clubs. These are like online communities where players connect, compete, and build reputations. Think of it as the digital version of your local poker night, except people are from around the world. - Transparency Through Blockchain
Trust is the biggest issue in online gaming. Nobody wants to feel like the house is rigging the game. BC.Game solved this by using blockchain-based transparency. “Provably fair” games mean you can actually verify that the shuffle was random and fair. It’s like having a camera in the dealer’s hands 24/7.
The Explosion of Poker Clubs
Now, here’s where things get fascinating. Traditional poker was always about sitting around a table, reading faces, and throwing chips dramatically into the pot. Online poker tried to replicate that with avatars and chat boxes trying to give the club feeling.
Crypto poker clubs changed that. These clubs, especially within BC.Game, operate like online micro-communities. You join a club, interact with fellow players, compete in tournaments, and even share strategies. It’s no longer just you against a faceless username. It’s you and your squad against the world.
And the best part is people really love this. Humans crave community, even in digital spaces. Just look at Discord servers, Reddit groups, or even memes; we’re always finding ways to connect. Poker clubs tap into that exact desire, and when you combine it with the thrill of crypto and the strategy of poker, it’s a recipe for explosive growth.
Key features:
- Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Short Deck – the classics, modernized.
- Poker Clubs: Create your own private groups, set rules, invite players. Basically, your own underground poker house but online.
- Hand Insurance: Imagine getting unlucky on the river, but at least you don’t go broke crying.
- Global tournaments with crypto-friendly buy-ins.
- Fast payouts because crypto doesn’t believe in waiting.
Even Jack Dorset, the CEO, summed it up well: “We want to offer a more flexible, secure, and deep poker experience.” Translation? Poker that actually feels like 2025, not stuck in 2009.
Why Cryptocurrency and Poker Make Sense Together
Alright, so we know crypto poker clubs are growing. Traditional poker platforms often get stuck in legal red tape. Country A bans online casinos, Country B makes banking transfers a nightmare, Country C taxes winnings to death. But with crypto, suddenly players from all corners of the globe can jump in without worrying about local banking restrictions.
Moreover, Bitcoin doesn’t care about weekends, and you’ve got a platform that works for everyone, everywhere. Whether you’re in the US, Nigeria, or South Korea, all you need is an internet connection and a crypto wallet.
And let’s not forget; poker is universal. The rules don’t change based on where you live. A royal flush in New York is the same royal flush in Tokyo. Combine a universal game with a universal currency, and you will get a banger.
The Risks Nobody Talks About
Okay, I’m not here to sugarcoat things. Crypto poker isn’t all rainbows and instant withdrawals. There are challenges, and it’s only fair we talk about them.
- Volatility: Imagine winning a big hand worth 1 Bitcoin. It feels amazing, right? But then the next morning, Bitcoin drops 15% and suddenly your big win looks smaller. Players need to be comfortable with the rollercoaster ride that comes with holding crypto.
- Regulation: Governments are still figuring out how to handle crypto gambling. Some embrace it, others try to ban it. This uncertainty makes the future both exciting and a little risky.
- Security: While blockchain is safer than traditional banking systems, players still need to be careful with wallets, private keys, and exchanges. Nobody wants their poker winnings stolen by a hacker.
But here’s the thing, challenges cannot stop the growth. If anything, they’ve made the space stronger, with platforms like BC.Game constantly adapting to improve safety, transparency, and trust.
Where Is This All Going?
So, what does the future look like for BC.Game and crypto poker clubs? Honestly, the possibilities are huge. We’re talking about:
- Bigger global tournaments with prize pools in millions, fully paid in crypto.
- VR poker clubs where you can literally sit at a virtual table with avatars that move and talk.
- Integration with metaverse worlds, where your poker club is as much a social hangout as it is a game.
- And maybe one day, poker winnings become as liquid and spendable as cash in your everyday life.
If the past few years are any indication, crypto poker isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Final Thoughts
The story of BC.Game and crypto poker clubs isn’t just about gambling. It’s about how technology reshapes community, money, and even leisure. It’s about people across the world coming together to play, compete, and connect in a way that would be impossible to imagine a decade ago.
Sure, you can call it nerdy poker. Sure, there are risks. But one thing’s for sure: it’s growing, it’s global, and it’s not going anywhere.
So yeah, the next big poker boom might not be in Vegas. It might be on your phone, at a table filled with players from five different continents, all tossing in chips that live on the blockchain.
And honestly? That’s exciting. The cards are dealt, the future is here. So, the question is, are you in?
The month of September on PokerGO sees the resumption of PGT events with two new series and the return of the iconic Poker Masters. Episodic content continues with No Gamble, No Future presented by PokerStars, and the release of the National Heads-Up Poker Championship archives.
No Gamble, No Future presented by PokerStars
The seventh season of No Gamble, No Future continues with a $100/$100 No-Limit Hold’em cash game featuring Phil Hellmuth, Jennifer Tilly, Randy “3Coin” Sadler, Luiz “Brazil God” Rizental, Alex Aqel, Pink, Freddy Hamad, and Pedro Velasco Adnet.
After three episodes with this lineup, a few players will say goodbye and be replaced with Taylor Wilson and Rips.
Watch new episodes of No Gamble, No Future on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
PGT Bounty Blitz
The inaugural PGT Bounty Blitz will run from September 1-6 in the PokerGO Studio with a six-event schedule. Every event is No-Limit Hold’em and a $5,300 buy-in (with a $200 rake discount for on-time entry), while the twist will be five different bounty formats across the first five events. Each of those will play down to a final table that will be livestreamed the following day on PokerGO.com. The final event will be a one-day turbo that is not livestreamed.
The bounty formats for PGT Bounty Blitz will all see $2,000 of the buy-in dedicated to the bounty pool. Event #1 and #6 will be a standard knockout bounty, while Event #2 will be a new escalator format that has different bounty amounts for different stages of the tournament. Event #3 will be a Quattro format that introduces bounties with 25% of the field remaining and at a value of $8,000. Event #4 will be a Progressive Knockout and Event #5 will be a Mystery Bounty.
