Zynga Poker Embraces Sit and Go Zeitgeist to Help Reverse Its Falling Fortunes

April 1st, 2019 | by Greg Shaun

It might not be a direct threat to PokerStars and Partypoker, but Zynga Poker has just joined the ongoing sit and go war.

Zynga Poker introduces lottery-style sit and go tournaments in a bid to remain relevant. (Image: Android Headlines)

In a bid to revive its popularity is a social gaming platform, Zynga has introduced Spin and Win tournaments.

Using the same lottery-style format as Partypoker’s Spins and PokerStars’ Spin & Gos, the innovation is an effort to move with the times.

Lottery Sit and Go Revival

Although lottery-style sit and go tournaments have been around since 2013, they’re now coming into their own.

Over the last three months, short-handed jackpot tournaments have become a battleground for poker’s top operators. Going back and forth on buy-ins and prizes, PokerStars and Partypoker have reinvigorated the games.

Inspired by Partypoker hosting $5 Spins tournament with $1 million prizes, Zynga Poker has embraced the trend.

As per the site’s PR material, Spin and Win tournaments will appeal to players who enjoy the following:

Tournaments that last between five and eight minutes.
A winner-takes-all format.
Random prizepools worth up to 8X the buy-in.
World Poker Tour branded tables.

In line with Zynga’s social gaming dynamic, all games will be free to play and all winnings will be paid out in virtual chips.

Zynga Poker Looking to Bounce Back

Commenting on the latest innovation, Zynga Poker president of publishing Bernard Kim said the games are a direct response to player requests.

“Our players have asked for faster-paced tournaments with bigger rewards, and we believe Zynga Poker’s new Spin and Win tournament mode truly puts our players in the hottest seat at the table,” Kim said in an official press release.

Despite once being the dominant force social gaming, Zynga has lost ground in recent years. According to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, revenue fell by 5.4 percent to $316 million between 2017 and 2018,.

What’s more, Zynga Poker and its sister sites now have just 6.1 percent market share compared to Playtika’s 28.3 percent.

While Spin and Win games might not be the full answer to Zynga Poker’s problems, the developers believe it will help.

By mimicking the “aggressive play” seen in “real poker rooms,” the operator wants to attract those following the PokerStars/Partypoker battle but that aren’t ready to play for real money.

Regardless of whether the tournaments help Zynga’s fortunes, it’s another interesting development for the industry at large. With the top real money and, now, free-play poker sites pushing lottery-style sit and go tournaments, players across the board have access even more added value.