Poker News

There isn’t a single high volume player out there these days who doesn’t enjoy the benefits of rake rebate in some form. It goes without saying that taking advantage of a sort of loyalty set up which doesn’t require any sort of extra efforts on the part of the player whatsoever is a must for everyone who thinks of him or herself as knowledgeable when it comes to online poker. While square poker rakeback deals are not only extremely popular but quite ubiquitous at the higher stakes, fewer players know of the benefits of poker propping.

What exactly is poker propping though? Online poker propping is the same as poker propping in live casinos – an activity which has in fact quite a history to look back on. Online poker props are tasked with the exact same mission that their live peers have been given for years in various live gambling establishments across America and the world: they have to generate action, because without action, an online poker room can simply not function. Poker is a social game and the social aspect is indeed something that permeates its actual gameplay as well as the appeal of the individual games. If a player logs into an online poker room and sees that there is no one there whatsoever, he won’t just leave, he will in fact probably make a mental note never to return there again. By hiring poker props, online poker rooms can make sure that there is always some sort of action at the tables, thus avoiding the above described fiasco. Once critical player liquidity is reached (which basically means that there are players that the majority of the tables the majority of the time), poker rooms can take it easier with their props. The problem however is, there always seems to be a poker variant or a blinds level which just doesn’t get enough action, therefore players willing to accept the extra requirements and expectations that poker rooms have towards them will always find propping opportunities, even at some of the bigger operations.

Above, we have said that poker rooms “hired” their props, which shouldn’t be taken in its traditional sense. While they do indeed pay their players extra for the services that they provide, they don’t do it in the traditional way: they don’t actually hand them money, instead, they offer them an outrageously generous rake rebate deal. Indeed, some of these deals are so great that they in fact end up paying players for the time they spend at the poker tables. Such deals offer a rake rebate rate of more than 100%. Poker props who enjoy deals of 100% can safely say that they play rake free. Those who have played a hand or two at the various online poker rooms, can attest to the fact that while apparently insignificant, the poker rake is indeed a formidable adversary for the marginally successful player. Poker propping sites will also confirm the fact that they have managed to turn many a previously losing player into a winning one, through their poker pro deals.

Due to the extraordinarily invasive and persistent marketing campaign launched by the scores of Forex trading affiliates that have popped up everywhere during the last few years, the whole idea of trading through the foreign exchange market has been trivialized to a point where no one seems to be giving a rusty penny about it. Indeed there is little value in binary options trading or Forex trading for the layman these days. People sign up, they do a few trades, they get hit by the extremely adverse odds and then they fade away. That is the story of the average Forex trader recruited through the often dubious marketing tricks used by various shady affiliates and binary options trading portals out there. The truth however is that there is still plenty of value in the Forex for those who come pre-equipped with the set of skills required for success. Poker players and online poker players represent an extremely good pool of candidates for Forex trading success. I’ve read an article recently in a prestigious online mag about how binary options trading and Forex trading was especially appealing to those who played poker online. Although the way the statement was put in the said article was meant to be offensive to poker players and Forex traders alike, there was a fundamental truth to it: there is a reason why poker players in general and poker props in particular make above average Forex traders: these guys are all familiar with analytical thinking, with the science of odds and with the spotting of various human behavior patterns. These are all skills needed to make someone a good Forex trader.

Successful poker players are often faced with a conundrum: while most of them are fully aware that they need to diversify their avenues of generating revenue, the majority of them have grown so one-sidedly dependent on their poker skills that they find it nearly impossible to come up with a financially feasible solution. The worst thing such poker players can do is to take their hard earned poker winnings to the online casino tables. While in poker – much like in Forex trading – they can rely on their skills and their abilities to turn the mathematical odds in their favor, by taking up sports betting or casino gambling, they will simply undermine this edge, cutting their skills and abilities out of the equation. Needless to say, that is definitely not the right way to go about what they’re trying to achieve.