Watch PGT Bounty Blitz final tables from September 2-6, at 4 p.m. ET.
PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic
Another new series on the PGT for 2025, the PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic will be hosted at The Venetian Las Vegas Resort & Casino and include both a PGT-qualifying Main Event and three High Rollers from September 11-16.
The $3,300 buy-in Main Event will also include a $200 rake discount for players who register on-time. There are three starting flights and a $1,000,000 prize pool guarantee. Players who advance to Day 2 from the three starting flights will all be in the money and the entire PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic Main Event will be livestreamed on PokerGO.com.
Running from September 14-16 will be three $5,300 No-Limit Hold’em high rollers that offer a $200 rake discount for on-time entry. These high rollers are all one-day events.
Watch the PGT Venetian Las Vegas Classic Main Event from September 11-15.
Poker Masters
The tenth installment of the Poker Masters will take center stage inside the PokerGO Studio from September 19 to October 2 with ten events on the schedule. Buy-ins start at $5,300 and climb to the $26,000 No-Limit Hold’em finale with every final table airing exclusively on PokerGO.com.
New for 2025 is the Poker Masters $1,000,000 Showcase. The opening of the Poker Masters will be a multi-flight event with a $1,000,000 prize pool guarantee. Players who advanced to Day 2 will be in the money, and will then play down to the final table of six.
Every event is No-Limit Hold’em, and for the player that can accumulate the most PGT points throughout the ten-event series, they will be awarded the Poker Masters Purple Jacket and receive a $25,000 PGT Passport. Previous winners include Steffen Sontheimer, Ali Imsirovic, Sam Soverel, Michael Addamo, Sean Winter, Stephen Chidwick, and Jim Collopy.
Watch Poker Masters final tables from September 22 – October 2, at 4 p.m. ET.
Connect with PokerGO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Watch daily poker clips on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Join the conversation on the PokerGO Discord server.
It’s a story about the electric buzz at Caesars Palace, where the clatter of chips and cheers erupted on a November evening in 2024. Donald C., a poker sharp from Toronto, turned heads when he snagged a jaw-dropping $763,688 jackpot with a royal flush in clubs during a heated game of Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
The hand — ace, king, queen, jack, ten, all clubs — was a rare beast, the kind of play that makes card players’ hearts skip. Caesars Entertainment shared the news, and the casino floor lit up with excitement, folks craning to see the cards that beat the odds. Donald, grinning beside his family, called them his “lucky charm” for the win that changed the game.
From Toronto Tables to Vegas Glory
Donald’s no rookie. He’s spent years grinding at poker tables, from dim-lit local games to the bright lights of Vegas. Ultimate Texas Hold’em, where you outplay the dealer with cunning and nerve, suits his style — calm, sharp, always reading the room. He’d rolled into town with his wife and kids, figuring he’d toss a few bets at Caesars for a quick thrill. But that night, after hours of play, the cards flipped his way. A royal flush is rarer than a desert rain, with odds so long it’s practically a myth (almost 650,000-1). Donald’s win was pure magic, a testament to skill meeting a stroke of fate.
Caesars Palace: Where Legends Are Made
Caesars Palace is a poker mecca, its grand columns and glittering rooms a playground for dreamers and pros alike. Donald’s jackpot joined a string of epic wins there — like a $1.6 million slot hit earlier that year — but his stood out. Players throughout the casino thrummed with energy as word spread. Staff said the crowd’s roar was deafening, like a playoff game’s final buzzer.
Caesars, a Vegas icon since 1966, thrives on moments like this, where history gets written over a green felt table. Donald’s hand, flashed on screens, became instant lore.
The poker room, which used to be near the sportsbook, moved towards where the Forum Shops are, with a soft reopening earlier this year. But the Ultimate Texas Hold’em tables are still in the same place.
Dreaming Big with the Winnings
So, what’s a guy do with a $763,688 windfall? Donald’s got plans; nothing flashy, just real. He’s eyeing a family trip around the globe, hitting spots like Rome and Sydney, making memories with his kids. The guy’s a pro, no stranger to big pots, but he told Caesars this one hit different, like years of late-night games paid off in one perfect deal. On X, jackpot fans went wild — some hailed it as a “destiny hand,” others argued luck trumped skill.
Either way, Donald’s cool-headed play proved he’s got both.
The Power of a Single Hand
This win isn’t just Donald’s story — it’s the heartbeat of a good poker gamble. Caesars Palace lives for these moments, where a single hand can rewrite a life. Most players walk away empty, but the chance of hitting that one-in-a-million hand keeps the tables packed.
Donald’s triumph, the kind fellow gamers talk about in Vegas bars, is proof the game’s always got room for a new legend. It’s a reminder: in a casino, every deal’s a shot at forever.
Many people think poker is about domination: running over the table and proving you’re the smartest (and luckiest) player in the game. I’ve seen players walk in to a poker room with swagger, puffed chests, and a plan to be the bully regardless of what cards they hold.
Quite often, I’ve seen those same players leave empty-handed.
Poker, like life, rarely rewards brute force for long. The real winners are those who understand a deeper truth: the soft, the yielding, and the humble often outlast the hard and the proud.
That’s the Tao of poker.
What is the Tao?
The Tao, pronounced “Dow,” means “the Way.” Its teaching comes from the Tao Te Ching, a slim book of verses credited to Lao Tzu, the “Old Master,” more than 2,000 years ago.
Some say he was a real man serving in the emperor’s court. Others say he’s more legend than fact. As the story goes, he grew tired of society’s noise, a feeling I know well in today’s chaos. As he left for the mountains, a guard at the border asked him to write down his wisdom before disappearing.
The result was the Tao Te Ching: 81 short verses that have guided seekers ever since. Its teaching is simple: live in step with the flow of life.
The soft overcomes the hard. The yielding outlasts the forcing. Balance creates strength.
