My Opinion On Bad Beats Online

All over the forum, players post stories of bad beats online and complain that this doesn't happen as often in live play. I want to share my opinion on this matter.

"These bad beats don't happen in live play!"

Then every time we get the usual responses:

"You play more hands, so you will experience more bad beats."


First let me state that if you play on a reputable site like Full Tilt or PokerStars, the integrity of their software is solid. Honestly, it just makes no sense to cheat players. It's just too much of a risk. If you want more info, this is the ultimate thread regarding the subject of online poker rigged: Is Online Poker Rigged?

While it is true that (more hands played = more bad beats), I feel many are missing an important factor: Anonymity

Let's all be honest. We all did stupid stuff online because well, simply.... no one can reach across the computer screen and punch you in the face.

When you play online poker, you have the power of anonymity. You can get away with running the timebank down everytime, a hit and run, and talking trash at the table all while feeling little to no embarrassment.

You can also make outrageous plays. This is what I feel is a huge factor that contributes to experiencing more bad beats online. This is why your A high set on the flop gets outdrawn by a 4 outer on the river to make a straight.

In real life play, you would feel embarrassed to flip those cards over after calling an all in on the flop to try and complete a gutshot, online, it's just another player willing to gamble a bit.

So in conclusion, the strong sense of anonymity online will encourage players to make risky decisions, which is why you experience more bad beats.

I disagree I see just as stupid plays live as I see online. It is simply a matter of more hands, think about it your sitting in a casino at a poker table how many hands are you getting in an hour? 25-30, 35-40 if you have a super fast dealer? Compare that to online when your getting in most cases 65+ hands an hour. Badbeats would happen just as much in live as online if the hands per hour were equal. Another reason I disagree is that by making a bad play live a player can physically see a person upset and on tilt, whereas online your not sure how upset they are, I for one when hit with a bad beat will not tilt online as easily as in live.

These bad beats DO happen in live play I have probably received 2 of the worst bad beats you can get and both were in live play.

First on was a home game tourny 27 players at $60 buyin paying 5 places, were down to final 6 I'm sitting 2nd in chips blinds are 1k/2k I have around 74,000 Im in the cutoff with 10 10 so i raise to 8k folds around to BB who happens to be chip leader and reraises to 16k. Right away I put him on AA or KK so I just call to see a flop if i mss I can get away from the hand. Flop comes 10 10 6, he gives me no option because he just pushes the flop well of course I'm calling faster than anything we flip over and he is not happy until it comes Runner Runner A to give him bigger quads and me on the rail.

The second happened at Mountaineer in a 1/2 game I started with the max of $300 and played for 12 hours with my stack going up and down. So i'm right at about $325 and decide i'm going to play for 1/2 hour longer and then take off, because it's 1am and I still have a 1 1/2 hour drive home. About 10 minuts later I get AA on the Button UTG raises to $12 folds around to guy 2 seats to my right who reraises to $25 so I jsut call wanting to hide the strength of my hand and UTG calls also. Flop comes
K Q A rainbow, UTG bets out $75 the other player pushes all in for $455 now its on me, now I can pretty much rule out 10 J as both of them were solid players and would never call a reraise and a call or would they reraise with it so I'm 99% sure I have the best hand so I call for my remaing $300 and UTG who is sitting with about $1100 in front of him calls also, dealer gets the pots straightened out and we flip our cards, UTG has QQ, other guy has KK, and I of course AA. My heart is pumping so fast at the thought of taking down a $900+ pot. Dealer burns and turns a 4 and then burns and rivers a Q a MFing Q. It's the only time I have every literally almost vomited on the table I couldn't believe that card came.

So yes those bad beats do happen Live

I understand bad beats happen live and offline, but I'm arguing that players online are more capable of making risky calls to try to catch something, while in live, they would be too embarrassed to make such a decision.

I believe you're trying to say that the amount of bad beats is equal to the amount onlinel it's just that they are both in a different time frame. I do agree to a extent, but I feel that online play gives players a better opportunity to make decision that would cause an upset.

I mean common, you've seen the funky plays that goes on at online tables. Players calling all in with rags just to see what happens for the heck of it. I don't think the same player would feel to comfortable in real life smirking at the guy after calling with J3 offsuit to his pocket aces and making a boat. Everyone at the table would think you're a douche bag.

I hope you get what I'm trying to say. If the guy online didn't call with J3, then the upset would of never happened. Online, people make dick moves like that just for the heck of it, in real life, it's more rare.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong. I've seen some of your threads, and I understand you play at respectable limits, I'm just trying to make a argument pal. : )

Those bad beats suffered by Grossberger are horrendous.

Thats percisley what i'm saying I have seen it many times players making horrible calls with junk hands. I was playing a tournament down at mountaineer dude has $25000 in front of him and the blinds are 200/400 hes the button has a raise in front of him for 2400 he calls flop is 5 9 K rainbow original raiser bets out 7500 buttone pushes over the top all in and guy snap calls flipping over pocket Kings button smiles and says oops and flips over 34 off turn is a 2 river is a 6. and i have seen other plays from different people very similar to that one.

Bottom line I don't think it matters where you play your gonna see very bad players make stupid plays and catch to be a far superior hand. Again it goes back to other topics I have commented on, I think its more due to poker being on T.V. and edited the way it is. You see a pro raise with 4 7 off and flop a straight so bad players think they can do it also. When in reality that same pro probably folded 15-20 hands before that and may have even laid down a monster thinking someone had a better hand.