The Poker Sports League (PSL) in India is back with its fifth edition and it looks like it’s going to be bigger and better than the last few seasons. To make things even more exciting, the league announced that Pocket52 will be the title sponsor of the league.

The announcement was made on PSL’s official Instagram page. The post read, “When Poker Sports League meets Pocket52, you get the world’s best Poker League! Proud to announce Pocket52 as the Title Sponsor for Poker Sports League Season 5.”

Pranav Bagai, CEO, and Founder of PSL said, “As the world’s largest Poker League in terms of prize pool and participation, PSL has taken the game of poker to a new level with its unique team-based format that sportifies the game. It’s a true test of skill and strategy, where each team has a balance of professionals and amateurs, giving everyone an equal opportunity to shine at the highest level – for FREE. With our fifth edition on the cards, I am equally happy and excited to have Pocket52 as our title sponsor since our visions are aligned in terms of bringing poker to the masses – responsibly. We are sure that this collaboration will give a great opportunity to a wide range of poker aspirants”.

PSL Season 5 Qualifiers, also known as Spacewars, started on May 4th, 2023 and will run until June 25th. The Player Auctions for Spacewars will be held on July 8th, 2023. The PSL will be played in a Phygital format which means it will be played in both physical and virtual formats. The virtual final will be played from July 22nd to August 10th, 2023, and the physical final will be played live from July 16th to August 20th.

The league’s theme this season is ‘Astronomy’. The league will be advertising the upcoming season with the hashtag ‘#IntoThePokerSpace’. Last season’s PSL concluded on April 20, 2022, with the crown going to Kolkata’s franchise, the Kings.

The Director and Founder of Pocket52, Nitesh Salvi, was delighted to share the news of the Poker Sports League’s involvement in the upcoming event and said, “At Pocket52, we are passionate about the game of poker and are always seeking new ways to enhance player experiences. With the newly revamped app, players can expect a seamless and engaging experience like never before. The team format adds a new level of excitement to the game, encouraging teamwork and strategy. As a responsible gaming platform, we are proud to be a part of an event that prioritizes fair play and responsible gaming practices. We are confident that this year’s tournament will be a huge success and we invite our community of players, from beginners to professionals, to join us in this journey of pushing our limits and exploring the exciting dimensions of the poker industry.”

In terms of prize, the winner was Kolkata Kings who earned ₹72 lakhs. The runner-up Deccan Aces earned ₹48 lakhs. There were 36 qualifying players and 12 professional players in the tournament. There were 6 slots for women and 6 slots for substitutes.

Pranav Bagai added, “Our team-based format and unique approach to the game has captured the imagination of players and fans alike since we are giving every single poker player an equal shot at glory. We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable journey into the world of poker sports and be a part of the future of online gaming. This could be the first step for many amateurs and enthusiasts to play with pro-poker players as part of their teams and get hands-on training from the best players in India – to take their game to the next level.”

Credit: Gutshot Magazine