For me, that’s poker pure and simple. It’s why I named my first membership offering to students “Poker Pure & Simple,” which lasted eight years.
Yielding Wins the Long Game
If you’ve ever watched a beginner play, you’ve seen it: the death grip on pocket aces. They’ll hold on tight and throw good money after bad because they refuse to fold the “best” hand. But the fact is, even aces lose.
Against a single random hand, aces get cracked about 15% of the time. Add more players who refuse to fold, and the odds swing hard against you. In a limped pot, aces lose more often than they win.
That’s why I say, “Limping is for losers!”
The wise player yields when the situation calls for it. They fold with grace, detach from the outcome, and live to play the next hand. Yielding isn’t weakness. It’s strategy. It’s survival. It’s the reason they’re still in their seat when the bullies have burned out.
Life is the same. How many times have you clung to something — a job, a relationship, a belief — long after it stopped serving you?
The strength is not in holding tighter. The strength is in letting go when the time is right.
Humility as Endurance
Poker has a way of humbling you, whether you like it or not. You can make all the “right” moves, still lose the hand, and still bust out before reaching the money in a tournament.
Ego hates that.
However, players who embrace humility tend to last longer.
- They recognize that poker is a long game, a marathon, rather than a sprint in a single pot.
- They learn from each loss instead of swearing at the cards. They stop bemoaning bad beats like drama queens or kings.
- They find patience in the rhythm of the game.
Humility isn’t passive. It’s active awareness. It’s saying, “I have no control over the cards, but I can control my actions.”
And that awareness turns into endurance and resilience.
Balance Between Push and Pause
Aggression wins in poker. That’s true. And it’s foolish to sit back and wait forever for premium hands. But aggression without balance is a fast trip to the rail.
Poker is a constant dance between yin and yang — push and pause, attack and observe. Sometimes the strongest play is a bold raise. Sometimes the strongest play is folding before you get trapped.
And one of the weakest plays? Refusing to fold when you know you’re beaten, just because you want to see what they’re holding. Sheesh!
That’s what I call an idiot move. And since I’ve had my fair share of idiot moves, I’ve learned how expensive playing stupid can be.
Balance is what keeps you sharp, steady, and unpredictable.
As I redevelop my skills, it’s increasingly clear to me that the pause, even before the push, can be game-changing.
And isn’t life the same? Sometimes you boldly step forward. Sometimes you wait and watch. That’s the art is knowing which to do in the moment.
The Power of Simplicity
Some players love fancy moves. Bluffing six ways to Sunday. Talking like a genius while they push chips in the pot.
But the players who consistently walk away with money? They stick to fundamentals: bankroll discipline, emotional control, and making decisions based on position, odds, and awareness.
It looks simple, even boring. Yet simplicity has power.
That’s what the Tao teaches. The straightforward, the grounded, the patient path is the one that lasts. Poker teaches it, too.
Real Strength in Poker is Changing
I’ve sat across from players who wanted to prove they were the “alpha” at the table. They pushed every hand. They bluffed every pot.
On the surface, they looked strong, but poker strips all that away. The cards don’t care how tough you act. What matters is who’s still standing when the chips are counted.
The soft survives. The yielding outlasts. The humble wins.
Poker drilled that lesson into me again and again. It remains one of the greatest gifts the game has given me in life.
At its core, the Tao teaches this:
- The soft overcomes the hard (water wears down stone).
- The yielding endures longer than the rigid (a tree that bends in the wind doesn’t break).
- Balance and flow create strength (yin and yang are not enemies, but partners).
Applied to poker, the Tao’s lesson goes beyond lasting.
It’s deeper. Strength doesn’t come from forcing, clinging, or posturing. It comes from aligning with the flow, knowing when to yield, and lasting because you’re adaptable.
So the truest Tao teaching is this:
Real strength is flexibility. The ones who last are the ones who bend and are willing to change.
Editor’s Note: Way “back in the day” there used to be a very popular poker blog called “Tao of Poker”. This article’s title was chosen by the author with no plagiaristic intent whatsoever. For those interested, you can read our 2018 interview with Tao of Poker founder Paul McGuire.
Televised poker has never looked slicker. We have multi-angle HD cameras, RFID cards revealing hole cards in real time, and elite broadcasters providing sharp, insightful commentary. Yet, despite all these upgrades, the product feels a little bit hollow these days. Why? Because for the most part it lacks what once made poker on TV a global phenomenon: relatable stories and meaningful stakes.
Image credit: PokerGO/PGT
Indeed, there was a time when televised high stakes poker captured the collective imagination of fans everywhere. The numbers on screen weren’t just chips – they were life-changing sums that fueled poker books, created (or broke!) legends, and sparked late-night conversations at home poker games just as much as water cooler conversations at the office. Today, however, even when millions of dollars are on the line, with rare exception live streams and televised poker just don’t feel like they pack the same punch they used to. In this article I’ll explore the issue of why and what, if anything, can be done to recapture the hearts, minds, and eyeballs of televised poker’s heyday.
We recently bore witness to poker history being made. Dan “Jungleman” Cates and Ossi Ketola (a.k.a., “Monarch”) squared off in multiple multimillion-dollar heads-up matches streamed on YouTube at Rob Yong‘s Onyx Club in Cyprus. The stream featured some of the biggest pots ever seen and more money in play than most of us could dream of. As of approximately one week after the match’s conclusion, the live-stream has pulled in about 250K viewers. With no disrespect meant to Yong or the players, it wasn’t exactly what one would deem a “cultural moment” in the poker world.
Doug Polk covered the Jungleman vs. Monarch showdown on his YouTube channel, breaking down the biggest hands and highlighting just how crazy the swings were. His recap has pulled in over 660K views as of this publishing – far more than double the actual heads-up match!
Something doesn’t compute.
If multimillion-dollar pots, elite poker talent, and professional production can’t turn a heads-up clash into an iconic moment, maybe the problem isn’t the play or the stakes. Maybe it’s the packaging.
