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PokerStars Enters Guinness Book of World Records for Most Online Poker Players

While the “brick and mortar” casino world continues to suffer double-figure drops in win rates and declines in attendance, September proved to be a lucrative month for PokerStars with the completion of its eighth annual World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). In addition to another highly successful run of the preeminent online poker series for PokerStars, the WCOOP also helped to provide another world record for the number one site worldwide.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, which verified the results, September 6th saw PokerStars defeat its own world record for most players hosted by an online poker room. On that day, during which the WCOOP was in full swing, PokerStars recorded 307,016 players taking part in tournament, cash game, and free poker games on the site. Players were arranged around 42,814 tables and, once verified by Guinness record-keepers, smashed the previous mark by over 100,000.

PokerStars, which has held the record since its inception in 2008, and its major competitor, Full Tilt Poker, went at each other only two months ago to set the previous mark for most players online at once. Back in July, both Full Tilt Poker and PokerStars ran tournaments in an attempt to set the record for the largest online poker tournament ever held. PokerStars brought in a total of 65,000 players for its version of the record-breaking attempt, while Full Tilt attracted only 50,000. PokerStars was close to 200,000 total players once the tournament and other action was counted.

The most recent world record for PokerStars was more than likely due to the massive outpouring of players during the WCOOP and its various satellite events. On September 5th, WCOOP Event #6, the $109 No Limit Texas Hold’em tournament, drew an astounding 15,675 players. This didn’t take into count the number of players who were participating in Event #7, the $215 Pot Limit Five Card Draw, satellite tournaments, or play money games on the site.

On September 6th, a Sunday and the traditional “big day” for online tournament players around the world, the WCOOP featured three huge events that drew traffic. In addition to Event #9, a $215 No Limit Hold’em tournament that attracted 11,131 runners and was won by Slovakia’s “ternoplayer,” Event #10, the $10,300 High Roller tournament (299 players and won by Sweden’s “Sumpas”) and the first day of Event #11, the two day $530 No Limit Hold’em event (drawing 6219 players and won by the United States’ “hustla16”) were also in action. Once the numbers were counted up, it cracked the previous record set by PokerStars back in July.

While their physical counterparts battle through the recession, it is apparent that the online poker world is quite healthy. Congratulations to PokerStars for its most recent record, which should stand for quite some time.

Largest Poker Tournament set Guinness World Record

On Sunday December 28th 2008, PokerStars will be attempting to set a world record for the largest ever online poker tournament field. The special tournament will be capped at 35,000 players and if the cap is reached it will set an official Guinness Book of World Records mark.

Players are expected to flock to PokerStars for a number of reasons. The buy-in is only $10+1 which puts it within most player's budgets as they look for their place in history as part of a world record. In addition the tournament is offering a $500,000 guarantee, so if you do the math you’ll soon realise that there will be a nice overlay for all players who participate.

With a massive 3,500 tables in action, the blinds will move pretty quickly, with 10 minute levels providing more of a Turbo tournament feel. Players will need to win plenty of races to make it through this one!

The tournament can be found under the “Tournaments -> Special” tab of the PokerStars software with the tournament set to kick off in the middle of holiday festivities at 3:30pm ET on Sunday December 28th 2008.

Verification of the official record usually takes about six weeks and is conducted out of Guinness’ offices in London. Last year PokerStars held a similar tournament attracting 20,000 players which was claimed as the largest tournament ever held at the time. PokerStars player Lynna1 captured 1st place and the $20,000 prize. For only a $11 entry, this new record setting attempt will smash that previous figure and set the record…officially!

At the time of writing nearly 2,000 players had already registered, so make sure you download the pokerstar software today and register early to avoid missing out! PokerStars are also currently running satellites to the 2009 Aussie Million and PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, so now is a great time to join PokerStars and be part of the action!

Longest Poker Playing World Record

Unless, of course, you are Dave Cain. In that case, the action is likely just getting going.

Although Guinness has not yet declared the result official, word is set to come any day that Cain is the new Guinness World Record holder for poker playing endurance. He set the mark of 74 hours and 12 minutes at the Library Bar in Lincolnshire, England from Sept. 14-17. And it was nearly enough to send the Englishman over the edge.

"I had some pretty bizarre hallucinations," said Cain. "Everybody who played on the table signed the table and all the signatures turned into spiders at one point, which is pretty freaky. It was one of those scary times. I absolutely wasn't right."

And that wasn't the half of it. There were more than a few occasions where he thought he'd lost both his mind, and even worse, his ability to play poker.

"I was totally insane," said Cain. "Not so much at the end, but about five hours before the end I completely forgot how to play. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. There was a team of people around me and basically they had to explain the rules to me as I played each hand. I went complete blank for about an hour and a half. I knew where I was but with the poker I didn't have a clue."

For Cain, however, it was all well worth the insanity. He ranks the accomplishment right up there in terms of life experiences, and he is extremely grateful to all those who helped him out, especially his partner Kay Fahey.

In fact, she wound up playing Cain in the final hand after he failed to find what he considered a large enough bidder for the honor.

"It was a special moment," said Cain. "I think she was a bit surprised. But I couldn't ask for better. She's the absolute love of my life."

Fahey was just one of a large team of people Cain had to put in place to try and officially break the record. As to why the record has yet to be made totally official, it's because Guinness takes these things very, very seriously.

"There is a massive amount of information that needs to be compiled including witness statements, handover sheets, record log, match account details, video footage and even card by card hand details," said Cain.

"I am so grateful to all of the people who volunteered their time. It's like they broke the record with me."

The biggest motivator for Cain and the attempt to set the nutty record seems to be the potential to give back to the game he's been so fortunate to be a part of. Cain is currently a manager for the Live Pub Poker league, among the biggest leagues in the U.K., and said poker is a huge part of his life.

He was hoping to raise £10,000 for St. Barnabas and Louth and District Hospice, but the effort came up just slightly short. The money he and his group of dedicated volunteers did raise will nevertheless represent a significant boon for each of the charities.

You'd think that after such an ordeal, Cain might have second thoughts about ever trying something like this again. You'd be wrong.

"It's quite dangerous to your mind," said Cain. "The sleep deprivation really messes with you. It certainly took me to places I have never been before. Not places that I want to rush back to. If you asked me [after the record] I would have said absolutely not. I never wanted to touch another playing card again. [But] I would do it again."

As for what's next for Cain? Well, he'll go back to working and playing poker, but he's got his eyes on a couple of other stunts. In fact, he hopes that he might be able to set up something with the former World Record holder Larry Olmsted (72 hours and two minutes of continuous play) to see who can play the longest heads-up.

"I would like to play heads-up to say who can go the longest. But I haven't heard back from him yet."

Hard to believe Cain wants any more, but if that heads-up match ever does happen, you can bet Poker Listings will be right there to tell you all about it. Spiders and all.

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