Category Archives: Poker

It seems that images of people playing poker around the world were too much to stomach for a group of poker-starved Brits last week.

Despite a national lockdown in the UK, 26 people were willing to break the law and ante up in a home game. The illicit poker tournament took place in an office linked to a restaurant in Blackburn.

Police officers raided Robertos Bar & Bistro at 7pm on March 6. Once inside, they found a large group of people partying and playing poker across two tables.

Police officers fined 26 people 800 each for breaching COVID-19 regulations (see video below).

Per the current lockdown laws, all Brits must stay at home and only travel for essential purposes such as shopping, one form of daily exercise, and if no other option is possible, work.

Some of the poker players made a two-hour trip from Nottingham to join the action.

A spokesperson for Robertos said the party had nothing to do with the restaurant. The office used for the game is leased to a company called Women of Richmond Ltd. The owner of that business, John Rowe, also owns Robertos, according to official documents on Companys House.

Those involved have been fined according to emergency COVID laws brought in by the British government. However, it seems police may have bluffed their way into the building.

Due to the rushed and vague wording of certain COVID restrictions, its not clear what powers the police have in all situations.

For example, Brits are allowed outside to exercise if they remain local. There isnt, however, any clarification on what constitutes being local.

The poker party did breach regulations regarding people from different households mixing indoors, but police officers reportedly gained access to the building by saying there had been reports of a burglary.

This had nothing to do with Robertos. The police gained access by saying there was a burglary going on. Once inside, they searched the restaurant and found nothing. The poker game was in an office which is leased under another company, reads a statement from Robertos Bar & Bistro.

This isnt the first time police officers have broken up an illicit gathering at the restaurant. It was shut down by council officials in August after allowing too many people inside.

Those who received fines arent alone. There have been multiple incidents involving poker players and police officers over the last year.

With 12 months of restrictions and a national lockdown still in place, Brits are suffering from whats being called pandemic burnout. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has provided a roadmap out of all restrictions by June 21. Thats given businesses across the country, including casinos, a much-needed boost.

There are fears, however, that scientific advisors such as Professor Chris Whitty are moving the goalposts (see video above).

Moving goalposts or not, impromptu poker tournaments in any setting are still illegal in the UK, and those who play risk being fined 800 or more.

Written by

Daniel Smyth

Dan Smyth is a poker media journeyman who politely reminds CardsChat readers that poker is played all around the world, not just America.

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Brits Fined 800 for Illicit Lockdown Poker Game in Bar - CardsChat.com

BetMGM is readying to launch BetMGM MI Poker. It was anticipated at the end of February; though it has been slightly delayed, it is expected to launch any day now.

It will become only the second operator to go live in Michigan, and that raises the questionjust how well will the new operator do expanding into markets already occupied by tough competition?

PokerStars currently has exclusive access to the Michigan poker market, having launched in late January. And they are still the only option for online poker in Pennsylvania, enjoying a de facto monopoly for well over a year.

It has established itself as a formidable competitor, with strong traffic and huge tournament series.

BetMGM will be jumping into this mix. Does PokerStars have an insurmountable lead in the market already? PokerStars had a huge launch in Michigan, headlined by the inaugural Michigan Championship of Online Poker (MICOOP). The first MICOOP smashed early guarantees, then proceeded to smash newly doubled guarantees for later events.

There is no doubt that PokerStars had a great startany new operator has to play a lot of catch-up already. But data from New Jersey shows that there is every chance to cut into such market leads.

In fact, the situation has played out before. When PokerStars NJ entered the New Jersey poker market in 2016, they quickly jumped to the top of the pile, and held that pole position for nearly two years.

Ultimately, the 888poker US Network, a combination of 888poker NJ and WSOP NJ, took over the lead in 2018, a place it holds today. This change was somewhat inevitable: It operates the only cross-state network, with a player pool shared with Nevada and Delaware. That, the power of the WSOP brand and the unique ability to run official bracelet events online, makes it tough for the competition.

But perhaps the real surprise in this market is that PokerStars (shown under its partner Resorts in these charts) has fallen into last placewith the partypoker US Network jumping in front of it.

Despite its name, the partypoker US networkwhich combines liquidity between Borgata Poker, BetMGM NJ Poker and partypoker NJ, all reported under the Borgata licensecurrently only operates in a single state, New Jersey. And they have been bottom of the market for a long time.

But in late 2020 its fortunes changed. In fact, in terms of year-over-year increase, BetMGM and their partner rooms were the winners, nearly doubling their take from 2019 with 92% increase in revenue growth, the best of the three.

That was mostly down to a huge end to the year, when revenue numbers soared. In November 2020, they booked a revenue increase of more than 135% over the previous November.

At the end of Q4, it reported more than double revenue for the entire fourth quarter compared to 2019. This was enough to bring it neck-and-neck wither PokerStars in September and then, finally, in December 2020, it took second place position.

It was the first time it has overtaken PokerStars in the five-year market history.

This goes to show that early leads and branding is not everything. The three brands at partypoker US Network have been chipping away at this lead, running their own large tournament series and promotions. The latest revenue figures show the network closer to the market leader WSOP/888 than they are to their previous rival, PokerStars NJ.

