The Poker Sports League (PSL) Season 6 has successfully wrapped up its Qualifiers, marking a new milestone with an extraordinary turnout. This season saw 20,927 unique participants, further cementing PSL’s reputation as the World’s largest poker league.
The Qualifiers, which kicked off on June 16th, drew over 5000 participants in the first qualifier alone, a testament to the growing popularity of poker as a game of skill in India. Over 50 days, players competed in daily open qualifiers on Pocket52, with the top 42 players earning coveted spots on the 7 teams advancing to the league matches. Additionally, the top 1,000 participants were rewarded with prizes totalling over Rs. 40 lakhs, significantly enhancing engagement and excitement around the contest.
The live auctions, held on August 13th, 2024 in Goa, marked the next phase of PSL Season 6 with almost 2 crores being spent on acquiring players for Season 6. Out of the 17 pros that went under the hammer, Ritwik Khanna emerged as the highest bid pro category player for a whopping Rs 5,80,000. From the 38 qualifiers, Saransh Garg was acquired for Rs 4,50,000.
In an intense atmosphere, team owners, captains, and analysts engaged in intense strategic bidding to construct their ideal rosters. Streamed live on JioCinema, the auction captivated poker enthusiasts across India as they watched team representatives meticulously evaluate players’ past performances, individual strengths, and future potential. This careful analysis aimed to create balanced and formidable teams, setting the stage for fierce competition in the upcoming league matches.
Pranav Bagai, CEO and Co-Founder of Poker Sports League, expressed his excitement about the success of the Qualifiers and the upcoming league matches: “We are thrilled with the overwhelming success of the PSL Season 6 qualifiers. The participation of 20,927 unique players has more than doubled our previous records, underscoring PSL’s standing as not just India’s premier poker event, but also a significant force on the global stage. This massive turnout highlights the growing appeal of poker as a mind sport in India and reflects our efforts to make PSL more inclusive and accessible through our open qualifiers on Pocket52 “
The anticipation now shifts to the virtual league matches, scheduled to take place between August 26th and September 8th, 2024. These highly anticipated matches will be live-streamed on JioCinema, following the remarkable success of Season 5, which garnered an impressive 12.5 million views. This outstanding achievement positioned PSL Season 5 as one of the most viewed poker events globally and marked a 600% increase in viewership from Season 4 to Season 5.
Pranav further added, “As we transition into the league matches, we’re thrilled to showcase India’s top poker talent and take the sport to new heights. To enhance the accessibility and engagement of the event for a broader audience, we’ve taken a significant step by introducing Hinglish commentary on JioCinema in Season 6. This initiative is aimed at doubling our viewership and making the thrill of poker more relatable and enjoyable for our diverse audience across the country.
The teams competing this season are the Mumbai Anchors, Lucknow Kings, Gujarat Falcons, Deccan Aces, Bengaluru Allstars, Kolkata Wizards, and Goa Gators. With each team now finalized, the stage is set for a captivating showdown as PSL Season 6 continues its mission to advance poker as a sport of skill and strategy in India. The team owners expressed their excitement regarding the auction and showed great enthusiasm for the upcoming league matches. Here’s what they had to say:
Puneet Mehra, Mumbai Anchors “We have our desired team and we are determined to bring the trophy back to Mumbai this year.”
Samit Garg, Lucknow Kings “We’re excited to go ahead with the team we have and are looking forward to a fantastic season ahead.”
V Ramakrishna, Gujarat Falcons “We secured about 90% of our target players and are confident this is our year to lift the trophy.”
Vijay Madduri and Raj Pakala, Deccan Aces “We’re pleased with the auction results, securing a strong mix of experienced and young players as planned, making us optimistic for the season.”
Abhishek Reddy Kankanala, Bengaluru Allstars: “As newcomers this season, we’ve built a solid team with great support from our captain and wildcard, making the right moves along the way.”
Vineet Bhandari, Kolkata Wizards “It was a long auction, but I’m thrilled with the team we’ve built. Despite a few unexpected qualifiers, we’re confident and ready to give a strong fight.”
Aditya Prakash, Goa Gators “We missed out on a key player, which I regret, but overall, we’re happy with the team we’ve assembled.”
League Timelines
| Virtual League Matches – streamed live on JioCinema (8pm) | 26nd August – 8th September |
| On-Ground Live Finale – streamed live on JioCinema | 13th September – 15th September |
