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888 Poker is a major player in the world of online gambling, and they've been providing customers with a quality experience for well over a decade. For those who've never used their services, I hope this 888 Poker review can help shed some light on what they have to offer.
For most other poker sites it used to be common standard to cap the rake at $3 across all limits and the one dollar higher cap at 888 was very significant for everyone playing NL25 or higher. Tournaments are taxed at roughly 10% fee taken from the buy-in – more or less the same rate as all other poker sites have as well.
It is frustrating when you are a loyal customer and get conned out of what you've earned and on top i feel cheated because i don't get a response. This is the same reason i left 888 couple years back, was silly of me to go back in it. DejaVu, i seem to be doing ok on other sites which makes me think something is not right with 888 poker. Our 888 Poker Review shows our honest opinion about the benefits and disadvantages of playing online at 888 Poker. This site happens to be one of the three largest poker sites on the planet, and they combine a quality gaming experience with some of the most reliable software and customer service in the industry. 888 is not fair. After doing some extensive research on poker hands dealt, and results after the river, it showed that High Stacks have a distinct advantage over Low Stacks, as they win significantly more often, whether with a weaker hand or a stronger hand; and more noticeably on All-Ins. 888 is one of the biggest names in online gaming. Well, according to Wikipedia 888 did more than $454 million in 2014. It's not surprising, really. 888's been in business more than 20 years, offering multiple gambling products, which include a sportsbook, poker room and bingo hall.
Based on the island nation of Gibraltar and publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange since 2007, 888Poker is one of the premier names in virtual gaming. I've been enjoying their services since 2010, so I feel like I'm qualified to provide a thorough and unbiased opinion on their strengths and weaknesses.
Keep in mind, however, that everyone's experience is going to be different. I've talked with hundreds of 888 players over the years, and their opinions on the site ranged from admiration to hatred. The only way to make an accurate judgement is to actually sign up and play. Anything else is just speculation.
Company History
888Poker was created in 2002, giving players the opportunity to compete for real money in games such as Omaha, Seven-card Stud, and Texas Hold'em. Founded by majority owner Avi Shaked, the organization also includes co-owners Ron Ben-Yitzhak and Shay Ben-Yitzhak.
Despite continual growth since their debut, the company was forced to withdraw from the U.S. market after the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Less than a decade later, however, they would return to markets in Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey thanks to more gambling-friendly legislation at the state level.
By 2013, 888Poker was the second most popular poker room on the Internet. This has allowed them to sign a number of endorsement deals with athletes and poker pros, including JC Tran, Joe McKeehen, George St. Pierre, and Luis Suarez. In an odd turn of events, Suarez had his contract terminated less than two months after signing due to a controversial biting incident during the FIFA World Cup.
Software Quality
If you're looking for stable poker software that offers a quality experience, 888 Poker is a good place to start. I've never encountered any lag time during games, and tracking software such as Holdem Manager is also supported.
There are plenty of settings to choose from to customize your experience, and recommended features include a hand replayer, favorite seat, chat restrictions, and the option of topping off a stack during both pot limit and no limit games.
888Poker software is available for both Mac and PC users. If you're part of the growing movement of players who prefer a mobile gaming experience, you should be delighted to know that the 888Poker mobile app is compatible with the iPad, iPhone, and anything powered by Android. The mobile app doesn't offer as many features as some of the competition, but it still allows for multi-table tournaments, cash games, and sit & go events.
Player Traffic
According to their website, 888Poker has 10 million registered members, which makes it the fastest growing brand in the industry. According to one website that keeps track of such things, the site averages about 2,000 players at any given time. During peak hours, however, that number rises to more than 3,000.
If you're familiar with PokerStars, you'll notice that the above numbers are well short of the industry leader. That doesn't diminish what this site has to offer, however, and a pool of a few thousand players is still more than sufficient for anyone.
Banking Options
This is an area where 888 Poker excels, as they offer a dizzying array of options when it comes to funding your account or requesting a withdrawal.
If you're looking for an option that allows both deposits and withdrawals, there are currently 15 different selections to choose from. These range from globally accepted options like VISA and MasterCard to more localized possibilities such as eps and Moneta.
There are another 24 options that can be used for deposits but not withdrawals. Once again, these include methods accepted around the world, like Diners Club credit cards, as well as regional options such as Giropay and SEB Pank.
888 Online Poker Reviews
The final option is to receive a cheque in the mail. If you choose this old school method of payment, expect it to arrive via a courier service such as UPS or FedEx.
The only negative aspect involves the exchange rate, as 888 Poker has long been accused of manipulating this to their benefit. For example, a player who deposits money may receive one type of exchange rate that gives them a few extra dollars. When it's time to withdraw, however, a different exchange rate is used to cut down on the player's overall winnings.
Deposit Bonus
888 Poker currently offers two bonuses for players who fund an account, and both kick in when you make your first deposit. One of these promotions offers a pair of tickets to their twice-weekly $1,000 Depositors Free Tournament, allowing you to play for a share of $2,000 without having to risk a single cent. By making an additional deposit each week, you'll continue to receive these complimentary tickets.
There's also a welcome package for first-time players. This includes a 100% matching bonus up to $400, seven tickets to $500 First Depositors' Free Tournaments, and a single ticket to the First Depositors' Challenge Tournament (held every Friday).
The bonus money is released in $10 increments each time you collect 100 status points by playing in real money games. I'd prefer the amount to be higher, but you can thank the practice of bonus whoring for the casino's rather cautious approach.
If you'd like to receive free money without risking anything, there's also an $88 reward just for signing up. All you have to do is download the software and register, and the money is deposited straight into your account. The $88 is subject, of course, to wagering requirements, just like any other casino.