Michigan is roughly the same population as New Jersey, so the market size is very similar, and there is little doubt about the hunger for poker in the state.

BetMGM have already proven themselves capable of capturing significant market share in New Jersey, and with the software base that has already been battle-tested in the Garden State, they stand a good chance of grabbing a big piece of the action in Michigan.

That also bodes well for future plans in Pennsylvania. While there are few details yet about a PA launch, it seems clear BetMGM has designs on that market as well. There is every reason to think they can parlay their recent New Jersey success into new markets.

The proof of the pudding is, of course, in the eating, and there will be a lot of work to do to capture market share. Game choice will be a large factor in the success of BetMGM Michigan Poker, so players can likely expect some big tournament series through the year in Michigan.

The new competition will almost certainly benefit the players, but operators have a lot to gain from healthy competition as well. Each site will be looking to capture as much of the new markets as possible, and that will lead to bigger guarantees and better bonuses for players across the board as operators fight for their poker dollars. That drive for market share will fuel the growth of the operators themselves.

Who comes out on top from the operator perspective is yet to be seen, but getting a new name like BetMGM at the table is only going to be good for players.

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Partypoker US is the Surprise Success Story in New Jersey: Can it be Replicated in Michigan and Pennsylvania? - Pokerfuse

Online Poker is one of the most popular games amongst casino players, both new and experienced alike. At an online casino, you can find a range of Poker games, with different variations, table limits, and buy-ins to suit players of all budgets and interests, and providing you with the ultimate Poker experience. You could even take part in an exciting and competitive online Poker tournament.

But when playing an online Poker tournament whether thats a Sit & Go or a Multi-Table - as well as having some sort of strategy in place before you play, there are also some tips you should follow to make sure you get the most out of the Poker game. Let us run through some of them for you now!

1.Do play at a trusted site

Before you even begin playing any form of Poker game or tournament, its best practice to play at a trusted online casino such as https://casino.betfair.com/. To ensure that your money and personal details are safe and secure, and you are confident to play online, the only register to play at a licensed and regulated online casino.

2.Do have patience

Be prepared to spend some time at an online Poker tournament, as well as for a rollercoaster of emotions from rising tension to elated wins. You have to be especially patient for a Multi-Table version, as these tend to have larger prize pools and longer durations spent playing. A low buy-in, big field online tournament could take several hours to complete, as a virtually unlimited number of participants can take part, and as the players are knocked out one-by-one until the number of tables is slowly reduced to the final one. So, you must be aware of this long time of gameplay before registering for a Poker event like this.

3.Dont disconnect during the game

This follows on nicely from the fact that you should be patient during an online Poker tournament, as you may be tempted to disconnect from the game. However, its important to see it out to the end, as if you disconnect, you will immediately be sat out of the game. You'll still be dealt a hand, but it will be instantly folded, and play continues without you.

4.Dont try to pull off elaborate bluffs

For an online poker tournament, its best to keep things simple. Trying to run an elaborate bluff doesnt quite work in the same way for an online format, compared to one in real-life, especially as other players do not tend to see your facial expressions and reactions likewise, you arent able to see theirs.

In such a wide-spread tournament of players, most people are focused on their own hand, so wont react to your actions that you have a particular hand, or that youre trying to represent that you have specific cards.

But when you do have a good hand, make sure to make the most of it. At a low-stake poker tournament, you can allow yourself to bet a bit more, as opponents are most likely to call your bets. So, if you have a strong holding, make sure to take full advantage of this.

5.Dont worry about having a balanced playing style

For a large field, small stake online Poker Tournament, theres no need to balance your play - like you would when playing against stronger opponents for higher stakes, varying your best and actions so as not to be read as easily. Especially because of its online format and its vast nature of lower-skilled players, there is no need to worry about revealing a pattern in your play, such as always betting more when you have a stronger hand. But most importantly, remember to have fun with it and play responsibly.

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The Dos and Donts of Playing an Online Poker Tournament - The African Exponent

March 10, 2021Jonathan Little

In this weeks strategy column, I am throwing it back to 2012 when Tony G faced off against the never-aging Patrik Antonius.

In this hand, Antonius managed to find a check with the effective nuts, setting the bait three times for Tony G, who gladly took it by betting on the river. Antonius put in a huge check-raise but did Tony G find a call with his marginal hand? Either way, you know Tony G was steaming when he faced this kind of aggression! Lets dive in.

The hand took place in the partypoker Premier League Poker V when Tony G raised to 30,000 under the gun holding the . Antonius called an additional 15,000 out of the big blind with the .

The flop gave Antonius the nuts and he checked to Tony G, who checked it back. I think this was a good spot for Tony G to bet frequently and small, but if you want to find some hands to check it back with, pocket kings is a good one to do it with as it is a marginal made hand on this flop. When it goes check-check on the flop, it became fairly apparent Tony G had either a marginal-made hand or complete air.

"If you know your opponent likes to bluff a lot then give them every opportunity to run those bluffs."

As for Antonius, checking the nuts is pretty standard here. Leading into someone out of position, you are saying you are not concerned with what their range looks like, which is a huge indicator of strength,

On the turn, Antonius checked again. Its reasonable to keep super nutted hands in your checking range because you block so many hands that they may call with. Similarly, if you know your opponent likes to bluff a lot then give them every opportunity to run those bluffs. If your opponent is on the weaker and tighter side then you want to bet as they are unlikely to bluff.

