07:58
24 Sep
24 Sep
(Photo: Pokerstars.com)
By Matt Perry. August 17, 2016. In Parody Poker News. In a scandal sure to rock the world of online poker, perhaps even above and beyond the level of the UltimateBet and Full Tilt incidents, a major poker site has admitted to rigging their shuffles after being confronted by Dave McDermott of London, England. “PokerSuns is rigged,” he wrote on Four Plus Four Forums. Our PokerStars Casino review features the latest bonus information – including a PokerStars Casino bonus code for their welcome bonus – plus the casino games, VIP program, payouts and more. PokerStars is one of the world’s leading poker sites that was founded back in 2001 by The Stars Group. There is no proof that Pokerstars algorythms are in any way 'rigged'. External auditory is performed on its dealing system. Anyway you can ask for 15.000 extra chips every 4 hours so I don't think they're getting too much from players buying play money. The limit is probably set to prevent players from endlessly going all-in every hand. Okay guys, me and my fellow poker player study group came to conclusion that stars is rigged. This is for real, no joke. Just take a look. Every hand is like this. Is PokerStars Rigged or Legit & Legal? Unlike some of the more historic operators, Pokerstars is extremely young in comparison. It was founded in Costa Rica around 2001, making it one of the oldest bookmakers we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.
PokerStars remains without question the most popular online poker room out there even after all these years and attempts by other sites to dethrone it. And it is NOT even close - they have by far the best software optimized to enhance the experience of both the grinder and recreational player, the most variety of games, and the most traffic. PokerStars also has arguably the best support and until recently, the site run by Amaya even had some of the best rewards in the industry. Of course, this isn’t the case anymore since the Supernova Elite level is basically obsolete and just two weeks ago, the site announced a new major VIP Club revamp that could trim down the rewards even more.
Even so, nobody can really compete with PokerStars and that’s why it is the most beloved and yes, the most hated poker room on the internet. Many earned lots of money playing there but even more lost fortunes. And that’s where Fuckpokerstars.com comes in, a place dedicated to all those who lost their bankroll on PS and think that their RNG is rigged. But is it really? Or are those haters just sore losers who want to blame somebody other than themselves? And is this Fuckpokerstars.com worth mentioning? Well to some degree it is and you will have the read the next lines to find out why.
(Photo: Fuckpokerstars.com)
1.4 Million Hands And Some Pretty Interesting Results
Besides their countless horror hands that you can experience yourself by just grinding online poker and some very questionable plays in the process (basically how NOT to play your big hands), Fuckpokerstars.com made an interesting experiment tracking milions of tournaments on PokerStars and filtering only the situations in which two or more players were all-in preflop. The outcome was 1,360,000 tournament hands selected and analyzed carefully.
All those hands were grouped into four categories: 80% chances of winning the hand versus 20% - basically pairs vs. smaller pairs - 70% versus 30% - situations like Ace-King versus Ace-Queen so basically bigger kicker vs. smaller kicker or pair vs. one overcard - 60% versus 40% - two cards versus two smaller cards like Jack-Ten versus Seven-Eight - and flips close to 50% versus 50% - basically pair versus two overcards.
The results were somewhat interesting: the standard deviation - which is what one should expect based on statistics/mathematics minus the actual results - was well within limits in the coinflips and the 60/40 situations. In the 80/20 and 70/30 situations though, the deviation was off: in the pair vs. smaller pair situation, the overpair actually won 72.7% of the time which is indeed way under the expected 81%. In the 70/30 kind-of hands, the smaller kicker won the pot 41% of the time which is way above the expected 30%. According to Fuckpokerstars.com, over 475,000 70/30 hands were analyzed so this deviation seems to be something more than just plain-ol’ variance.
Moreover, in the Ax vs. Ax battles, the Ace with the smaller kicker won the hand 4% more than it should have been. And the Ax vs. pocket air battles, the Ax won at showdown 12% more often than what math usually tells us. Aces galore on PokerStars right?
Editor’s Take - The Truth Is Out There!
Well, for one who has played a fair amount of tournaments on PokerStars as of late, this is not quite news. Indeed, as you play more and more on PS, you start to believe that Ace with a higher kicker is actually more of a coinflip versus Ace with a lower kicker or that your big pocket pair doesn’t win often enough against the Ax type-of-hands where x is smaller than your pair (a standard 70/30 situation one might say). And yes, you would even agree that the action postflop is way over the limit - big hands running into bigger and bigger and bigger hands - compared to some other smaller online poker sites. But does this mean PokerStars is rigged? Or maybe, just maybe, our process thinking is actually flawed?
Yes, it is true, ALL online poker sites, including PS, need to be audited seriously by public organizations that actually care about the safety of its citizens and not by private companies based on some financial heavens like the Fuckpokerstars.com petition suggests. We all know scam sites like Ultimate Bet and Absolute Poker were both audited by such private companies and let’s not forget what flaws their software had. But to call PokerStars scammy is way over-the-top. What we should do first is actually look in the mirror, study our play and see what we have actually done wrong and how we could have played a certain hand better. We actually remember a bad beat much clearer than a hand in which we cracked somebody’s Aces so maybe that’s why poker feels unfair sometimes.
