Party Poker is where the fish hang out. Make no mistake about it; this is where the terrible players hang out. I played poker for the first time in my life on Party Poker, just like a bunch of others do. If you consider yourself at least an intermediate player, you will be laughing all the way to the bank.
Party Poker was the largest online poker site in the world at one stage. Had it not been for the fact that they stopped allowing US players, they could still be #1. At the moment they are the 4th largest online poker site. PokerStars is #1 with 26,000 cash game players. Full Tilt Poker has 15,400, with the iPoker Network having 5,600. Party Poker currently has 5,300 cash game players at the tables on average.
What does that mean for the everyday poker player? It means that there is ample opportunity to make a truckload of cash here. I can remember a friend of mine showing me his stats from Party Poker one time. He said he shoved pocked aces pre-flop 100% of the time. What amazed me though, was that he was called 65% of the time. Hands like K7 off-suit were regularly in a show down with him. If that doesn’t get a poker player excited, I don’t know what will.
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Party Poker Bonus
When I played at Party Poker for the first time I received a 100% up to $500 bonus. All new players will receive this Party Poker bonus. The signup bonus is paid out incrementally. What that means is that the more you play the more of the bonus that you unlock. The bonus is released in $10 increments.
That is not the only bonus that is offered on Party Poker. If you stick around long enough you are sure to be offered a reload bonus. This particular poker room rewards their loyal players by periodically running bonus promotions. This could mean an extra couple of hundred in your pocket, which I am definitely not going to turn down.
To claim this bonus you need to enter the Party Poker bonus code PPBNET500.
Party Poker Promotions
What sets Party Poker apart from their competitors? These guys were the original big dogs in the industry. That means they raise the bar when it comes to unique and rewarding poker promotions.
Step Challenge – Party Poker were the first poker site to introduce this. You start off on level one for a $3 buy-in. The top two advance to the next level until level 6. 3rd and 4th get to retry same level in most cases.
Both PokerStars and Everest Poker have copied this promotion because it is so popular. I can remember when I first started playing I went straight to the last level without having to retry any of them. It was that simple. Unfortunately I bubbled the last level and missed out on $500. The winner takes home $2,000. Not bad for a $3 investment huh?
Bad Beat Jackpot – Here is an amazing chance to win hundreds of thousands of dollars. No joke. All you have to do is play at a bad beat cash table. 50 cents will be taken from each pot which goes into the bad beat prize pool. That results in the Party Poker Bad Beat Jackpot being increased by more than $1000 each hour.
To win this life changing sum of money, just lose. That’s right, you have to lose. If your hand is Four of a Kind, 8’s or better and you lose; then you are a winner. The other players at the table also receive a percentage of the prize pool.
The Million Dollar Hand – This Party Poker promotion is back by popular demand. The concept of this is simple. For every 15 Party Points that you collect, you will be given a card. For every 5 cards you are given, you will be rewarded based on what hand you have. If you have a pair or better, you win. If you have a Royal Flush you win the $1 million. It’s as simple as that.
- Also see: Party Poker Promotions
Party Poker Tournaments
Party Poker used to be the King of online poker tournaments. Since they lost their American players they have slipped a little bit, but they are still right up there with the others. The main difference between Party Poker tournaments and those that are run at PokerStars and Full Tilt is how regular they are run. There are plenty of huge tournaments; you just have to be a little more choosy in terms of the time that you play.
Monthly Million – On the first Sunday of every month Party Poker runs a tournament with a $1 million prize pool. This is the second largest regular guarantee tournament on the Internet. The buy-in for this event is $640. With the weak competition at the tables, I strongly recommend playing in it. If you don’t have the bankroll to accommodate it, there are plenty of satellites available as well.
Sunday 300k – If you are like me and can’t wait a month to play in a massive tournament, then don’t be alarmed. Every Sunday Party Poker runs a $300k guaranteed tournament. The buy-in is $215.
The Party Poker tournaments run slightly different than I am used to. I am not sure if it is the blinds or the players, but they seem to finish quicker. The terrible level of play must be a key factor here.
Overall, I have found myself continually playing at Party Poker simply because I win more money. A lot of this has to do with the tournaments as well. I have found the $11 to $33 range of tournaments to be especially weak. Even when you get up to the $55 and $109 tourneys, they aren’t that much better.