Maybe televised poker isn’t just about the money. Maybe the “solve” lies in the people and their stories.
Packaging Matters More Than Pots
Great poker television has always been about more than just the cards.
Obviously more expensive, but the general public much prefers edited, and even those are too slow for some people I talk to
— Steve Ruddock (@SteveRuddock) August 25, 2025
Take PokerStars’ The Big Game on Tour. While the players are playing for high stakes, it’s not the money itself that captures viewer interest and makes people want to tune in, but rather the tantalizing idea of seeing whether the “Loose Cannon” might be able to beat the pros when given a $50,000 bankroll to play those high stakes. The show is about casting colorful personalities, creating story arcs, and making audiences care about the people around the table. Similarly, PokerGO’s High Stakes Poker is premium, edited episodic poker content that grips viewers by weaving strategy with drama, competition, and – critically – character development.
Of course it costs a lot more and takes a lot longer to produce edited, episodic poker content versus just firing up a livestream, but when done well the investment is bound to pay off as far as the show’s character depth and potential to attract a larger audience and cast a wider net beyond hardcore poker fans.
Compare that with a raw livestream of two players trading seven-figure pots. The poker might be elite. The commentary might be strong. But unless viewers already know and really care a lot about the players involved in the match, there’s no built-in emotional hook. For most poker fans, that kind of match is simply too far removed from their own experience.
Moreover, we’d be remiss to not also acknowledge the “attention economy” factor. Poker is competing with the entire internet in an era where viewers have endless choices. Live streams are great for poker, but they will never command the same broad appeal as well-produced, edited broadcasts. For the casual fan, a multi-hour live stream filled with quiet folds doesn’t hold a candle to a polished episode with pacing, storylines, and commentary.
Televised Poker: Relatability Sells
Think back to some memorable pots on High Stakes Poker: Barry Greenstein‘s face after losing a $919k pot to Tom Dwan when they ran it once. David Benyamine‘s shaky voice during negotiations with Guy Laliberte with $1.2 million on the line. Contrast watching those emotions unfold on camera versus reading Monarch’s post-match reflections:
lol rip ~$19m in one sitting
worth the content though
— Monarch (@Monarch) August 20, 2025
$19 million is the kind of money that even some lottery winners don’t get their hands on. So when Monarch’s entire attitude towards the match can be encapsulated by laughing off the loss as “worth the content”, how could we viewers be expected to care much?
And Jungleman, for his part – ultra-talented and decorated a poker player though he might be – might’ve won millions on paper, but took home a far smaller percentage of that money after paying those who staked him for the match. To him, the victory was “symbolic”…
With my 15m win Vs @Monarch, I had a small piece of myself but actually it’s symbolic in that I’m happy to make my supporters money and do it for the good of the game.
I will as usual continue to invest it in growth, in creating a better community via https://t.co/moWEhHTrxr…
— Daniel Cates ???????? ???? (@junglemandan) August 20, 2025
That’s another major part of what’s “broken” with televised poker. It’s hard enough for the average player – or even the average poker fan – to connect with high stakes poker, but when the money itself doesn’t really matter to the players competing?!
The problem isn’t with the broadcasters or the production. You can have phenomenal commentators explain the nuance, the ranges, the leveling wars, and more. But if the players don’t feel the stakes, the average viewer certainly won’t feel the stakes; they’ll tune out. There’s zero emotional connection.
Heck, my low-stakes home game would be more exciting to watch! We might only have a couple hundred dollars on the line at most, but the joy or disgust we feel when losing a pot is palpable, and the great time we’re having would be something apparent and resonant to anyone watching us.
That moment you make a last-minute decision to play in a home game and end up taking ALL the money… every last shekel #cashgame #whatarush pic.twitter.com/1L1rL0MQ6F
— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) February 3, 2017
What Makes Televised Poker Appealing to Watch?
So what’s the solution? It’s not simply raising the blinds or finding wealthier players. It’s about creating shows that people want to watch. In my view, there are four main pillars:
Invest More in Storytelling: Don’t just broadcast hands. Tell us who these people are, why they matter, and what’s at stake for them personally. Mainstream audience viewers don’t need more poker stats, they need narratives.
Edit for Drama: Live streams are great for hardcore fans, but edited episodes remain unmatched for creating iconic moments. Poker needs producers who can cut the fat, highlight key hands, and build suspense.
Cast Characters, Not Just Crushers: The best poker shows balance elite pros with memorable personalities, heroes with villains. Much like any other reality show, character-driven content is what makes televised poker sticky. Putting together great poker lineups is a tall task. It’s not a science; it’s an art.
Keep Stakes Aspirational, Not Alienating: Big prize pools excite people, but big reactions live in our heads rent-free. You need not have a seven-figure pot to drive a very real reaction from a player who wears their emotions on their sleeve. The sweet spot is offering amounts that inspire without pushing the game into Monopoly money territory.
Whither Televised Poker’s Identity?
Televised poker doesn’t have a problem with talent, commentary, or production quality. It has a problem with identity. It seems like the cameras are chasing higher and higher stakes while not focusing enough on what truly hooks an audience: characters, storylines, and relatable dreams.
Televised poker doesn’t need to keep going higher to keep our attention. It needs to go deeper. Into the stories of its players. Into the narratives that make a casual viewer root for someone they’ve never met. Into the packaging that turns a good game into must-watch television.
Because at the end of the day, the hand history might be forgotten, but the story never is.
Engaging in online poker tournaments requires a blend of strategy, adaptability, and psychological insight. These competitions can vary greatly in terms of format, stakes, and player skill levels. A keen understanding of the dynamics at play is essential for anyone looking to enhance their performance.
The world of online poker tournaments offers both excitement and challenge, with countless opportunities for players to test their skills against others from around the globe. With the right strategies and preparation, you can significantly increase your chances of success. It’s crucial to approach each tournament with a solid game plan and the mental resilience to navigate the highs and lows that come with competitive play. Visit www.theonlinecasino.com for more insights and resources to improve your game.
