Online poker sites have had their ambassadors for almost as long as online poker has been around. Usually, it is high-profile players who get these opportunities, as well as famous people from other walks of life, i.e., sports stars, actors, singers, etc.
Lately, however, we’ve seen certain operators taking a different direction, onboarding young and charismatic players with a social media presence. What they may lack in traditional “star power,” they more than make up for with their genuine passion that resonates with the fans.
Abby Merk’s partnership with BetMGM is an excellent example of this. Merk is an up-and-coming poker player and vlogger who managed to carve her place in a rather competitive space.
Many people find her unique way of presenting her poker journey, featuring the ups and the downs alike, and adding a dash of her personal experience to the mix, very appealing. Abby has been an official ambassador for BetMGM for a few months now, doing a great job of representing the brand from the perspective of a regular player who is truly excited about where their poker journey might take them.
Embracing the Adventure
Getting a sponsorship deal from a major brand is a big deal for any up-and-coming player, and it’s only natural that Abby is excited about all the opportunities that it entails.
Haters may hate, but a vast majority of those who follow Merk’s YouTube vlog and her social media pages enjoy her goofy and genuine style. From a strict perspective of a poker professional, she has some flaws, as she enjoys placing an occasional bet or using the latest BetMGM casino bonus code to try her luck on slots.
So, if you’re looking for a hardcore poker story, you might be annoyed by some of these aspects. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a genuine story of a young person finding her way through this exciting adventure, Abby doesn’t disappoint.
She fell in love with poker a few years ago and has been working on her game ever since. Along the way, she discovered there is more to the game than what happens on the felt. And there is a lot more to discover yet.
New Approach for New Generations
Abby Merk is one of many young vloggers who have taken the poker world by storm. More and more, operators are realizing there is a significant shift in how fans consume the content, and they are starting to get on with the program.
Initiatives from sites like GGPoker, offering players additional incentives to stream WSOP-related content, show that sites are aware that the traditional star power isn’t what it used to be. Then, there is the WPT, tailoring some of its tournaments specifically for content, adding crazy rules and unexpected twists to the mix.
All this is to say that new generations are looking to get more from poker than just hours upon hours of grinding away. They are looking for stories, excitement, and twists that go beyond cracking someone’s pocket aces.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning the GTO strategy and implementing it to secure your profits. But to make the game appealing to those looking from the outside, we need characters like Abby Merk, showing the actual life on the grind, which may or may not include an occasional visit to the pit, pre- and/or post-game drinks, and creating memories to last a while.
It may not be what poker purists want, but the reality is, they’re already a part of the community. To attract those from the outside, the idea of poker life needs to become more fun, versatile, and, yes, maybe with a dash of degen.
The bottom line is, poker will throw many curveballs your way and you’ll bust out many more tournaments than you’ll win, so the least you can do is have some fun in the process.