Tony G checked behind, much to the astonishment of commentator Mike Sexton, but I dont mind it. Its one of those spots where you have to be concerned about losing a lot of chips, especially in tournament play, and betting the turn opens that door.

Antonius checking three times would really increase the value of Tony Gs marginal made hands, and thats just what he did on the river. This time Tony G took the bait by betting 40,000 out of his 332K stack.

This is a spot where Antonius is going to want to put in a big raise, like 3.5-4x your opponents bet. By doing so he will be polarized between having a nutted hand or nothing. If you only raise here with the nuts like a lot of weak players do, its like a free bet for Tony G who can bet and get called by worse hands and then just fold whenever raised.

Remember this, a big difference in being a big winner and a marginal winner is the aggression that they bring on the river.

Antonius woke up with a check-raise to 170K and Tony G shifted uncomfortably in his chair. When your perceived range is these types of marginal hands you have to find some hero calls against good players that will attack this range.

In this spot, Tony G blocked the king-high flush, which made a hero call a bit more appealing. Against world-class players that have the ability to bluff in these types of situations makes for a stronger case for Tony G to call, which he eventually did.

For a more thorough breakdown of this hand, check out my thoughts in the following video used with permission from partypoker:

Jonathan Little is a professional poker player and author with over $7,000,000 in live tournament earnings. He writes a weekly educational blog and hosts a podcast at JonathanLittlePoker.com. Sign up to learn poker from Jonathan for free at PokerCoaching.com. You can follow him on Twitter @JonathanLittle.

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Patrik Antonius Leaves Tony G Steaming in This Poker Hand - PokerNews.com

Poker is one of those sports that encourages strategy. It is a meaningful investment to develop cognitive skills. But often, this mind sport invites frowns than encouragement. Most people dont understand how Poker can enrich grey matter, but they go by the surface-level perception of this sport. This notion gets another colour when women enter the arena. A segment of society thinks that women and Poker cant be paired with each other. How wrong they could be!

Adda52, introduces SheMatters: Pro Poker Champs. A series that sheds light on women pro players of Poker. And up next is Muskan Sethi, Indias first female Poker player who sets the record straight. She tells us about her strategy at the green tables and about her journey of successes with the winning hand.

1. Tell us something about yourself and your initiation in Poker? What led you to this path?I am from New Delhi. I have been attracted to strategic games all my life; I found Poker when I was 11. My dad respected Poker as a mind sport and poker players for their skills. For me, it was love at first sight. But I waited to finish school at Modern, Barakhamba Road. Soon after, I took it up as a hobby. And then, many years later, I won a contest in India that gave me an opportunity to play for a million dollars with top pros on national tv in the UK. I never looked back & turned my favourite hobby into my profession, my passion.

3. What change has Poker brought to your life? What about the life skills you take home from this game?Risk is the best price we pay for the opportunity. Poker encourages you to take calculated risks, improves decision making, even under pressure. Not only do you evolve as a player, but also as a person. It promotes a healthy, problem-solving state of mind. You can use poker strategies in daily situations while investing in your finances and planning your future.

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ADVT: SheMatters- Pro Poker Champs: Muskan Sethi has upped the ante with her diverse career choice - Times of India

When casinos reopened in June after the coronavirus shutdown, a number of poker rooms in Las Vegas remained dark, and it seems likely some will never return to action.

The pandemic has wiped out about a third of an already dwindling number of poker tables in Clark County, mostly in Las Vegas.

Im actually surprised that more rooms havent closed, said Justin Young, a professional poker player who lives in Las Vegas.

In January 2020, just before the pandemic hit, 35 casinos in Clark County reported revenue from 418 poker tables, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. This January, 21 casinos reported earnings from 282 tables, a drop of about 33%.

The closures are part of a continuing trend only hastened by the pandemic, which has drastically cut into Las Vegas tourism. In the summer of 2010, Las Vegas had over 1,000 poker tables.

The 28-table poker room at the Encore has reopened, but has been temporarily moved to the casino floor at the adjacent Wynn Las Vegas with half the number of tables.

Ryan Beauregard, the director of poker operations, said the company plans to reopen the Encore poker room, but no timetable has been established.

That 14-table number has worked out well to meet the demand, even on weekends, Beauregard said. Demand is slowly starting to creep back up. Were just now seeing poker play about to outgrow what were offering now.

Beauregard said he expects poker to remain a draw at the Wynn properties on the Strip, but he wondered aloud whether all the closed poker rooms in Las Vegas will eventually reopen.

Maybe in some places where poker was more of an amenity instead of a draw at a property, that will have to be addressed. But the demand for poker will come back, Beauregard said.

Poker rooms at Strip casinos like the Mirage once the center of the poker universe Mandalay Bay and Excalibur remain closed. All three are MGM Resorts International properties.

At the Excalibur, the rails surrounding the poker area remain in place, but all seven tables have been removed. The rooms popular cash prize wheel for high hands remains perched in a corner.