While these bonuses are better than nothing, they're not exactly blazing a bold new path through the gambling frontier. And no matter how much 'free' money they promise, keep in mind that you'll always wind up risking more before you're able to collect it.
Game Selection
The selection of games at 888 Poker is a mixture of the traditional and the cutting edge. First up are the normal options, including Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi Lo, and 7 Card Stud. If you're looking for something different, you can also try your luck at live webcam games or the ultra-fast SNAP (which assigns you to a new table each time you fold).
As for tournament types, 888 has the following: Sit & Go, Multi-table, Heads Up, Free Tournaments, Deep Stacks, and Satellites. Their tournament schedule is excellent, offering a wide variety of games for players of all bankroll sizes. For example, new players may want to try The Goldfish and its $1 buy-in, while high rollers can take on The Whale, with its $600 buy-in and $150,000 guaranteed prize.
Customer Service
The customer service department at 888 Poker can be reached via online form, email, live chat, or telephone. The live chat function is mainly available for deposit issues, so don't expect the person on the other end to be helpful with much else. The online form and email are traditional options, but I've found the average wait time to be longer than with other leading poker sites.
That leaves the telephone option, but it remains a mixed bag. I've called several times over the years to speak directly with a customer service representative, and my experiences have ranged from pleasant to satisfactory to awful. Some employees are more motivated or better trained than others, and it's just a matter of luck as to which one you end up with. Cost of microsoft office for mac.
I would chalk this up to the usual variation you experience when dealing with strangers, but 888 Poker has managed to acquire a reputation for poor customer service over the years. While it's not the worst that I've encountered, it certainly leaves room for improvement.
Conclusion
If you're an experienced poker player who loves to feast on rookies, then 888Poker is the place to be. Their player pool is filled with fish throughout the day, and these range from dedicated novices to hopeless idiots. It's also a fine place for beginners to earn their stripes, just as long as you can avoid bleeding too much in the shark-infested waters.
This review was made by: LegitGamblingSites.com Rating: 3.6 out of 5
888 Poker welcome package
We've already established that you don't need a special 888poker bonus code to get something extra as a newbie.
What you will have to do, however, is to follow ourregistration link. Assuming you do that, you'll unlock a $20 no-deposit bonus Play run for free. if you're a first-time sign-up.
If this is your first and only 888poker account, the following freebies will be yours to keep:
- $10 in free-play credits to use at 888casino.
- Six tournament tickets to use at 888poker.
- $4 in bonus cash you can use at 888poker and 888casino.
Before we evaluate the above offer, let's run through the terms and conditions.
First, you must use your free credits and tickets withinsevendays. Second, anything you win by using the $10 free-play credits or $4 in bonus cash will be subject to wageringconditions.
888 Poker Reviews
For casino wins, the playthrough is 30x. For poker wins, you must earn three status points per dollar you play.
That means you need to earn 12 status points (3×4) before any poker wins are cashable. Finally, you'll have 60 days to meet the wagering conditions.
In terms of variety, you can't fault 888poker.
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The $10 free-play gift is valid for slots.
So, this means you can race through a series of free spins that have the potential to earn you a decent return. Additionally, if you fall in love with 888casino, you can use your $4 bonus cash to play more slots or sample some table games.
Something for nothing
The real selling point, however, is the tournamenttickets.
By giving you free entry to a selection of Sit and Gos (SNG) and multi-table tournaments (MTT), 888poker has opened up a world of possibilities.
In the first instance, you could win all six tournaments and give yourself a serious bankroll boost before you've even made a deposit. Beyond that, all winnings are free of any wagering requirements.
You get to try out the software, test your skills and bank some free cash if you've got the right combination of luck and timing.
For us, that's reason enough to give 888poker a try. However, that's not the end of the story.
Magic worl online. Make your first deposit (no 888poker bonus code is necessary), and you'll receive a 100% match worth up to $1,500.
Regardless of how experienced you are or the size of your bankroll, that's a sweet deal. Caesars benefits login.
Indeed, $1,500 is way more than what other operators offer and should be more than enough to set you off on the right foot.
Of course, there are some wagering conditions to consider. The site releases the credits in $10 increments every time you earn100 bonus points.
We'll run through how you earn points later in this 888poker review.
For now, we'll tell you that you need to rake $1 to earn two bonus points. Based on this, you'll unlock $10 of your bonus each time you rake $10. This bonus equates to a cash-back rate of 20%, which, as you'll know if you're a seasoned online poker player, is impressive.
In fact, that's the word we will use to describe the 888poker welcome bonus.
Not only is this a diverse, flexible and accessible package, but it's also one that should suit many players. From tournament pros to cash game novices and casual gamers, there's something for everyone when they join 888poker.
Additional 888poker bonus offers
Types of gambling machines. We'll talk about loyalty points later in this 888poker US review.
Before we do, it's important to note that bonuses aren't only a one-time deal at this site.
Once you've created an account and used your opening offers, you'll get access to a host of added extras. Topping the bill in terms of frequency and potential are the freerolls.
Depending on the amount you rake per month and your status, you'll earn tickets for free MTTs with prizepools topping $10,000. On top of freerolls, 888poker provides a steady stream of reloadrewards where free credits and tournament tickets come as the standard.
In fact, over in Europe, 888poker has a bonus wheel that players can spin once per day. We don't know if this feature will be a part of the operator's US platforms in states such as Pennsylvania.
However, if 888poker adds it to the mix, you'll get to spin for additional tournament tickets, extra status points and instant cash prizes.
Finally, for another touch of value, you'll get the chance to pick up casino and sports betting bonuses during your time online. Free cash casino. Spin station casino.