An important factor, mentioned by several sources, is that in recent years Lex has no longer been able to play legally on PokerStars due to regulations in the Netherlands. This affected his activity as a streamer because he couldn’t broadcast poker on the platform he represented.Although he didn’t say this was the reason for leaving, right after the split he started playing and streaming on GGPoker a platform he can legally play on from the Netherlands. This suggests that the legal restrictions on PokerStars were probably a major factor.
Pokerstars had been going downhill for a few years now. Pretty much since Daniel Negreanu left them, maybe even a bit before. Like any other business, if you don't innovate, improve and keep up with your competition, you will die a slow death. They can't even compare with GG, especially since GG affiliated with wsop. So, good for Lex.
Who cares about tourney ROI when you can charge millions on an exclusive streaming contract? Lex used to pull big numbers a few years ago so I'm sure he could demand a pretty good contract. He must have a decent cash cushion or he'd be streaming on Kick lolPoker Orifice said:
Perhaps not as good as he'd hoped for.Lodestone said:
Some people watch streamers for purely entertainment value, others prefer to watch the guys who are winning &/or ones where they can learn from. Personally I don't watch any streamer who doesn't keep his game stats. visible.
I think your numbers are off on the exclusive streaming contract. I've heard he was getting between 200 - 400k from Stars (& maybe 300k from streaming revenue). Maybe my sources are wrong but I doubt it.
You definitely could be right. I'm surprised to hear he was only making low/mid 6 figures. If buyins were also being comped I could see that but otherwise for an exclusively contract that seems kinda bad.Poker Orifice said:
I find most streamers incredibly annoying. Poker streamers complain about people getting the password and leaving but if there was anything worth sticking around for, I would.
Dnegs is the only one worth watching IMO. Most of the youtubers who 'made millions playing cash games' and are now selling courses were playing in private games where the average skill level is somewhere between 'coughing baby' and 'soulless rich addict who would be playing slots but wants to be praised and berated instead of flashy lights'.
Dnegs is the only streamer/ youtuber that has a proven record in televised cash games and tourneys that I know of. The way he shrugs off $2k bullets made me think he was freerolling pretty hard.
He's probably also making a lot more than Lex though to be fair.
pokerstars is not a licneced poker game anymore in the netherlands same for partypoker the only one we can do for now is ggpoker rn
Now Lex Veldhuis will be an independent media player with a large playing field under his "personal brand," which includes his reputation, audience, content style, and everything that people associate with him, not with the platform.
