See Poker Broadcast in 360° - Now Also on ESPN

Technical inventions are long proved inevitable in order to develop and progress in every field of life and poker is not an exception. To make tournament broadcasts even more exciting, the hole card cams were introduced in the late 1990’s, and now here is the latest revolution: All 360 Media’s 11-lenses camera system.

The minds behind the company and the technology first used it for Google’s satellite map application and later also worked for CardPlayer, according to Doyle Brunson’s Poker Blog. The system uses 11 lenses, installed in a ball, to record the same scene from different directions, thus allowing the viewer to choose between angles. Yes, You choose! Although ESPN broadcasts a single footage, you are the one to specify the angle from which you wish to follow the event, or even ‘rotate’ it as you like. After successful tests at the Bellagio during the WPT World Championship, All 360 was allowed to film some events of the WSOP. Among these was the final hand of Event #38, won by Akos ‘Luigi’ Kwaysser, which you can access by clicking on the movie window below. Once it runs, you can rotate the view with your mouse.

Speaking of ESPN, the coverage of the first broadcast event of this year’s WSOP, the Poker Player’s Championship, increased by 15% compared to last year. “Incorporating a new mixed format of eight poker disciplines, ESPN decided to pick up the telecast once it was decided that the final table would be No Limit Hold’em, the best known of the different poker games. The move brought the television cameras back to tables and a twenty percent increase in players, creating coverage that one network rep called »compelling«,” pokerroomreview.com reported. Now with high expectations, the Tournament of Champions airs tomorrow.