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Party Poker Software
In 2008 Party Poker underwent a major change in their software. I hated the old software and even left the poker room because of it. Now it is light years ahead of where it used to be. Now, everything is fully functional. Not only that, it exceeds what I thought they were capable of. In my opinion, it is a lot easier to use, and sexier than the likes of Full Tilt and the iPoker Network.
The software allows you to play Blackjack and Roulette in it as well. I’ve always been an avid fan of these games, so it means I don’t have to play on separate software. On the occasion I do go on tilt, so it allows me a bit of an escape from the poker tables. Taking bad beats from terrible players is sometimes hard to take. You can also play at Party Casino and Party Bets with the same funds from your poker account so you don’t have to worry about creating multiple accounts or depositing in different places. It is all seamless and runs smoothly. Bingo, Backgammon and financial trading are also available to players of Party Poker.
The new software has avatars that previously weren’t available. There is nothing worse than looking at the generic graphics. Now that they have avatars it allows me to distinguish a lot easier between the decent players and the fish.
The layout of the tournament lobbies has improved remarkably as well. Now all the information can be seen an interpreted simply. This along with the redesigned tables means an outstanding player experience. It makes clearing that Party Poker first deposit bonus that much more enjoyable.
Level of Competition
Like I alluded to earlier, this is what sets Party Poker apart from the rest. The players here are stupid donks. My experience here is a perfect example. On my first day of playing poker ever, I decided to start playing small buy-in tournaments. I lost the first two and then played in a $2 speed re-buy in my third one. I ended up coming 3rd in this tourney and pocketing over $600 bucks. Also, the only reason I lost was because I didn’t know that A-5 (wheel) was a straight!
If you are playing poker to win money, then this is the place to be. Plenty of other online card rooms offer different things. What Party Poker offers is the chance to win real money. It is as simple as that. You play at Party Poker to win real money.
I have found that the cash games are at their worst around the $0.25/0.50 – $1.00/$2.00 levels. I have even seen a mass amount of videos of stupid fish playing at the $2.00/$4.00 – $5.00/$10.00 levels. When it comes to dumb players, there is no shortage here. By the time you claim all of the Party Poker bonuses you should be well on your way to building a significant bankroll.
Game Selection
Party Poker offers my favourite poker game. That game is called Omaha. If you haven’t already played this game, check out the Party Poker website to find out how. I thought the players at Texas Hold’em were terrible, and then I found the horrible players at the Omaha and Stud games.
Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo are the games that Party Poker has to offer. There is no H.O.R.S.E. or RAZZ but I don’t tend to play those games much anyway. The 5 games here are often referred to as the “Big 5” because they are the most popular. So unless you play the other games I mentioned, you are well catered for.
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Deposit Options
Deposit options for poker players is often a stumbling block when it comes to playing at poker sites. I have found that the major card rooms have most bases covered when it comes to this. Party Poker is no exception to that rule. All of the major credit cards and e-Wallets are available to make your first deposit with. None of the options will affect your claiming your Party Poker bonus.
Deposit Options for Party Poker – ClickandBuy, Click2Pay, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Moneybookers, Bank Wire Transfer, Ukash, WebMoney.
Party Poker is always adding extra deposit options for their players. I suggest that you check the options in the poker software. That way you can find out what options are most suitable to you.
Party Poker Customer Support
When I first signed up at Party Poker I was called on the phone to confirm my account. I find this level of security of paramount importance. It has been a few years since I first signed up, so I am not 100% sure they are still doing this. The principle though, is one that makes me breathe a little easier. They take their security and customer service seriously. Kudos in my books.
I was also assigned a dedicated host. This customer support representative makes sure everything is as good as it can be for you. They look after you more than any other poker room.
That being said, if you are a regular player they will keep throwing Party Poker bonuses at you. It is their mission to keep you happy and playing.
Party Poker offer 24/7 phone and email support. There are international numbers that you can call as well. They offer all the standard customer service features, the difference is that they try a lot harder than the rest.
Party Poker Review Summary
Party Poker is a well established and trusted online poker room. They have been in the industry longer than most other sites. They now own the World Poker Tour which adds more trust to their brand.
Every year they send numerous players to the major poker events like the World Series of Poker. They are pure class in all facets of running an Internet card room; this makes them a force to be reckoned with.
The stupid donks are plentiful. At the end of the day this is what has the most impact for me. The Party Poker bonus is easy to clear with players that are so bad. Enough said.
