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PR Newswire US
July 15, 2005 Friday 7:27 PM GMT
HEADLINE: U.S. Poker
Players Believe Skill Outweighs Luck and Playing Conveniently
Online Reduces the Pressure;
- Survey Reveals That Women Play Poker as Often as Men and Prefer
Online Play Over Casinos -
DATELINE: ANTIGUA and LOS ANGELES July 15
BODY:
A survey of U.S. poker players commissioned by The World Poker
Exchange, sponsor of the upcoming London Open lifestyle poker
tournament in August, reveals preferences regarding playing poker,
a game that is reaching new heights in popularity. Seventy-five
percent of players engage in a game at least three times a month.
Respondents indicated that 39 percent play five times or more
a month. A 57 percent majority of online poker players believe
that winning is more about skill than luck versus the 74 percent
of traditional casino poker players who believe that skill definitely
trumps luck.
Where Poker Players Are Gathering For A Game
Given a choice, nearly half of poker
players (45 percent) want to play online, and the same amount
(45 percent) prefer playing face-to-face with friends. Women are
six times more likely to prefer playing online than in a casino
(48 percent vs. 8 percent). Overall, more than three out of four
players (77 percent) regularly play online each month.
Among players who play games online, nearly six in ten surveyed
(59 percent) prefer to play
poker online because it is less intimidating than playing
in a casino. A full, 75 percent of online poker players also reported
enjoying that online is both convenient and comfortable to play
at home. Additionally, as a benefit, they can find a game at any
time. Sixty-six percent of the respondents stated they prefer
playing online because they don't need to worry about maintaining
a "poker face", and 48 percent consider playing online
a good way to practice for face-to-face games. Forty-three percent
like online play because hands are dealt faster than in a casino.
Venus Vs. Mars Poker Playing Habits
Men and women play poker
about the same amount of time, with 60 percent of men playing
up to four times each month and 62 percent of women playing up
to four times per month. Despite playing the same number of times
each month, nearly half the women (49 percent) consider themselves
a "social player," compared to 28 percent of men. Almost
one in five (17 percent) men rate themselves as "serious
players" versus only 7 percent of women players. When it
comes to playing poker in a casino, 73 percent of men reported
that they are comfortable playing poker in this environment, while
only 52 percent of women would be at ease doing so.
Women Are In the Game; Some Are Placing Bets
The old prejudices that playing
poker is "unladylike" and that poker
is a man's game have disappeared. Half of men surveyed (49 percent)
say it is sexy when women play poker. Eighty percent of the female
respondents stated that gender is of no consequence in poker.
Women are playing as often as men, but they are more interested
in the social and fun aspects of the game than men (82 percent
of women versus 65% of men). Thirty five percent of the men reported
they like to play for money, versus just 18 percent of women who
like to wager money when playing poker.
Wagering for Fun, Thrills and to Win
More than half of all players surveyed (53 percent) say they
make bets for fun, even if it means "losing a small amount."
A strong majority (69 percent) wagers enough to "win a little
money occasionally." Only six percent wager enough to supplement
their incomes and 2 percent "play full-time as an occupation."
Win or lose, four in 10 players say they love the thrill of betting
on poker games.
Celebrity Fantasy Game Player Preferences
From a list of celebrities, George Clooney was the most desired
fantasy poker player,
with more than one in five respondents (21 percent) saying they
would most like to play with him. Other popular celebrities that
people want to play poker with included Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez,
Ben Affleck, Shannon Elizabeth and Mimi Rogers. Women were 20
percent more likely to want to play with George Clooney (33 percent
among women to 13 percent among men), and men were five times
more likely than women to choose Jennifer Lopez as a playing partner
(24 percent among men to 5 percent among women).
About the Survey
World Poker Exchange commissioned KRC Research to conduct a Poker
Player Habits and Attitudes survey in June, 2005 encompassing
301 online interviews of poker players age 18 and up. The margin
of error is estimated at +/- 5.7% at the 95% confidence level.
KRC Research is a full-service opinion and marketing research
division unit of Interpublic, with offices in Washington, DC,
Boston, New York and London.
About The World Poker Exchange
The World Poker Exchange ( http://www.worldpx.com/ ) is a licensed
and regulated multi-player Internet poker room that has served
the online community since the outset of online poker play. Based
in Antigua and established in spring 2001, World Poker Exchange
is one of the world's fastest growing on-line poker sites.
The World Poker Exchange will host August 3-6, 2005 the London
Open, a $2 million luxury lifestyle poker tournament to be held
at 19th Century Old Billingsgate Market. Among the celebrity players
joining pro players who will be competing for the high stakes
prize are: Mimi Rogers (Stone Cold) and one of the highly ranked
"celebrity fantasy players" cited in the survey results),
Willie Garson ("Sex and the City") and Nicholas Gonzalez
("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"). See http://www.londonopen2005.com/
, for more information.
CONTACT: Susan Yin, +1-310-854-8145, syin@rogersandcowan.com
, or Sallie Olmsted, +1-310-854-8124, solmsted@rogersandcowan.com
, both of Rogers & Cowan, for World Poker Exchange
Web site: http://www.worldpx.com/
http://www.londonopen2005.com/
SOURCE World Poker Exchange
URL: http://www.prnewswire.com
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