Understanding different tournament formats
Online poker tournaments come in various formats, each offering unique challenges and opportunities. Some of the most popular types include Sit & Go’s, multi-table tournaments (MTTs), and knockout tournaments. Sit & Go’s are ideal for players who prefer short, quick games as they start as soon as enough players join. Multi-table tournaments, on the other hand, attract large numbers of participants and require players to outlast many others to reach the final table.
Understanding the structure of these tournaments is vital for devising effective poker strategies. For example, knockout tournaments offer bounties for eliminating opponents, adding another layer of strategy to gameplay. As you participate in different formats, observe how blind levels increase and adjust your play style accordingly. This knowledge will help you choose the right tournaments that align with your strengths.
Developing strategies for success
One key aspect of succeeding in online poker tournaments is mastering bankroll management. Properly managing your bankroll ensures that you can withstand losses without significant financial strain. Set aside a specific amount dedicated solely to tournament play, and avoid entering games beyond your budget.
Risk assessment is another crucial element. Evaluate your opponents’ playing styles early in the game to make informed decisions about when to play aggressively or conservatively. Adapting your strategy based on your position at the table and stack size relative to others can give you a significant advantage.
It’s also essential to develop patience and discipline, as these traits will help you make rational decisions under pressure. Avoid tilting by maintaining emotional control, even when faced with setbacks.
Optimizing your gameplay
Understanding player dynamics is fundamental to optimizing your gameplay during online poker tournaments. Observing opponents’ behavior can provide insights into their strategies and potential weaknesses. Are they aggressive or conservative? Do they bluff frequently? Use this information to adjust your approach accordingly.
Adapting to different tournament stages is equally important. Early stages require building a strong chip stack without taking unnecessary risks, while later stages demand more aggressive tactics as blinds increase. Recognizing when to shift gears is key to maintaining momentum throughout the tournament.
Additionally, refining technical skills such as calculating pot odds and reading hands can significantly enhance your decision-making process. Practice regularly on platforms offering diverse game options to improve these skills over time.
Mental preparation for tournaments
Mental preparation is often overlooked but crucial for succeeding in online poker tournaments. Before entering a competition, ensure you’re in the right mindset by setting clear goals and focusing on long-term growth rather than short-term wins or losses.
BOOK REVIEW: The Mental Game of Poker
Managing emotions during gameplay can be challenging but is vital for maintaining focus under pressure. Develop techniques such as deep breathing or visualization exercises to stay calm during tense moments at the table.
Finally, continuous learning through reviewing past performances will help identify areas where improvements are needed—whether it’s adjusting strategies or improving technical skills like hand reading accuracy or bluff timing precision.
After seeing success on the film festival circuit, the acclaimed poker documentary Cracking Aces: A Woman’s Place at the Table is finally going mainstream. The film’s Producers, Professors Tracy Halcomb and H. James Gilmore, have just signed a distribution deal with Bitmax, paving the way for the film to be released on major streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play beginning on Thursday, August 21.
Beyond sharing the distribution news, this article will serve to refresh people’s memories regarding how the documentary came to be produced as well as provide quotes from Professor Halcomb, with whom I spoke prior to publication.
From Festival Favorite to Streaming Release
Originally completed in 2018, Cracking Aces spent its first years exclusively on the festival circuit. Screenings at events such as the Sarasota Film Festival, Silicon Beach Film Festival in Los Angeles, Hobnobben in Indiana, and the Silver State Film Festival in Las Vegas drew sold-out crowds and rave reviews. But the broader public has never had access to the film about women in poker until now.
That changes with this new distribution agreement, which will finally make the 67-minute documentary available worldwide, marking the chance for everyone to experience the stories that have already resonated so strongly with festival audiences.
A Spotlight on Women Who Broke the Glass Ceiling
At its core, Cracking Aces tells the story of pioneering women who carved out their place in poker despite an industry dominated by men. Featuring trailblazers like Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher, as well as modern stars and fellow Women in Poker Hall of Famers Maria Ho and Lupe Soto, the film documents both the struggles and triumphs of women who refused to be sidelined.
Through interviews with players, industry leaders, and academics, the film explores everything from the “poker babes” era of televised poker, to online poker anonymity, to the #MeToo movement’s impact on women in the game. Stories range from women using southern accents and flirtation to survive in earlier decades, to younger generations insisting they be judged solely on their poker skills.
When I asked Professor Halcomb why getting a distribution deal for Cracking Aces was important to her and Professor Gilmore and why that took so long, she said that “we didn’t really have time to try to get the attention of distributors when the film came out. We are both full-time college professors and make movies on our breaks from school. We had fun taking it to festivals, but kept thinking that there had to be so many poker players and enthusiasts who really would enjoy this little snapshot of poker history. So Jim and I finally pulled the trigger and signed with Bitmax. When you spend four years making a movie you really do want to get it in front of an audience.”
From Chance Encounter to Award-Winning Film
The project began when Gilmore, a professor of Journalism and Screen Studies, met poker legends Johnson and Fisher by chance in Las Vegas. Their stories of breaking into the game in the late 1970s inspired him and Halcomb to begin a four-year research and filmmaking journey. What started as a short film idea evolved into a feature-length documentary after dozens of women in poker came forward to share their experiences.
“As the film’s producers, we’d certainly like to see Cracking Aces get substantial views on every streaming platform. Frankly speaking, we’d also like to make back our initial investment; breaking even would be great! We had a blast making this documentary and hope to keep making these entertaining documentaries, finances permitting,” said Halcomb.
A Timely Release
Cracking Aces‘ distribution to streaming audiences worldwide comes at a moment when discussions about gender representation and equity remain central to both poker and society at large. By giving voice to those who fought to be respected at the tables, the film offers both historical context and inspiration for the future.
