As reported by the Poker Pages Industry Index, poker’s popularity is still on the rise and even saw a thirty percent growth during the first quarter of 2006 over the same period last year.

The Poker Page Industry Index (PPII) for the first quarter of 2006 is currently at 130, indicating a growth of 30 percent over the same period last year - with total buy-in dollars just over 98 million dollars. Growth over the last twelve months remains very strong, with the buy-in Index for the period at 155, pointing to a 55 percent growth over the previous twelve-month period.

PPII founder Mark Napolitano commented on the latest figures: “Industry growth is also being helped out by a rising average buy-in per entry. The Average Buy-in per Entry Index for the quarter is 113, showing a growth of 13 percent versus the same quarter last year, with an average buy-in of $1 207 per entry. This also represents a trend with four consecutive months over $1,000”.

While buy-in numbers for the month of March showed a slowdown in growth at $33.9 million due to the 29 percent decrease in the number of players competing in the Party Poker.com Million Main Event as well as the slow month for the WSOP circuit, it is expected that April will be a good month because of the upcoming new World Poker Tour Event at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut and because of the $25,000 championship event to be held later in the month at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Napolitano, who will be closely monitoring the stats for April, May and June, leading up to the World Series of Poker, to help determine the overall pace for 2006 further added: “"Also, watch out for the newly formed International Poker Association's Tour to make a quick impact with its inaugural event in May."

Posted on: April 28, 2006

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