Before the “poker boom” of the early 2000s, poker players usually built their bankroll by slow, steady progress through the various games. If their luck went bad, they would borrow money from other players, paying back the loans with their winnings. Now, with the explosion of poker events on television, poker players wear as many sponsor patches on their clothes as racecar drivers.
The reason they wear these patches is that the sponsors want to ride on the pro’s visibility, whether it is at a large casino event, a TV tournament taping, or a poker industry convention. Players with sponsorship agreements are the “faces” of the sponsor’s business. Whenever someone sees that player’s face, they should also see the sponsor’s logo, brand and website address.
For players that are sponsored by online poker sites, they must play online at those same sites. The idea is that, since many players cannot travel to a major poker event or afford the buy-in to play against their favorite pro, they can still log on to the online poker site and play a few hands with someone they’ve seen on TV without leaving home.
The “big-name” pros who play on these online sites may receive everything from cash bonuses to a portion of the revenue the site generates. With thousands of players around the world logging on to each site every hour, any revenue-sharing arrangement can boost a pro’s bankroll considerably. Also, many of them have 100% of their “rake” at their tables refunded in exchange for their playing time.
How do players get sponsored? Just like in any walk of life, poker pros have to be both successful and visible to the sponsor’s target audience. Sponsors will not attach their name and logo to an unknown player. Pros who are consistent winners and make multiple TV appearances attract sponsorship money. Online poker sites, instructional video sites and even beverage companies have attached themselves to the most visible players in the game today.