Finally, I asked Professor Halcomb what, ideally, she’d like for the film’s viewers to take away from Cracking Aces, to which she replied “I would love it if people came away with a new appreciation for these women who were pioneers in professional poker. It would be wonderful for casual fans to learn a little more about the poker professional’s thought process, and for the female poker players of today to pay homage to a few of the women who paved the way for their opportunities.”
Cracking Aces: A Woman’s Place at the Table will be available for digital purchase and rental beginning on Thursday (August 21, 2025) on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and other major streaming platforms.
Poker can be intimidating for new players… It’s filled with unfamiliar terminology, differently named betting rounds, and all sorts of strategies you need to learn. But the actual truth is that it’s a lot more accessible than you think… as long as you start off with the right variation of the game. Some poker games are a lot more beginner-friendly with basic rules and are great for learning and building up your confidence.
At any good online casino, there are always plenty of different options to choose from in the gaming department… slots, Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette and even quirky Boylesports Slingo bingo games – but open up the poker section and the choices are impressive – and confusing! Which one should you go for?
Well, here we’re going to look at some of the best poker games for beginners so you can pick the right one when you’re learning the ropes.
Texas Hold’em
This game is literally the poster child for poker. This is the version of the game you’ll see everywhere… on TV, in movies, worldwide tournaments… and Beyoncé even wrote a song about it! And one of the reasons it’s so beginner-friendly is because the basic rules of the game are so straightforward:
- Each player gets dealt two private cards (hole cards).
- There are five community cards dealt face-up on the table in three different stages (flop, turn, and river).
- You need to try and make the best five-card hand you can by using your two cards and three of the community cards.
But don’t be deceived… the rules might be easy, but there’s still plenty of strategy to the game. As a beginner, you need to start by learning the basics, such as which starting hands are strong – and then gradually build up to things like reading your opponents and getting to grips with various betting strategies.
Five Card Draw
Before Texas Hold’em took the crown as king of poker, Five Card Draw was the go-to poker game – because it’s so straightforward:
- Players get five private cards.
- You’ll then have one chance to trade in (or ‘draw’) cards to try to improve your hand.
- After that, there will be the final betting round and a showdown.
Because it’s so easy, it’s the perfect starting point for beginners. You don’t have to keep track of things like community cards or betting structures; you just need to focus on your own hand and decide which cards you want to keep. It’s a great game to get a grasp of basic bluffing as well.
Omaha
Omaha might feel a bit like Texas Hold’em, but it has a twist – and one that makes it a bit more challenging (and exciting). You’ll get four hole cards instead of two, and you have to use exactly two of them plus three community cards to make up your hand.
If you’ve got comfortable with Texas Hold’em, then this one’s the next obvious step… because there are more possibilities and there’s more need for careful decision-making. Just be warned – having four cards to choose from doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll win more often!
Seven Card Stud
Before the rise of community card games, there was Seven Card Stud, which was hugely popular with newer players. Here’s how it works…
- You’ll get a mix of face-up and face-down cards over various betting rounds.
- You need to try to make the best five-card hand out of the seven cards you’ve been dealt.
There are no community cards with this one, so you need to pay close attention to the cards the other players have shown. This means it’s a great game for training those observation skills and learning how to read the table… all important if you want to become a skilled poker player.
Short Deck Hold’em
If you’re looking for a newer, more modern variant of the game, then Short Deck Hold’em has been making waves in some of the higher-stakes circles. This game’s played with a 36-card deck (cards 2, 3, 4 and 5 are removed), so there’s more chance of getting bigger hands like straights and flushes.
While it’s not the ideal game for complete beginners, it can be a bit of fun when you think you’ve got the basics down.
Top Tips for Learning Poker
No matter which variant you decide to go with, here are some of our top tips to help you on your way:
- Learn the Hand Rankings First: Before you do anything, you need to know what hand beats what.
- Start Small: You need confidence and knowledge to get better… so start with smaller bets and keep the pressure low while you’re learning.
- Pay Attention: Watch how other people are playing and see what you can learn from them.
- Be Patient: You won’t always get a good hand… sometimes you’re fighting a losing battle – and folding might just be your best option.
- Bankroll Management: Most important of all – set yourself a stake and only play with money you can afford to lose. Don’t take any unnecessary risks.
Start Smart
Ultimately, poker can be surprisingly beginner-friendly if you start with the right game. Texas Hold’em is the go-to choice for most newcomers, but there are some other great games, all great for learning how it works (especially if you’re playing online and can try out some of the games in free play or demo mode).
Whatever one you choose, remember to learn the rules, set yourself a budget, stick to it and play responsibly! Have fun!
When it comes to online poker training, Run It Once Training (RIO) has long been a trusted pillar of the community. Founded by Phil Galfond, the platform’s reputation has been built on a deep library of videos, elite-level coaches, and a commitment to both fundamental theory and practical application. While many training sites focus heavily on No-Limit Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha, Run It Once Training stands out for its exceptional coverage of mixed games, the diverse and challenging variants that test a player’s all-around skill.
From high-level theory to hand reviews and live play footage, Run It Once Training offers one of the most comprehensive collections of mixed games content available anywhere. Whether you’re a seasoned player preparing for the Poker Players Championship or a curious newcomer wanting to branch out from Hold’em, RIO’s resources can help you confidently approach formats like Stud 8, 2-7 Triple Draw, Razz, Omaha Hi-Lo, and more.
In this guide, we’ll explore how RIO structures its mixed games training across three main categories — theory, review, and live play — with examples of and links to standout videos in each.
Mixed Game Poker Theory: Building a Solid Foundation
If you want to succeed in mixed games, you need to understand the rules, optimal strategies, and key concepts for each format. RIO’s theory videos break these games down in a way that’s approachable, ensuring you have a strong base before heading to the felt.
Stud 8 Starting Hands
Seven Card Stud Eight-or-Better (Stud 8) rewards careful hand selection, positional awareness, and the ability to read up-cards. In this video, Tom Chambers guides viewers through the fundamentals of why certain holdings gain strength depending on visible cards and the number of opponents. The content details the various hand types to focus on, explaining the properties that make each hand strong in Stud 8.
