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Poker Streaming and Why It Becomes Popular
Poker streaming is a popular phenomenon loved by National Casino Australia members. Simultaneously the broadcast of top players can be watched by thousands of real viewers, while chatting in real time. Keep reading to find out more about this phenomenon.
Why Poker Streams Are Needed
Streaming is streaming. Many people enjoy both watching and playing the game. First and foremost, streaming a game to a large audience is entertainment. Some streaming hosts stand out from the crowd because of their charisma and the way they present content. It is not uncommon to see many times more viewers watching poker streams of frankly weak players than professionals.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of players like to listen to more experienced poker players, so the streams are also educational in nature. The second reason for their popularity is to learn from more experienced players.
It It Popular?
The popularity of such broadcasts is growing every day. This is due to the influx of new viewers and players, with the growing popularity of streaming platforms (Twitch, YouTube, Mixer, GoodGame, and so on).
Up to ten thousand people can watch the broadcasts of pro players on Twitch at the same time. If it is a stream of an official tournament, such as the EPT, UAPT, WSOP, they can watch up to fifty thousand viewers simultaneously.
If we talk about individuals, the average online varies between 50 and 1,000 people.
What You Need for Streaming
For streaming video games, you need to play and stream the picture live at the same time. To do this you need one powerful computer or two machines at once – one for games, the other for streaming. In order to enjoy streaming with comfort, you should have a second monitor. It displays a chat with viewers and programs to control the broadcast.
An interesting presenter in the frame is more important than demonstrating the game. Put a person who talks excitingly in front of a brick wall, and you’ll get good traffic. No one demands TV-quality images – any external webcam will do.
The picture is broadcasted using special software to control the broadcast. Streamers mainly use two programs: the free Open Broadcaster Software or the paid XSplit Broadcaster. They do not differ much from each other, the choice of program is more a matter of convenience.
For the audience to hear the streamer, he needs a microphone. For starters, a normal headset will do.
If you want to control the sound separately, you need an external audio interface, to which good microphones are connected. If one person is streaming alone, an interface with one channel is enough. A larger number of people will need more channels to connect separate microphones. Popular among streamers are USB microphones, such as the Blue Yeti and some AKGs.
The Future of Poker Broadcasts
In general, the future of poker, and consequently of streaming, is rather unclear. The abundance of bots in poker rooms, deteriorating conditions for regulars, blocking. It only directly affects the popularity of online poker. But it’s not all bad. New players are coming in, the tournament grid in major rooms is increasing, and prize pools are increasing. We hope that this trend will continue for a long time.