The first-ever WSOP.com Online Circuit Series was a resounding success with thousands of entrants amassing more than $1.6m in prize money, as Shawn Daniels and Ryan Leng book spots in the World Series of Poker Global Casino Championships.

The recent PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP), partypoker POWERFEST, and 888Poker’s XLEclipse demonstrated that the online poker market is as wet as a cut.

It’s an incredible moment in poker’s timeline.

Can you imagine how the numbers would have stacked up had the Americans been allowed to play without fear of stumping up a hefty fine and spending a few months doing porridge? In many ways, it feels like a FIFA World Club Championship without any European teams.