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www.You have probably read sayings like “Online Poker is Rigged” dozens of times when browsing poker forums and blogs. But usually, people complaining about the riggedness of online poker are just losing players who were previously riding on the sunny-side of variance in online poker.
It’s therefore time to discuss the top 7 poker myths and to prove that online poker is not rigged.
1. Online Poker is Rigged Because There are Too Many Quads / Straight Flushes / Full Houses
In particular newcomers in online poker who have already played offline poker in home games are surprised by the accumulation of high-quality hands the online poker. As they rarely get to see straight flushes and quads in their home games, and as even a full house is a very special hand, they can quickly come to the suspicion that the online poker room is manipulating the cards.
Those players forget the following: while playing in a full-ring game home game, they will usually only play 30 hands per hour. In online poker, they are playing twice as much, 60 hands per hour. In addition to this, even beginners often play more than one table simultaneously. An advanced player, multitlabling six tables, will play twelve times more hands per hour as a poker player in live poker. Accordingly, he will get to see 12 times more quads, straight flushes and full houses.
2. Online Poker is Rigged Because There are Too Many Set-Ups
A set-up is when a strong hand is beaten by an even stronger hand. Often a player with a strong hand pushes all his chips into the middle of the table and then gets very angry when he loses against an even better hand. Relatively common set-ups include set vs. set, full house vs. full house or flush against full house.
Here again, as mentioned above, the reason for this “riggedness” is the same: as a player plays a lot more hands online, such set-ups are just more common.
3. Online Poker is Rigged Because Poker Sites Intentionally Generate Action
This point is a consequence of the above point: Some players are of the opinion (especially if they are losing players) that poker rooms intentionally generate action by assigning players strong hands with which they will go broke.
Poker rooms use RNG (random number generators). It is technically almost impossible to hand out cards so that “action will be generated” without distributing certain card combinations statistically too often. The RNGs are verified by independent audit firms regularly. In addition, many players store and analyze their hand histories – either with the built-in statistical software of the poker room or with tools such as the Holdem Manager. Statistical differences – even very small ones – would massively decrease confidence in the poker room if discovered. And poker rooms rely on the confidence of the players into their software. No poker room could afford such a manipulation becoming public without severely damaging its reputation.
Moreover, in poker tournaments like Sit and Go’s or Double or Nothing, the poker room gets the fee (the rake) in advance. The provider thus has no advantage from generating additional action – except that if a player busts early he might play another Sit&Go or DON. But here the poker room would profit much more if it just would raise the blinds faster.
4. Online Poker is Rigged Because Always Lose After Cash-Outs
Many poker players complain about this. They won some money playing Texas Hold’em, and as soon as they withdraw their winnings, the downswing begins. Those players complain in forums that poker room XY is rigged and that this is simply a trick of the poker room in order to make them deposit their money again.
This statement is of course nonsense. It is impossible for the poker room to associate the information about your cash-out with the board cards. Many poker rooms such as Betsson Poker use the system of master accounts and poker accounts. To cash your money out, you have to transfer it from the poker to the master account. Because you can transfer the money from there also to the casino or bingo site, it is impossible to know whether you have withdrawn your money completely or not. Furthermore, poker rooms such as Betsson or Doyles Room are parts of large poker networks. There is no way that these poker skins can transmit data about cashing-out players to the central software distributing the cards.
In addition to this, a disadvantage to one player would indeed imply favoring another player – how should a poker room do this?
It’s just the nature of Texas Hold’em that the variance is enormous in this poker game. This has nothing to do with “riggedness”.
5. Online Poker is Rigged Because Bad Players Get Good Cards
Certainly, you are familiar with this situation: you finally figured out who is the whale (a very bad player) at the table. You hold Ace-King and the fish calls with ace-three (suited!), he rivers the flush or makes a pair of threes and wins the pot. While this is unpleasant, this happens often: AKo wins a preflop all-in against A3S only in two thirds of all cases. If you lose against a fish in such a case, this has nothing to do with “Poker is rigged” – it’s just a mathematical fact.
6. Online Poker is Rigged Because I Always Lose with Pocket Aces
Many players at the tables follow the strategy of playing tight or even very tight. You might be one of these TAGs or Rocks at the tournament tables. When such a player finally gets a strong, playable hand he wants to collect more than just the blinds (which is the risk if he just makes a standard 3BB preflop raise). So he decides to limp his pocket aces in order to trap his opponents. This is obviously the wrong strategy. If our pocket aces limper plays against four other players (two players playing their top 20% hands, the small blind, who plays the top 50% of the hands plus the big blind who plays 100% of the hands), then American Airlines have only 55% equity. So our limper will lose almost every second time with his aces. As it is extremely difficult to fold pocket aces post-flop, there is an increased risk that he will lose all his chips because of his playing style. Online poker is not rigged, but players who do not follow the basic strategies will lose money.
