Online Poker Not Worth It
Talks about bots in online poker go back to the early days. But where bots were hardly an issue when online poker got started since combatting their simple tactics was relatively easy, it's a bigger issue today and might be an even bigger problem to solve in the near future. Just this week, poker bot Libratus won an award for best use of AI after beating a team of poker pros in no limit hold'em heads up.
Why You'll Never Make A Living Playing Live Poker Tournaments. That $240,000 worth of tournament entries and $60,000 of profit adds up to $300,000 a year in tournament winnings.
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- How many online poker pros are there who wake up at 12:00 p.m., play online poker for two hours, and then swan off enjoying life to the max. The answer is not many, and those who do generally don.
Is Gambling Really Worth It? Is it Right For You? Now that you know the main pros and cons of gambling, you can make your own decision as to whether or not it’s really worth it. This basically comes down to whether or not it’s right for YOU. We can’t, and won’t, advise you. The Black Friday of Online Poker. April 15, 2011 – known throughout the online poker community as Black Friday – the US Department of Justice officially seized control of the world’s largest, US-facing online poker sites, including titans PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. Not only did it leave American poker players with no entirely trustworthy options for playing their favorite card games. Red Dead Online players may use VPNs to circumvent the restrictions and play poker, but with so many other things to do, that may not be worth it due to the chance of being banned from the game.
Dan Cates, talking to the team behind Paul Phua Poker, shares his thoughts on the subject in the following video. He isn't all too worried, explaining how people are still playing suboptimally even though there's enough knowledge out there to improve drastically.
Cates doesn't seem to realize that people learning from bots isn't the most threatening thing about their existence. Because, while people might not improve enough live, the bots themselves are still a threat when they play online — and the rest of the poker players online have to rely on bot detection and protection by the online poker rooms.
Catching Up on High Stakes Action: Three Biggest Pots Online
Cates still plays online regularly, but was no participant in the biggest hands this week, nor has he been one of the players in the Top 10 of biggest winners or losers this year so far. He's currently down $362,592 for the year on PokerStars, but won over a million dollars live at the beginning of the year finishing third in the Triton Super High Roller Series in Manila.
All three of the biggest pots this week came from a session between 'RaúlGonzalez' and 'JayP-AA'. The former came out as the winner of that match up.
1) 'RaúlGonzalez' Wins a $80,080 Pot (400 Big Blinds) from 'JayP-AA'
($100/$200 PLO Heads Up)
'JayP-AA' opened the button for $680. His opponent, 'RaúlGonzalez' in the big blind, three-bet to $2,120. 'JayP-AA' followed up with a four-bet to $6,440. That wasn't the end of the action, though, as 'RaúlGonzalez' made it $19,400. 'JayP-AA' called.
With a massive $38,960 already in the middle, the two of them checked on the flop and the on the turn as well.
With the completing the board, 'RaúlGonzalez' checked for the third time. 'JayP-AA' bet a hefty $20,560 and 'RaúlGonzalez' called.
'JayP-AA' showed for a flush with a blocker. The pot, however, went to 'RaúlGonzalez' who tabled for a higher flush in a 400-big blind pot on a paired board.
2) 'JayP-AA' Wins a $80,080 Pot (400 Big Blinds) from 'RaúlGonzalez'
($100/$200 PLO Heads Up)
Again, 'JayP-AA' and 'RaúlGonzalez' played a big pot. After a series of raises, the two got their chips in before the flop. 'RaúlGonzalez' opened to $680, 'JayP-AA' three-bet to $2,120 and 'RaúlGonzalez' four-bet to $6,440. Then, 'JayP-AA' five-bet to $19,400 and called 'RaúlGonzalez's six-bet shove for $39,960 total.
| Player | Hand | Equity |
|---|---|---|
| 'JayP-AA' | 41% | (0.78% chop) |
| 'RaúlGonzalez' | 58.22% | (0.78% chop) |
'RaúlGonzalez' was the favorite going in, but the board would not favor him/her as it came , giving 'JayP-AA' runner-runner two pair and the full pot.
3) 'RaúlGonzalez' Wins a $80,080 Pot (400 Big Blinds) from 'JayP-AA'
($100/$200 PLO Heads Up)
Wouldn't you know it, the two of them got $40,000 each in once more. This time, 'RaúlGonzalez' opened for $680. Again, 'JayP-AA' three-bet to $2,120, 'RaúlGonzalez' four-bet to $6,440, and 'JayP-AA' five-bet to $19,400.
