The gambling niche is among the most lucrative for affiliates. It’s an evergreen niche with tough competition but incredible monetary rewards. The poker sub-niche is among the popular choices.
What draws so many to poker? Is it the learning and skill curve? Is it the excitement of the river? Or, is it the competition and high-profile games we’ve come to love? Poker has long since been one of the more popular table games in a casino. The subtle odds of winning, skill, and chance concoct a perfect combination for new and veteran players.
Every year, millions flock to casinos to play their luck. Many more are online playing casino and table games like poker. A gambling blog has a lot to win when adding poker affiliate programs to their site.
What You Need to Know about Being a Poker Affiliate
Ever played a few games of poker? It’s wildly addictive!
Poker is one of the better games of chance because there’s skill (unlike pressing a few buttons and hoping the slots reels land on 7). It’s a game where you can win by sheer luck, too. Mix a bit of money on the line and the psychological warfare and you’ve got yourself some edge-of-your-seat gameplay.
But:
Many people visiting casinos are intimidated by poker. They’ve played a few hands at home or with some friends, but it’s a different game once you’re surrounded by professionals. Sharks can quickly attack and leave you penniless before you know what hits.
The non-confrontational element of online poker is what attracts so many.
Online poker is a different game entirely. You lose the one-on-one showdown when sitting across from another but gain flexibility in the gameplay, buy-in, and prize pool.
A
poker affiliate promotes content helping visitors understand gameplay. And, pairs poker affiliate programs to give excited visitors a place to play and put some money on the line. Each person visiting an online casino, and buys in chips/credit, becomes a revenue stream for the affiliate.
These poker programs typically pay with recurring commissions. Land yourself a “whale” of a player and you could see big, monthly payouts from their gameplay.
The Poker Industry and Market: By the Numbers
More than 100 million people play poker making it more popular than golf, tennis, and billiards. There are several variations of the game format form the wildly popular Texas Hold ‘Em to Razz. For a few cents a player can buy a pack of cards and enjoy a couple of hands. This is a game with very low barriers to entry but one with a high skill ceiling.
Here’s what the industry looks like:
- Generates nearly $160 million per year from desktop/mobile play
- Gross revenue for online poker (by 2012) was 3.2 billion
- The industry has seen a near 40% decline in popularity since its height
- Top sites will often see 15k peak players at a given time with a 1000-1500 average per week
Add in high profile tournaments and this romantic idea of being a professional poker player and you’ve got quite a lot of action. The gambling industry has made leaps and bounds to adapt to tech. There are new platforms and games added regularly.
Low betting pools, free chips, and the online social aspect of poker sites keep people coming back for more. This is a huge win for any poker affiliate.
Why You Should Promote Poker Affiliate Programs and Offers
Poker is a game of skill for all groups – the player base and interest has declined over the past decade with the introduction of other casino games, but it remains a favorite among enthusiasts.
The dwindling market creates an opportunity…
… the remaining players are those highly passionate about the game. This is in comparison to the early 2000’s where everyone took to the Web, seeking online poker. Many of those to have remained either still play regularly or have taken their gameplay to the professional level.
There
is a market for newcomers, sure, but their gateway is most likely through other programs.
And that’s the key… casinos.
Most poker affiliate programs are paired with other casino games.
The market consolidated after many sites were banned or bought out by major companies. A poker affiliate isn’t only promoting poker offers but also ending them to sites to try other table games, slots, bingo, sports betting, and more.
This creates many affiliate avenues promoting:
- Poker training
- Poker books
- Poker courses
There are opportunities promoting VPNs and online security, too, since many players will need to access poker sites through a proxy. The diversification is a neat aspect of being a poker affiliate.
Sites like PokerNews.com, YourHandSucks.com, and PokerTube.com have used content and poker affiliate programs to monetize – and they’re doing it well!
How to Make Money in the Poker Niche by Promoting Offers and Promotions
There’s one troubling aspect of the poker niche…
Most advertising platforms want nothing to do with the industry.
This includes ads and monetization methods ran through those platforms. It makes monetizing a poker site somewhat difficult if you’re not willing to diversify through poker promotions and offers.
That’s not to say it’s impossible.
A smart poker site owner would begin with the following:
- Training – Attracting newcomers and experienced players through poker strategy and training materials. This could include written blog posts or video explanations. It could also mix in information products and email newsletters giving the inside scoop on smart plays and strategy.
- News – Big tournaments, industry-shaking news, and recent additions to the market attract poker players. A new site may offer big bonuses effectively incentivizing their switch. Many of these new sites (or added games) let you rework poker offers into these news pieces.
- One-on-One – A site owner and an experienced player could take select members of the community under their wing and provide one-on-one training and gameplay. This builds a rapport with fellow players while building confidence in transitioning to real tables.
What kind of promotions could you add to the content and social?
- The 888 program
- Poker Star Partners
- The Poker Bank
Be on the lookout for programs offering
rakeback which pays a percentage of each pot. You could also focus on attracting whales by covering big, open (or private) tournaments. Become that go-to source in the poker industry and you can leverage authority in a way very much like becoming a handler.
Go All-In with Poker Affiliate Programs and Offers
Every game of poker plays out differently but your foray in this niche doesn’t have to be random. A quality site covering tons of strategy and news is a welcome addition to the competition. The addition of a forum to let other players discuss games would add to the mix, too.
Poker affiliates are set to earn 30%+ through their referrals. Many offers use incentives to create irresistible offers. Online play skirts the taboo line… people can’t resist but explore. The thrill of winning a big hand, making some big bucks, is often enough to get people signed up through your referral links.
Look through our poker directory and find which promotions best suit your niche site. Play your hand right and you could find yourself making incredible gains!