Forex trading on the other hand is a lot like online poker. The proposition itself is an extremely simple one: one uses the foreign exchange market to acquire currency at a certain cost, and he or she then waits till the price of the said currency goes up so he or she can sell at a profit. Much like in poker, the actual mechanics involved are extremely simple however the strategic aspects that will enable traders to become profitable over the long term are quite infinitely intricate. There is quite a bit of strategy involved with the spotting and exploiting of various trading signals, and good poker players (poker props) will soon find themselves completely entangled in these strategic aspects of trading.

Interestingly enough, people always seem to talk about Forex trading in binary options trading as if they were two completely separate entities. The truth is however that one can in fact trade Forex binary options without any sort of difficulties. As matter of fact, Forex binaries seem to be some of the most popular binary options traded.

The advantages offered by the foreign exchange market are numerous and obvious. An over-the-counter market, the foreign exchange market is not limited by any sort of physical framework. It is a truly global market that never sleeps, therefore one will always find plenty of liquidity and plenty of attractive options: all that is needed is a proper strategy to take advantage of all these awesome assets.

Quite possibly one of the most attractive advantages offered by Forex trading is leverage. Leverage makes it possible for those on relatively meager bankrolls (which does indeed include the majority of beginner traders) to generate much bigger trade volumes than they would ever be able to anywhere else. Of course, increased leverage comes with increased risks for the investor, but that too is part of the game.

Exactly how does one start out in Forex trading? What the ever-present Forex ads suggest is that one only needs to jump right into the middle and begin trading chaotically left and right in order to generate revenue. That of course, is false. The odds are piled rather high against beginners. In order to make any sort of headway, one will have to take advantage of the special offerings of brokers like Intellitraders.com, which offer not only a crash course in strategy and in various trading signals in addition to no deposit try-out, but also offer expert alerts that beginners can use to generate some early revenue while being able to observe the mechanics of profitable trading in motion. Such portals will effectively ease players into the flow of Forex trading action, holding their hands every step of the way until they feel they are capable of breaking out on their own. This is the way to establish a successful Forex trading presence, and whoever chooses to strike out on his own from the beginning will have to learn the hard way that making money online through these trades isn’t exactly a simple proposition after all.

Poker props are players who are basically paid by online poker rooms to provide action at their tables. While some of the poker props have been successful players without enjoying the benefits of propping, the majority of them seem to be players who used to be marginal losers before discovering propping and the giant edge provided by it. Poker props are paid through rakeback, which means that they are offered incredible rake rebate deals in exchange for their services. There isn’t a single online poker prop out there who does not understand that being a breakeven player will never suffice at the green felt. Breakeven players or those who are able to eke out marginal profits, will fall victim to the poker rake to the last man. It’s simple mathematics but it is just as cruel as it is straightforward. Signing up for a poker prop deal on the other hand will completely do away with the disadvantages of the poker rake, allowing the above said marginally successful players to thrive.

With all the above in mind, it is safe to say that there isn’t a single poker prop out there who does not understand how a seemingly adverse proposition can be completely turned around on a technicality. Poker players in general do in fact understand that they are faced with adverse odds when they hit the green felt and that they are supposed to alter those odds radically through poker strategy and through sheer skill. Those who are successful have all the skills in place to make money not only at the online poker tables but also at the various binary options trading brokers out there – although they may not yet know it.