7. Online Poker is Rigged Because Playing at a New Poker Room Always Stars with an Upswing
Switching the poker room won’t change the fact that variance in online poker is extremely high. Luck plays an important role, at least in the short term. Some players however think that switching to a new poker room will give them “better luck”. This is a myth and that cannot be explained objectively.
On the other hand, there are some advantages from signing-up at a new poker room:
- The motivation to play poker can increase
- The concentration and the willingness to play its A-Game is higher
- All poker rooms offer new players a welcome bonus with their first deposit. This bonus often amounts to several hundred dollars donated by the poker room
Have a look at our exclusive poker bonus offerings and codes – increase your ROI with a VIP signup bonus!
I have played poker for years and its not hard to see the strange patterns with online poker. I just started online 2 weeks ago and am now finished and will not go back. I lost 2 quads three times in a 4 hour session (2 different games), i quickly came up with my own fun little phrase. Pockets always come with friends, meaning if you have pockets then someone else also does. This was true a credulously high percentage of the time. This is the ‘action generation’.
I think it’s more likely that they are using learning software that can predict, based on your play, how you will play certain hands. I know it sounds crazy, but it would be pretty profitable to know down to the T how hundreds of thousands of players play. Timing, time of day, location, what tilts them, personal biases, how chirps from other players effect the play etc …That kind of information would be valuable and would need to be tested.
Absolutely rigged. Everyone of them resembles what Jim described. People may get hired to write something that pushes back against the idea and try to make whoever’s making the claim feel stupid. It’s too easy to say “oh you just suck at cards and need to focus on your game” or something but it’s bullshit. They should all be outlawed until someone can provide legit platform. As a gambler I hesitate to say that but too many people are finding out too late after losing too much money that the whole thing is bullshit. They’ve already taken your $1000’s and moved on to the next asshole. It’s okay when you come to the realization something is wrong because you can’t do anything about it, but that’s where our awesome government comes into play right? Burn it to the ground. If you write well file complaints with your states AG office. Victims, and that’s what we are victims, need to make enough noise to where politicians and lawmakers can no longer ignore it. Who wouldn’t want to step in front of a freight train to save a bunch gamblers complaining about what most gamblers do best?
Rigged as hell. Bot players, check, check, call anything, get just what they need on the river. They chase anything, raise with nothing, and you still lose. Set-ups are way too common. I tried a second account and actually bought chips, winning like a champ. Now tell me the free site isn’t rigged? Realty, free to play, pay to win. Total scam. And I doubt any other others are any better. And it has nothing to do with player skill.
You cannot bust a myth without facts, everything you are stating is an opinion based on other people’s opinions. Just like our opinion is that it is rigged, it’s an opinion. It’s like stating that god is real, god may or may not be real, but you nor I can state “we know”.
1. Saying that we see more hands per hour online than live is a fact, but the total number of hands played on each is more relevant. I have played roughly 250,000 hands online and I have played more than 200,000 hands live. Of all the places I have played live poker (around 100) there was only one place that resembled the type of boards I see online; we found out, years later, that the owner of the house employed mechanics to deal the games.
2. Number 2 is a valid argument.
3.Online poker/gambling sites do not need to rely on the confidence of their player base? If that were true people would stop playing slot machines given that the majority of slot players will consistently lose. Gamblers are gamblers, with a dream of hitting it big, they will keep coming back because the addiction/want/dream is strong. Pro players need not worry about online poker software being manipulated because the manipulation comes in the smaller stakes. I bet most of the people who complain about online poker being rigged buy into small stakes cash games and tournaments with less than a $200 buy-in, and those who do buy-in for $200 plus don’t do it enough times for the averages to be in their favor. They play a few high dollar tournaments then go back to the low stakes. They don’t play enough in the higher stakes to see a real profit. I go deeper in all high stakes tournaments than any low stakes tournaments, even with the same amount of entries, therefore it is in my best interest to play tournaments with a minimum of a $100 buy-in. When it comes to cash games, I believe 90% of the people who play cash games don’t have a clue how to play cash games and be profitable; most are degenerate gamblers who are no better than a slot machine player and they use the “poker is a skill” argument though they have no poker skills.
4.I agree with you here. Though I do believe that poker software is written to increase action, I think that it stops there and doesn’t need to go any further to force deposits, again gamblers are gamblers.
5. I agree. Every poker game everywhere: on average a bad player will win and lose as many hands as a given good player. The thing that matters is the bad players wins less on the winning hands and lose more on the losing hands compared to the good player.
