DDoS Attacks at WPN Might Be Sinister Actions of Rival Poker Room

(Photo: Bitcoingg.com)

The Winning Poker Network (WPN) was hit with 26 separate Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks over a span of three days, hampering efforts to successfully run its Online Super Series (OSS) and prompting the postponement of its Bigger Online Super Series (BOSS) set for Sept. 6-10.

A visibly frustrated and exasperated Phil Nagy, CEO of WPN, took to Twitch.tv and YouTube to explain the situation at the US-friendly poker network, telling viewers that an individual claiming to be the hacker appeared in his Twitch chat and told Nagy that a competing poker room paid the hacker to execute the DDoS attacks.

Although there is no verifiable proof that the hacker was actually contracted by a rival poker site to perform the dastardly DDoS deeds, Nagy is beginning to wonder if there is any truth behind those claims. WPN has been the victim of numerous DDoS attacks over the past few years, and seemingly always when the network runs popular tournament series' that include Million Dollar Sundays featuring an event with a $1 million guaranteed prize pool.

"It [DDoS attacks] started back in 2014 with our first Million," Nagy said. "It makes sense that I pissed somebody off."

Coinciding with the recent DDoS attacks was a positive write-up in Forbes dated Sept. 4 that focused on Nagy and how the CEO managed to take the fledgling WPN and turn it into one of the most popular online poker networks in the world. Anchored by flagship site Americas Cardroom, WPN offers an extensive tournament schedule and is largely regarded as the go-to poker room among US players who favor MTTs, especially during such festivals as the three-legged OSS Cub3d.

OSS Re-Launch

In addition to the Twitch appearances and YouTube video featuring Nagy, WPN customers were notified via email about the DDoS attacks and the postponement of BOSS, with promises that the entire Online Super Series Cub3d will be run again from September 24 - October 22. That includes the Mini buy-in events (MOSS), entry fees of a more medium level (OSS), and the Bigger buy-in tournaments (BOSS).

The guaranteed prize pools will be increased for the newest version of OSS and the series will feature a half-price ($265) buy-in Million Dollar Sundays tournament and the regular $540 entry fee for the $1,000,000 GTD on the final Sunday of BOSS events.

Postponement until later this month will give WPN an opportunity to shore up their software to fend off any future DDoS attacks. Nagy is adamant that the hackers will never receive even a dime of extortion money and has let it be known that WPN is willing to pay a handsome reward to anyone who can identify the perpetrators behind the DDoS attacks.

Who's to Blame?

Would a competing poker room stoop to such a level in an attempt to undermine the success of WPN? It's certainly plausible and I have my suspicions as to who the culprit(s) may be, but pointing fingers without actual proof could land me in trouble.

However, PokerTube readers are free to speculate and state your opinions. Let's hear who you think might be orchestrating the vicious DDoS attacks on WPN.