How I Won Playing Bitcoin Poker

BitcoinA little bit of history about me. I was an astonishingly bad online poker player (some people will say that I still am). I got a basic understanding of the game on the play money tables of the world’s largest online poker site, and then dipped my toe in the water with a couple of hundred dollars to launch what was intended to be a jet-setting career as an international poker star. Within a week it had all gone.

However, I didn’t give up and started playing on another site where I could use the loyalty points I earned from sports betting to enter multitable poker tournaments. It didn’t improve my game very much, but I got more experience and felt that in the right environment I could become a profitable player. Then I read something that turned my game around.

My Introduction to Bitcoin Poker

I came across a website called bitcoinsPoker.com and, as is suggested by the name, it is a review website for online poker sites which accept Bitcoins as a deposit option. I had heard about Bitcoins sometime previously and, although I hadn’t yet tried the virtual currency out, was interested to learn more.

There were a couple of sections about “what are Bitcoins” and how to buy and sell Bitcoins which pretty much confirmed what I already knew, but the bit which really caught my eye was at the bottom of a review for one of the Bitcoins poker sites – Seals with Clubs. It read:-

“Seals uses a system that I think helps people to play better poker, helping disassociate the chips on the table and their real money value.”  

Sorry Seals – You Weren’t for Me

Seals with ClubsSeals with Clubs is the longest established online poker site that accepts Bitcoins as a deposit option and I had heard that it was packed full of “currency libertarians” who did not know the first thing about poker and were easy pickings. I thought that even I could not lose there, so I set up my Bitcoin wallet and a few days later made my first deposit.

The first lesson I learned about Bitcoin Poker was never to read out-of-date websites. The standard of play on Seals with Clubs is as good as any other online poker site that uses cash, and fortunately I found this out before I lost too many Bitcoins. Furthermore, because the site accepts players from the US – and I live in Europe – the majority of the action (and the most valuable tournaments) takes place far too late for my time zone.

Bitcoins Poker Part 2

As the value of the Bitcoin had risen since I first set up my Bitcoin wallet, I still had pretty much what I started with (history has shown that the value of the Bitcoin can go down as well as up), so I went back to BitcoinsPoker.com and looked at the other options for making a deposit into a poker site that accepted Bitcoins.

I picked on two in the end – not going to tell you which – only that one of them was a multi-denomination site that offered me a first deposit bonus and the other had astonishing value in its tournament overlays and freerolls. Depositing with both was just as easy as using an eWallet or credit card, and within minutes of my deposit being confirmed I was up and running.

Disassociating is the Key

The first of the two Bitcoin poker sites didn’t really do it for me either, as the site converted my Bitcoins into dollars whenever I played at the tables which sort of defeated the concept of disassociating the chips and their real money value. However, I thrived on the second Bitcoins poker site – taking down a couple of quite valuable poker tournaments and racking up a substantial profit.

I believe that disassociating the chips that you buy with Bitcoins from their real money value has turned my game around. It could be that I am practising better bankroll management or that my game has improved substantially – it could even be that the “currency libertarians” that were absent from the Seals with Clubs website all come from Europe!

I guess there are thousands of poker players around the world who can identify with me, and to you I say “don’t give up” and try Bitcoin poker.

US Players Watch On With Interest Over Online Canadian Poker Issues

America/Canada FlagIf we’re being honest, we’ll take an interest in what is going on with our neighbour from time to time. Sometimes, the actions next door will have an impact on what we do or what we can do. Of course, there will be plenty of times when what is happening next door has absolutely nothing to do with us but that doesn’t mean that we cannot take a passing interest in what is going on. This is true for every street across the United States but it is also true for countries as well.

This is why US poker players will be taking a keen interest in what is going on with Canada at the moment. Canada may have the reputation of being the quiet nation but there have been a number of big stories emanating from the country with regards to online poker of late. The first big story comes with the about-face that Titan Poker has unveiled in Canada.

It was only last week that Titan, and fellow Playtech poker skin site Mansion, announced that they were going to be withdrawing from the Finnish and Dutch markets. There were also a lot of rumours that the company would be exiting the Canadian market, with the exit lined up to take place on the 22nd of December. An email was sent to Canadian poker players informing that they should place withdrawal requests for their cash before this point. However, Titan has went public and they have said that they are no longer going to be withdrawing from the Canadian market.

Titan is backtracking with respect to Canadian poker players

Titan PokerTitan has sent out a “welcome back” bonus to players who had already put in a withdrawal request to the site. This is not a fantastic way to do business but at least the site has attempted to make amends before it was too late. It is believed that Titan is still looking to with draw from their projects in Holland and Finland but it seems as though Canadian players will still be able to enjoy playing on the site.