The time comes in a successful poker player’s career when he or she will have to consider reinvesting the money generated at the green felt through a different sort of investment/activity. It is called diversifying one’s portfolio, or simply not keeping all of one’s eggs in the same basket. This is where otherwise sound and considerate poker players often go haywire. Having been already exposed to the atmosphere of the casino and of the various gambling opportunities, many such players get caught up in the wile web of problem gambling. They take up casino gambling or sports betting, thinking that they’ll be able to manufacture the same sort of edge they were able to secure the poker tables, and while some do indeed get it right, most of them fail miserably because being successful at sports betting requires a different set of skills than success at the green felt. TJ Cloutier and Brad Booth are only two of the most radical examples of this respect. Others, like Phil Ivey, have been known to walk away with major profits from various casinos. Regardless of whether or not you, as a successful poker player, are capable of generating money from sports betting or casino gambling, your winnings are much better reinvested through binary options trading. Now binary options may not deliver the same kick as the one they experience when betting on sports, but the great thing about this form of trading is that it calls upon the same set of skills that good poker players come pre-equipped with: analytical thinking, pattern-tracking and the recognition and exploitation of various behavioral patterns and tendencies. At first glance, binary options trading may not be a truly profitable proposition. Those versed in the science of odds will be able to see from the get go that the odds are indeed piled quite thickly against the layman. While most brokers advertise 70 to 80% profit rates, those are in fact payout rates, which basically means that one is dealing with a 30 to 20% house edge. Even online casinos offer better odds than that, right?

Well, they do if one never makes the slightest effort to devise and apply some sort of strategy to his binary options trading. In that case, one is indeed much better off hitting the online casino tables. Poker players in general and poker props in particular know however that any game that allows them to manufacture an edge is in fact a great proposition for them. One can do nothing about the online casino house edge, but when it comes to binary options trading, there is indeed plenty one can learn in order to significantly distort those unfavorable initial odds.

There are binary options trading portals out there like Intellitraders.com, which are not just looking to recruit new traders, they’re also keen on getting these players hooked and keeping them in the fold for the long run by offering them the tools to become successful from the get-go. Such portals will provide their beginners with experts alerts, allowing them to generate a profit even before they get the hang of basic trading strategies. They then gradually ease them into the flow, providing guidance every step of the way and ever binary option trading.

It is indeed easy for a mathematically sound online poker player to get hooked on binary options. The seemingly simple proposition is in fact infinitely intricate behind the scenes, leaving the player tons of room to maneuver. The bottom line is that by taking advantage of the demo accounts, the strategy guidance and the experts alerts offered by most of the binary options brokers out there, poker players will find it a cinch to turn binary options trading into a lucrative secondary source of revenue, one that will be completely independent from their green felt capers.

Terminal Pokers latest promotion is their Big Tech campaign which runs from November 12 – 25.

The Big Tech campaign means you can win electronic items and cash prizes, with the big prize being TWO new iPhone 5′s.

The ways to win the iPhone 5 is in their Raked Hands Race and the second part of the promotion which is the Participation Prize.

Rake Hands Race participants will win prizes including iPhone 5, iPad 3 and cash prizes of up to 100 euros.

Participation Prizes are won by a lottery ticket style for players who qualify by playing 14 tournaments in the campaign period and 80 raked hands or more per day during the The Big Tech campaign. You can win an iPhone 5 or 25 euros if you qualify.

If you do not have an account with Terminal Poker, a ‘Zoom Poker’ software, then sign up now for weekly 30% rakeback and a sign up bonus of 200% up to €400.

Terminal Poker also does not deduct your First Deposit Bonus from your rakeback payments.

Full Tilt is open for business again as FTP players from around the world can start playing on their favorite poker site. Unless you are a resident of the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Estonia and Belgium.

Full Tilt is opening with a wide range of poker promotions for all its players. Freeroll lovers can take part in $250,000 worth of freerolls. Tournament players can take part in the $300,000 in added FTOPS tickets promotion to the next Full Tilt Online Poker Series (FTOPS) on December 2-16th. Cash table players can take part in the Full Tilt Happy Hour promotion where players will be rewarded with double player points.

All player will be able to take part in the Deal Me In bonus of up to $200.

For those players from France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Estonia and Belgium who wish to access their players funds you can create an account on PokerStars and then withdraw the funds

Juicy Stakes Poker is offering online poker players 36% weekly rakeback! Combine this with a FDB of 200% up to $2,000 and you have a massive Welcome bonus and package.