MGM officials said they had nothing to report about its shuttered rooms. But last year, the MGM Grand hosted a series of free poker tournaments to give away more than $120,000 in promotion money collected from players at those rooms.

Off the Strip, locals card rooms at places like Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station and Sams Town also remain closed.

At Green Valley Ranch, the poker rooms 22 tables were removed and replaced with chairs so people could watch football and basketball. An official with property owner Station Casinos had no information about when or if the room might reopen.

In August, Station reopened three poker rooms, including at Red Rock Resort, which is operating with 20 eight-seat tables. Players are separated by plastic dividers and must wear masks.

Were seeing more and more of our regulars come back, said Scott Nelson, general manager at Red Rock. I think the plexiglass shields create confidence for the guests that they can play while remaining safe.

Casinos have also established more stringent disinfecting protocols.

At the Orleans, poker chips are regularly sprayed down with a heavy-duty sanitizer, and cards are swapped out every couple hours, a Boyd Gaming spokesman said. Whenever a player leaves a game, an attendant wipes down the area.

Cliff Kelley, a regular at the Orleans, said hes noticed some of the other players have stayed away during the pandemic, but hes not too concerned.

Poker will always be popular, Kelley, 77, of Las Vegas said.. Its different now you have to wear a mask and theyll be sure to remind you if you take it off but its still poker.

As he spoke on a recent weeknight, several dozen people were at the tables, some wearing protective face shields and all wearing face masks. In an area adjacent to the poker room, more players were competing in a poker tournament.

Its even busier on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Kelley said.

At the South Point, poker room manager Jason Sanborn said there is still a strong demand for live poker.

I know there are still restrictions, and I know some rooms have yet to open, but I do think were seeing a resurgence, said Sanborn, who oversees a busy 30-table room.

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Pandemic deals another blow to poker in Las Vegas - Las Vegas Sun

"Hellmuth, Little and Gross are each masters of their craft. We couldn't think of anyone better to spotlight and underscore the cognitive benefits of Breinfuel," said Dr. Gerald Horn, Medical Director at LasikPlus Chicago and Breinfuel Founder. "Too often, performance products focus only on physical endurance, when really stamina is rooted in the brain. The greatest poker strategy is only made better with increased and sustained focus."

Throughout the partnership, Hellmuth, Little and Gross will tout Breinfuel's premium formulation and the four ingredient blends it contains The Caffeine Blend, The Fuel Blend, The Brain-Booster Blend and The Antioxidant Blend. Players are incorporating Breinfuel in their training, while sharing ingredient profiles, efficacy and results with their followers.

"I've won a lot of money playing with Breinfuel and the even caffeine spread over 10 hours is amazing. Breinfuel incorporates a thoughtful, functional and strategic formulation. It's perfect for poker players, and perfect if you need to stay stable. Although I am the Poker Brat," said Phil Hellmuth.

A 15-time World Series Poker (WSOP) champion, Phil Hellmuth is regarded by many as the best poker player in the world. Dominating in Texas Hold-'em games for three decades, Hellmuth holds the world record for most cash finishes at WSOP and most WSOP final tables. In 1989, a 24-year-old Hellmuth became the youngest WSOP Main Event champion in history at the time and in 2012 became the only WSOP Main Event champion to also win the WSOP Europe Main Event. Known for his competitive nature and boisterous personality, Hellmuth has become affectionately known as "The Poker Brat".

"Dr. Horn created Breinfuel to get himself through back-to-back eye surgeries. That origin story resonated with me," noted Jonathan Little. "Not to equivalatepoker to medicine, but the required calculations, laser focus and precision are shared between the two. Poker players are continuously gathering, imputing and crunching data over the course of a 12-hour day. That requires a tremendous amount of sustained energy. Simply put, Breinfuel makes it easier."

Known for winning two World Poker Tour Titles, Jonathan Little has similarly dominated the poker scene. In his biggest single live tournament to date at the WPT Foxwoods World Poker Finals, Little beat a field of 412 players, earning a$1.12 million victory.In an equally impressive performance, Little took home $1.066 million, winning the WPT Mirage Poker Showdown in 2007-2008. Little fell into the poker world in college after making quick, substantial earnings and has remained a leading poker player and coachsince. He is also the creator of PokerCoaching.com, a leading Poker education platform where he offers valuable tips and lessons to poker players ranging from novice to rising stars.

A lifelong board game and video games fanatic, Jeff Gross launched his poker career in college and was immediately drawn to the challenge of using his strategic mind to make real money. Teaching himself the basics, Gross quickly started to increase his buy-ins and make the shift from online player to a high-stakes live player. Gross has finished top two in the $125,00 invite only Premiere League season VII with close calls for major tournament wins. He also won 2nd place in the World Series of Poker (WSOP), and now primarily focuses on cash games.Jeff is a staple of Twitch's poker streaming community and has become a household name among the game's most ravenous fans.

Each of Breinfuel's blends provides a unique function. The Caffeine Blend features green tea and green coffee beans for an energy boost. The Fuel Blend includes four grams of low-glycemic sugar, five grams of easily digestible collagen protein, and MCT's for additional, prolonged energy. The Antioxidant Blend adds vitamin C, vitamin E and beet root to reduce the brain's known sensitivity to accelerated metabolism. The Brain-Booster Blend features zinc, creatine, and L-theanine for brain health.

