10 Reasons NOT To Play Online Poker

10 Reasons NOT To Play Online Poker

The previous post reviewed my 10 Reason To Play Online Poker. Now, here is my list of 10 Reasons NOT To Play Online Poker. You may not like my list, but that's poker.

1. Online Poker Sites Are Not Regulated or Licensed in the US.

Without some type of oversight, poker players can not be sure if the sites are cheating them. Some argue that it is not in a poker site's best interest to cheat, since so much money is coming in anyway. Unfortunately, greed can corrupt. And unregulated companies have proven time and time again, where there is a will (to dupe the people to make more money), there is a way.

2. The Online Poker Sites RNG (Random Number Generator) Ain't So Random.

RNG's are complex computer programs. However, software can be altered to create subtle changes that effect play and results. Are there more bad beats online? Are there more big hands, like quads and straight flushes that occur online? Does it seem that there are too many heads-up situations where one premium hand loses to another premium hand to create more excitement? Yes, yes and yes.

3. Online Poker Sites Support Their Integrity Claims by "Independent" Audits--Are They Really Unbiased?

The sites audits may be independent, but they have to be biased. Why? The firms who audit a poker site get paid by that site. In recent history, a top ten accounting firm closed down to their "independent" audits. And major US corporations have also been forced into bankruptcy due to fake accounting; e.g. Enron.

4. There Have Been Major Cheating Scandals Online That The Online Poker Sites Never Caught.

There have been a handful of major, public cases where poker players have been cheated by outsiders. Did the online poker site catch this cheating? No. The only reason that these cases became public is because other poker players did their own analysis of what had happened and reported it.

5. Other Cases of Cheating Are Happening Online, But No One Gets Caught.

There is so much money being gambled every minute, it is too juicy for unscrupulous people to take advantage of other players. For example, do you think collusion has ever occurred at an online poker site? What about other forms of cheating, like playing in the same event under different user names? Or, a top player who plays under a friend's user name to help increase his bankroll? It happens. It is usually transparent.

6. What About The Frequency of Stories Regarding New Players Getting An Edge or A Player Losing After Withdrawing Money From A Site?

It would make business sense to help new players have an edge. If a new player wins, s/he is more likely to keep playing--even if s/he loses it all a few weeks later. There are also complaints on how a player who withdraws money after winning at a poker site, seems to forget how to play and now loses.

7. The Sponsoring of Poker Players Results In An Uneven Playing Field.

Do sponsored players risk their own money? Reports are that sponsored players get 100% rakeback and get paid hourly at an online poker site. Is it fair that you risk your own money, while a sponsored player takes no risk?

8. If the New UIGEA Regulation Goes Into Effect, Will Your Bank Cash Your Poker Site's Check?

Now you have to worry about what will happen if you do win money at an online site. Assuming you play at a legitimate site and win, the site will pay you. It won't be able to transfer money into your bank account. It will have to use another method, which is most likely going to be mailing you a check. Will your bank cash that check if the new law goes into effect?

9. Are Online Poker Sites Causing A Brain Drain in Teens and College Students?

Joe Cada admitting to playing online poker before he was 21 and even dropping out of school to play poker. It worked out for Joe, but what about the majority of teens and college students who won't be winners at poker? The seduction of winning millions playing poker is strong for everyone. It is no doubt strongest in teenagers and college students, given the millions won in poker by 20-somethings. Online poker sites should not allow underage players.

10. You Play Online Poker Naked And You Are Not A Beautiful Woman.

You know who you are...so stop it!

I realize this list will eliminate my chance of ever being sponsored by an online poker site. And I also realize that whenever I say anything negative about online poker, a few readers write how I am an idiot or worse.

Whether you do or do not play online poker, there is one thing I strongly believe. That is, that every adult in the US should have the freedom to play online poker and win or lose as much money as s/he wants.

The politicians who strive to stop this freedom will be voted out of office, as many were in the last election.

After all, there are only 40 million Americans who play poker. And while most of them don't play online, the thought that their Congress won't let them play poker, even if they wanted to play, is simply un-American.

Do Poker Pros Freeroll Major Events? Is There Collusion?

The countdown to the WSOP continues...

I don't know the answer to these questions, but I am beginning to wonder if the playing field at major poker tournaments are an even playing field.

1. Do Pros Freeroll At Major Events?

I guess I am naive. I knew that the poker pros got sponsored, but I recently read something that I found hard to believe. Are you ready for this?

Poker sites that sponsor pro poker players pay for all their entry fees plus their travel expenses plus the players keeps 100% of their winnings!

Oh my...what a deal! No risk. 100% reward.

Oh wait. I guess the pro has to wear the poker sites logos to get this deal.

But if this is true, it really is bogus! Let me explain how big an edge it is...

A story that happened to me

Many years ago I played at a small card room quite often. It was before tournaments took over, so the game was always limit hold'em. I could beat everyone at this club except for one player. This one player would really outplay me all the time. It was crazy, because it was like he knew my cards. Fortunately, for me, he worked for the card room and he didn't play that often.

