The Wild Days of Poker Marketing: How PokerStars and Full Tilt Won Players

The poker boom of the 2000s saw major poker rooms like PokerStars and Full Tilt invest heavily in marketing and promotions to attract players. In 2006, the main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) saw 8,773 participants, with over 40% qualifying online. PokerStars alone sent 1,624 players to Las Vegas, each equipped with a branded backpack, costing the company $730,000.

Full Tilt's Main Event Mania promotion was particularly noteworthy. It promised a $10 million bonus to the winner of the main event, with annual payments of $1 million for 10 years. The closest to winning this prize was Allen Cunningham, who finished fourth in 2006.

PokerStars also offered significant prizes. The winner of the main event received $1 million, with additional prizes for finishing in the top five. Players who made it to the TV tables were offered money to wear branded stickers, with amounts ranging from $50,000 to $70,000 per day. Bryan Balsbough, a poker agent, was instrumental in negotiating these deals. He started representing notable players like Daniel Negreanu after seeing Chris Moneymaker's victory on TV.