Simple Tips to Increase Poker Profits

Poker players are always looking for an edge over their opponents to increase profits. Usually this involves reviewing and improving their poker game. This list is going to focus on making sure you are following some very simple tips that a lot of players never really consider. You may have played at one poker site for years and never thought that you had a reason to look for a new poker site. However, it may be necessary to look for another site in order to increase your profits. US Poker Rakeback has compiled a list of the top things you can do to increase your poker profits:

1. Play with Rakeback. Whether this is a traditional rakeback deal, or a rakeback equivalant VIP Program, make sure you are maximizing your profits by playing on a rakeback deal or VIP Program. If you are playing without rakeback, or rakeback equivalent VIP
   program, you are throwing money away. If you are not receiving rakeback or rakeback equivalent VIP program, you may want to consider switching to another poker site. While it's true that rakeback percentage is not the only thing to consider, if you are playing without rakeback you should at least explore your options. For starters, take a look at the rakeback and VIP programs we have available at US Poker Rakeback. You should also factor in 'effective rakeback',
   which brings us to #2.
2. Take Advantage of Promotions. Poker sites and affiliates run lots of
   Promotions. This is why it's so important to find an affiliate that offers as much value, or 'effective rakeback', as possible when looking for a new poker site. For
   example, when signing up for Minted Poker, if you take the first 40% rakeback deal from the first affiliate you find, you could be losing out on at least 10% in profits. US Poker Rakeback offers a Rakechase for Minted Poker where you can earn an extra 10+% at different tiers of the Rake Chase. US Poker Rakeback also frequently runs other Promotions, so be sure to visit US Poker Rakeback frequently to check for the latest VIP Programs,promotions, reload bonuses, and more!
3. Play within your Bankroll. Follow strict bankroll management for the stakes you are playing. If you are typically a NL100 player, \do not hesitate to move down to NL50 if you experience a downswing. This will keep you from busting your bankroll and keep you in the game until the variance equals out. If you make a $500 deposit, don't start out playing NL100. With only five buy-ins, you are taking a huge risk and, even the best players in the world would have trouble turning that into any significant amount money before busting out. Since you're only a handful of bad beats away from losing your entire bankroll, start off at much lower stakes and slowly build your bankroll up. The exact bankroll for the stakes you play would depend on your situation. If you are able to reload if you go bust, then you can take a more
   aggressive approach. If you're a professional poker player, you should have a more conservative approach in which you're at very little
   risk of losing your entire bankroll. For specific bankroll management guidelines for all levels of SNG's and MTT's,
   Click Here.
4. Table Select. You should work on table selecting. There is no need to sit at a table of nine tough opponents that know your style of play very well. If you are having trouble finding enough favorable tables available at your site, consider playing at multiple sites. This will allow you to not only table select, but to take advantage of reload bonuses and other site promotions offered at various sites. You should also continuously monitor your tables. The table dynamics can change very quickly. You may have sat down at a favorable table to find it has become reg infested within a few minutes. If you're constantly monitoring your tables, you will easily indentify when the table dynamics have changed and you can quickly locate another table when the table dynamics are no longer faborable.
5. Control Tilt. Some players are more prone to tilt then other players. If you find that you are prone to Tilt, then you have to figure out a way to stop yourself before you go on Tilt. Whether this means stopping for the day, taking an hour break, or taking a
   ten minute walk, you must avoid going on tilt and losing multiple buy-ins. They even make software to help tilt. When some players go on tilt they may even go into the casino and play high stakes Black Jack, or other casino games. Most poker sites will allow you to disable
   the casino by simply emailing the poker room support and requesting the casino games be disabled. One bad session where you're unable to show enough self-discipline to stop before you go on tilt can quickly erase a week of solid profits.