About one year later, I was sitting at another card club in the area. I became friendly with the manager and we started talking about poker players. I told him about this player who worked at the other club who I could never beat.

He laughed. He told me the reason he won is because he was actually stealing money from the place he worked. He had an unlimited bankroll! He had no risk, and 100% reward! Sound familiar?

2. Is their Collusion Among the Pros?

Having played at a WSOP table or two, I have noticed that if you have two poker pros at the same table, you will almost never see them playing aggressively against each other. I thought it was because it is easier to take chips from the other less experienced players. But really isn't this just a case of collusion?

It is like when one player is all-in against two opponents at a final table. The players will check the hand down in order to take out the all-in player, and finish higher in the event. This is really collusion, but it is an accepted practice.

In fact, the reason players must turn over their hole cards when they are all-in is to see if someone is sloughing off chips to a friend.

I think this collusion is acceptable behavior and can't be stopped. It should be something you are aware of if you are in the WSOP or a major event.

3. Aren't Making Deals Before the Event Starts a Shady Practice?

Players can make deals among themselves to diversify their risk of the event. Player A takes 10% of Player B, and Player B gets 10% of Player A.

The shady part is that no one else knows about the deal and it may effect decisions when these players are at the same table. I am not saying it does, but it is not difficult to figure it how this can happen.

Conclusion

I am not saying poker pros cheat. I am saying that if the things I mention are true, then they definitely have a big edge against the rest of us. I know I won't make many friends with this post, so please tell me where I am wrong. Hey, I've been wrong before and I can be wrong again.

Let me know what you think. Thanks.

Don't Play Online Poker Again Until You Read This!

I am one of those poker players who is skeptical about online poker sites. I almost never play online poker anymore because...well, I don't think it's a totally level playing field.

While there have been newsworthy cheating scandals by players (I have also run into collusion between players), I believe that something more insidious is going on.

On top of my list is that there are far too many big hands dealt and far too many bad beats as a result. I don't buy the nonsense that you see more hands dealt online. That argument is so bogus. You don't need to see many hands online to see that it's just not real.

It's one thing to complain about it and it's another thing to do something about it.

I discovered a company that may have actually identified why the poker sites have an incentive to cheat, how their RNG's can be manipulated and most importantly, they are going to come out with a solution.

You must check out this company before you play online poker again!

http://www.gioiasystems.com/

Note: I do not have anything to do with this firm, and no incentive to promote their business.

The Online Bad Beat Phenomena

An editorial from Gene Gioia, Founder of Gioia Systems, and architect of the Cut N’ Shuffle™ and Game Check™ systems

Many online poker players have observed noticeably more bad beats online then in live poker room games. The common explanation for this is that online players see more hands online then in live games.

Many online poker players believe that the starting hands online are noticeably better then their experiences in live games.

When taking these two factors into account, along with the fact that all online poker rooms generate their revenue from the size of the pots at games (the larger the pot, the more the rake), I can come up with an alternate theory for the seemingly larger number of “bad beats” and “draws” experienced by online poker players.

I am told that the Nevada Gaming approved that standard Random Number Generators (RNGs) have 12 lines of code. Online poker operators claim to be spending millions on the development of random number generators. Why?

Considering the recent news that Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet had software installed that gave certain players the ability to see other players’ hole cards, why should I think that programming random number generators to appear random while creating significantly more “draw” hands is out of the realm of possibility?

A random number generator is, after all, a computer program, that will do whatever it is programmed to do. Poker is such a unique game because it creates a virtually unlimited number of possible outcomes. This opens the door for any number of possibilities for anyone wanting to exploit this fact to their advantage.

What is preventing online operators from developing or using RNGs that are programmed to create, whenever desired, a series of hands that encourage a greater number of players participating in any given game, to stay in because of the possibility of achieving a really “monster” hand? If you have played online for any length of time, you probably can relate to what I am saying and why I am saying this.

By using computer programming to create desirable starting hands, it stands to reason that you would also be creating a significantly higher number of finishing hands. In the process, the pots for those games would be significantly higher; therefore the amount of rack per game increases.

Three years ago, Sports Illustrated published, in their May issue, an article about online poker. That article pointed to an April study by an online tracking company. This study concluded that there was approximately $200 million dollars per day being bet in online poker pots. It also estimated that online sites were generating about $5 million per day in rake revenue. At these levels of pots, an imperceptible change could result in a huge increase in annual revenue. If the average rake is 2.5% of the pot size (as the April study suggested), the effect of one quarter of 1% (very possible and easily done with programming) results in an increase of $500,000 per day or $182.5 million dollars annually in rake revenue. And who pays for this, the players of course. The rake is a necessary part of the game, but should not result from manipulation of any kind.

So, you’re thinking that random number generators are safe. Think again.