And since you want to play on the biggest poker site of them all, don't forget to think about variance as well - you will play MTTs on PokerStars against thousands of players so you will have to win many, many flips not to mention give several bad beats in the process to emerge victorious. However, if you play on a smaller site with only several hundred players per MTT, you will have to win way less hands in order to reach the top of the ladder. And if you think there’s too much action on PS, think of how many flops are dealt with every second of the day. Or maybe think of this year’s WSOP Main Event and it’s crazy action with many quads and big hands vs. Bigger hands situations.
And if you aren’t still convinced, how about trying out an exercise a friend of mine always does when he thinks the site is robbing him? Just take a deck of cards, shuffle it yourself, deal like in a regular Holdem game and behold the RNG in action. How many bad beats did you see?
Now, is the whole game of poker rigged?
What do you think? Is PokerStars rigged? Is maybe the whole online poker rigged? Or do we have a flawed process thinking when it comes to the game we love most? Be sure to share your opinion in the comment section below.
While doing research for this guide, I read hundreds of pages of 2+2’s PokerStars Improvement Thread and played tons of hours of online poker at PokerStars.com. I’ve also been in the online poker industry for well over a decade, from before PokerStars ever got started. With that said, let’s get started on the PokerStars review.
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PokerStars Pros & Cons
Pros
- Secure and Safe Online Poker Site.
- Massive Opportunity for Gaming.
- Quality Customer Support.
- Great promotional opportunities.
Cons
- Low US Player availability.
- No Live Chat Support.
About PokerStars.com
Since 2006, PokerStars has reigned as the most popular online poker room in the world – and not only has it been in the lead, it has dominated its competition.
For instance, according to PokerScout.com, PokerStars’ cash game traffic at its lowest hours is still twice as high as its nearest competition’s traffic at peak hours. At the time of writing, PokerStars has about 19,000 cash-game players online while the second busiest site (888 Poker) has about 3,000.
Not one competitor comes even close to PokerStars. But for how long?
Is PokerStars legit? Safety and security
When choosing an online poker room, players want a place that is safe and secure. At PokerStars, only the latest technology is used to ensure that gameplay is fair, player data is secure, and all financial transactions are safe. When it comes to fairness, PokerStars has game integrity experts who work to ensure that no player has an advantage over another. Software security is in place as well, to keep the quality of gameplay at the highest level.
PokerStars also holds their licensing within the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. This commission was created in 1962 and ensures the regulation of online gambling activities. Huuuge casino pc. With this backing and the standards PokerStars upholds, players can rest assured they are going to experience legit game play.
Opening your PokerStars account
With our PokerStars review, you can easily learn how to open a new account. Below you will find step-by-step instructions to get you started.
- Download the online poker software from PokerStars
- Open the software via the quick-start icon, should be labeled “PokerStars”
- Once opened, choose ‘Create a new account now”
- From here, you will be able to set up your Stars Account
PokerStar Bonus
Bonuses are readily available at PokerStars, especially for new members. To begin, new players to the site can access $30 in Free Play. Deposit $20 or more with the bonus code THIRTY to earn this extra bonus cash. The $30 in Free Play includes Spin & Go Tickets plus bonus cash.
Another option for new players is the 100% deposit bonus worth up to $600. This bonus can be accessed by using the code STAR600 and depositing via three qualifying deposits within a 60-day time frame. After depositing, players will need to play real money games. During gameplay, redemption points are earned. Players will earn 5 redemption points for every $1 paid in rake or tournament fees.
Player Traffic and Tournament Prizepools
Even though the recent changes have been unpleasant (to say the least), PokerStars is lightyears ahead of others when it comes to cash game player traffic and tournament prize pools. Volume makes a huge difference and PokerStars has ten times the volume of its closest competitor. For a poker player who cares about the art of game selection (as any winning player should), there’s no better place to play at than PokerStars.com.
While there is a high level of traffic at PokerStars, the game quality is among the poorest in all of online poker. Grinders play a dozen or more tables at a time. There are also problems with bum-hunting, meaning serious players will only go up against weaker ones. Some of the recent changes have tried to combat this, but it has not been effective.
PokerStars real money deposit and withdrawals
Now that you have your PokerStars account created, its time to learn about deposits and withdrawals. There are options for players to enjoy PokerStars via desktop and mobile, so game play can be enjoyed at home or on the go. PokerStars bitcoin, WebMoney, Visa, MasterCard and many more options are available for deposit and withdrawal depending on your location.
- Desktop Cashier
- In the desktop version, you will need to open the software and click on Cashier then the Make a Deposit tab. Select the deposit option you wish to use and click Deposit. Enter the amount and use a bonus code if it applies. Click submit and once your transaction is processed, you are ready to play.