After 'RaúlGonzalez' called, the flop of saw both players check. On the turn, 'JayP-AA' bet $20,560. 'RaúlGonzalez' called to see the pot grow to $80,080.
Both of them checked when the board paired with the on the river. 'JayP-AA' tabled for a king-high straight with a blocker to broadway. 'RaúlGonzalez' showed for the higher straight and took down the pot.
This Week's Online High-Stakes Biggest Winners and Losers
| (user)name | hands | profit/loss 11/09-11/16 | profit/loss 2017 | profit/loss all time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Players | |||||
| 1 | RaúlGonzalez | 752 | +$84,777 | +$271,397 | +$1,013,847 |
| 2 | BERRI SWEET | 3,169 | +$72,260 | +$1,511,117 | +$2,072,036 |
| 3 | Iimitless | 4,433 | +$56,125 | +$75,727 | +$73,369 |
| 4 | Alexander 'joiso' Kostritsyn | 560 | +$45,070 | -$385,380 | +$4,034,219 |
| 5 | danfiu | 813 | +$39,819 | +$19,856 | -$16,543 |
| 6 | kjunia | 282 | +$31,227 | +$82,436 | +$103,387 |
| 7 | zerfer03 | 604 | +$29,132 | $113,271 | +$23,037 |
| 8 | borntotilt | 1,071 | +$24,677 | $203,303 | +$182,009 |
| 9 | Jordi 'prot0' Urlings | 667 | +$23,043 | +$508,020 | +$435,911 |
| 10 | Liviu '0Human0' Ignat | 891 | +$22,860 | +$1,455 | +$225,163 |
| Losing Players | |||||
| 1 | Viktor 'Isildur1' Blom | 1,014 | -$174,706 | +$1,135,804 | +$2,646,975 |
| 2 | Luke 'Bit2Easy' Reeves | 2,545 | -$48,916 | +$23,967 | +$73,644 |
| 3 | Gavin 'gavz101' Cochrane | 2,536 | -$45,766 | +$59,003 | +$495,213 |
| 4 | Laszlo 'omaha4rollz' Bujtas | 1,056 | -$27,510 | -$149,337 | +$114,277 |
| 5 | Sami 'Lrslzk' Kelopuro | 673 | -$27,081 | -$1,249,136 | -$1,952,299 |
| 6 | ocropTi | 718 | -$25,745 | -$65,761 | -$304,010 |
| 7 | Jens 'Fresh_oO_D' Lakemeier | 675 | -$24,313 | +$10,212 | -$350,673 |
| 8 | fjutekk | 1,353 | -$21,469 | +$138,976 | +$22,263 |
| 9 | niabios | 1,147 | -$21,322 | +$26,521 | +$35,243 |
| 10 | dean_nolan1 | 187 | -$20,000 | -$120,741 | -$130,741 |
The 2017 Leaderboard
Viktor 'Isildur1' Blom has exited the Top 3 of biggest winners online in 2017. After dropping again this week, he now sits in fourth, still up $1,135,804 for the year. In his place, Carlo 'Ravenswood13' van Ravenswoud has entered the Top 3. The Dutchman, living in Malta, is up $1,163,065 for the year.
The Top 3 of biggest losing players has been unaltered, and still consists of Kelopuro, Stern and '8superpoker'.
| (user)name | hands 2017 | profit/loss 2017 | profit/loss per hand 2017 | profit/loss all time | ↑/↓ | most played game 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Players | |||||||
| 1 | Timofey 'Trueteller' Kuznetsov | 53,050 | +$1,627,768 | +$30.68 | +$3,518,534 | ↓ | PLO |
| 2 | BERRI SWEET | 44,901 | +$1,511,117 | +$31.28 | +$2,072,036 | ↑ | PLO |
| 3 | Carlo 'Ravenswood13' van Ravenswoud | 48,668 | +$1,163,065 | $23.89 | +$380,786 | ↑ | PLO |
| Losing Players | |||||||
| 1 | Sami 'Lrslzk' Kelopuro | 53,987 | -$1,249,136 | -$23.13 | -$1,952,299 | ↑ | PLO |
| 2 | Dani 'supernova9' Stern | 10,039 | -$777,373 | -$77.43 | -$1,439,781 | - | PLO |
| 3 | '8superpoker' | 31,237 | -$691,072 | -$22.12 | -$2,702,126 | ↓ | Limit |
The above top winning and losing players in online poker for 2017 only takes PokerStars accounts into consideration. All public data courtesy of HighStakesDB.com. If you want to opt out of being listed in this PokerNews update on the high-stakes action, send an email with your username to [email protected]
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Alexander KostritsynSami KelopuroViktor BlomDaniel 'jungleman12' CatesDan CatesRelated Players
Alexander KostritsynViktor BlomSami KelopuroDan Cates
Back in New Jersey & More States to Come in 2020?