Another US Site Leaving US Market

Yesterday PPN announced that they would be leaving the Cake Network and the US Market. This is yet another Poker Site/Skin that has made the decision to leave the US Market on the heels of 'Black Friday'. Sites such as Poker World, Victory Poker, Sportsbook.com, Players Only, and even the entire Merge Network have all left the US market following 'Black Friday'. The Merge Network is supposed to be a temporary move, yet they have still not re-entered.While there have been rumors about Merge re-entering the US Market, they still have yet to do so.

The interesting thing about PPN leaving the US market is that the owner of PPN, Chuck Kidd, is also the owner of two Payment Processing companies(MyPaylinQ and Pic-Club) that process payments for US Online Casino's and Poker Sites. The official Press Release did not mention either MyPaylinQ or Pic-Club and only mentioned PPN. PPN had already switched from a dot com domain to a dot eu domain in the last few months. The move was likely a move to protect itself from a Gov. Seizure of the PPN domain. If Chuck Kidd decided that changing the domain and the other precautions were not enough to keep PPN in the US market, then it makes me wonder if MyPaylinQ and/or Pic-Club will remain in the US.

The remaining sites continue to struggle to find Payment Processors that can consistently get player's their Cashouts. Chuck Kidd has stated that Pic-Club and MyPaylinQ process payments for Everleaf, Bodog, and quite a lot of smaller Networks. With the sites already having trouble finding Processing funds every processor lost is a huge blow to the industry. The reasoon Merge left the US market temporarily was partly because of the difficulty they were having processing Cashouts. They still haven't re-entered so they may still be having trouble securing a Processor willing to process for the US customers that make up the majority of Merge's player pool.

It remains to be seen if MyPaylinQ and Pic-Club will remain in the US Market, but it is clear that Online Poker is in pure survival mode at this point. In the last year we've seen the 3 largest US Poker Sites indicted and leave the US market, Processors seized including UseMyWallet/QuickTender, Smaller sites like True Poker and Doyles Room have their processors and domains seized, and countless other Gambling transactions frozen.

While US residents still have choices, the sites to choose from offer smaller player pools. As Poker Players and US Citizens we need to protect our right to play Online Poker in the comfort of our own home. We need to continue to tell our Congressmen that as US citizens we should have the same freedoms that citizens in countries such as Mexico, England, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and so many other countries have that we currently do not. Visit the PPA Action Center to show your support for freedom and for Online Poker today. To read more about what sites are available to US players, PPN leaving, and the Official Press Release visit US Poker Rakeback

Merge Network Rumors

It’s rumored that the Merge Poker Network will start accepting new US players within the next week. In fact, atleast one skin on the Merge Poker Network has started accepting US players already and the rumors are that the other skins will likely start accepting new US players again in the next week thought I will add that there have been similar rumors in the past that proved false.

This comes after Merge stopped accepting new US players after the huge influx of US players that relocated following the shutdown of the 3 largest US sites on ‘Black Friday’. The Merge Network was having difficulty providing adequate customer support and processing US Cashouts due to the massive increase in traffic. Cashouts are being processed more quickly in recent weeks but it remains to be seen if they will continue to be able to process Cashouts quickly once new players start to sign up.

Merge is the largest US friendly poker site with the most popular skins being Black Chip Poker, Carbon Poker, and RPM Poker. Merge offers popular games such as No-Limit Holdem, Limit Hold-em, Omaha, Stud, Draw, Black Jack, Euchre, Video Poker for both real money and play money. Merge is widely considered the most reputable US friendly poker site since ‘Black Friday’. Merge stopped Rakeback on the Network on June 1st for new players opting to go with a VIP Program. Skins like Black Chip Poker, Carbon Poker, and RPM Poker all offer a very generous VIP Program that awards players up to 47% on top of the other site promotions and Deposit Bonus available. See all the best Poker Site offers for both US and non-US Poker Sites here and get access to exclusive promotions such as Rake Races, Rake Chases, and free memberships at Poker Training sites.

