Ratings Down For World Series of Poker Coverage on ESPN

No one knows what's behind the decline in the ratings juggernaut that is the WSOP. (Photo by Therese Branton)

Ratings for ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event are down about 16%, according to numbers provided by the network. The overall ratings for the first six weeks of WSOP coverage have averaged a .67 rating. For perspective and an idea of scale, a single Neilsen point means that approximately 1.1 million viewers watched a show in, meaning that the coverage has pulled an average of 737,000 viewers each week. The 2009 Main Event coverage pulled in a .79 rating, or approximately 869,000 in comparison.

Interestingly, the Poker Player's Championship, which featured Robert and Michael Mizrachi in combat improved against the previous year's ratings and gave high hopes to all involved, but the Tournament of Champions that aired the next week only held steady against the previous year's numbers. The broadcasts of the Main Event began on August 10th and featured the second largest field in history and the biggest names in the game competing, and the drop accompanied it.

Even with moments like Allied Network Solutions CEO Ted Bort and Brahlhad Friedman's confrontation (in which Bort barked like a dog at the pro while he was trying to make up his mind) included in the broadcast, numbers have dropped quite a bit with the exception of the over-55 demographic.

What's behind the decline? Has poker fatigue settled into the mainstream? Was the coverage just skipped by many because of the number of online sites that reported the happenings already? What do you think?

Play online poker at Bodog and get a head start on your own run for the WSOP!

View the original article here

World Series of Poker Europe Update: Event #2 Wrapup!

Jeff Lisando during the 2009 WSOP, where he won the Player of the Year award. (Bodog File Photo.)

Jeff Lisandro, the 2009 WSOP player of the year, won his fifth career bracelet this weekend after a particularly exciting final table in event #2 of the World Series of Poker Europe event, behind held in London's Empire Casino in Leicester square. Event #2 in the WSOPE lineup was a Pot Limit Omaha championship and it's been part of the schedule every year since the original. Previous champions in the Pot Limit Omaha tournament include Italy's Dario Alioto in 2007, Theo Jorgensen from Denmark in 2008 and Finland's Jani Vilmunen in 2009.

Joseph Serock, a 22-year-old pro from Albuquerque, New Mexico got second place and won £98,262 for the experience of a lifetime: taking on one of the best poker players out there in an enthralling tournament. Over two dozen players in the Pot Limit Omaha event were former WSOP bracelet winners and many of the others in the field were among the top PLO players in Europe.

Serock fought valiantly in the last few hands and proved worthy of everyone's respect throughout the tournament, but there's a reason the pro from Italy via Australia has won four bracelets in the last 15 months. Besides Lisandro, there were four other WSOP gold bracelet winners at the final table, including Chris Bjorin, Willie Tann and Jeff Madsen and two of the finalists were also WSOP Player Of The Year winners. A stunning lineup and Serock's ability to keep his cool makes him someone to watch out for.

Want to play Omaha poker online? Bodog's got a huge variety of games, giving newbies and high rollers alike a chance to win!

View the original article here

World Series of Poker Europe Update: Event #2 Wrapup!

Jeff Lisando during the 2009 WSOP, where he won the Player of the Year award. (Bodog File Photo.)

Jeff Lisandro, the 2009 WSOP player of the year, won his fifth career bracelet this weekend after a particularly exciting final table in event #2 of the World Series of Poker Europe event, behind held in London's Empire Casino in Leicester square. Event #2 in the WSOPE lineup was a Pot Limit Omaha championship and it's been part of the schedule every year since the original. Previous champions in the Pot Limit Omaha tournament include Italy's Dario Alioto in 2007, Theo Jorgensen from Denmark in 2008 and Finland's Jani Vilmunen in 2009.

Joseph Serock, a 22-year-old pro from Albuquerque, New Mexico got second place and won £98,262 for the experience of a lifetime: taking on one of the best poker players out there in an enthralling tournament. Over two dozen players in the Pot Limit Omaha event were former WSOP bracelet winners and many of the others in the field were among the top PLO players in Europe.

Serock fought valiantly in the last few hands and proved worthy of everyone's respect throughout the tournament, but there's a reason the pro from Italy via Australia has won four bracelets in the last 15 months. Besides Lisandro, there were four other WSOP gold bracelet winners at the final table, including Chris Bjorin, Willie Tann and Jeff Madsen and two of the finalists were also WSOP Player Of The Year winners. A stunning lineup and Serock's ability to keep his cool makes him someone to watch out for.

Want to play Omaha poker online? Bodog's got a huge variety of games, giving newbies and high rollers alike a chance to win!

View the original article here

Ratings Down For World Series of Poker Coverage on ESPN

No one knows what's behind the decline in the ratings juggernaut that is the WSOP. (Photo by Therese Branton)

Ratings for ESPN's coverage of the World Series of Poker Main Event are down about 16%, according to numbers provided by the network. The overall ratings for the first six weeks of WSOP coverage have averaged a .67 rating. For perspective and an idea of scale, a single Neilsen point means that approximately 1.1 million viewers watched a show in, meaning that the coverage has pulled an average of 737,000 viewers each week. The 2009 Main Event coverage pulled in a .79 rating, or approximately 869,000 in comparison.

Interestingly, the Poker Player's Championship, which featured Robert and Michael Mizrachi in combat improved against the previous year's ratings and gave high hopes to all involved, but the Tournament of Champions that aired the next week only held steady against the previous year's numbers. The broadcasts of the Main Event began on August 10th and featured the second largest field in history and the biggest names in the game competing, and the drop accompanied it.

Even with moments like Allied Network Solutions CEO Ted Bort and Brahlhad Friedman's confrontation (in which Bort barked like a dog at the pro while he was trying to make up his mind) included in the broadcast, numbers have dropped quite a bit with the exception of the over-55 demographic.

What's behind the decline? Has poker fatigue settled into the mainstream? Was the coverage just skipped by many because of the number of online sites that reported the happenings already? What do you think?

Play online poker at Bodog and get a head start on your own run for the WSOP!

View the original article here