DraftKings Makes Online Poker Debut with Michigan Electric Poker Launch

Once known solely for its daily fantasy sports, DraftKings has significantly expanded its offerings over the years, venturing into sportsbook and casino games. This week marks another milestone for the operator with the launch of its first-ever online poker game, aptly named Electric Poker, now available exclusively in Michigan.

What is Electric Poker?

Electric Poker is DraftKings’ innovative approach to the popular lottery sit & go format, which has been a hit on various other platforms under different names, such as Spin & Go on PokerStars and BLAST on 888poker. Unlike traditional casino-style poker games like Caribbean Stud or video poker, Electric Poker is a player-to-player game, offering a fresh experience for Michigan’s online poker community.

This new game is a three-handed hyper-turbo No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament, designed to deliver high-stakes action in a short amount of time. The unique twist? The prize pool is determined randomly once the three players are ed. The buy-in options range from $1 to $25, with the prize pool multiplier varying from 2x to an astonishing 10,000x the buy-in amount.

How Electric Poker Works

The game starts as soon as three players have ed. The blinds increase every two minutes, pushing the pace of the game until the “Electric Mode” is activated. Once in Electric Mode, the excitement reaches its peak as all players are automatically forced all-in with every hand until a winner emerges.

The structure of the tournament varies depending on the prize pool multiplier. For lower multipliers, the game is a winner-takes-all format, while the highest multipliers—100x, 1,000x, and 10,000x—offer payouts to all three participants. Additionally, 5x and 10x multipliers provide a runner-up prize, adding an extra layer of strategy and excitement.

Why Michigan and What’s Next?

The decision to launch Electric Poker in Michigan is DraftKings’ first foray into the online poker market, signaling a potential new direction for the company. As the only state where this game is currently available, Michigan players have a unique opportunity to experience DraftKings’ innovative take on poker before it possibly expands to other markets.

Electric Poker could attract a wide range of players, from seasoned online poker enthusiasts to those who are more familiar with DraftKings’ sportsbook and casino offerings. The relatively new and less poker-savvy player base at DraftKings may present a strategic advantage for sharp poker players looking to capitalize on these fresh tables.

To access Electric Poker, players must ensure they are using the most up-to-date version of the DraftKings Sportsbook or DraftKings Casino application. This requirement highlights DraftKings’ commitment to offering a seamless and secure gaming experience across its platforms.

Source:

“DraftKings Michigan launches first online poker games”, poker.org, August 21, 2024.