In a sign of the changing times and preferences for online poker players, 888Poker has removed traditional single-table sit-'n-gos, or SNGs, from the tournament offerings on its global network.
The change went into effect with a software update on Tuesday, May 2, and includes all traditionally-formatted single-table SNGs, from nine-handed through heads-up (HUSNG). An unnamed 888 official confirmed to PokerFuse that the games' removal was due to waning popularity and that the traditional SNG tables are unlikely to return any time in the near future.
Descriptive and promotional information for the traditional SNGs has already been pulled from 888poker.com's tournament-information page. Traditionally-formatted SNG tables remain available, at least for the time being, on 888Poker's US-based network.
The decline in traditional SNGs' popularity goes hand in hand with the surge in interest in the past few years in lottery-style SNGs, which feature just a few players, varying payouts, and a hyper-paced playing format. 888's entry in the jackpot sit-'n-go category, three-handed "BLAST" SNGs, remain available on all platforms and are likely to receive even more promotional backing.
For the global site -- and perhaps for all of 888's platforms in the near future -- the removal of the traditional SNG tables represents the end of the format's roughly two-decade run. SNGs were available very early in 888's history, when the site was known as Pacific Poker and was one of the first handful of sites ever to offer online poker.
Featured image source: 888Poker