6.If anyone says that online poker is rigged because they always lose with pocket Aces shouldn’t be playing poker for profit. My sister one time said to me, “pocket 2’s can beat pocket Aces”. I said, “your point?”
7. Online Poker is Rigged Because Playing at a New Poker Room Always Starts with an Upswing….this statement is definitely one from a conspiracy theorist.
But, I will disagree that a new player welcome bonus is an advantage; that welcome offer or sign up bonus is solely a marketing ploy, if you break it down, you will see that it is more of a disadvantage to the player. The play through requirements for you to release your funds is ridiculous, so much so that the win/loss averages, even for a winning player, would cause you to play for a very long time to release the full amount, causing the player to deposit numerous times or large sums. It’s just another dangling carrot in front of the donkey.
Saying that online poker/gambling sites have no reason to manipulate, or rig, or trick anyone is a naive statement or just an attempt at creating content or conflict; there is a sucker born every minute. Some people will get away with everything they can until they can’t anymore, they will apologize when caught and then try to get away with something else. Greed exists, this whole system is built on greed. Greed is what created this system and it is what keeps the system going.
I agree with you that many of the reasons people claim online poker sites are rigged are not valid reasons.
I also believe that online poker software is built for action, whether or not this is true, or whether or not it is found to be unfair or even a crime is yet to be known.
Another garbage article trying to justify online pokers complete lack of randomness versus live. If you know IT then you know that even a RNG is not random at all. An algorithm is still followed and this kind of result we have all seen in such a more prevalent way than anything you’d see at a live game. Recently I tried a new site that already has a reputation of being legitimate. The site does not purposely deceive the players but it is deceitful nonetheless. Within my first hour In two different tourneys I got quads within minutes of each other. It has been over a week and have not had quads since. That same day I got a royal with 2 in the pocket and cracked wired aces full. Thats a first ever for me and Ive been playing STEADY for 17 years. If you actually believe online poker is the same as live then you are either very very stupid or have an agenda with a purpose to deceive people
Excellent and objective post Troy.
I’ve about had it with online poker at this point. I’m no “expert” player, but I’m no fish either. I’ve been mainly playing the lower buy-in tourneys, as well as some sit and go’s.
Last night was the last straw for me. I’ve noticed that I’ve been drowning in the River for the past 2 weeks. Sure, on occasion the River saves me, but I lose more than I do on the River…by far. It’s been incredibly frustrating and I almost broke my hand pounding it on my desk about a week ago.
But I keep coming back, trying not to think that the game is rigged, and thinking that my luck will turn for the better any minute now.
Well, last night destroyed that pipe dream. I was in a 60 person tourney where the top 13 win some money. We were at level 15 and I was sitting in 18th place, with only 24 players remaining. My chip count was getting dangerously low but I was holding on, folding and checking until I got a decent hand to go all in on.
FINALLY I get pocket Queens. Everyone folds pre flop except me and 2 other guys. One guy has the highest chip count in the tourney, so if I take him out it would have been outstanding. He raises immediately and the other guy folds. So, without screwing around calling him, I just go all-in pre flop. Of course I’m concerned that he’s got pocket rockets or Kings, but I’m still feeling pretty confident.
He shows A10o. So now all I need is another Q to bust him for sure, or at least a dead community. The flop was generic and did nothing for either of us. The turn was a K, so I’m feeling really good at this point. Of course he nails another A on the river and I go down.
I was fit to be tied. ANY card besides an ACE and I would have been sitting around 3rd or 4th place in the tourney, and in great shape to win some decent $$$. But no, of course the guy with the highest chip count gets the exact card he needs on the River. What makes it more unlikely that he randomly got the ACE he needed, was that all but 3 of us folded pre-flop, so there were many more cards left in the deck than there would be ordinarily. The odds of him finding that ACE were much longer.
Bottom line…Rigged or not, although I’m leaning rigged, this game ceases to be fun and potentially profitable if you suspect something is wrong. And I definitely think something is wrong. I’m not a sore loser, and I’m not a terrible player. I have just noticed that I have been beaten way too many times in bizarre and unlikely ways. When you factor in the fact that so many players are playing crap hands on a regular basis and winning, it’s no wonder why so many believe the game is rigged.
Hi Greg
“for the past 2 weeks” says it all. That’s just variance and your sample size is much too small.
Also keep in mind that QQ loses 3 out of 10 times against ATo.
Good luck!