Another big story for Canadian poker players broke this week with the news that Skrill is pulling out of the Canadian poker market in 2014. An email was sent to players stating, “Skrill will be notifying active gamblers next week and will also communicate this to its broader Canadian customer base.”

The company has stated they will not accept gambling transactions from the 2nd of January 2014 and that merchant transactions will come to an end on the 31st of January.

Are US factors influencing the behaviour of Skrill in Canada?

skrill-logoMany industry experts believe that this about face owes a lot to the fact that CVC Capital Partners bought a 75% stake in Skrill back in August. Since that deal took place, the company has received approval from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement to facilitate online gaming transactions within New Jersey.

This removal of services for Canadian players will hurt local players but it will also hurt a number of players who are refugees from the United States. If you are in America but not in a state that allows online gambling, you may feel as though your options are becoming increasingly limited. Given the opportunities that are available to players that are in the states that are at the current forefront of US online gaming, this can feel like a frustrating period for some players. Even though the activity of poker sites and players in Canada may not affect everyone, it is obvious that some US poker players will need to keep a close eye on what is happening across the border.

Poker Deposit Methods can Earn you a Poker Deposit Bonus

Poker Deposit Method Bonuses
Deposit Method Bonuses

If you want to play online poker, you have to have a way of putting money into your account and this is why the range of poker deposit methods is important for many people. Not everyone has access to a bank account whereas some people are concerned about using their debit or credit cards online. This has led to a wide range in demand for poker deposit methods and if a site does not offer a player a deposit method that suits them, there are plenty of others that will.

It has to be remembered that even though some people love the idea of playing online poker, they hate the idea of online fraud and identity theft even more. This has led to many poker players to avoid using their bank details online, which will inhibit the number of online poker sites they can use.

There are non-bank account options available

There are still some options to play poker online though and the number of non-banking options looks set to increase. Using the facilities offered UKash or Paypal ensures that there is no longer the requirement to pay with a debit or credit card, which has widened the availability of online poker to many more people.

Once you have sorted out how you will deposit money into the online poker account, the site wants to ensure you will deposit money on a regular basis. This is why it is common for a poker site to provide a poker deposit bonus for players.

Not all bonuses are the same

The bonus may be related to the sums of money involved with the deposit whereas it may be related to the frequency of deposits. Each site will have their own bonus structure and it should be clearly defined, allowing players to find the option that suits them best.

If you plan on playing a lot of poker anyways, it makes sense to find the poker deposit bonus that will provide you with biggest benefit. The opportunity to play poker for free is a huge incentive and it can really boost the bankroll of a player. With so many sites to choose from, poker sites have to work hard to encourage players to use their site and the offering a poker deposit bonus is a great way to do this.

Most poker players just want to play poker so offering the chance to do so and earn a few bonuses at the same time is a great tactic that most firms should consider.

Prepaid Card Online Poker Rooms

Prepaid Card PokerPrepaid card poker rooms are getting more and more popular these days, since more and more players are choosing this as their payment method. There are many advantages that players will get for using prepaid cards when making deposits at online poker rooms, one of them is the fact that they are simple and safe to use.

The moment you opt for a prepaid card for making a deposit at your favorite online poker room you will be making a clean transaction without the hassle that comes along when depositing with credit cards and other online payment methods.

Online poker rooms which accept prepaid cards payments enlarge their customers base quite a lot, because almost everyone and anyone can make use this specific payment method.

If you are going to use a prepaid card in order to make a deposit at a online poker room, you are going to remove the tension which is usually created the moment you are sending personal -, credit card -, or banking information over the Internet.

The different prepaid cards currently available on the market are accepted by most of current online poker rooms, so we suggest you to do a little, but proper research before selecting the prepaid card you are going to use.

In case you are wondering where you can find prepaid cards, well… the answer is very simple. You can buy prepaid cards almost everywhere; gas stations, grocery stores, or even at Walmarts across the United States. Prepaid cards are a great alternative and they allow you to avoid making a deposit at using your credit card. (And so your husband/wife won’t find out about it either.)

The following is a list with the most commonly accepted prepaid cards at online poker rooms:

  • Ukash
  • Paysafecard
  • UseMyBank
  • Prima Pin
  • VirtualPin

Just like any online payment method, however, prepaid cards do have some disadvantages to them. One of them is the fact that you can only use a prepaid card for funding your online poker account, and so you won’t be able to use for cashing out any money that you win with playing online poker. In case you are planning to make withdrawals you will have to use an additional online payment method, or perhaps request a check over mail, next to using a prepaid card.