Are American Online Poker Sites Rigged?

Controversy over whether the USA should allow online poker sites to operate have centered largely on the validity of whether poker sites are rigged. The questionable processes, algorithms and computer generated poker hands lend credence to the fact that it may not be possible to fairly institute a true game of poker online. This article explores how an American online poker site can avoid the rigged pokersite dilemma.

While some players will cheat at poker online to win, the bigger problem is not found in that fact alone. An even larger threat to any poker player is the fact that the house may be cheating as well. Players who have had too many suckouts in on-line poker will believe that the pokersite is rigged as well. After all, since all online poker sites use computer code for their random number generators, it is possible that the fairness in the game can be altered by a pokerroom without the knowledge of the players or even the governing body in their jurisdiction.

For this reason, every player should cautiously approach the online games as the probability and propensity for an American online poker site to be rigged is a real fact. However, even when there are statistical anomalies that may indicate fixed internet poker, there is always an opportunity to circumvent and overcome a rigged pokersite.

Since the pokersites rely entirely on poker code to shuffle and deal cards, based on mathematical formulas, it is possible to defeat those formulas if there is cheating. It is a fact that a computer is unable to truly randomize a deck of cards and deal out factually random poker hands. The hands dealt are constrained within the parameters of the mathematics of the RNG and associated algorithms.

While many players will undoubtedly adhere to the American online poker sites rigged theorem, the reality is that the sites are not intentionally rigging their games as much as the public would believe, The truth is that in order to deal an effectually random game, the pokersites attempt to stay within certain parameters to appear random, this therefore results many times in poker bad beats.

However, there is a solution to the problem, and that is to learn how the poker algorithms which deal and shuffle the cards actually work. Knowing this information will give the player an advantage in how to play their poker hands. Because statistical norms must be maintained to give the appearance of true randomness in online poker, knowing the way in which those algorithms distribute the wins will allow an educated player to seize opportunities when he will win and to fold his hand when he is subjected to lose.

Just as many will believe that online poker sites are rigged, the reality is that online poker is nothing more than a computer game with poker codes designed to mimic real life play. That fact is indisputable, as well as the fact that anyone with the right knowledge can easily beat the game.

Paul Westin is a professional poker player on several online poker sites and a former software engineer for a gaming company.

His latest research on poker code algorithms reveals the inner workings of the online poker sites and how the software programs used on the pokersites affect the outcome of your play.

Visit http://www.caligonia.com/poker/ for more information on beating online poker sites.

The Truth Behind the Argument 'Is Online Poker Rigged?'

Ever since the advent of online poker there has been arguments on both sides claiming that online poker is rigged. While one side maintains that there is no truth to the rigged poker sites debate, the opposition claims that way too many anomalies occur for the sites to not be rigged.

For a further understanding of the debate, this article will take a behind the scenes look at the software that controls many of the major online poker sites. Examining deeper into what motivates the debate and an attempt to explain what is really happening.

The Software

Online poker differs to a great extent from live poker simply because the deal of the cards online is controlled by a software program that can be changed, manipulated and altered by the programmers. In a live game the cards are shuffled by a human and then dealt out without any possible interference from any outside force. (Barring cheaters, mechanics or persons setting the deck) The cards in a live game are 'predetermined' once the shuffle and cut is completed.

In internet poker, the shuffle is controlled by a Random Number Generator (RNG) program, which uses a sophisticated set of protocols to simulate a random shuffle and cut. The RNG, by all accounts, is supposed to ensure that the cards are not predictable, that players can not manipulate them and that it will simulate a true-life experience.

In addition to the RNG, internet poker sites also include controls that prevent cheating, collusion and formulate a variety of potential action hands to encourage players to get involved in the game. Some of these controls (or poker algorithms) are designed to specifically create an exciting atmosphere for players by producing draw heavy boards.

Action Inducing Hands

These action-inducing hands create the majority of constant bad beats and subsequent claims that online poker is rigged. When a player is the victim of what otherwise would seem to be a highly improbable bad beat, they will undoubtedly believe that online poker is rigged.

The fact that poker sites choose to add in any controls, algorithms or other software outside of the scope of the actual game would indicate that there is a potential that online poker is rigged. Changing or altering true life facts and statistics lend credibility to the fact that the software creates an unfair advantage to less inferior hands for the sole purpose of encouraging action among players.

The Reasoning Behind Rigging

Some claim that the poker sites would not risk their profits to rig the game and therefore would be foolish to do so. However, as witnessed in the well-publicized cheating scandals involving several online poker sites, it is evident that the operators of the online poker sites are not so quick to solve or even admit when there is a problem.

The primary purpose of any poker sites is to turn a profit. The bottom line is the rake they charge in the cash games and tournaments. Therefore, because profits are easily a motivating factor, there is plausible reason to believe that a site might rig a game for their own benefit. Especially since a regulatory body is nonexistent and therefore the poker sites do not have to answer to any higher authority.

The Difficulty of Rigging an Online Game

From the perspective of a programmer, it is quite easy to rig online poker. Primarily because the cards and the deal as well as the shuffle, and the outcome is all determined by a computer program that can easily be controlled by any number of additional programs or codes set up by the operators of the poker site.