Stud Hi Starting Hands
While Stud Hi shares mechanics with Stud 8, the hand values shift dramatically without split pots. This video explains why drawing to high pairs, straights, and flushes becomes paramount, and why certain speculative hands rise or fall in value compared to the split-pot variant. Pepe also spends time on strategic third-street decisions, emphasizing the importance of aggression and fold equity in early betting rounds opposed to games with two big bet streets.
Intro to 2-7 Triple Draw
2-7 Triple Draw can be intimidating at first. This introduction video from Brian Hastings strips away the confusion, walking you through the rules, basic strategy, and key pre-draw hand rankings. Hastings also explains the mindset shift required when moving from games like Hold’em into draw poker, where the betting structure and hand-reading process are very different.
Together, these theory videos form the backbone of your mixed games knowledge, ensuring you start with the right habits rather than learning through costly trial and error.
Mixed Game Poker Review: Learning from Real Hands
Once you understand the fundamentals of mixed game poker, it’s time to see how they play out in real-world scenarios. RIO’s review content takes actual hands from online or live events and dissects them with the help of seasoned professionals. This format bridges the gap between pure theory and live execution.
Winning Another 50k PPC
The $50,000 Poker Players Championship is widely considered the ultimate test of a poker player’s all-around ability. In this review series, Dan ‘Jungleman’ Cates takes us through hands from a deep run, discussing adjustments made for different game types in the rotation. The breakdown isn’t just about the cards — it’s about stack sizes, table dynamics, and the psychological factors in a long, mixed-game marathon.
2-7 Triple Draw: Seiver and Linde Hands
In this hand review, Pepe examines notable pots played with Scott Seiver and Dylan Linde, two respected mixed game specialists. By analyzing their lines in detail, viewers learn the nuances of betting sequences, draw frequencies, and when to apply maximum pressure, all in the live environment. Seeing elite players navigate complex draw spots offers practical insight far beyond theoretical starting-hand guidelines.
$1.5k Dealers Choice Deep Run
Dealers Choice tournaments put players in the driver’s seat to select which game will be played, a format that rewards versatility and the ability to exploit weaknesses. This final table review goes game-by-game, highlighting how the eventual winner leveraged their strongest formats to apply pressure. This video covers strategic shifts between games and the importance of stamina deep into mixed game tournaments.
These review videos let you peek into the minds of top professionals, revealing how they make decisions when the stakes are high and the game type keeps changing.
Mixed Game Poker Live Play: Strategy in Real Time
There’s no substitute for watching a skilled player make decisions in real time, with no pause button or hindsight influence. RIO’s live play videos put you in the passenger seat during actual sessions, so you can see how the best adapt their strategy on the fly.
$215 8-Game SCOOP Event
In this video, Pepe streams his run in an 8-Game SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker) event, offering unfiltered commentary on every decision. The rotation covers everything from Limit Hold’em to Razz to 2-7 Triple Draw, and viewers get to see how the coach transitions smoothly between formats without missing a beat.
Heads-Up Cash Mixed Games
Heads-up poker in mixed formats is a different beast. Aggression levels are high, and mistakes are magnified. This session focuses on exploiting heads-up tendencies in games like Omaha Hi-Lo, Stud, and Badugi. Pepe talks through balance, bluffing frequencies, and reads based on a single opponent’s betting patterns.
$10/$20 Stud 8 Session
Finally, for players specifically interested in Stud 8, this live play video offers a deep dive into single-table play. Pepe points out how visible cards influence betting, when to chase the low versus the high, and how to extract value in split-pot scenarios. Watching iteopepe88 navigate tricky spots reinforces concepts from the Stud 8 theory video, showing the ideas in action.
Live play footage is so valuable because it demonstrates the rhythm of mixed games, helping you get comfortable with quick transitions and decisions.
Run It Once Training: Elevating Your All-Around Mixed Game Skill
Mixed games are the ultimate proving ground for poker skill. They force you to think beyond familiar patterns, adjust to new rules, and master multiple strategic frameworks. Whether you aspire to play in elite tournaments like the PPC or simply want to expand your cash-game options, developing mixed games competency will make you a far more formidable player.
Run It Once offers one of the most robust and well-organized collections of mixed games training in the industry. The site’s coaches aren’t just Hold’em experts moonlighting in other formats — they are seasoned mixed game pros with years of high-stakes experience. From foundational theory lessons to immersive live play footage in formats, RIO covers the full spectrum of learning needs.
If you’re serious about poker, investing in mixed games education is one of the best ways to future-proof your skills and stand out from the competition. And with RIO’s deep content library, you have everything you need to not just learn, but master, the games that challenge even the world’s best players.
Enrollwith Run It Once Training today!
While players love poker for the thrill of competition and camaraderie, the game thrives on something else entirely: sponsorship dollars. Without them, many events, media projects, and community initiatives simply would not exist. I know this firsthand. Cardplayer Lifestyle and my Mixed Game Festival series run on the fuel of partnerships, not participant entry fees. And it works.
Over the past 15+ years that I’ve been part of the poker industry, I have seen how sponsorships can transform poker content and live events from small-scale labors of love into sustainable, value-delivering enterprises. But here is the truth: the overwhelming majority of those sponsorship dollars are still coming from within the poker industry. Operators, training sites, poker gear companies, and media platforms have all been reliable partners. Still, we are missing out on a much bigger pool of potential support from the non-poker world.
If poker is going to grow and thrive, we need to get better at attracting those outside sponsors. But beyond that, those sponsors need to be willing to take a closer look at the unique value proposition our industry offers.
