After years of being one of the top sports betting and casino operators in the state, DraftKings has finally decided to get involved in online poker as well, launching its first-ever player-vs-player poker game called Electric Poker.
Electric Poker represents first iteration of DraftKings Poker in any market, and is currently only available on the Michigan platform, although it seems the operator is looking to expand its online poker products into other markets in the future.
According to pokerfuse, the launch of DraftKings Electric Poker in Michigan could be just the first step in a much bigger move by DraftKings, which could see DK online poker launch in a number of regulated US online poker markets in the near future.
What Is Electric Poker by DraftKings?
Michigan poker fans have had access to real-money online poker games since 2021, but DraftKings has never been involved with this segment of the igaming market, instead focusing on sports betting and casinos.
Now, the DraftKings MI casino platform includes Electric Poker, DraftKings’ first player-vs.-player poker product, and it’s an exciting one.
For those who have had a chance to play Spin and GO tournaments at PokerStars or BLAST games at WSOP.com in the past, Electric Poker will be a familiar concept, as it follows the same jackpot SNG format as those two games.
A game of Electric Poker starts with three players randomly seated at a table after buying in at the same buyin level in the lobby. Before a game starts, the software chooses a prize multiplier, which can be anywhere between 2x and 10,000x the initial buyin.
The three players then play a classic hyper-turbo SNG with the blinds going up every 2 minutes and the action moving at a frantic pace. After three to six levels, a game of Electric Poker enters “Electric Mode” where all players are forced all-in every hand.
The game is currently available on both desktop and mobile DraftKings apps. Each player can register for up to four tables simultaneously, offering plenty of opportunity to play even for hardcore grinders.
As far as buyins go, you can play Electric Poker for $1, $5, $10, or $25, and prizes go up to $250,000, which is the jackpot at the $25 buyin level.
What’s Next for DraftKings Online Poker?
DraftKings has only just launched its first player-vs-player poker product in Michigan, but it stated that it intends to build upon this and that Electric Poker is only the beginning.
What exactly that means remains unclear, but it is likely the operator will consider expanding its offer with new poker games in the future and entering new markets such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and potentially even West Virginia and Connecticut, which currently don’t have any active real-money poker operators.
Should the trial of DraftKings Online Poker in Michigan go well, Electric Poker could very well be launched on DraftKings’ casino platform in several states before the end of the year, with other poker products from the operator coming next.
Ultimately, poker fans across the regulated igaming markets in the US would love to see the launch of a fully-fledged poker platform from DraftKings, which could be a part of a major online poker expansion the US players have been waiting for a long time.