Currently PokerStars is only available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Delaware.
Updated Jan. 02, 2019 – PokerStars has not only launched in Pennsylvania but it’s currently the highest traffic regulated online poker site in all of America. It took years of delays and half-starts but PokerStars USA is officially open for business in PA and it appears that it was worth the wait for poker players in the area. It remains to be seen whether the success in PA will lead more US states to consider legalizing and regulating online poker.
Earlier this year, West Virginia also passed legislation that officially legalized online poker, but it’s expected to take until 2021 at the earliest for West Virginia online poker sites to launch.
PokerStars gained approval to operate in New Jersey in the fall of 2015, and New Jersey only. Their site, pokerstarsnj.com, went live on March 21, 2016, but only those physically located in the state of New Jersey can play. It’s play money for all other states. PokerStarsNJ is offering real money online poker as well as casino games such as slots, blackjack, and roulette to name a few. Below are online poker rooms available for other States.
We recommend Ignition Poker as the best alternative, and it’s preferred by many to state-run sites for those not located within New Jersey borders. Some of the other sites that rank highly are Bovada, BetOnline, SportsBetting, ACR, Black Chip Poker and Intertops. As state by state rollouts occur, we will continue to keep you updated on when PokerStars will make it to your state.
Can You Play PokerStars in the USA?
Online Poker Not Worth It Game
Real money online poker play on PokerStars is currently only available if you are visiting or living within New Jersey. PokerStars will be in more USA states in the near future, and Pennsylvania could be the second state to welcome PokerStars in the USA. Mandarin palace online casino bonus codes.
PokerStars, also owner of Full Tilt Poker, sold their gambling business to Amaya Gaming for $4.9 billion in a legal strategy to enter the U.S. under the pretense that they are a ‘new company’. Players are still choosing to play at safe offshore poker sites such as Ignition Poker and BetOnline, due to 50-state acceptance. PokerStars is partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, and their main competition in the state is WSOP/888 and Borgata/PartyPoker.
Online Poker Not Worth It 2017
Meanwhile legal online poker is available in Delaware and Nevada, but PokerStars has yet to acquire a license in either state. Online poker legislation in big markets like New York and California has been considered, but never passed. It appears PokerStars is years away from offering games in those states.
If you do not live in either Nevada or Delaware, we highly recommend Ignition Poker or Betonline.ag which are safe and trusted sites that service all 50 USA states. On the real money poker sites reviews page, we provide a comprehensive look at how each online poker site has been ranked and what factors have been considered most important when reviewing online poker rooms.
Make no mistake, online poker is definitely legal in the USA. It’s 100% legal for you to play, so you don’t have to worry about getting arrested.
How Many Players on Pokerstars?
PokerStars remains the largest poker site on the internet with tens of thousands of players logging in on a weekly basis. PokerStars traffic is far superior to any other poker website and it controls over 50% of the market.
The sale of PokerStars has now changed the game in the US market. It is a prerequisite for any online casino that operates with a US license to also have or be partners with a U.S. operated “land-based” casino. PokerStars partnered with Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ. Unfortunately, PokerStars has struggled with its NJ-based traffic.
PokerStars also made a massive deal with gigantic casino conglomerate Eldorado Resorts, which operates properties across 12 different states. The US government has to be pleased that PokerStars is playing ball and infusing the US market with plenty of cash.
When Will PokerStars Return to the USA?
PokerStars USA is operating an online poker and casino site in New Jersey as of March 21, 2016. Preliminary negotiations to purchase the Atlantic Club in NJ failed, but a partnership with Resorts Casino Hotel was completed. It also has plans to launch a site in Pennsylvania in the near future.