Available in fourflavors Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry Breinfuel retails for $3.99/bottle. To learn more about Breinfuel, visit https://www.breinfuel.com/ or follow them on Instagram and here Facebook.

ABOUT BRINFELDeveloped by Dr. Gerald Horn, a Lasik surgeon with a background in pharmaceutical science and disruptive drug development, Breinfuel combines highly researched ingredients with an extended release that is designed to support performance and wellbeing. Breinfuel is sold online and comesin four delicious flavors including Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry. Each bottle of Breinfuel features a proprietary blend of effective ingredients, including: natural caffeine from GCBE and green tea (along with their extracts), D-ribose sugar, collagen protein, MCT's, vitamin C, vitamin E, beet root, L-theanine, creatine, and zinc.

SOURCE BRINFEL

https://www.breinfuel.com/

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New Cerebral Beverage BRINFEL Partners with Elite Pro Poker Players Phil Hellmuth, Jonathan Little and Jeff Gross - PRNewswire

Online poker went live in Michigan on January 29, 2021. The launch came a little over a year after Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a massive gambling expansion package in 2019 that included not only poker, but also sports betting and casino games. Michigan is the fifth state to legalize and regulate online poker within its borders, with PokerStars dealing the first legal hands.

Shortly after MI online casinos and sports betting went live, PokerStars wasted no time getting cards in the virtual air for poker. While Michigan currently only has one option for online poker, several big names are on the way.

Currently, online poker in Michigan is running on an intrastate ring fenced format. This means that poker players in the state of Michigan can only compete against other Michiganders. There are hopes that sooner than later Michigan will join the interstate compact between New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada, to increase player pools. Larger player pools would mean more cash games running, bigger prizepools in tournaments, and sit n gos firing off at a faster clip.

With nearly 10 million residents in Michigan, this would almost double the population of the current interstate poker pool. Getting in on the compact would not only benefit the MI poker scene, but that in existing states as well. Plus, the possibility remains that Pennsylvania may also join in, further boosting player numbers.

While there is only a single option at the moment. Deals have already been made to expand that number soon, and other partnerships are being formed to give Michigan poker players options in the future. Heres a quick look at what to expect in the long term:

PokerStars is usually the first site that comes to mind for any poker player throughout the world, so it is only fitting that they were the first to go live in Michigan. PokerStars launched on January 29, 2021 through a partnership arrangement with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. PokerStars will greatly benefit from being the only game in town by building a solid customer base and see higher than normal traffic as MI poker players dont have any alternatives for legal online poker.

Even when others enter the market, PokerStars will still likely reign supreme with their top notch software, incredible tournament selection, cash games for any bankroll, and a wide variety of sit and go options. In addition to the poker options, PokerStars also shares a wallet with FOX Bet online sportsbook and PokerStars online casino. There are plenty of banking options to effectively move money on and off the site, and tons of promotions across all three verticals.

When you sign up for an online poker account, it usually comes with some perks. These perks can be in the form of free bonus money, free entries to tournaments, or deposit matches. These bonuses are a form of advertising and marketing, and are a great way to get a bankroll boost right from the start. Lets take a look at the most common online poker bonuses.

No deposit bonuses are just what they sound like, free perks just for signing up. No deposit bonuses do not require any other action aside from just registering a new account. You can use this money to try out the site, or add it on to other offers.

When it comes to online poker no deposit bonuses, the most common are bonus cash and free tournament tickets. Bonus cash typically comes with wagering requirements attached, meaning that the bonus money has to be put in play a certain amount before it can be withdrawn. Online poker sites typically use rake paid in cash games or tournament fees paid as their measure of how much action a player has accrued, and will use this to measure the wagering requirements.

Free tournament tickets can either be for a specific tournament or a specified amount. For example, when you sign up, there may be a tournament ticket for a first depositor freeroll, or you may receive a ticket for any $10 tournament on the site. Be sure to check the terms and conditions on the site for how you can use your tickets and be mindful of when they expire.

While no deposit bonuses are essentially free money, deposit bonuses are where the fun really begins. Where a no deposit bonus typically ranges from $10 to $30, deposit bonuses tend to be much higher, ranging from a few hundred bucks all the way up to $1500+. As the name suggests, you will need to make a deposit in order to activate this type of offer and be sure to read the terms carefully as they are not always 100% match.

For example, an online poker room could offer a 100% deposit match of up to $1000. To get the full $1000 in bonus money, you would need to deposit $1000. If a Michigan online poker room were to offer a 20% up to $1000 bonus, you would then need to deposit $5000 in order to trigger the full amount so keep an eye on the percentage!

Wagering requirements are typically tied to rake paid in cash games or tournament fees. Be sure to check the terms at each poker room as they will differ from site to site. Its also important to note that poker bonuses will usually be released in slabs as you satisfy the requirements. This means that instead of being released all at once, as you meet a percentage of the requirements, smaller amounts will be released. For example, if you have a $1000 bonus, and you meet 10% of the wagering, they may release $100 to your account.

