SOURCE: Gaming Intelligence Group

Online poker has got off to a flying start in 2008, with most major poker networks recording an all time high in the number of simultaneous real-money players.

According to figures from the online poker tracking site, PokerScout, January 7th 2008 represented a new industry-wide peak player record, exceeding the previous record of 95,000 concurrent real-money players. During the first days of 2008 PokerStars, the Ongame Network, Everest Poker, International Poker Network (IPN), PKR and Ladbrokes all set individual all time records.

PokerStars is said to have reached a record in late December of 20,000 concurrent players, which it exceeded again in early January with a peak of over 23,000 real-money players.

Ongame Network passed the 10,000 concurrent players mark for the first time on January 7th and Everest Poker reached its own new record of 7,600 simultaneous real-money poker players.

The figures dispel rumours widely circulated late last year that the online poker market was in decline.

Far from being in decline, the latest figures suggest a surge in poker’s popularity, giving online poker operators much room for optimism in 2008.