Archive for the ‘Poker’ Category

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Pitbull Poker Owners Arrested

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

When Pitbull Poker came onto the scene in 2005, their free $10 and flash poker software were an instant hit among online poker players, particularly those in the US. Pitbull Poker was one of the first online poker rooms to offer no-deposit poker with real cash winnings. Free tournaments, while they only pay out minimal amounts, like $0.10 or $0.25, they still allow players who have never deposited to win real cash.

Eventually, Pitbull Poker opened a casino. Now what seemed to be a thriving online gambling site has been getting some bad press here lately. Allegations have been recently made against Pitbull that programmed bots were among the players at Pitbull tables that were capable of seeing their opponents’ cards. Following accusations, Pitbull refused to release info on hand histories. But that wasn’t all. The parent company of Pitbull, Dimensus Ltd. suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving the online gambling site without a definitive owner responsible for base operations. Pitbull had misrepresented their base, saying at one time that they operated out of the UK, when in fact, they were a Costa-Rican-based company. Apparently Pitbull owners had closed their doors with no intention of paying off player accounts.

Recently, these owners apparently got scared and sent a phony maintenance crew to send home the night shift and empty out the building. Employees went straight to the police, who then returned to the building and arrested the owners, who are now considered a flight risk.

While the Pitbull Poker website remains up, the state of its future is unknown. This isn’t the first time that these guys have been accused of foul play. Neither is this the first online poker room that has seen this fate. Back in the summer of 2006, BetonSports ex-CEO David Carruthers was arrested after closing its doors and leaving 1500 employees without a job.

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Ultimate Bet and Russ Hamilton Cheating Scandal

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) recently confirmed that cheating did in fact occur at online poker room UltimateBet. In their 11-page write up of the events, the KGC further implicated that Russ Hamilton, former WSOP Main Event champ, did not act alone.

The KGC named accounts used at UB players to cheat and claimed that Hamilton was, in fact, “the individual who ultimately bears responsibility;” however, he had 31 accomplices, whose names were not mentioned in the report. There was a list though of 117 usernames that were involved in the reported cheating ring.

The report also stated that the KGC has “provided extensive information to law enforcement authorities, including the names of 31 individuals who were associated, to varying degrees, with Russell Hamilton, the cheating accounts and/or transactions related to the cheating accounts.”

The document also states that Tokwiro, owner of Ultimate Bet, refunded at least $22 million to players who were affected by the scandal and also paid out $1.5 million in fines, most of which was paid via player-to-player transfer from the 23 accounts associated with the 117 usernames that were involved.

Dean Montour, KGC chairman, stated in a press release, “Despite the unfortunate circumstances that resulted in this cheating, we are satisfied that the actions taken by the (KGC) provided an equitable result for affected players – our first priority.” He went on to say, “We remain optimistic that this experience and the lessons learned from it will result in a higher standard of gaming regulation for companies licensed and regulated within the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake and elsewhere.”

It has been almost one year exactly since the KGC initially released their findings that were a result of an audit that addresses concerns about collusive activities that happened between May 2004 and January 2008. Earlier in 2008, another one of Tokwiro’s online poker sites, Absolute Poker, was also investigated for cheating activity after it appeared that players were seeing their opponents’ hole cards via a “superuser” account.

Ultimate Bet has a very bad name online in many of the popular poker forums; however, this hasn’t seem to hurt their reputation so bad as to put them out of business. Time will tell.

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PartyPoker’s September Promo

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Well-known online poker room, Party Poker has a new offer for poker players. The “Cash Machine” operates very simply; all you have to do is play poker, and you could be rewarded with cash. The Cash Machine runs from midnight September 1st through 11:59 p.m. September 28th (lobby time). All the points you earn during these days will convert into dollar bills, and possibly even hundred dollar bills.

All you have to do is play and for at least ten days of the event and accumulate a minimum of 10 Party Poker points on each of these days. When it is all said and done with, Party Poker will take the points you have accumulated on your ten best days and then the lowest three days point totals will be converted into cash at the rate of $1 per point. The best part that there are no special catches or gimmicks, just straight up cash.

A spokesman for PartyPoker said, “The ATM is now open for business and ready to payout! What is great about this exciting promotion is that every new day gives players the chance to top their current lowest total and increase the cash prize. May all the cards be live and the withdrawals be monsters!”

