Ultimate Bet Online Poker Room Review
The future looks bright as October, 2008 tournament traffic numbers peaked at 14,000. In some cases, as many as 25,000 simultaneous connections were noted. The site has been endorsed by pros Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke , as a highly competitive arena, but it also offers tables at an incredible range of skill levels. As can be expected, the promotions are generous and support frequent players. The startup bonus for example, is 111% on the initial deposit, with a limit of $1100. The lowest possible deposit is $25. Players also get $1 in bonus money for every 10 raked hands. In terms of loyalty, regulars receive one Ultimate Point (UP) for every raked hand, along with one point per table each hour. The points can be put toward Ultimate Bet merchandise such as clothing, but can also be used for designated freeroll tournaments. As a referral promotion, $100 is given when a referred friend deposits at least $100. The friend gets an extra $50 as well. Every 90 minutes, Ultimate Bet awards the best four hands. Freerolls are held throughout the day and World Series of Poker qualifiers are held regularly. Ultimate Bet is recognized for its game variety, with a number of ultra high-limit games and variations. Blackjack, Elimination Blackjack, real-money Roshambo, Hold'em, Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo , Seven-Card Stud Hi and Hi-Lo, Pineapple, 2-7 Triple Draw, and A-5 Triple Draw all make for a selection that is credit to this site. An additionally available option is the rare Royal Hold'em (played as Hold’em without deuces to nines). Hold’em also includes No-Limit, Limit and Pot-Limit, and Omaha includes Pot-Limit and Limit. Hold'em, Omaha, Seven-Card Stud, 2-7 Triple Draw and A-5 Triple Draw are all offered in Heads-up table format. The Ultimate Bet software has had some mixed reviews. On a positive note, it has been described as fast, innovative, and stable, with some user-friendly functions. Regular updates and highly attractive graphics have been identified as contributing to a safe and pleasant playing experience. Criticism regarding the lobby software has received attention, catapulting Ultimate Bet software from being simply average to state of the art software. A strong feature is the highly realistic or true to life view and feeling captured in poker room. The graphics and presentation feel like one is really there. The room also offers a mini table function that is superior mainly because of its simplicity. Display options offer good statistics and a variety of options. One drawback is that the full table does not have a numeric pot size counter. Though it lacks the special extras, the software is reliable and easy to navigate and play. The available competition is considered to generally be average. Tournaments are a high point. World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker qualifiers are available and in these areas, the competition is unsurprisingly first-rate. At the same time, softer competition can be easily found. There is also high demand for the many available freerolls. Regularly offered multi table tournaments have buy-ins ranging from $1 to $200, with the majority averaging about $20. Technical and customer support is offered via e-mail and is rated as top notch with response times in some cases as low as 5 minutes or less. A disadvantage is the absence of telephone support and live chat. For transactions, deposit options include credit card, Neteller, FirePay, Citadel, wire transfer, bank draft and check. Customers can cash out using Neteller, FirePay and check. Overall, Ultimate Bet offers a very stable and appealing poker experience. Software improvements, variety in competition levels, and game and tournament selection all make for a highly recommended online poker experience.
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