To those who claim it's rigged....

[wilsonmja]

Ok, I'll start off by saying that I used to be convinced the FTP was rigged. It seemed that every time I was all-in against a worse hand I lost and it never went the other way for me. I had all these theories about how they make sure that they can maximize the rake and how they pick on the players who constantly reload their bankroll (that was me 3 years ago), etc., etc. I was a good poker player and it was all rigged. It just wasn't the same as playing poker live.

Then I started dealing poker. I did that for a year and saw the same crap as I saw online. I have dealt 3 royal flushes and in 5 years of playing poker my highest hand is a K high SF. I quickly realized that in an 8 hour work day dealing cards I was probably DEALING the same amount of hands as I was GETTING DEALT in 2 or 3 hours of online dealing.

FACT: There are A LOT of hands dealt in a short period of time online.
FACT: Many computer nerds have sought out to prove online poker is rigged by tracking millions of hands and comparing the percentages to what they should be and every time it all comes out right. I have also done this on Pokerstars, FTP, and UB. It all adds up, folks.
FACT: Poker sites have very little to gain and A LOT to lose by rigging their sites.
FACT: 1 Bad beat can seem like 10 when you let it fester in your mind and dwell on it.

ADVICE: Get over it. Next hand, please.

FICTION: Your are losing money not because you are a bad player, but because poker sites are rigged.

[kkjsdfs]

I dont think its rigged but i do have a question about how this "tracking millions of hands and comparing the percentages to what they should be and every time" is usefull if it isnt cross-referenced with who are new players or players with short stacks or small bankrolls?

It could be of interest to pokerrooms to keep these people interested in poker by giving them an edge with the community cards, while compensating the cards dealt in other flops to get these percentages to what they should have been overall, no?

[irishpkr]

Small sample: New player on Pokerstars, playing $50NL for about a week. 7k hands, running $600 BELOW expectation *sigh*, if this is new player bias, f**c it :P

[Vito_Nuccio]

I quickly realized that in an 8 hour work day dealing cards I was probably DEALING the same amount of hands as I was GETTING DEALT in 2 or 3 hours of online dealing.

FACT: There are A LOT of hands dealt in a short period of time online.
FACT: Many computer nerds have sought out to prove online poker is rigged by tracking millions of hands and comparing the percentages to what they should be and every time it all comes out right. I have also done this on Pokerstars, FTP, and Ultimatebet. It all adds up, folks.
FACT: Poker sites have very little to gain and A LOT to lose by rigging their sites.
FACT: 1 Bad beat can seem like 10 when you let it fester in your mind and dwell on it.

ADVICE: Get over it. Next hand, please.

FICTION: Your are losing money not because you are a bad player, but because poker sites are rigged.

I agree with your facts, except the hands per hour increases even higher when multi-table play comes into the equasion, thus giving more opportunities to fret with the odds and face a suckout.

Totally agree with poker rooms have everything to lose and nothing to gain by altering their software.

Can not agree more with the mind dwelling on bad beats statement. Bad beats have a unique way of festering in the forefront of the memory section in the brain of a poker player.

Your advice to move on to the next hand is best of all. Once a hand is played there is absolutely nothing you can do to change what occurred. The only thing you can do is replay the hand in your head and take some notes on it. You can play perfectly in poker and still lose. The players who move on the quickest and with a fresh mind leaving the ill past behind will be better prepared for the next poker decision, which starts with the very next hand.

And as many and I have said multiple times. If you do not trust a site, do not play there! There are many many poker rooms out there with a Rakeback deal besides your home site.

Thanks,