The drama, intensity and plot twists of professional poker games make them perfect for television. After the poker boom of the early 2000s, networks like ESPN, Fox and CBS started airing games and shows. There were even poker documentaries airing on the Discovery Channel. But with the television industry changing, where does poker stand?
Enter PokerGO. What was meant to be another cable network is now an online poker streaming service for poker fans and players. Join us as we look at how PokerGO is stepping into the future of streaming and how you can learn from the best and play poker online.
PokerGO and televised poker
During the 2000s, watching poker on TV was incredibly popular in the US. Several TV commercials featured professional players like Phil Ivey, Erik Seidel and Daniel Negreanu. But poker’s heyday was under threat after the Black Friday incident in 2011 when the US Department of Justice pressed charges against three major poker sites. When these sites were shut down, many networks began to cancel poker shows. Over time, there were very few poker shows on the air and nowhere to watch them online. With many networks separating themselves from poker after the scandalous Black Friday incident, many shows were not only canceled, but even old episodes were inaccessible.
PokerGO saves the day
After poker’s Black Friday, streaming poker content was becoming close to impossible. But in 2017, PokerGO re-entered the arena as a service that would solely stream poker-related content. The channel filled a much-needed gap for a poker live-stream service and facilitated the creation of even more unique poker content and shows. Original programming could now be enjoyed on the same platform as other poker tournaments and shows.
PokerGO began purchasing the rights to many shows canceled by other networks like NBC and Fox. Today, the site has become an invaluable archive of poker tournaments, shows and stories that would have been otherwise lost to time.
What PokerGO has to offer
The thing that sets a streaming service apart from the rest is the amount of quality content it offers. Even though there are still limited poker streaming services on the market, PokerGO has enough great content to blow the competition away. Let’s look at the features and content you can explore on the PokerGO platform.
PokerGO Studio
You can do more than stream poker with PokerGO. The PokerGO Studio inside the prestigious MGM ARIA Resort & Casino is a state-of-the-art poker event venue and fully equipped production studio. The Las Vegas studio is a 10,000-square-foot facility featuring nine poker tables and an impressive main feature table stage. This stage hosts the biggest names and games in the industry.
This means PokerGO isn’t just buying rights and streaming content. The team is also creating high-quality content in their production studio. Plus, the studio gives fans the opportunity to watch live games in the venue. In true ARIA fashion, the studio is equipped with a full-service bar, a lounge and a flexible layout to suit every occasion. Events held at the venue include the PokerGO Cup, the World Series of Poker and the Poker Masters.
PokerGO Tour
The PokerGO Tour features high-profile exclusive tournaments with buy-ins starting at $10,000. It brings in the best high-stakes players in the world, with a competitive and detailed ranking system. PokerGO Tour has more than 100 events worldwide, including the PokerGO Super High Roller Bowl, the Poker Masters, The PokerGO Cup series and the US Poker Open. Since 2021, PokerGO has awarded more than $260 million in prize money.
What to watch on PokerGO
PokerGO is the biggest subscription-based poker streaming service. Members get access to over 125 days of live poker tournament broadcasts. Here are some tournaments you can enjoy live or on-demand on the platform.
- World Series of Poker
- Super High Roller
- Poker Masters
- High Stakes Duel
- High Roller Bowl
- Stairway to Millions
Without shows and original content, a streaming service would not be complete. Here are a few popular poker shows to watch on PokerGO.
- Dolly’s Game
- No Gamble, No Future
- Stories from the Felt
- Pokerography
- Conversations with Phil Ivey
- Legends of the Game
There are many more tournaments and original shows to stream on the site. PokerGO is available on Android and iPhone devices as well as Apple TV, Roku, YouTube TV and Amazon TV. To get a taste of PokerGO content, watch exclusive clips on their YouTube channel.
What to expect in the future
Simply put, you can expect more. PokerGO is impressive; look at the number of big-ticket poker tournaments available to stream on their platform and the many previously hard-to-find poker TV shows. But still, looking at what the platform offers, PokerGO should be even bigger.
In the US alone, there are an estimated 60 million poker players. And PokerGO is positioned to deliver engaging content to even more poker players. Not only is it available on mobile devices, but PokerGO content can be streamed on YouTube TV, Sling TV and Pluto TV. As more people join the platform, future growth could mean more original poker content is created for fans to enjoy and more game sponsorships come in for players to benefit from. The streaming service has big plans. With more and more people playing poker than ever before and better legislation, there is no limit to the heights it can reach.
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