How corrupt is online poker?

[ShatnerPants]

 

I used to play a few 5$ SNGs online, but turned from a vaguely profitable, stable non loser having a bit of fun, into a cash drain, so I gave up.

I've just come back to it and having fun again, (It's nice when your £20 deposit turns into three figures.....) but I'm beginning to see the odd thing about FullTilt and PokerStars being corrupt.

I assume you guys have been all over it. Is there a shortish summary you can point me towards?

The things that I'm bothered about:
1) Has online poker been proved to be rigged?
2) How safe is our cash nowadays?
3) I've just signed up to Titan. Am I safe or should I get out?
4) Is it just an American problem or is it worldwide?

Sorry to be so simplistic on what must be a mega complicated subject.

Cheers.

 

[dakky]

I've just come back to it and having fun again, (It's nice when your £20 deposit turns into three figures.....) but I'm beginning to see the odd thing about FullTilt and PokerStars being corrupt.

The things that I'm bothered about:
1) Has online poker been proved to be rigged?
2) How safe is our cash nowadays?
3) I've just signed up to Titan. Am I safe or should I get out?
4) Is it just an American problem or is it worldwide?

Sorry to be so simplistic on what must be a mega complicated subject.

Cheers.

 

It's ok, don't be sorry.

I'd have to agree with you that Full Tilt seems to be pretty corrupt.

I'd probably stay away, at least until November/December when I hear they are brining in new management/rules which should curb the corruption...

[MC]

1) Has online poker been proved to be rigged?

Yes,

Undeniable proof: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/28/internet-poker/great-poker-rigged-debate-collected-threads-edition-255990/

[smurf]

I'm sure most replies you get will be about it can't be rigged and it's not worth the risk - I don't think it's rigged but I do think there are cheats or glitches that very few people are aware of, any computer based program that has been designed by a human has the potential to have a cheat built in that the designers are aware of.

For example fruit machines everyone knows of the older style ones where you could play it a certain way and it would throw in a loop and payout loads (not so much now) there was one at my snooker club years ago where if you collected the minimum win three times without holding or gambling in between then on the fourth kept your finger on the gamble button it would go from 20p to the £100 jackpot. Obviously that had built in.

I am sure similar things must be there in online poker (who ever folds AA pre flop) but only a very small number of people know about it.

The worst I ever had was   on a   board, my opponent typed unlucky in the chat then went all in with   I called and it came   .  Pure luck??? His sharkscope went up like slide from bottom to top.

That said we all still play online.

[TightEnd]

Welcome back

There is nothing to suggest that online poker is rigged

Full Tilt Poker saga, which it seems you missed..yes "corrupt" would be a word you can use. Full Tilt re-opens in November under the ownership of PokerStars

Stars, as the World Number 1..nothing at all to suggest anything wrong with it

A long summary at http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=57551.0

Nothing to suggest your cash isn't safe at the big sites, Titan included. If you have any doubts all sites display prominently where they are regulated, and where to go in the event of complaints

The American problem, in short, is an issue of American regulators view on Online gambling which currently sees Online Poker banned for those who want to play in the US.

[SuuPRlim]

The things that I'm bothered about:
1) Has online poker been proved to be rigged?

There was the UB "Potripper" scandal (google it) where the Cereus/Absolute Network were operating a "Superuser" account that could see everyone elses cards.

Just think about how much money these sites make, pokerstars rakes millions and millions every week legitimatley, they could cheat and double that get caught and go to prison, makes no sense.

2) How safe is our cash nowadays?

If you're worried about this (which you should be) then check with the site you use that have secure player funds - as in they keep the player money seperate from the company money. Also stay clear of sites still accepting U.S players, because that could easily go tits up any moment, just IMO ofc.

3) I've just signed up to Titan. Am I safe or should I get out?

On the ipoker network, any of the sites backed up by major bookmaking operaters should, imo, be totally safe

4) Is it just an American problem or is it worldwide?

Not sure what problem, but the americans are not allowed to play online poker, it's illegal. If you're not living n the U.S there is no problem

What happened with FullTilt if you didn't know is that the day the FBI shut down Stars/Tilt/UB because of them offering online poker to american players it soon came out that full tilt had a big deficit in it's player funds. Basically they had spent a lot of player money and didn't have the liquidity to cover the balances in people accounts. They've been shut down for 16~ months now and a deal has only very recently been done in which pokerstars now owns full tilt and have gtd to repay everyones account balances. I'd have a lot of faith in the new FTP as it's backed by pokerstars and they have proven to be a fully legit (well almost!) company in the wake of the FBI investigations (black friday as it was known)

There is always a risk, it's not a bank its a company, 2 years ago anyone here would have told you that money on FTP and Stars was as gd as in the bank but obv this wasnt the case. Stick to stars/reputable ipoker skins and betfair and you'll be fine imo.