Who’s Already Sponsoring Poker (and Why It Works)
Today, most poker sponsorships come from companies that already live and breathe the game: operators, training sites, and poker adjacent brands. Here’s a list of some of the primary poker companies that I’ve worked with over my years in the industry:
- Operators: PokerStars, WPT, 888poker, PGT, BetMGM Poker, partypoker, GGPoker
- Poker Training Sites: Pokercoaching.com, Run It Once Training, Red Chip Poker
- Poker-Adjacent Brands: Faded Spade (playing cards), RunGoodGear (apparel), PokerGO (streaming), D&B Poker (publishing)
Because these brands quite literally operate within the poker industry, they’re by definition primed to also function as sponsors because they understand the audience and know exactly how to reach it. When I produce Cardplayer Lifestyle’s annual Holiday Gift Guide for Poker Players, for example, we often get a mix of returning and brand-new sponsors. The new ones usually come in with a simple mindset: if you can put our products in front of poker players, we will see results. And they do.
When I started Cardplayer Lifestyle, I decided early on that my business would be built on sponsorships. Instead of hiding my content behind a paywall, I made it free for all to access. My revenue model and, frankly, my business is possible through partnerships. The result is a win-win-win. Sponsors receive meaningful exposure, poker players get 15+ years (and counting) of free content, and I get to make a living doing what I love.
The same logic applies to the Mixed Game Festival. Poker brands know that sponsoring the event gets their products and services in front of highly engaged, loyal players who will remember them long after the cards are shuffled back into the deck. We’ve run nearly a dozen such festivals over the last 3.5 years and have given away over $150,000 in cash, prizes, and merchandise to our players. That figure is representative of sponsor investment, for which I — and by extension all the players who participate in the festival — am supremely grateful.
Congratulations to the @FossilMan!
Winner of the @PokerStars #PlatinumPass for the @PokerLifeMedia #MixedGameFestival
The champ is HERE!
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— Robbie Strazynski (@cardplayerlife) October 8, 2021
Sponsors step forward knowing they will reach a highly targeted audience, and they return because the partnership produces results. This approach works for poker brands, and it could work just as well for companies from any sector that have the vision to try it.
Why Many Companies Have Not Sponsored Poker (Yet)
For companies outside poker, hesitation is often due to:
- Legal and jurisdictional concerns in regions with strict gambling regulations
- Lingering stigma from outdated “poker as vice” perceptions
- ROI uncertainty from a lack of case studies and data
These concerns are understandable, but they can be addressed. When the poker industry presents sponsorship opportunities with clear audience data, defined deliverables, and past success stories, more non-poker brands will see the potential upside.
The Value Proposition Poker Offers
Poker audiences are uniquely valuable for advertisers for the following reasons:
- Highly engaged niche audience who actively follow content, events, and personalities
- Demographics with spending power, particularly poker-playing seniors who often tend to have more discretionary income and time to engage with products and services
- Lifestyle overlap with industries like travel, dining, technology, luxury goods, and entertainment
- Venue-driven benefits for casinos and hotels, with additional spending on food, lodging, and other gaming
These traits make poker players attractive not just to poker brands, but to any company looking for a loyal, attentive customer base.
The Untapped Potential: Non-Poker Companies
Brands that advertise during major sporting events or on YouTube pre-rolls — car manufacturers, watchmakers, airlines, energy drink companies, financial services, and more — are not “sports-only” advertisers. They are lifestyle brands aiming to connect with people wherever they are.
Poker players fit that profile perfectly. They are competitive, intelligent, well-traveled, and won’t hesitate to spend money on good products and services. The challenge is that many of these brands do not yet know how to reach poker audiences, and poker organizers have not always shown them the way.
This is where opportunity lies. Tournament organizers, content creators, and poker media can be proactive in approaching non-poker brands with compelling sponsorship packages that outline integration opportunities, audience insights, and long-term partnership potential.
Practical Advice for Attracting Sponsorship Dollars Into Poker
When I court sponsors for my content and our festivals, I know exactly what I want to get out of the deals. Even so, pretty much every conversation I have with sponsors opens with some version “here’s what’s in it for you.” And if I can’t understand well enough what a sponsor would want, I literally ask them: “what are you guys ideally looking to get out of your sponsorship?” and we continue the conversation from there.
Beyond following that sort of template, here’s some more practical advice for attracting sponsors to the industry on the whole:
Know your audience: Gather clear data on they types of poker players you reach. This can include age, location, gender, income level, purchasing habits, and preferred products or services. Being able to present these insights to a potential sponsor shows them exactly who their message will reach and helps them picture their brand connecting with your audience.
Package it clearly: Create a professional sponsorship deck that explains exactly what a partner will receive. Include deliverables such as logo placement, mentions during broadcasts, social media promotion, email newsletter features, and on-site visibility at live events. Make it easy for a company to understand how they will be represented and why the exposure will matter.
Think beyond poker brands: Approach companies in travel, hospitality, beverages, apparel, technology, and other lifestyle categories. Show them the parallels between their products and the lives of poker players. For example, poker players often fly long distances, stay in hotels, wear branded apparel, use electronics, and enjoy premium drinks.
Focus on win-win outcomes: Sponsors want to know that their investment will pay off. Present ways their success is directly tied to the partnership’s performance. Offer post-event or post-campaign reports that highlight reach, impressions, engagement, and player feedback. When sponsors can measure results, they are far more likely to return.
Deliver and overdeliver: Keep every promise you make and look for ways to exceed expectations. This could mean providing extra social media posts, adding unexpected bonus coverage, or giving them prominent exposure they did not specifically request. Overdelivering builds trust and turns first-time sponsors into long-term partners.
A Positive Outlook for Poker Sponsorship
If we in the industry follow the blueprint outlined above, we will be well-positioned to attract more sponsorship dollars over time. The poker audience is bigger than ever, and live events are enjoying a clear attendance boom. The opportunity is ripe for bigger advertisers to get in the game and market their products to poker players.
When more money comes into the game from outside the industry, players are bound to feel the positive trickle-down effects. More prizes, larger prize pools, operators and media outlets making more money and investing further resources — all of these outcomes create a stronger, healthier poker ecosystem for everyone.