As well as offering the 36% weekly rakeback Juicy Stakes Poker accepts US players who can play on the Revolution Gaming poker network, which is the largest US facing network in the world.

Juicy Stakes Poker runs some of the biggest online poker rake races around with a monthly $60,000.

Sign up now for your 36% weekly rakeback and the huge First Deposit Bonus of 200% up to $2,00. Bonuses are not deducted from your 36% weekly rakeback payments which makes Juicy Stakes Poker the best place to play for US players and all those who love rakeback.

FTP to open again 6th November according to emails and forum activity this week. PokerStars via the old Full Tilt Poker systems sent out an email to nearly all its non American customers.

Information included the return of FTOPS (December 2 – 16) and various details about accessing your old FTP account now and in the future.

No information has been released on the Full Tilt rakeback scheme but updates were promised in the future.

$50,000 guaranteed tournaments on Sunday at Americas Cardroom and not just one but TWO $50,000 guaranteed tournaments!

Americas Cardroom are have their standard Sunday $50,000 guaranteed with a $215 Buy-in or use 14,190 Combat Points to get a seat for free. Daily and Weekly satellites are running, meaning you can qualify through the Freeroll satellites or from as little as $22+$2.

The extra special The Beast $50,000K Guaranteed tournament is an hour before and the Buy-in is only $55 which is fantastic value. There are daily satellites into this tournament also.

Americas Cardroom players earn 27% per week and a Welcome Bonus of 100% up to $1,000.

Merge Network have a new Fixed Limit rake structure for all their Real Money cash table games. This is good news for poker players who play Fixed Limit games.

Stakes2 Players % / Cap 3 – 4 Players % / Cap 5+ Players% / Cap
$0.02 / $0.04 4.5% / $0.01 4.5% / $0.01 4.5% / $0.01
$0.05 / $0.10 4.5% / $0.04 4.5% / $0.04 4.5% / $0.04
$0.10 / $0.20 to $0.10 / $0.25 4.5% / $0.10 4.5% / $0.10 4.5% / $0.10
$0.25 / $0.50 4.5% / $0.16 4.5% / $0.16 4.5% / $0.16
$0.50 / $1.00 4.5% / $0.40 4.5% / $0.40 4.5% / $0.40
$1.00 / $2.00 2.0% / $0.50 3.0% / $0.70 4.0% / $0.80
$2.00 / $4.00 2.0% / $0.50 3.0% / $0.70 3.0% / $1.25
$3.00 / $6.00 to $5.00 / $10.00 2.0% / $0.50 3.0% / $2.00 3.0% / $3.00
$10.00 / $20.00 2.0% / $0.50 2.5% / $2.00 2.5% / $3.00
$15.00 / $30.00 2.0% / $1.00 2.0% / $2.00 2.0% / $3.00
$20.00 / $40.00 to $30.00 / $60.00 1.0% / $1.00 1.0% / $2.00 1.0% / $3.00

Betsafe (Ongame) are running a number of promotions this month that give rakeback players serious cash back with the Rake Race prizes that can be won.

Betsafe (Ongame) $60,000 Rake Race
The Betsafe (Ongame) $60,000 Rake Race promotion runs from October 1 – 21 2012

• 1st $8,500
• 2nd $6,000
• 3rd $4,500
• 4th $3,500
• 5th $2,500
• 6th $1,500
• 7th $1,250
• 8th $1,000

$10,000 SNG Rake Race
The Betsafe (Ongame) $10,000 SNG Rake Race promotion runs from October 12 – 26 2012

• 1st $264 in tournament tickets
• 2nd $220 in tournament tickets
• 3rd $176 in tournament tickets
• 4-5th $132 in tournament tickets
• 6-8th $110 in tournament tickets

Sign up now for a Betsafe and claim your FDB of $50 up to $2,500 and up to 40% cashback.