- Mobile Cashier
- Log in to the PokerStars app via your mobile device using your Stars ID. Be sure you log in via the real money tab. Choose the Deposit button to open the cashier. With an iOS device you will find the Cashier button at the bottom of the screen. On Android, you will need to choose the navigation menu at the top left corner to find the cashier. Choose your payment option, preferred currency and amount of deposit. Follow the instructions to complete your transaction.
When choosing your payment method, you will need to choose an option available to your country. PokerStars offers varying financial methods based on location. Players in one location may have access to more deposit and withdrawal options based on their home country. Be sure to check what options are open to you and select the preferred method when depositing.
Software Quality
For several years now, I’ve ranked PokerStars’ software as the second best in the world, right behind Full Tilt. For me, Full Tilt had something special, but PokerStars has always had good software as well which obviously appeals to plenty of people. Full Tilt was folded into PokerStars in May 2016, leaving PokerStars as the top software in the online poker industry.
What’s so good about the software, then? Well, for one, it works (or at least worked before the latest major update). It’s easy on the eye, and even more importantly, it’s easy to use. Online poker has been around for over 15 years now and it’s mind-boggling how few online poker rooms still have a top quality software, and PokerStars happens to be one of the rare sites who do.
Playing on PokerStars on your mobile device
With our PokerStars review, we wanted to cover mobile device use as most players want to take their online poker gaming on the go. The very same features and support can be found on mobile, allowing players to move from desktop to mobile with ease, never missing out on poker opportunities. With the mobile cashier, players will be able to manage their bankroll, making deposits via the Mobile poker application.
To get started, players will need to download the application on their mobile device. PokerStars offers mobile gaming via iPad, iPhone, and Android devices. Once downloaded, players can log in and begin able to enjoy poker cash games or tournaments from anywhere!
The big benefit of mobile gaming is being able to play at any time from anywhere. You are no longer tethered to your desktop computer and can log on anywhere you like.
PokerStars Customer Support
You don’t get to be the top online poker site in the world by providing bad customer support. PokerStars is a professional online poker operation and they will treat you that way. They’re also active in online gambling communities by answering to members’ questions, solving their problems and asking for feedback.
The customer support personnel aren’t to blame for the decisions the directors of the company have made regarding the recent (mostly negative) changes. If anything, their job has become harder since people are surely complaining more nowadays.
Is Pokerstars Rigged Even With Free Money
I have no complaints regarding the customer support department (except for the lack of phone support which could come in handy). But the way PokerStars takes care of its customers as a company (again, referring to the recent changes) has changed for the worse and that bothers me (and judging by all the comments made online, bother a lot of other people too). With that said, it is still among the best in terms of how it handles player complaints and support issues.
Amaya Acquisition
…the ability to fight off the ABCs of business decay, which are arrogance, bureaucracy and complacency. When these corporate cancers metastasize, even the strongest of companies can falter.Warren Buffett
Only time will tell if Amaya is making smart business decisions. But I can tell you something right now: plenty of PokerStars customers are disappointed by 2 major changes, first, it has cut back on costs and second, Amaya increased fees. These changes have lead to a worse user experience.
How the Amaya acquisition has affected PokerStars
Not only is it more expensive to play at PokerStars due to the increase in rake fees in both cash games and tournaments, and the decrease in the VIP benefits, they now seem less and less willing to promote poker by cutting out affiliate marketers and terminating contracts with Team PokerStars Pros all the while launching online casino games and sportbooks.
They’ve also decreased the quality of the playing experience. When it comes to significant software updates in any business, you’ll have long-time users who aren’t fond of the changes but it eventually grows on them. In this case, lots of players started experiencing significant lags after the software update from what’s called PokerStars 6 to PokerStars 7. Players are now reporting continuous lags, sometimes to the point where the tables are frozen for several minutes while multi-table tournaments are running (the lags seem especially bad for multi-tablers).
But why is this happening?
If the rumors on poker forums are to be believed – not always a good idea – Amaya has also cut back on server costs which, in turn, has caused its customers to experience significant lags. A PokerStars representative took part in 2+2 forum’s discussion with the following quote:
Unfortunately, lags have continued long after the tournament was held. And it was a weak response either way since we’ve already seen PokerStars host the biggest tournaments online ever. If the problem is on server-side, then the server-side isn’t what it used to be.
And that, in turn, is in line with the rumors. Amaya Gaming has since changed names to Stars Group to reflect its largest holding.
Conclusion
PokerStars may still be the best option for online poker players around the world (US players are prohibited) but its quality has gone downhill recently. However, it’s hard to argue against the massive amounts of player traffic and tournament prizepools which tower over all of PokerStars’ competitors, in addition to other types of promotions that PokerStars is better-equipped to offer than its significantly smaller competition.
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Is Pokerstars Rigged
PokerStars rated 4.4 /5
Reviewed by Trusted Poker Sites.
Reviewed by Trusted Poker Sites.