Stay tuned for updates on US sign ups on Merge and other Poker News!

Minted Poker Room Review

Minted Poker is one of the largest, most reputable, and in my opinion best skins on the Everleaf Gaming Network. Minted Poker has been around the Online Poker world for 4 years. They serve many players all over the world and are one of the few Poker Sites that still serve the US market. Even more rare, they accept players from all 50 states in the US.

Minted Poker offers various Cashout options. They offer US players one of the fastest Cashouts options. I've performed a variety of Cashouts on Minted Pokersince the infamous 'Black Friday' and I have received everyone in under 3 days. I routinely receive the Cashout within 24 hours of the request. In the current Poker Climate US players receiving Cashouts in less than 3 days is extremely fast. Currently no other site comes close to this timeframe. Minted Poker does not charge for this type of Cashout which is another huge benefit.

Minted Poker offers a variety of games including No Limit Holdem, Limit Holdem, Omaha, and Stud. They have Cash Games, Mult-Table Tournaments, and Sit N Go Tournaments running 24/7. Most of the Cash Games and Tournaments are No Limit Holdem but you can find tables at Omaha running almost every day. The Cash Tables come in Full Ring (Ten Players), 6max, 4max, and Heads up. Most of the action is at the 6max tables.

Minted Poker gives new players a choice of 4 Deposit Bonuses: 100% bonus up to $400 that is released in 10 equal parts, 500% bonus up to $1,000 that also releases in 10 equal parts, 150% up to $1,500 that releases in 6 equal parts, and a 250% up to $2,500 that releases in 4 equal parts. This allows the user to decide which bonus will be the best value for them.  New sign ups can also enjoy 40% Rakeback on all Rake and Tournament Fee's they pay while playing. Rakeback is paid every Tuesday/Wednesday for the previous Monday-Sunday period. When signing up I urge players to sign up through an affiliate that offers an exclusive Rake Chase that adds even more value such as the affiliate US Poker Rakeback. This is all on top of the various promotions that Minted Poker frequently runs including Network wide Rake Races, Reload Bonuses, and other site promotions.

The Poker Client allows players to play up to 8 tables at a time. It is compatible with software such as Holdem Manager, Poker Tracker 3, and there is even an AHK Program to allow multi table players to play more efficient by betting preset percentages of the pot among other features. The Poker Client is already one of the best for US players and a solid choice for all players, however Minted Poker will be releasing a completely new Poker Client that has even more features that Poker Players have suggested. The Beta release of the new software is set for September 15th. Currently the software is not Mac compatible but players can also play on Minted Poker through their browser without downloading the Poker Client. On September 15th when they release the new Poker Client they will also be releasing a fully downloadable version for Mac users. When the new Poker Client is releases players will also be able to play even more tables than the current limit of 8.

Traffic at Minted Poker is growing and offers users games 24/7. The player pool is soft and has a lot of Italian and European players. The games are considered some of the juiciest on the Internet. Expect the player pool to continue to grow as they continue to gain popularity among US players for fast Cashouts, Good Customer Support, great Bonus and Rakeback plans, and Juicy Games.

Overall Minted Poker is a good option for all players and a great option for US players. Check it out and start making some extra money with all the great value they offer!

Why Poker Legislation is needed in the US!

We continue to get closer and closer to Legalized and Regulated Online Poker in the United States. This Legislation is very much needed, in my opinion.  Even for non-poker players Legislation has plenty of benefits and should be supported.

While it remains harder and harder to play Online Poker in the United States, other countries have moved much faster in passing Legislation. Countries around the world are able to enjoy the freedom of playing Poker from the comfort of their own homes in a regulated and legal market. We don't have that freedom in the United States. While you can still play Poker Online from the United States, it is far from safe and legal as we all learned on Black Friday. The list of sitesthat still accept US players continue to get smaller. Some of the Poker sites that are still accepting US players have been forced to block players from specific states because of the state laws that exist in those states.

