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Breidr

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So I've decided to take the plunge and try online poker with some cash. It's actually pretty convenient that I get rewards from my job in the form of prepaid gift cards ranging from $20-50 dollars. Don't factor the reward money into my income, so it's safe money to play around with.

I mean if I were to lose it at poker, I'd still be getting more entertainment value out of ut then going to see a movie with my fiance, which would also cost me about 50 dollars [roughly $38 give or take actually]. A stretch, but not an unrealistic comparison.


I've downloaded some software onto my computer from the main sites I'm looking into: ACR, ignition, and Bet Online. It all seems functionally the same.

ACR and Bet Online seem to have similar traffic for what I'm interested in. penny poker tables and cheap tournaments.

Ignition won't let me see the tables and the limits actually start at .02/.05. Which is higher than the other sites. I could buy twice as many chips at ACR/Bet as opposed to Ignition.

I do like the anonymous tables and the way things work at ignition, so it might be worth the increase. I really have no knowledge about online poker or what constitutes "good" over "bad."

I'm just a recreational player that wants to play poker with meaning [even if it is just pennies] and have some fun. Maybe lay down a few dollars for a tournament on a rainy weekend.
 
BenjiHustle

BenjiHustle

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Join Global Poker (after reading up about it, of course).
 
vinnie

vinnie

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I haven't played on Ignition in a long time, since they moved from Bovada. But, the play is very weak and few players are using trackers. It would be a good choice. If you are using PT4 or HEM (which is unlikely considering your post), then they won't work on there. It may be higher at the lowest stakes, but you will find $5NL on there to be as weak as $2NL on the other sites. If I wasn't going to use a tracker and HUD, this would be the site I play on. Be sure to download your hand histories, you get to see all the cards after 24 hours... which is a nice bonus for learning and review.

BetOnline has higher rake than the other two sites. In general, this won't be something that you notice. The games appear weak, but I have only been playing $2PLO on there (1c/2c) with some freeroll winnings. I don't know much about the hold'em, but I assume it's pretty weak also. Currently 8 tables (mix of 6 and 9 max) running at $2NL.

ACR tends to have more game selection, but more of the players are using trackers and the play tends to be a bit more sane and probably slightly tougher. It is probably a little tougher than the other sites, but should be easy enough at $2NL. Again, I only have PLO experience on ACR, but I have looked at the Hold'em lobby and they usually have a bunch of games. Currently 26 tables (mix of 6 and 9 max) running at $2NL. So, more game selection.
 
BenjiHustle

BenjiHustle

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For the sites mentioned, ACR is tough. It's infested with regs and they even have a group of streamers known as the ACR Stormers that are supported by the site. The only plus-side to playing there is that they offer hassle-free rakeback directly through them.

BetOnline is softer, but they have problems with player pool size. ACR does too, but not nearly as bad.

Ignition has the biggest player pool and the softest and would be a great choice if not for their terrible software.


Global Poker has the softest field, with the best software (though it is browser-based), and they give you $2 to start with. I think Global is a no doubter.
 
B

Breidr

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I'm intrigued by Global Poker, but it seems a little sketchy. I guess in theory I would never have to make a deposit, so I have nothing to lose, so there's that.

I'll have to do a bit more research into this whole sweepstakes thing and how withdraw works as that seems to be the biggest issue with folks.
 
BenjiHustle

BenjiHustle

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My ID verification was done in under 24 hours and I was paid in another 12 hours, so as far as withdrawal goes, my experience is that it's very quick and smooth.

The sweepstakes is basically just a way to make it fall under lottery law by saying that each hand is a sweepstakes.
 
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