WPT Global President Alex Scott made an appearance on Daniel “Jungleman” Cates‘ podcast “Saving Online Poker” and delved into the current state and future of online poker.
It focused heavily on WPT Global and what it’s done since launching in April 2022, to rival established giants such as GGPoker and PokerStars. Scott explains that the platform is focused on creating an environment where experienced players can excel, offering high-action games that differ from more traditional formats.
Unique Game Structures
According to Scott, WPT Global has introduced some distinctive features to foster a more action-oriented style of play, particularly targeting experienced players. One such innovation is the use of multiple blinds and antes, designed to ensure larger pots pre-flop and discourage “nit” players, those who play too conservatively.
“If you’re a if you’re a nit, these aren’t the games for you”
“There’s a lot of money going into the pot pre-flop in our No Limit Holden games. Most of them have three blinds and an ante, so they’re action games. If you’re a if you’re a nit, these aren’t the games for you, and we’re not the site for you.”
“If you’re the demographic of that kind of experienced player who’s willing to give action and can adapt to these high ante, high blind conditions, you would do really well.”
Sustainable Game Ecosystem
A critical challenge in online poker is ensuring long-term player satisfaction, especially for newer or casual players.
“It’s very common for new players to have a bad experience,” said Scott. “And when they do they don’t come back and they’re gone. They’re taking their dollars elsewhere. So we use AI to ensure a balanced skill mix at the tables.”
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Through a system called Fair Game, the platform quickly assesses players’ skill levels and actively ensures a healthy balance between these skill levels at the tables by reserving a certain number of seats at players for WPT Global’s casual players.
“What it does is it very quickly ascertains the skill level of players in our cash games using a machine learning model. Then we put you into one of six categories — we can simplify these to casual players and pros. It’s all about ensuring the right balance of players at each table.”
This configuration, Scott explains, maximizes the game’s sustainability and ensures that all participants have a positive and rewarding experience.
“We believe that for most of our games that balance of six recreationals and two pros means that the game lasts as long as possible and is as sustainable as possible, but it also ensures the best experience for everybody at that table.”
Rake and Game Quality
Addressing the issue of rake (the commission taken by poker platforms), Scott argues that while WPT Global’s rake is comparable to competitors like GGPoker, the quality of the games is significantly better.
“We have far, far juicier games than anyone else”
“I think people sometimes get too caught up in the idea of rake and they don’t think about quality of the games. We have far, far juicier games than anyone else, frankly and so people win a lot more and games before rewards”
According to Scott, the “juicy” games on WPT Global enable players to win more consistently than on other platforms. The focus is not solely on the rake but on the overall gaming experience, which leads to greater player satisfaction and bigger wins.
Future Features and WPT Live Events
According to Scott, WPT Global is continuously working to enhance player engagement by introducing customizable features. One upcoming feature allows players to create and share their own game structures, offering options like customized betting rounds, hole cards, and hand rankings. This will allow users to build a library of games that can be played with the community or used for private games, fostering a sense of innovation and community involvement.
The podcast also looked at WPT Global’s involvement with WPT Live Events, with Scott saying this year’s WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas was going to be “special”
“We share the same vision as the WPT — to make players dreams come true. Players should feel special, valued and have the best possible experience.”
Players can qualify via WPT Global through the use of WPT Passport dollars, which can be redeemed at any WPT event including the highly-anticipated WPT World Championships.
Managing Editor