Here’s an example: If a player earns the following points on their 10 highest-earning days, so that on…

Days one to three, he earned 100 points per day
Days four to seven, he earned 175 points per day
Days eight to ten, he earned 150 points per day…

…he would be rewarded with $300! The max is $1000, so there are so many possibilities to win cash available. Check it out for yourself, just go to Party Poker and opt in to have your own personal online poker ATM: the Cash Machine.

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Poker Reality Show: Two Months Two Million Episode 1 Recap

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

The highly anticipated documentary/reality show about poker made its debut last week on the Internet. Two Months Two Million has been receiving amazing reviews, and the anticipation was worth it.

Two Months Two Million is about four professional online poker players that are willing to risk a lot to in return win a lot. These four young individuals are pulling all their money together in an attempt to, in two months, win two million dollars, while taking Vegas over.

On the first episode, the contestants are show arriving at their new not-too-shabby house for the first time. The house is nothing shy of a mini-Playboy Mansion, complete with a completely pink Barbie room full of Barbie dolls. Now which young professional shall have the pleasure of getting to spend his two months in the Barbie room? Unfortunately, youngest of the four, DanI “Ansky” Stern received the pleasure of getting the pink room fit for a princess. As day one came to a close, the team is doing very well at $85,000, in the positive.

Jay ‘Krantz’ Rozenkrantz broke their winning streak on day three playing against ’Blewjob.’ The name of the game was poker, but it more like a game of shoot em up, as Krantz continued to be killed, his Kings lost to Jacks, and Blewjob’s Straights were better than Krantz’s straights. Nothing was going right for him, and he was down to $38,000, nowhere near as close to their goal as they had been on day one.

Day four was no better, the team found themselves down $126,000. With attitudes looking grim, Krantz focused on his opponent and learned his moves and had an amazing come back of $100,000. Krantz couldn’t have been happier. With moral higher the four end the show with a night on the town, enjoying the Vegas ladies. Episode 1 was great;, you can watch it on YouTube and look for the second episode coming soon.

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Electronic Poker Tables Losing Popularity

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

The electronic poker tables that were all the fad over the past few years are about to be history. Just one year ago Excalibur went all-electronic in its poker rooms. A spokesperson for the MGM Mirage has confirmed the companies plan to remove all 12 electronic PokerPro poker tables, and replace them with real live dealers, real cards, and real chips.

Last August Excalibur introduced the PokerPro tables, the first of its kind in Las Vegas. Manufactured by Pokertek, the glamorous PokerPro tables were not all they were cracked up to be. When the tables were installed, Todd DeRemer, VP of Gaming Operations for Excalibur said the hope was that the PokerPro tables would create “opportunity to pique the interest of a different kind of player,” but this was unfortunately not the case.

Lynn Holt, VP of Marketing for Excalibur casinos says, “Excalibur was happy to be the first Las Vegas Strip casino to offer poker players the opportunity to enjoy the PokerTek automated system. We found the system to be an efficient and viable poker alternative for players at all levels.

“While our experience was successful, we ultimately found that live poker games more accurately reflect the interactive poker experience customers have come to expect when they make their way to the excitement of the Las Vegas Strip.”

Last month Pokertek released a press release that confirmed they had received notification that Excalibur had “elected to exercise its rights to terminate its agreement at any time if the field trial for the PokerPro system lasted more than four months.” Pokerpro ended their field trial on the 19th of March 2009 in accordance with the Nevada Gaming Commission.

Mark Roberson, CEO of PokerTek said, “We thoroughly enjoyed working with the Excalibur and their partnership was critical to the success of our field trial in Nevada. Over the past year, we’ve built a strong base of PokerPro players and our product is stronger than ever as a result of the field trial process. We do not expect the termination of this agreement to have a significant impact on our reported revenues or results of operations.”

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SpadeClub Celebrates at the Playboy Mansion

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

In July, SpadeClub, a premier online subscription-based poker site, was proud to send two lucky SpadeClub members to a lavish Party at the Playboy Mansion. Greg Francis and Keith Andruszka were the two fortunate attendees, who won the SpadeClub promotion grand prize.

Included in the SpadeClub Playboy promotion package were round-trip airline tickets, exclusive access to the Playboy Mansions VIP-only celebrity gala, gourmet dinner at a five-star restaurant and all the premium liquor they could possibly drink. But that wasn’t all. These guys got free tournament entries into the Aces and Angels Celebrity Poker Tournament and Casino Night to benefit families of injured California firefighters.
When Greg Francis was asked what it was like to party at the Playboy Mansion, he answered, “This is an unreal experience; I never thought I would be here. I think the time is going to fly by, but I’ll try to do everything: win the tournament, see everything there is to see, and do a little partying with the playmates.”
Some of the celebrities that were in attendance at the Aces and Angels Celebrity Poker Tournament were Khloe Kourtney and Kim and Kris Kardashian.