For example, it would be simple to pre-program the deal to give a high pocket pair to seat 7 every 25th hand, simply by adding in a few lines of code. Furthermore, the programs can easily be manipulated to deal winning hands to any particular player just as well as to deal losing hands to any specific seat or player.

All of this is easy to accomplish, since the deal of the cards are controlled by a computer program and not truly randomized as is the case in a live game or poker. The truth of the matter is that by adding in additional software and making their game less true to life, online poker is rigged.

One advantage that players may have in the online poker world is the potential to spot these anomalies and patterns that occur. If you are aware of a potential situation wherein the online poker is rigged, and you are familiar with how to recognize it, you can take back the advantage by not falling into the trap set by the poker site.

Paul Westin is a professional poker player on several poker sites and a former software engineer for a gaming company. His latest research reveals the inner workings of the online-poker sites and how the software programs used on the poker sites affect the outcomes of your play.

Discover how to recognize the patterns and algorithms in online poker. Use that knowledge to beat the rigged poker sites and win cash for your poker account. Read the Online Poker Code and put a stop to losing in online poker!

The Online Poker Rigged Debate - Revealing Both Sides

As with any controversy, argument or debate, there are always two sides of the story. In this expose we will reveal both sides of the online poker rigged debate, and let you decide the truth.

Online Poker Is Rigged

Browsing forums, chatboards and even poker sites themselves, one can always find plenty of players claiming that online poker is rigged. Yet few of these posters are able to give real concrete proof that online poker is rigged. Responses such as 'rigtards' or 'you play badly' come from opponents of the argument, yet they also fail to provide proof.

The actual proof is not so much in the fact of whether the sites are fixed, the real proof is in the way in which poker sites deal and shuffle, thereby creating poker hands that appear to be outside of the statistical norm as opposed to live poker.

First let us examine the ways in which all poker rooms deal and shuffle their cards. Since it is a computerized game, and lacks real human intervention in the shuffling and dealing, they must use a software program to do the job of a poker dealer. That software is commonly referred to as a random number generator (RNG).

Now most people will accept the fact that a RNG is truly a fair and honestly random way to deal and shuffle a deck of cards,. However, the fact is that a RNG lacks the ability to truly be random. Randomness, by definition, is the absence of any such order, in other words, if I were to ask you to give me 20 different alphanumeric symbols for a password, you could easily create a RANDOM sequence (such as 45tsk3uyeasa9j2udt1), and that password would clearly and truly be a random number as there is obviously no ORDER in the way you selected it. (Your brain simply rattled off 20 random numbers and letters).

On the other hand, if I use a software program, such as a hardware random number generator entropy source (a popular way sites 'deal and shuffle' decks) to create the 20 character password, it WILL have some order to it as a computer program is restricted in its ability to truly choose a random sequence. Although poker sites will claim that their software is highly unpredictable and no person or program could truly crack poker, the truth remains the RNG is NOT and can NOT, by any scientific definition, be random.

Furthermore, in an effort to prevent anyone from cracking the RNG and gaining an unfair advantage, every poker site uses additional poker algorithms with the specific design of preventing a player from continuously winning poker hand after hand. This was accomplished in response to the Absolute Poker scandal wherein a player, using inside information, dominated a $1000 buy in tourney and won every single hand in the tourney except the first two.

The fact that internet poker uses a computerized mathematical function to create an appearance of randomness combined with additional poker algorithms to prevent players from winning consistently certainly lends credibility to the Online Poker is rigged debate.

Online Poker Is NOT Rigged

Those that claim online poker is not rigged will point to the fact that hand histories reflect the true statistical odds of the game and combined with the poor playing style of many players is what actually results in why too many suckouts occur in online poker.

In addition, these debaters will add that a poker site would not jeopardize their relationship with customers or their profits by rigging the games. Although online poker is a multi-billion dollar industry, the bottom line is their profit margin and keeping customers or creating new customers.

Most of the online poker is not rigged arguments come from those that have faith in the RNG and the integrity of the internet poker sites themselves. However, no concrete proof has ever been offered from anyone on the online poker is not rigged side as to the truth about whether the poker sites are rigged or not. In fact every major poker site, such as pokerstars or full tilt poker will simply state that they are certified by auditing concerns as to the integrity of the software.

Yet definitive proof that shows their poker algorithms and software for examination by outside sources is lacking. In addition, the poker rooms will not offer complete hand histories of all poker hands dealt on their site for analysis by outside sources. Therefore, the 'Internet poker is not rigged' side of the debate expects all players to just take their word for it, that the poker sites are being fair and honest.

You decide! Take their word for it that they are fair and honest or examine scientific proof that online poker is rigged.

Paul Westin is a professional poker player on several online poker sites and a former software engineer for a gaming company.

His latest research on poker code algorithms reveals the inner workings of the online poker sites and how the software programs used on the pokersites affect the outcome of your play.

Visit http://www.caligonia.com/poker/ for more information on beating online poker sites.

You can read more about how online poker is rigged in Paul Westin's Online Poker Code Crack, which reveals the true scientific answer and shows poker players how to win at beating the rigged poker sites.