• Online poker is experiencing a resurgence as more Brits are turning to playing than ever before as a result of lockdown, new research reveals.

• Online poker is also experiencing an influx of new players, as searches for ‘poker rules’ and ‘best poker hands’ rose by 87% and 282% in a month.

• GGPoker has witnessed a 92% increase in online poker interest since the UK lockdown began, as well as an increase of 102% in new users.

• Interest in Texas Hold’em poker has also increased by 292% month on month, while searches for ‘how to play poker’ have seen a 200% rise.

Online poker has seen a significant increase in interest since the UK lockdown began, leading to an influx of new players for online poker sites, new research shows.

Analysis of Google Search Trends and Analytics data conducted by online poker provider GGPoker shows that more Brits are turning to playing the popular card game to help pass the time while lockdown restrictions are in place.

The month following the UK heading into lockdown saw a massive 282% increase in searches for ‘best poker hand’, while searches for the top four poker hands are also up: royal flush (47%), straight flush (106%), four of a kind (66%) and full house (43%).

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Looking at search trends over the past three months shows that interest in online poker has grown steadily since the end of February, with searches for ‘Texas Hold’em’ having increased by 292% month on month.

This increase is seemingly largely due to new players looking to take up poker, with searches for ‘how to play poker’ seeing a 200% increase month-on-month, ‘poker rules’ seeing a 98% rise and ‘poker hands’ seeing a 182% growth.

Interestingly, although players are no longer taking part in face-to-face tournaments, total searches for ‘how to bluff’ also increased by 144% in the first month, implying that players are keen to strengthen their strategy in preparation for when lockdown ends.

GGPoker’s own data shows that interest in online poker is up by 92% as measured by an increase in sessions on their UK site, which has led to a surge of 102% in new users.

Jean-Christophe Antoine, Head of the GGPoker Network, says: “With people looking for ways to pass the time and escape from the current climate, it’s no surprise that popular escapism activities like playing poker online have seen a substantial increase in interest over the past few months.

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“We anticipate that poker engagement will continue to grow and we look forward to seeing how the market evolves as a result of old and new players alike continuing to refine, adapt and advance their online skills.”

Canadian poker sites have also seen a significant increase in interest over time among new players, as searches for ‘how to play poker’ have risen by 60%, ‘poker rules’ queries have increased by 21%, and ‘Texas Hold’em’ searches have grown by 42% month-on-month.