What sets SpadeClub apart from other online poker rooms is that it provides something for poker players at any level, skill, and ability to win a stake in the $100,000+ that is given away every month in more than 2,500 monthly online tournaments.

What really makes SpadeClub truly unique and a bona fide novel approach to online poker in the vast sea of online gambling sites is the attention to detail when it comes to customizing each player’s individual preferences. For instance, unique player profile creation is offered and experience-appropriate tips, tools, and tournaments, so that everyone has a place. SpadeClub also serves as a social networking site among members and membership is only about $20.

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First Americas Cup of Poker

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

The inaugural Americas Cup of Poker has been announced, hosted by PokerStars, which will be a team-based poker event that will put players from certain countries up against each other to reaveal the Americas Cup of Poker Champions.

Greg Raymer, 2004 World Series of Poker champ and member of Team PokerStars Pro, says, “What really drives people to poker is the pure competition in the sport. PokerStars has taken that competitive drive one step further by putting country against country. I am truly looking forward to this event, and of course have no doubt that the United States will win.”

PokerStars players from 16 different countries will go up against each other in order to get their country to the live final. The nations that will be represented include USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras, and Panama.

The countries have been separated into groups that will face off against one another week by week. These weekly rounds will include daily freeroll tournaments in which players will play to score points for their country. Players finishing in the top 100 places will win points. Then, the two countries with the most points from each group (eight total) will get to compete in the live final to take place on September 4-6, 2009 in Bariloch, Argentina.

The 8 finalists will compete for a piece of the $250K prize pool with $100K of that going to the five champions. Each team will also have the asset of a Team PokerStars Pro joining their team in the finals.

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Carbon Poker Gives Away $1 Million in 60 Days

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Carbon Poker has launched a new promotion for the months of July, August, and September available to all players with more than 25,000 prizes valued at $1 million. The Carbon Million in 60 Days Promotion is scheduled to run through September 6 with 21 different tiers of individual prize pay outs, handing out cash rewards ranging from $2.50 to $20,000.

Carbon Poker promises that only a limited number of prizes will be available at each prize tier level, meaning there are only a predetermined number of players that will win on each tier. Poker players can win prizes by playing in cash games and accumulating their VIP points. To get more VIP points, you’ll have to play more hands. The first competitor to unlock each level will win the biggest prize, and prizes will devalue thereafter.
All Carbon Poker players’ VIP points will be updated and tracked by the site’s administration, and prizes will be awarded on September 8 2009.

Jay Manning, Carbon Poker spokesperson says, “We’re already getting a lot of interested players increasing their number of tables, hands and tournaments in order to move up the ladder and win bigger prizes.”

Players are already racing with excitement to get in on the next level of the game before it fills up. With $1 million out there to be won across the 21 different levels, Carbon will be the place to play poker online over the next few months. This promotion is novel, fun, rewarding, and you may just win some extra poker money. Cash prizes means more online poker funding for your game!

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Microgaming Twists Up the Old Bounty Tournament

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

The Microgaming poker network has come up with some new and different approaches to playing poker online that will actually increase the players’ chances of winning. First of all, the currency will change so that the Euro will be the officially and only currency used in all Microgaming hosted poker tournaments. Additionally, new to the Microgaming suite will be Survivor Tournaments in which players will have to stay on their toes to progress in the tourney, and the Breakfast and Bedtime bounties, two new daily tournaments with a new twist on the old bounty.

With a cutthroat vibe, Survivor tournaments are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. You will be able to see the number of players left in the game, the time left in the game, and the amount you need to stay in the game, all in a compact corner of your gaming screen. Keep an eye on this indicator because the information is imperative to keep you in the game. At the end of each level, elimination is impending for the player who holds the least amount of chips.

Survivors of the time and chip stack battle will ultimately be rewarded with equal payouts.

Mark Pinan, Microgaming’s Poker Network Channel Lead, explains, “The Microgaming Poker Network is proud of this new and unique tournament offering which is designed to provide the most entertaining network poker competitions available. We predict that July is going to be a big month for tournament poker.”

This month Microgaming is introducing the Breakfast and Bedtime Bounty, as well. Player’s buy in and these two new games will be divided into two parts. Half of the buy in will place a bounty on the player’s head, while the other half will go into prize pool. The catch is that the personal bounty will increase as more players are eliminated. The last player standing will win the entire bounty.

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