Why are the player numbers so low compared to what I see in the poker site’s lobby?
Poker sites often display the number of “connected players” or “online players” in their lobbies. It’s not always clear what this number represents, but the sites often use the broadest possible definition of a “player.”
This definition includes:
- Play-money players
- Freeroll tournament players
- Real-money tournament players
- Cash game players
- Possibly someone else who is logged in but not playing.
At PokerScout, we track and rank sites based on cash game players, which is a much smaller (but more relevant) number. Where possible, we also show the number of online players for comparison, but because this number is undefined, we do not fully rely on it.
Can you define some of the terms you use on the site?
Of course. Here are some of our most commonly used terms and what they all mean:
Rank – Sites and networks are dynamically ranked based on their average player counts over seven days.
US – An “X” means the site or network does not accept new players or deposits from the United States. Note that some individual sites on a poker network do not accept U.S. players, but the network is not marked with an “X” unless the entire network excludes Americans.
Last Update – The time when a site’s statistics were last updated. Each site is updated every 10 minutes. Times are shown in U.S. Pacific (West Coast) time.
Active Tables – The number of real-money cash game (ring game) tables active in the specified category. To count as an active table, at least two players must be seated. Tables with restricted access, such as private tables and beginner tables, are not counted.
Active Players or Cash Players – The number of players currently seated at real-money ring game tables. More specifically, active players refer to the number of occupied seats at active tables. A single player (screen name) playing at multiple tables is counted as multiple active players.
24 Hour Peak – The highest number of active players in the last 24 hours.
Seven-Day Average – The average number of active players over the past seven days. The number displayed on our homepage is rounded off, but sites are ranked according to the actual (unrounded) seven-day average.
Where do you get your information?
Gameintel, which gets the data primarily from the poker sites themselves. We utilize a range of publicly available client software, websites, press releases, and data provided exclusively to PokerScout by the poker sites. Some information comes from outside research as well.
Uncommon Games Offered
The games commonly hosted by poker sites are:
- Texas Hold’em
- Omaha
- Omaha Hi/Lo
- 7 Card Stud
- 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo
Any other games, from the well-known 5-Card Draw to the more obscure games like Soko and Badugi, are listed as uncommon games because they are harder to find online. See the complete list of available games.
What is “(un)verified, self-reported data”?
Some sites provide us with a private feed of their player counts so we can monitor traffic more easily. When we use a private feed as our primary source of data, we may randomly check the poker site’s lobby to make sure the feed is accurate. We then mark the data as verified. Data that is not checked is labeled as unverified.
How can I get my site listed in your traffic report?
It’s easy to get listed, and there are many benefits. Contact us for details!
How often do you update the information?
The game information for each site we track updates approximately every 10-15 minutes. Sites and networks that we do not actively track are ranked according to traffic estimates which are updated each month.
What time zone do you use?
All times on the website are Pacific Time. Pacific Standard Time is GMT-8, Pacific Daylight (summer) Time is GMT-7.
What do the rankings mean?
Site rankings are based on seven-day average player counts, so the ranking doesn’t tell you which is the “best” site. Rather, it only tells you which card rooms have the most cash game players.
What is the peak (highest traffic) time of day?
Different sites have different peak times, depending on the location of their customers. You can see the recent peak times for each site by clicking on the site, then clicking on “Peak traffic history.”
How can I trust your numbers?
Our player counts come from the lobby screens of the poker sites, or the operators directly provide us the data. You don’t have to take anything on faith. We encourage you to check the accuracy of our data. It’s easy to do. Just follow these steps:
Step 1
Download the client of any of the poker sites we cover. If it is a network, click on the network name on our homepage to find out which site we use to collect our data. Download the poker client from that site.
Step 2
Pick a game type and limit, for example, $1/$2 Limit Hold’em short-handed (6-max).
Step 3
Count the number of real-money ring game tables and/or players shown in the poker site’s lobby at that limit. Only count real-money tables with two or more players.
Step 4
On our homepage, click on the site or network and then click on the game type you selected. Compare your count to our detailed breakdown of tables and players. Our data is usually no more than 10 minutes old, so any differences should be small. If they are not, please let us know.
Step 5
Repeat steps 2-4 for as many different game types and limits as you like.
Step 6
Once you are satisfied that our counts for the individual games are correct, add them all up and check our arithmetic to make sure we have the right total player count.
Is it OK if I set up a program to grab some data from your site?
No. We actually take measures to prevent this. In fact, if you try to take our data without authorization, you may end up being permanently barred from viewing our site.
I want to try something new. Where can I find some of the lesser-known poker games?
See the complete list of poker games offered by the sites we cover.
I run a poker site, and I would like to have you track our traffic. Is that possible?
Yes. Contact us to find out how.