Reload bonuses are just deposit bonuses that are offered from time to time and follow the same rules as a first deposit bonus, but they arent tied to a first deposit. Reload bonuses are open to existing customers, including those that may have already claimed a welcome offer. As always, be sure to check the T&C and familiarize yourself with the terms. Be on the lookout for reload bonuses around major holidays or in the build up to a big tournament series.

With loyalty programs, the more you play, the more you earn. Each site will do things a bit differently, but the premise is the same. As you play, you earn points, and these points will move you up the status tiers. The higher your tier, the more perks you get. These can include free tournament entries, free bonus money to play with, stays at affiliated casinos, and more.

Most online poker rooms will require you to download a software client on to a computer, or a mobile app to play on your favorite portable device. Playing in your favorite browser is usually not an option. These poker clients can be downloaded directly from the online poker rooms website. The poker client will usually be home to the online poker room and any other gambling verticals the site may house such as online casinos and online sportsbooks.

Once you have the online poker client on your computer or have installed the mobile app on your phone/tablet, simply click Join to start the registration process. You will need to enter your personal information such as name, address, phone number, and the last four of your social security number. This is for identification purposes only and will be run through a safe and secure program to do so.

During the process, you will also be prompted to choose a screen name. This screenname is to identify you while you are sitting at a virtual table. Be sure to choose carefully, you may not be able to change it in the future.

When it comes to getting money on and off the site there are options. Its important to note that all banking methods have been put through rigorous testing by the Michigan Gaming Control Board to verify their legitimacy. Available choices will vary by online poker room:

Deposits

Withdrawals

With online poker still in its infancy in Michigan, there is still a lot to look forward to. Look for more online poker sites to come online in the near future, giving players more options to get in on the action. Once they do, be sure to check back for all the top new player bonus offers.

For now, Michigan online poker players can only compete against other players located in Michigan. Eventually, Michigan may join Delaware, New Jersey and Nevada in the interstate compact that allows players in these states to compete against each other. More players means more cash games, bigger tournament payouts, and sit & gos starting more frequently. As time goes on, more and more states will eventually move online and contribute to the growth of online poker throughout the country.

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Michigan Online Poker - 2021 Guide to Poker Rooms, Apps, and Promos - US Bets

In honor of International Womens Day, PocketFives is shining the light on some of the women in poker who have made poker their lives and their careers and are an integral part of moving the game to new heights.

If you are a poker fan in Latin America, then theres a very good chance you are already very aware of Pamela Pamsi Balzano, the 25-year old poker player and influencer from Buenos Aires, Argentina who dedicates almost all of her time and creativity to promote the game of poker.

Balzano, a part-time player and full-time content creator, has been heavily involved in the poker community for the better part of the past eight years. From back in 2014 when she used to take pictures of live events for poker news outlet Codigo Poker to hosting the final table of the 2021 partypoker MILLIONS Online Main Event, her passion for the game of poker, and the people who enjoy it, shines through in everything she does.

My first time in a casino was for work, to take pictures. Then, three years later I started my YouTube channel with the idea of creating a new way to communicate poker. I really liked to explain to people who dont know about the game how it works, but in a funny way, a colorful way. A different way, because poker in the movies, everything is dark and thats not the truth about the game.

For Balzano, the game of poker isnt some moody mix of smoky backrooms or shady characters. Its always been entertaining, analytical, and even professional. A trait she picked up early from her brother.

My brother is seven years older than me and he started playing when he was 18. He became a professional poker player very soon thereafter and then in my home, it was always hand analysis and hand reviews. And I was always there with him and his friends. Thats where I became very interested in the game, because of him. Also, I really liked that he was always traveling around the world playing cards.

So my idea was to follow his path, but doing something different because I really like art and to create things and, well, taking pictures.

After a few years of being involved in poker media, she wanted to reach more people. She started working on her own YouTube channel where she would speak with poker players, give tips to new players, create tournament vlogs, and produce popular Draw My Life videos for players like Stu Ungar, Adrian Mateos, Damian Salas, and Doyle Brunson a video that has been seen well over 100,000 times. In the midst of working on her videos, she also began to work on her own game.

I started with my YouTube channel and then I started to study the game more professionally, but Im not a professional poker player. I like to play poker, I like to study poker and I really want to improve my game. So for the last two years, Ive been studying a lot and playing more, but not full-time because I create content and communicate poker, thats my job.

Since that time, her job and profile in poker have been expanding. Shes an active Twitch streamer, showcasing the results of her poker studies to her more than 9,000 followers and shes also been recruited by partypoker to anchor a number of online broadcasts for their Latin American viewers on the partypokerLATAM channel. Its clear though that, for Balzano, the time and dedication she puts into her myriad of poker content is truly a labor of love and the feedback she receives from her community motivates her to keep pushing forward.

I love my community because Ive found a lot of nice people who are always enjoying the game like me, they are always sending good vibes. I really like to share my work with people, and thats why I really like this job because I can share everything with a lot of nice people.

Next up for Balzano is a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to cover and play in the upcoming Caribbean Latin Series of Poker Main Event. As both a player and a content creator for the event, she intends on bringing her A game both on and off the felt. Its one of the challenges she had faced in the world of poker, splitting her time between playing and presenting,

Its difficult for me to decide if I prefer to play or if I prefer to create content because I love creating content and being in touch with people. But of course, I really like the gameI like to play, she said but also acknowledges that in order to keep things fresh she has to bring the total experience to her audience. I think the main challenge is to be creative every day. To do things differently. The market is growing, every part of the market, and nowadays Twitch is growing a lot. I really like that, because I am a little bit competitive so Im always trying to do things differently.

