Alex Scott, WPT World President, advised PokerNews in an interview through the World Poker Tour (WPT) World Championship pageant that he is ecstatic along with his on-line poker website’s development, however anticipates even larger issues to return in 2025.
The web poker market is aggressive with longtime established manufacturers reminiscent of PokerStars and partypoker persevering with to have success, after which after all there’s GGPoker, a more moderen on-line large that lately bought the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) and has main ambassadors patched up reminiscent of Daniel Negreanu and Fedor Holz.
However WPT World, as Scott confidently states, is not right here to play second fiddle to anybody. His firm not solely has the World Poker Tour title recognition, but additionally high-profile ambassadors of its personal, together with Phil Ivey, Brad Owen, and Ethan “Rampage” Yau. Equally invaluable, the poker website has one thing distinctive to supply that gamers will not discover elsewhere.
“I feel there’s been a resurgence in competitors in on-line poker the final couple of years,” Scott mentioned.
How WPT World is Distinctive
Poker websites traditionally have allowed gamers to enter any money sport the location has to supply that they so select, as long as there’s a seat open and the participant has the required funds obtainable. However that is not the case on WPT World as Scott defined. They’re utilizing trendy expertise — synthetic intelligence (A.I.) — to offer all gamers, leisure and professionals, the very best on-line poker expertise.
“Lots of people are actually excited that we convey one thing totally different to the advertising,” the WPT World boss mentioned. “The best way that we handle our money video games, we’ve got a system known as FairGame, which makes use of A.I. to ensure each desk is completely balanced.”
What he means by that’s the FairGame expertise ensures that no leisure or skilled participant will get caught in a money sport with too many professionals. It is helpful to each forms of gamers.
WPT World, as Scott confirmed, categorizes gamers as both an skilled (professional) or an off-the-cuff participant based mostly on taking part in habits. No desk on WPT World will seat greater than two gamers categorised as specialists, which means the video games are by no means too robust for grinders or leisure gamers. Scott, who lives in Isle of Man however hails from England, mentioned the gamers on the location aren’t conscious of how they’re categorized and every participant can solely view tables they’re eligible to affix.
“In case you’re a leisure participant, you may be sat with principally different leisure gamers, which is healthier for you as a result of when you sit down on GG, you are going to be up towards eight specialists, probably. Folks taking part in 24 tables, they fill numerous seats,” Scott mentioned. “And, when you’re an skilled, it is also higher for you to not be taking part in towards different specialists.”
Scott, who got here up within the on-line poker business working for PokerStars, believes WPT World’s distribution of gamers “makes the video games extra sustainable.” However he additionally anticipates his opponents will ultimately copy the concept.
Persevering with to Crush It
Scott is pleased with WPT World’s development in 2024. The web poker website has stood toe-to-toe with business giants PokerStars and GGPoker, and the location’s president raved about reaching second worldwide when it comes to common money sport visitors.
“Completely we’re taking the struggle to them,” Scott mentioned of competing towards the highest manufacturers in on-line poker. “We need to be the most important, we need to be the perfect, we need to be a participant’s first selection. We have executed quite a bit within the final couple of years to make folks conscious of who we’re, what we stand for, and what’s totally different about us.”
A giant a part of WPT World’s success has been its branding efforts at World Poker Tour stops all over the world, together with in Las Vegas this month through the WPT World Championship pageant.
“We wish gamers to decide on us based mostly on our deserves, and we need to take the struggle to GG,” Scott confidently said. “It is not straightforward. They are a formidable competitor, and so is (PokerStars). I need to say, although, we do not spend our time fascinated by them. We now have our targets, and attaining our targets doesn’t suggest copying GGPoker and PokerStars.”
WPT World has shaken up the web poker business the previous couple of years. They’re backed by a longtime trusted model (World Poker Tour), and so they’re bringing innovation into the market. What ought to the business anticipate from the poker website in 2025? If 2024 is any indication, it is a two-word reply — massive issues.
Business Insiders: WPT World President Alex Scott is Prepared for the Highlight
