888poker Official Sponsor of the 2017 WSOP

For the third consecutive year, the world’s second largest online poker brand, 888poker, which also provides internet gaming services in Delaware and Nevada, will be the World Series of Poker’s main sponsor. The latest contract offered by the WSOP covers both the 2017 and 2018 period, and also grants an additional two-year extension to the deal. Commenting on the development, WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart stated:
“We’ve seen 888poker really up the stakes in the past few years, with a refreshing new online and offline approach which aims to give the power back to the players.”
Ty Stewart subsequently went on to describe the WSOP and 888poker’s relationship as being of significant mutual benefit, as well as a “natural partnership” based upon a “shared vision and love of the game”.
As part of its duties, 888poker will be organizing all promotions for the world’s most popular poker tournament series in Las Vegas. It will also provide numerous online satellite qualifiers for WSOP events, with the 888Poker team expressing its optimism that this year will see more players than ever sent to the WSOP. This would represent continuing growth for 888poker, which in 2015 sent 128 online qualifiers to the Series, followed by 250 players in 2016.
The 2017 WSOP was particularly successful in this regard, as 888poker satellites helped two players to reach the $10k Main Event, namely Griffin Benger and Fernando Pons, the latter of which qualified via a €30 online tournament. Pons eventually finished in 9th for $1 million, while Benger was eliminated in 7th place for a $1.2 million payday.
“Our extended partnership with the WSOP is a testament to our increasingly dominant position in the industry and our longstanding commitment to making poker more exciting and accessible for players around the world,” commented 888 Holdings Senior VP Itai Pazner.
Coverage of the 2017 WSOP will be aired on ESPN, and is expected to reach 300 million across 84 countries, with 888poker Ambassador Kara Scott, as well as Lon McEachern and Norman Chad, hosting the show.