Are Online Poker Rooms Rigged to Produce Bad Beat Hands?
November 24, 2008
What is a “Bad beat”? In Poker it refers to a win by a weaker hand over a stronger, more dominant hand. How the heck could this happen, you wonder? Believe it or not, and as much as Poker Players wish it never would, it does happen, even to the best of us.
Many newcomers don’t realize the value of a bad beat. They don’t understand the odds of a bad beat hand like pushing all in with AdJc and beating AsKs by spiking a Jack on the river. Likewise experienced Players are often amazed that they could lose to a newcomer or less experienced Player with such an underdog hand. They don’t grasp that they lose to the hand because they have the more dominating hand. The important thing to always be mindful of when playing Poker is that bad beats will happen at some point.
But the real question here is, do they happen more online than in land-based casinos because of fraud? Many Players argue that online Poker rooms are rigged; that they create large action hands for the Players in order to increase the pot size. This is in no way true. If it were, then one could easily argue that a bad beat would tend to happen more frequently in an online poker room than in a land-based casino because of fraud. However, online poker rooms, just like online casinos, undergo rigorous testing and verification to ensure complete randomness of hands and randomness of games at all times.
The fact of the matter is that more hands are played in online poker rooms more so than in land-based casinos. Whereas in a real live Poker game, perhaps 40 hands may be dealt in an hour, the number is almost double in an online game. The action in an online game is faster, perhaps about a 40:60 ratio in favour of the online poker room where more hands are dealt per hour. Additionally, one Player can play at two or more separate Poker tables when playing online; thus also increasing hand play. This is not possible in a land-based casino.
Also, in an online game, Players are more willing to “Call” their hands, despite what their bankroll is and despite the fact that calling the hand may not even be necessary at that moment. In the case of a real live Poker game, Players are sometimes hesitant to go “All-In” especially when playing with a large bankroll. Think about it - in which situation is it easier to part with your cash: in an online game where the dollar value is displayed on a screen or in real life where all the chips are laid out in front of your very eyes?
So, taking into account the fact that more hands are played in an online poker game than in a real one at any time AND considering the fact that Players tend to bet safer in a real live poker game, the chance of experiencing a bad beat hand online is greater than in a land-based casino. However, it isn’t greater because the game in the online Poker room are fixed.
Again, it is important to remember that bad beats will happen to you as long as you play Poker over a period of time. Don’t get caught up in the frustration of it, though; just dust yourself off and get back in the action once you have a clear head. Sometimes, a bad beat can be a good thing (if you’re not on the receiving end that is) because you need Players who will make bad calls. After all, they help maintain your bankroll and keep you in the action and playing the game you love the most.
Cool Cat Casino - Not so cool after all
August 21, 2008
In the gaming industry, there is a lot of dirt that the so-called “reputable” casinos sweep under the carpet. Take Cool Cat Casino for example. A Player of Cool Cat sent in the excerpt below asking us to publish it on our site as an eye opener to current and especially possible NEW Players who want to try their luck there. I really shouldn’t be surprised; I mean I’ve been privy to worse. But I still shake my head every time I read it.
Read below for the down and dirty on Cool Cat Casino.
“Don’t be fooled my fellow bettors. Cool Cat’s 1000% Bonus offer is nothing but a cheap trick to get you to sign up and play. Ok, I know what you’re saying, “All casinos do the same thing. It’s just a marketing gimmick”. While that might be true, the big difference is that you DON’T get paid when you win with this bonus at Cool Cat Casino. They don’t pay and I proved this first hand.
I registered an account on July 25th and deposited $100 right away. At this point, I am not going to reveal my username because I want to make sure I get paid before I make it public. When I made my initial deposit, I redeemed the Coupon Code, received the advertised $100, and played 4 slot games - Caesar’s Empire, Diamond Dozen, Funky Monkey, and Rain Dance.
Within 3 days, I won $1,200 and man was I excited! I decided to cash out the entire amount but guess what? I was told that I couldn’t cash out $200 of the winnings because that money WILL be used as an additional bonus towards my second purchase. I explained that I wouldn’t be depositing again until perhaps another month and would like to cash out the full amount. Again, I was told that this would not be possible and, if I chose not to deposit again, the $200 would be cancelled.
I was shocked. Surely this wasn’t fair I thought. I went to the Terms and Conditions on their site. It was vague and gave me no reassurances that I could possibly claim the money back. I spoke with a CS Agent via their Live Chat session but could get no reassurances there either. At this point, I was livid. I checked to make sure I had fulfilled the wagering requirement and cashed out my remaining balance via Click2Pay. Their website says that withdrawals can take 7 - 10 business days to be processed. This is longer than at any other Playtech or Microgaming casino where I’ve played. Nonetheless I waited; expecting to get my money around the 2nd week in August. More than 2 weeks later and I have STILL not been paid!
Of course, when I followed up I was blown off with the usual BS that there is a backlog with withdrawal requests and the Accounting department is working overtime to ensure that all the payments go out as soon as possible.
At this point, I doubt that I am going to get paid. I plan to wait until the end of the month. If I don’t get paid, I am blasting my experiences at Cool Cat on every blacklist casino portal I can find!
Whatever you do readers, DON’T dare play at Cool Cat Casino. You won’t be cool when you’re done - you’ll be hot with anger!”
– A very ANGRY and soon to be former member of Cool Cat Casino
Liked this article? Read more real articles from real Casino Players and other bad beat experiences here.
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