But those challenges are good ones to have. As the international poker market continues to grow, including in Argentina where Balzano says the game is popularbut not very much yet, her years of experience in all facets of the game are being allowed to shine. And as her community continues to grow so does her appreciation of the task at hand bringing the game of poker into the spotlight.

Im doing the job of my dreams, achieving a lot of things. One of them is being the host of big-time tournaments, for example, the partypoker MILLIONS Online. Of course, it would be nice if I could do it live, but its understandably difficult right now. But my main, main, main dream is to do commentary for the World Series of Poker Main Event or something like that. That would be nice.

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Argentina's Pamela 'Pamsi' Balzano Thrives on Creativity in Poker - PocketFives

During the height of the poker boom, Jonathan Little was one of the most successful poker pros traveling the live poker circuit. The Pensacola, Florida native crisscrossed the globe playing high-stakes tournaments, going on to rack up more than $7 million in live cashes, including a pair of World Poker Tour titles in 2007 and 2008.

But for Little, life is different now. He has a family, a home in New York City, and a thriving business to run.

Like most successful businessmen, Little stuck with what he knew. And what he knew was how to win at no-limit holdem. Now, the 36-year-old travels much less, plays more online, and spends his days constantly churning out cutting edge content on his training site PokerCoaching.com.

The seeds for what eventually blossomed into his coaching empire began at the beginning of his poker career, which started shortly after Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker main event in 2003, moving poker into the mainstream.

Like most products of said boom, Little got his start online and built up a six-figure bankroll playing single table sit-n-gos before he eventually transitioned to tournaments. But as it turned out, the skills he learned from mastering the sit-n-go format did not necessarily translate to large field, live tournaments.

Sit-n-gos didnt actually help much at all, said Little. Because theyre very different than multi-table tournaments. In sit-n-gos, the goal is to get into the top 30-ish percent of the field, whereas in multi-table tournaments, the goal is to get in the top one percent of the field. And that requires a very different strategy.

What he learned was that he was simply playing too tight to win money in large field tournaments. In sit-n-gos, it was right to play tight, get in the money, and then try to accumulate chips. That doesnt work when you have to maneuver your way through a field of several thousand players, as opposed to just eight other opponents.

When I first started playing live tournaments, I lost a large chunk of my bankroll, about $200,000, Little admitted. I realized that I was clearly bad at them and needed to study.

After bouncing ideas off some of his colleagues, Little learned where his leaks were and how to plug them.

I recognized that you have to get in there and you have to gamble a little bit harder, he said. If you are not willing to gamble in the early and middle stages, youre never going to build a big chip stack. If you never build a big chip stack, then all it takes is one hand to bust you. You dont want that to happen. You want to be able to lose lots of hands and still be in the tournament.

Aside from switching his aggression levels, he also needed to learn how to play deep-stacked poker. The late stages of sit-n-gos are where the money is made, but its also where the stacks are the shallowest. Little had to adjust from playing with fewer than 10 big blinds to play as deep as 100 big blinds.

This was the adjustment that gave him his first taste of what poker training was becoming in the age of the internet. At 21 years old, after losing a large amount of his bankroll, Little joined the now-defunct CardRunners and PokerXFactor, the two leading training sites available at the time.

Before these sites were created, the only training resources that were widely available were the handful of strategy books that were quickly becoming outdated. Armed with a new arsenal of poker strategies, Little went on a tear that most couldnt even dream of.

He started 2007 with a fifth-place finish at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event for $317,873, which gave him his first TV appearance as he battled it out with the likes of Isaac Haxton and eventual winner Ryan Daut on the windy, outdoor, final table set. He then earned a runner-up finish to JC Tran in a $3,000 buy-in side event just a couple months later for $146,760 at the Five-Star World Poker Classic.

Then he really started to cash in.

In May of that year, Little topped a 309-entry field in the $10,000 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown for $1.06 million, topping a final table that featured poker legend Phil Ivey. In October, he finished runner-up to Scott Clements at the CAD$10,000 WPT North American Poker Championship in Niagara Falls for another $714,905, which basically put a bow on a year that saw Little earn more than $2.5 million. He followed that up with a 2008 campaign that included another seven-figure score when he took down the WPT Foxwoods World Poker Finals for $1.12 million.

But despite becoming one of the most successful players in the tournament world, those days are a bit of a blur for him.

I dont actually remember those times all that well. I dont even remember yesterday all that well, he said with a laugh. I think thats actually a skill that makes me a decent poker player, because I can have a bad day at the table, or a bad month, and wake up perfectly fine the next day.

Those monster years shored up any bankroll liabilities he may have had in the early portion of his career and turned him into a mainstay at high-stakes live tournaments. Throughout his career as a player and now as an instructor, he has seen countless students and pros alike go broke because of poor management of their funds.

