With 9547 unique entries during the qualifying rounds, The Poker Sports League (PSL) Season 5 qualifiers break all records for unique participation for a poker event in India. The live streaming of the final matches will start on 22 July.
Poker Sports League CEO and co-founder Pranav Bagai stated, “The level of engagement we’ve witnessed this year has left us absolutely thrilled! With over 9500 unique entries flooding into the general qualifiers, we are truly humbled by the sheer passion and dedication showcased by the aspiring players vying for the top 37 spots. In comparison, the esteemed World Series of Poker Main Event, which started in 1972, has garnered a maximum of 8773 unique entries in a single year.”
Earlier this year, PSL 2023 forged strategic alliances with two leading entities – Pocket52, a prominent online poker gaming app, as its title sponsor, and JioCinema as its official streaming partner. The tournament, with a prize pool of Rs 1.5 crores, will be exclusively live-streamed on JioCinema, commencing on 22 July and culminating in the grand finale on 19 August.
The excitement begins with the live auction among the six teams in Goa on 8 July, followed by virtual
matches from 22 July to 10 August, providing players with an opportunity to compete from their homes. In a historic first for Poker Sports League (PSL), the auction will be brought to viewers’ screens through a live stream. The event will see team owners, captains, and analysts gather in Goa.
Pocket52 founder and director Nitesh Salvi said, “We are ecstatic to see the response for PSL season 5
on our platform. 9500+ unique entries for the general qualifiers alone are testimony to the underlying passion and immense potential of poker in India. We are optimistic that Season 5 will be bigger and better than ever before and will create a wave of momentum that will bring more and more people into the poker ecosystem and create a sustainable culture for skill-based online gaming in India.”
The live finale in Goa will showcase 72 players, including professionals, captains, and 37 qualifier winners.