With the recent Debt Crisis legalizing and regulating Online Poker could bring a much needed new revenue stream. It's estimated that regulating Online Poker could bring in $42 Billion in new revenue to the Federal Budget over the course of ten years. It would also provide states with additional revenue streams. With US citizens still playing Online Poker despite the Department of Justice's recent crackdowns, I would rather those revenue streams remain in the United States, rather than a foreign country.

Our country is in one of the worst economic periods since the Great Depression. Millions of Americans are unemployed. The crackdown on Internet Poker on Black Friday only added to the number of Americans that are unemployed. Thousands of Americans made their living playing Online Poker Professionally. Thousands more Americans were employed by Affiliate Sites, Poker Coaching/Training Sites, and web design sites. Most of these players are unable to make the same living in the current US Online Poker climate because the sites still accepting US players have smaller player pools and they do not offer the same High Stakes as the Sites that were seized on Black Friday. Legislation would not only give these US citizens their jobs back, but it would also bring the offshore Poker Sites onto American soil which would create thousands of jobs including: Customer Service Positions, Marketing Positions, Technology Positions, Computer Programming and Networking Positions, etc....

Some may argue that legalizing Online Poker would open the door for problem Gamblers and Underage Gamblers. In fact, the opposite would happen under Government Regulation. Currently, we rely on these off shore Poker Sites to police Problem Gamblers and Underage Gamblers. Can we really trust that these off shore sites have the best interest of these individuals in mind? The current Off Shore sites cannot possibly catch all the Problem Gamblers and Underage Gamblers even if that was their intention. Good Federal Legislation would set up various detection methods to deter Problem Gamblers and Underage Gamblers.

The United States has always been the leader in terms of Freedom. It's time to get back to that and give US Poker Players the freedom to play in a legal, safe, and regulated Poker Market. Currently their are multiple bills to Legalize and Regulate Online Poker at the state level and there is also a Federal Bill. As US citizens we need to contact our Congressmen and let them know that we stand for Freedom and that we stand for Legalized, Regulated, and Safe Online Poker for various reasons including those mentioned above!

US Online Poker after 'Black Friday'

For those in the Online Poker World April 15th will be known forever as “Black Friday”. It was the day that the DOJ seized the domains of the 3 largest Online US Poker sites(Pokerstars, Full Tilt, and Ultimate Bet/Absolute Poker), froze multiple Bank accounts, and indicted several key figures running these sites. The sites were charged with various felonies including Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and violating the 2006 UIGEA.  The UIGEA was a law that was attached to a bill that made it illegal for any Financial Institute to process Gambing transactions.
We are now several months away from Black Friday and thousands of players still have funds that are frozen on two of these sites. There seems to be no time frame currently when players may receive funds and those players may never see those funds.

That would seem like the end of Online Poker in the US. In actuality it isn’t. There are still multiple sites that still exist that offer real money games to US residents that have quickly stepped up to fill the void. These sites have grown at a tremendous rate since Black Friday with no apparent signs of slowing down. Since it is only illegal to process the funds to Gambling institutions, players are not breaking the law and continue to grow at a tremendous rate. The current sites are not near as large as the previous sites, yet players have still shown the willingness to deposit and play. For a list of some of Poker sites with links to sign up including sites that still serve US residents Click Here.

Players have not only continued to play Online Poker, but they have also became more organized in their effort to get legislation passed to make it legal to play Online Poker from the comfort of your own home. Even for US citizens that do not play poker the fact that the US Government has taken another freedom should be very alarming. I urge everyone join the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). You can also send an email to your Congressmen by clicking here and it will only take a min. The email can be edited or sent as it is.

Online Poker is not dead in the US, but with good regulation and legislation it could thrive once again. We must pass legislation for the long term viability of Online Poker. Please take a few minutes and show your Congressmen that you support Online Poker and your personal freedom as a US citizen.