Streaming Dreams: Nick Eastwood's Path to 888poker Stardom and How You Can Follow Suit
Happy memories came flooding back for Nick "eastyyy22" Eastwood when he saw 888poker had launched its Stream On contest, with the online poker giant searching for a new member of the 888poker Stream Team. Eastwood joined the 888poker Stream Team in July 2021, and he cannot wait to be one of the first to welcome in the newest addition team.
Eastwood had been streaming for around six months before 888poker, one of the biggest online poker sites, approached him and asked him if he would be interested in becoming part of the new Stream Team 888poker was putting together. It had always been Eastwood's dream to get his hands on a poker sponsorship, and after positive talks with the Stream team manager, Eastwood put pen to paper on a sponsorship contract.
"When I got the call to let me know I’d be offered a position on the Stream Team, it was honestly completely surreal. I’d worked so hard on my channels to be in a position where maybe one day a poker company could be interested in me being a part of their team, but I never really allowed myself to believe it would actually happen. Suddenly, I was going to pursue the one thing I’d always dreamed of doing, and it’s really difficult to put into words just how that feels."
"Thankfully, I felt really confident that this was the right path for me to take, and that made the decision and the process so much easier for me. I can safely say that a few years down the line, I certainly don’t regret it!"
It's coming on three years since Eastwood became a fully-fledged member of the 888poker Stream Team, and he is still enjoying every minute of it.
"I get to do what I love doing every day. I don’t think I’d ever imagined that I’d be able to say that I’m doing something for a living that I genuinely enjoy, and I’m incredibly grateful for that."
"From my perspective, it’s really hard to say enough good things about 888 as a company and how they’ve supported my career. I know how much they’ve helped me and supported me as a content creator, and I know that anyone lucky enough to win this competition is going to see exactly what I’m talking about once they are part of this amazing team. I speak from experience when I say this really is an incredible opportunity for someone to do what they love for a living."
In addition to doing what he loves doing, Eastwood loves how 888poker grants him the creative freedom to produce content that he wants to create, and he isn't hampered by red tape.
"They trust me completely to take my content in the direction I think is best, allow me to be myself, and give me advice on how I can improve moving forward."
Of course, a poker sponsorship often comes with other perks, including being invited to live poker events around the world.
"Maybe best of all, I’ve been lucky enough to play poker in some of the most amazing cities in the world. I’ve traveled to Madrid, Barcelona, Vegas, and more along the way, and it’s always so nice to see my teammates as well as the brilliant production and media teams at the events who I now consider my friends."
What Makes a Good Poker Stream?
If you're thinking of entering the 888poker Stream On contest, where one lucky streamer will join Eastwood and his teammates on the Stream Team roster, you may be wondering what makes a good poker stream. Is it one that is mostly educational, one with entertaining an audience at its heart, or a combination of the two?
"I feel a good poker streamer has to be themselves above all else. There are phenomenal poker streamers who offer purely educational content, but there are also many who entertain through their own personality. The most important thing is to not try to be someone that you’re not and to allow your own personality to shine through on stream."
"Personally, I do think the best poker streamers are ones that are relatable to viewers and aren’t afraid to show their emotions. Having said that, if you are all-in on being educational and showing what mentality you need to have to be a winning player, then being able to control your emotions is imperative. What I am sure of is that the best poker streamers know their strengths and play to them."
You must register your interest in the 888poker Stream On contest before the end of March 15, which gives you a couple of days from this article's publication to throw your ring into the hat; don't delay!
Eastwood gave us three tips for any budding streamer entering the Stream On contest. Do you want to know what they are?
- Be yourself, unapologetically
- Play to your strengths in terms of your poker ability and personality
- Enjoy yourself and have fun!
"I wish everyone that’s entering the best of luck and I can’t wait to stop by the streams and see what they all have to offer!"