Build Your Bonus has turned out to be a highly successful marketing strategy for Full Tilt Poker, while the loss of Red Star Poker has caused Revolution Gaming to look for ways to build their network back up.
Those are the highlights of recent online poker player traffic numbers as compiled by industry independent tracking site PokerScout. Full Tilt showed an increase of 14% of players last week by offering the Build Your Bonus promotion that allows 37% rakeback built on top of the site's VIP program.
FTP now holds a commanding lead of second place behind sister site PokerStars, averaging 2,700 players in a seven-day span. Third place iPoker Network lost some ground, currently enjoying 2,300 cash game players in the same time period.
Meanwhile, the Revolution Gaming Network saw its cash action tumble 17% as a result of Red Star's defection. MPN welcomed Red Star with open arms and now looks to improve on its tenth place worldwide standing. At 1,180 players in a seven-day average, the former Microgaming Poker Network (MPN) is nearing the ninth place French market offering, Winamax.
Another noteworthy promo is the Winning Poker Network's The Beast. Due to expire at the end of this week for August, the kicked in cash of the promotion's one-year anniversary saw more players participate earlier this month. But interest has been waning of late.
Overall, the industry barely moved last week with only 0.2% growth. But the numbers in comparison to last year at this time show a decline of 12%, a rather troubling statistic.
Things to watch for in next week's report include whether or not the new software rollout at Ultimate Poker prompted more Nevada residents and tourists to log on and play at the nation's only regulated poker site. Also, we shall continue to keep an eye on MPN, as the influx of players from Red Star may propel the network even further forward.