[dakky]

The things that I'm bothered about:
1) Has online poker been proved to be rigged?

There was the UB "Potripper" scandal (google it) where the Cereus/Absolute Network were operating a "Superuser" account that could see everyone elses cards.

Just think about how much money these sites make, pokerstars rakes millions and millions every week legitimatley, they could cheat and double that get caught and go to prison, makes no sense.

2) How safe is our cash nowadays?

If you're worried about this (which you should be) then check with the site you use that have secure player funds - as in they keep the player money seperate from the company money. Also stay clear of sites still accepting U.S players, because that could easily go tits up any moment, just IMO ofc.

3) I've just signed up to Titan. Am I safe or should I get out?

On the ipoker network, any of the sites backed up by major bookmaking operaters should, imo, be totally safe

4) Is it just an American problem or is it worldwide?

Not sure what problem, but the americans are not allowed to play online poker, it's illegal. If you're not living n the U.S there is no problem

What happened with FullTilt if you didn't know is that the day the FBI shut down Stars/Tilt/UB because of them offering online poker to american players it soon came out that full tilt had a big deficit in it's player funds. Basically they had spent a lot of player money and didn't have the liquidity to cover the balances in people accounts. They've been shut down for 16~ months now and a deal has only very recently been done in which pokerstars now owns full tilt and have gtd to repay everyones account balances. I'd have a lot of faith in the new FTP as it's backed by pokerstars and they have proven to be a fully legit (well almost!) company in the wake of the FBI investigations (black friday as it was known)

There is always a risk, it's not a bank its a company, 2 years ago anyone here would have told you that money on FTP and Stars was as gd as in the bank but obv this wasnt the case. Stick to stars/reputable ipoker skins and betfair and you'll be fine imo.

I *think* the act of playing online poker isn't actually illegal in USA (I think it is in one or two states). It is/was the supply of money to these companies as gambling entities that was against their laws

[ShatnerPants]

So would it be fair to suggest that the "corruption" wasn't in any way suggested as rigging the games, or stealing directly from the punters?

But from overspending/pinching the money that had been legitimately earned from rakeback and not protecting the players deposits, thus leaving the cashflow up the proverbial without a rowing implement?

IE the games are as random as they ever were, and all the investigation has found only human greed, not mega-intelligent, super-brainy, IT wizardry creaming off the top or even Lederer, who I just know has always said he hates me, saying to his programmers "I hate all bald fat cockneys, fix your programming to pinch his every last penny, MUHAHAHAHAHA" 

[smurf]

So would it be fair to suggest that the "corruption" wasn't in any way suggested as rigging the games, or stealing directly from the punters?

But from overspending/pinching the money that had been legitimately earned from rakeback and not protecting the players deposits, thus leaving the cashflow up the proverbial without a rowing implement?

IE the games are as random as they ever were, and all the investigation has found only human greed, not mega-intelligent, super-brainy, IT wizardry creaming off the top or even Lederer, who I just know has always said he hates me, saying to his programmers "I hate all bald fat cockneys, fix your programming to pinch his every last penny, MUHAHAHAHAHA" 

From how I read it if every player had tried to withdraw their funds they would not have been able to as they had been using them for sponsorships promotion, good times etc.  There would not have been an issue if it was the profits they were spending

[Doobs]

So would it be fair to suggest that the "corruption" wasn't in any way suggested as rigging the games, or stealing directly from the punters?

But from overspending/pinching the money that had been legitimately earned from rakeback and not protecting the players deposits, thus leaving the cashflow up the proverbial without a rowing implement?

IE the games are as random as they ever were, and all the investigation has found only human greed, not mega-intelligent, super-brainy, IT wizardry creaming off the top or even Lederer, who I just know has always said he hates me, saying to his programmers "I hate all bald fat cockneys, fix your programming to pinch his every last penny, MUHAHAHAHAHA" 

From how I read it if every player had tried to withdraw their funds they would not have been able to as they had been using them for sponsorships promotion, good times etc.  There would not have been an issue if it was the profits they were spending

Is it 2011 yet?