Pokerstars bleeding cash after FanDuel tourneys fail to attract players
PokerStars on FanDuel has reportedly covered more than $1.6 million in tournament prize pool shortfalls after two major online poker series failed to attract enough entries to meet their advertised guarantees.
The operator’s $5 million guaranteed Ignite Series generated overlays exceeding $1 million, while its September Dynasty Series produced a further $687,000 in shortfalls.
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The Dynasty Series attracted 31,665 entries across poker tournaments offering $3.5 million in guaranteed prize money.
Its three No-Limit Hold’em Main Events accounted for almost $150,000 in overlays.
The $300 Main Event attracted 860 entries, leaving PokerStars responsible for a $109,200 shortfall against its $350,000 guarantee.
Tournament overlays occur when player entry fees fail to cover guaranteed prize pools, requiring poker operators to contribute the difference.
While the shortfalls represent additional prize money for participating players, they also highlight the challenges of attracting sufficient tournament participation in the competitive US online poker market.
Neither FanDuel or Pokerstars have confirmed whether they expected the overlays and were wearing them as a promotional exercise, or whether they are disappointed with the turnout.
