The holidays are finally over and it’s business as usual in the world of poker. In 2019, we saw new records being created, players achieving their greatest victories, new innovations coming out, as well as shocking scandals being exposed. As 2020 begins, we will move on and look ahead to what the New Year has in store for players, fans, operators, and the poker industry in general.
We share with you our top 7 poker predictions for the whole year.
New Leader in Poker’s All-Time Money List
As tournament prize money becomes even bigger and bigger each year, 2020 could end with a new name at the top of the All-Time Money List.
Last year, Justin Bonomo was knocked off the number one spot by fellow American Bryn Kenney who became the biggest winner at the prestigious Triton Million, taking home a whopping $20 million for his runner-up finish. That win brought his total live earnings to $56 million.
With multi-million guarantees on the line in major tournaments each year, it will only be a matter of time before we see an equally-talented player overtaking Kenney’s cash record. The players to watch for are Stephen Chidwick, David Peters, and Dan Smith, who are all very much active at the live felts and whose earnings currently sit within $23 million. A new leader in 2020? It’s possible!
Positive Year for Online Poker in the US
More states than ever before are considering legalizing online poker in their respective territories. Michigan didn’t let 2019 end without approving legislation that allows online poker in the state. A sixth state could join the trend this year. It will be great news for online poker fans in the country who have dealt with restrictions in playing their favorite games since 2011’s Black Friday.
Record-Breaking WSOP Main Event
Since 2015, the World Series of Poker Main Event enjoyed a year-on-year increase in the number of players participating. Last year’s Main Event became the second-biggest Main Event in the history of the tournament after attracting a massive field of 8,569 entries. Hossein Ensan took down the event and walked away with a massive $10 million in first-place prize, alongside his maiden gold bracelet.
The 2006 edition of the WSOP Main Event was the biggest ever with 8,773 entries. Jamie Gold emerged victorious and earned for himself an astonishing $12 million. But 2020 appears to be a more promising year for the WSOP Main Event. It could very well attract at least 9,000 players – a first in the festival long and rich
Fresh WPT Victory for Darren Elias
It looks like Darren Elias will end 2020 still holding the best WPT record in history. And guess what? He might add another title this year and boost his WPT credentials even more.
Bad Year for “Cheaters”
The biggest cheating scandal to hit the world of poker was exposed last year. The scandal involving Mike Postle and Stones Gambling Hall is yet to be settled. Postle, alongside a number of alleged conspirators, were the defendants of a multi-million lawsuit filed by the affected players.
This year expect more cheaters to be exposed in the world of poker. Cheating in poker is real and morally upright players and industry professionals now work harder to expose this practice.
Unlimited Re-entries Here To Stay
Alex Foxen captured the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic for a cool $1.7 million, making him win the 2019 GPI Player of the Year title. But he didn’t do that in one attempt. He re-entered five times to secure that much-needed victory.
Despite a lot of players expressing their distaste for unlimited re-entries and rebuys, it looks the format will still continue to exist this year. This is where tournament operators make a huge deal of profit, making it difficult to be completely wiped out.
Mike Postle Won’t Be Convicted
Most of the global poker community believes Postle is guilty of cheating. However, he might escape punishment and end up winning the case. Most jurors have a limited understanding of poker, and this could influence their judgment. It seems like the complainants in a $10 million lawsuit against Postle and Stones Gambling will not be strong enough to get Postle convicted.