All you really have to do to win at poker is find a game you can beat, play it a lot, and play properly bankrolled for that game, said Little. And if you do those three things, you will win at poker. But most people do not do those three things. Most people will play games they cannot beat. Most people do not want to play a lot, they just want to play on the weekend for a few hours with their friends. And most people do not play with a proper bankroll.

Little says that what is considered a proper bankroll is different for each player. In order to come up with a number that works for you, you need to think about what games you are playing, what kind of return youll have in those games, and how much variance comes along with it.

If youre playing a 45-person tournament with a decent return on investment, then a 100-buy-in bankroll is perfectly fine, said Little. But if youre playing gigantic tournaments with 1,000 people or more with a small return on investment, then you need a huge amount of buy-ins. Like 300. Many players have not sat down and done the work to realize how big of a bankroll they actually need.

Over the course of his career, Little has seen the entire evolution of the modern game, from both a strategic standpoint and a logistical one. Hes watched the buy-ins drop while re-entries increase, all while the game got tougher to succeed at.

There arent nearly as many $10,000 buy-in tournaments that have very soft fields anymore, said Little. Also, back then, the tournaments were all freezeouts, which is a different game. As people can re-enter over and over again, everyones return on investment gets lower because the good players are usually willing to re-enter more often than the weaker players, which results in the fields proportionally having more good players in them.

He has also seen the online version of the game become insanely tough, even at what would be considered mid-stakes live.

The $1,000 buy-in tournaments online are tougher than any major live tournament you will find, said Little.

But this is a natural progression. In any sport, any game, any competition, the ability to succeed at the highest level will naturally shrink. It will always take more to excel as more people study it.

Look at athletes. They run faster today than they did 50 years ago, said Little. Why? Because they have better tools, and better training techniques, and better studying materials. That results in them performing better, and poker is no different. People are going to continue to get better and better over time.

Despite how good the rest of the field has gotten, Little doesnt feel that the steeper learning curve should scare people away from the game. Nor does he feel that the action has dried up. There is still plenty of money to be made, and he has witnessed it first-hand.

The small- and medium-stakes games are still wildly profitable, said Little. I have plenty of students who are crushing them, and I still succeed at the highest stakes.

After several years of globetrotting as a live poker player, Little met his wife Amie. They ended up tying the knot in 2015 and Little moved to New York to be with her and start a family.

Shes from New York and she was not moving from New York, said Little about why he chose to continue his career from a place thats lacking a lot of live poker action. Her parents live here, she works here and she loves it. If I would like to be with her, I have to live here.

With plans to start a family, Littles old lifestyle of being on the road for three or four weeks out of the month just wasnt going to work out long term.

I knew about five or six years ago that I wanted to be able to stay at home a little more often, said Little. I wanted to start a family and do my best to be a good dad. I knew that would require me to stay at home some portion of the time. I needed to figure out a way to make reasonable money from home.

So, he founded PokerCoaching.com in 2016, and quickly began helping others beat the game that gave him so much.

I dont know if anything ever made me want to become a poker coach other than people asking for my advice, said Little. I used to participate on various poker forums back in the day, when they were full of good poker players who were actively trying to improve their skills and help others. And eventually, people came to me for private coaching, and I was happy to do that.

Littles advice became a highly sought-after commodity. And before he knew it, he was spending all of his time either playing poker or coaching it.

Little was one of the first poker coaches to move beyond in-game videos. During the first wave of poker training sites, most of the content was comprised of a professional giving the play-by-play of their session, opening up their thought process for paying members.

After spending a lot of time learning how people learn, Little developed a model of training that moved past this approach and offered other avenues for players to understand these new concepts. Since everyone retains information differently, Little decided to give his students options. It wasnt enough to stay on top of his YouTube channel, or his numerous podcasts, or even the now 15 poker books he has authored!

At PokerCoaching.com, we teach students using many different methods. There are interactive live webinars where you can ask the coach your questions in real-time, similar to a one-on-one coaching session. We also have interactive quizzes, and private live streams where you can ask us questions as we play in real time, said Little. The result is the students get substantially better at a fast rate, which is my goal.

Little cant give up playing altogether, however. As an instructor, playing, and playing well for that matter, is the only way to stay on top of the strategy trends that are always changing in the poker world. He is just forced to be more scheduled with his time.

Its really important that I stay up to date on what is happening in the poker strategy space because consolidating and sharing that information with my students is my job, said Little.

But just in case he misses anything, Little isnt leaving anything to chance. He employs a team of coaches for his site, many of which have had success at the games highest levels. WPT Champions Jonathan Jaffe and James Romero, former WPT Player of the Year Faraz Jaka, WSOP bracelet winner Tristan Wade, tournament grinder Matt Affleck, and online legend Bert girafganger7 Stevens all actively produce high level training content at PokerCoaching.com.

I look for people who have a long, successful track record, said Little about how he chooses other coaches for his site. I essentially hire coaches who I wish I had to teach me when I first started playing, or coaches who I want to learn from today. Thats why I hired James Romero and Bert Stevens, who are among the absolute best tournament players in the world.

If you want to learn from the best and take your game to the next level, check out PokerCoaching.com/CP25 and get started today.

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Jonathan Little Builds On Lucrative Poker Career With Successful Coaching Business - Poker News - CardPlayer.com