Online poker is as fake as can be. Anyone who has ever sat at a table will know this. Don’t tell me there is a flush, straight or full house on a third or more of hands because the game is faster HAHAHAHAAHAH I’m dying. The people defending online poker are pathetic. Never set foot in a casino. Bovada is particularly bad. Straight and flush draws on EVERY FLOP. Over half of all in hands end in bad beats. The government needs to investigate and shut these dirtbags down. Go online and set up a local poker group with people in town. The internet is great for that. Online poker is theivery. WhY WoULd A ComPaNy StEaL WhEN ThEy AlReAdY MAkE MonEY?!?!?!?!? No ONe HaS EvEr DOne THat DURRRR
i never used to have a problem with online poker being rigged, i used to win anyway, because their weren’t so many bots back then and the edges were roughly 3cm wider than they are these days…. According to my coaches… Who seem to know they’re stuff.
Recently though you can clearly, see the bots and the riggedness EVERYWHERE, I’M NOT WINNING… It’s as if i’m not as good as my opponents or something, but i know, it couldn’t possibly be that….. I’m the best in the world. My VPIP is level 100 and my PFR is level 99.
i’ve been running bad for the past 137 hands of poker now…. i have think it might be time to quit my career… i’m down 3 buy-ins, that’s 30% of my bankroll…. My team of coaches told me i should consider moving down just 1 level…. But my motivation levels have not been uber super duper high recently, because i have not meditated at all or prepped ANY meals.
The blow-up doll i bought to deal with the stress, try to get my game back to it’s A++ state, is the only good thing to come out of this whole poker thing so far….
I hate to say it guys, but it looks like online poker really is rigged.
I’ll let you know if it isn’t (if i start winning).
Not sure if you are a bot yourself or if you are just making fun of the other people here…
Because obviously 137 hands is not a valid sample size, and being 3 buy-ins down is absolutely nothing. If that is 30% of your bankroll then you are not following our bankroll management advice. Good luck!
I play Poker Championship and am always being beaten by the last card turned over. This all of a sudden has been ramped up to over 10 beats on the river a day.I don’t care if it’s a card to make a flush or needing 1 of 3 cards left to make their hand. Usually it’s the 1 of 3 cards senario. If people play Poker championship and have the same problem let me know.
Hello Admin , do you want to talk about hands sample size ? I have played 780.000 hands. Results HM3 AA 72% of the time , KK 74,5% QQ 67% JJ 54 % . the point is that 80% bis pots AA KK or AK losses, as I’m TAG player QQ JJ I don’t’ push 200BB pre flop , I’m on Pokerstars , 888 , party poker last 2 years GG pokers since 2009.
My daily session is about 12 hours per day, multitable until 20-25 , but last years I can use max 4 table with new Germany regulation and bullshit. Now about poker, if someone claim that online poker is not fixed or is random as real I will not comment. lets back to the history how I had won many MTT and sit n go buy in 60euro and 100euro, reality? I just beat all small stack, and I was unbeat player its was obviously that RNG help me its unreal final table I got 5 time AK 2 time KK one time AA, AQ and AJ was standard and I was table cleaner, how let see the next side of game, if RNG online rooms your account is set to lose money there is no way to win because simply if you put money in pot you’ll get bad beat, if don’t you’re stack soon will get down, there are 2 option now or later, it’s all about time.
Now about live poker tournaments, have played EPT Loutraki, Barcelona and until today I play at Rozvadov king casino, until today my winning money live events and cash its about 128.000 euro, my online profit 2015 was 23.000 euro and now is about -87.000 euro, I play medium and high limits at online.
Now back to the subject. If you are chatting here with some kids and explain them that you should proof hands or games or bullshit stop. Yes of course poker game is skills game and you have many years and 1000s books and analyze your hands to become more advanced and pro player, but all poker theory has nothing to do with online poker. If you are so professional gamer and you claim that online poker is fair, then write me email private I will pay your ticket we have nice club and we play 20.000 euro cash. I have seen on casino tournaments etc many Pokerstars team or streamers, one I can say they have nothing to do with poker they can’t count simple mathematics on table and they beat from table as biggest fish. I play online poker not that I trust them but just I play as lotto may the give to me to win the price, dont forget 3 times spin n go jackpot hit on streamers , Pokerstars team at final table got 8 times aces MTT with 8min blinds. If you claim that is possible and mathematical is fine then your brain need to factory settings, as statistical in 200 hands you get one time aces ok 2 , 3 4, but 8? heheeh
Don’t try cover the bullshit of online poker mafia sites. I can more explain you but that was bonus for you I spent 15 min to write you this text from person who 22 years on table.
Hi Edouardos
Thank you for your detailed story.
Please keep in mind that live poker is much easier than online poker. It’s probably even for a good player very difficult to beat the rake nowadays, given that there are probably bots that play nearly perfect poker.
Maybe just switch to live games where it seems you can play with a profit.