The brand wasn’t forced into a file labelled, “bad actor” clause, mentioned in recent law which made it harder for poker sites that operated in the US during illegal times to re-enter, despite having paid over an estimated $850 million in fines publicly. Not to mention what has transpired behind closed doors.
Good Faith Will Not Prevail?
While some US states have been reluctant to allow PokerStars back, it should be noted that the company bailed out tens of thousands of American poker players by purchasing the embattled Full Tilt Poker after the events of Black Friday. Full Tilt famously didn’t have funds on hand to repay its players.
PokerStars was simply a better-run business and separated their player accounts from operating expenses. It was therefore an easy task for PokerStars to immediately pay back its players after they were forced out of the US market in 2011. PokerStars was also better at becoming a global poker business with much of its player traffic coming from outside the USA.
This act of good faith in which hundreds of millions were dealt back in the form of penalties and bailouts satisfied US officials. It was an example of responsible gaming. As more and more casinos based in the USA secure their licenses to operate, PokerStars will likely be entering several of these state-regulated markets.
When Will I Be Able to Play PokerStars in my State?
Online Poker Not Worth It Now
We have in-depth real money online poker guides for many of the US states that are updated whenever there are changes to state legislation. Unfortunately, there’s no clear-cut guide to when online poker will be legalized in each US state. For now, it appears that progress will only occur at the state level and a federal online poker bill is still just a pipe dream.
There are some states that have a higher chance of legalizing and regulated online poker in the near future, however. We keep close track on some of the more progressive states and try to give our readers some insight into which states could be closing in on legalization. You can take a deeper dive into your states specific laws in regards to PokerStars and all online poker laws with our state-by-state guides.
Online Poker USA Law State-by-State Guides
You can refer to the legal status of online poker in every US state here:
Alabama – Arizona – Arkansas – California – Colorado – Connecticut – Georgia – Idaho – Iowa – Kansas – Maine – Maryland – Massachusetts – Michigan – Minnesota – Mississippi – Montana – Nebraska – New Hampshire – New Mexico – North Carolina – North Dakota – Ohio – Oklahoma – Pennsylvania – Rhode Island – South Carolina – Tennessee – Vermont – West Virginia – Wyoming
The Entire History of PokerStars in the USA
PokerStars has a fascinating history in the online poker industry with a substantial portion of it taking place in the USA.
2000s
- Now a billion-dollar, publicly-traded company, PokerStars had rather humble beginnings.
- It began in the early 2000s as a Costa Rican company called Rational Enterprises that was majority owned by Israeli-Canadian Isai Scheinberg.
- PokerStars was just one of many of the early real-money online poker operators including PartyPoker, Pacific Poker (Now 888poker) and Tropical Poker.
2003 – 2006
- PokerStars claim to fame came in 2003 when an accountant named Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event 2003-2006 Las Vegas after qualifying on the site.
- Moneymaker was the first player to win the Main Event after qualifying online and helped create the so-called “poker boom” of the early 2000s.
- PokerStars quickly became a favorite amongst poker players for its secure deposits, reliable support team and booming cash games.
2006 – 2011
- The poker boom was stifled early on when the US government passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 that led to publicly-traded companies like PartyPoker getting forced to leave the US market altogether.
- UIGEA had the opposite effect on PokerStars, because PokerStars was a privately-held company, it remained in the US market and quickly took the reins as the most popular online poker site in the world.
2011 – 2016
- The gravy train came to an end in 2011 when the Department of Justice seized the .com addresses of three online poker sites: PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute/UltimateBet.
- Online poker players referred to the day as “Black Friday”. It would be years before PokerStars would be allowed to re-enter the US market.
2016 – Today
- PokerStars continued to flourish on the international market and was purchased by Amaya Gaming in a massive $4.9 billion deal in 2014. Subsequently the first officially licensed online poker sites in the USA start to pop up in 2014.
- New Jersey became the first state to allow PokerStars back in 2016.
- Pennsylvania is set to follow suit in 2019 but for now PokerStars NJ is the only game in town.
Unfortunately, many other states remain a pipe dream and it will likely be decades before PokerStars is allowed to operate in the entirety of the USA.