High Five returns with $420k guaranteed

The High Five

Missed our big OSS III series? We've got another online tournament series that's just as epic. 

High Five returns to American Cardroom Poker on June 11th with USD $420,000 in guaranteed prize money. For five days straight, you'll find five big tournaments per day that you'll want to clear your schedule for. Buy-ins start as low as $1+0.10 and guarantees are as large as $150,000, so it doesn't take a lot to win like a champion.

To give you an idea of how big this could get, our last High Five series in November guaranteed $350,000 and paid out $430,000. Don't be surprised if this one passes the $500k mark.

BetOnline Poker is offering a $10,000 Oscar Guaranteed Tournament

$10,000 Oscar Guaranteed Tournament

It's "Oscar" time again - and this time - YOU can be an Oscar Winner - and get YOUR FREE SEAT INTO THE $10,000 OSCAR GT running every Sunday throughout February 2014! at BetOnline Poker

Join in all the fun of the "Oscars" - all you have to do it answer a simple question - the first 10 PLAYERS answering correctly will win a FREE entry into the $10,000 OSCAR GT on Sunday at 6pm ET!

It's quick - and it's easy! just follow this link to answer the question and be entered. http://leaderboards.software-cdn.co.za/Oscars2014/index.html

For more online poker promotions visit www.playingpokerusa.com

Playing Online at US Poker Sites: Know the Terminology

Playing poker online at US poker sites can be a lot of fun – and quite profitable – but if you’re a beginner there are a few things you should know before you hit the PLAY button. Among the most important things to know are the terms and lingo that players use to refer to specific things. Knowing poker terminology will help you follow any chatting, pick up on tips and appear more experienced – and as anyone who has played at US player poker sites can tell you, inexperienced players are targeted by sharks. When you sound like you know what you’re talking about, you’re far less likely to become a target.

Obviously, there are hundreds of poker terms used in online US player poker rooms, and a lot of them are game-specific. These are some of the most common poker terms you’ll run across, complete with definitions.

All In

When a player bets all of his chips on a hand, he’s said to be going “all in.” Unless you’re holding an absolutely sure thing, going all in is a risky move – when you bet it all, you can lose it all. When another player goes all in, he’s either got a really, really good hand – or he’s bluffing.

Ante

Perhaps one of the most familiar of all poker terms, the ante is the amount that each player must put into the pot in order to participate in a hand. The ante will vary from game to game, even on the same US poker sites, with many of them offering some no-ante games to entice newer players to play.

Big Blind – Small Blind

In games with a flop, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha, there are forced bets, called “blinds.” They are placed by the two players to the left of the dealer, with the first player placing the big blind and the second placing the small blind. The amounts of the blinds are generally determined ahead of time, with the small blind generally being half the amount of the big blind. The purpose of the blind is to control the length of time it takes to play a hand and, in higher stakes games, to eliminate those with small chip stacks.

Boxed Card

Sometimes in shuffling, a card accidentally gets turned face-up. Different poker rooms have different rules for what happens with boxed cards. Most often, they are placed to one side and not used in the game. Of course, this is an impossible scenario when you’re playing online since all the shuffling and dealing on US player poker sites is done virtually, via software, so there are no actual cards to get boxed.

Table Stakes

Flop, Turn and River

In community games like Texas Hold’em, the flop, the turn and the river refer to the three runs of cards that are dealt face up to the table and that can be used by all of the players to form their best hand.

Before you start playing poker in earnest on US poker sites, familiarize yourself with some basic poker terminology so that you understand what’s going on around you and can play a more effective, winning game.

Debunking the Myths About US Poker Sites

It’s been two years since the Department of Justice summarily shut down the three biggest online US poker sites and changed the landscape for US poker players who enjoy playing and betting online. Immediately after the arrests, a number of European poker sites stopped accepting memberships from US players. In the intervening two years, however, many of them quietly re-opened their doors to US players again. The fact that there are now quite a few US player poker sites hasn’t changed the rumors and myths about the legality of playing poker online, though, and it hasn’t made it any easier to find safe and legitimate US poker sites on which to play.

First, let’s be clear. The term “US poker sites” refers to online poker sites that accept and do business with US players, not those that are located in the United States. After the 2006 passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act and the subsequent arrests and shutdowns in April 2011, companies that run online poker sites avoid locating in the United States. That’s led to the belief that playing poker online is illegal, along with a number of other beliefs about US players and online gambling. Here’s the truth about online US player poker rooms.

It Is Not Illegal Under US Law to Play Poker for Money Online

The federal law passed in 2006 makes it illegal for banks and money transfer services to accept money transfers derived from illegal online gambling. It does not target players – in fact, there are no penalties outlined for players at all in the law. While some states and municipalities may outlaw Internet gambling or put age restrictions on who may play, there is no United States law that prohibits individuals from playing poker for money at US poker sites.

There Are Sites that Accept US Players

The biggest issue most poker sites have with US players is money transfer. Some choose to avoid the issue entirely by simply not accepting players from the United States. The U.S. market is a huge one, though, and there are a number of US player sites that are quite happy to accept US members and will bend over backwards to find ways to accommodate them.

A Little Research Helps Ensure that Your Money Is Safe

While there are certainly scam sites out there, most US poker sites are legitimate businesses operating within the law in their own countries. In many of those countries, the government sets strict standards for operation, including defining how odds must be posted and how they must handle payouts. All it takes is a little research to find legitimate US player poker rooms. You’ll find a number of websites online that provide up-to-date news US poker site reviews to help you make your decision about where to play.

Getting the Most Out of US Poker Sites

Playing poker on US poker sites can be a lot more fun if you know how to get specials, bonuses and other goodies that make playing more fun. While each of the major US player poker rooms has its own specifics, there are a few things you can look for when you sign up with new US poker sites and US player poker rooms.

Refund Money Transfer Fees

Because of US banking laws, some US poker sites can only accept funds for your account through MoneyGram, Western Union or similar money transfer services. Transferring money this way can incur a hefty fee, depending on the amount you transfer to your account at one time. Many US poker sites will refund the transfer fee by depositing that amount in your account in addition to your actual deposit. Ask about it when you contact the site to get instructions for the transfer, or search on sites that provide US poker site reviews to find US player poker rooms that offer this.

Sign Up with Bonus Codes

Speaking of sites that provide US poker site reviews, check around to several of them before you sign up with any US poker sites. Many of them run affiliate programs for players referred from their sites, and they’ll sweeten the pot very generously with special sign-up bonuses. Shop around for the best sign-up bonuses you can find. Free money is always nice to play with!

Understand How the Bonuses Work

As noted, all of the US player poker sites have their own rules and regulations for unlocking bonuses – free money for you to pad your account, so don’t assume that you know how the bonus system works on a new site. Read the small print to get all the details. The requirements may include the amount of time spent playing, number of games you’ve played or amount of rake you generate. Once you understand how to earn bonuses on different US player poker sites, you can tailor your play to pull in as much bonus money as you can.

Know How to Withdraw Your Winnings

Eager players are always asking how they can fund their accounts on US poker sites, but few ask the equally important question – how do you get your winnings out so you can spend them? For a US player, poker sites often have no option other than a paper check mailed to you. It can take anywhere from a week to four or five weeks to get your check this way. There are sometimes workarounds, such as online wallets, that you can use with specific US poker sites, so check around to find the best options that will work for you. After all, half the fun in playing online poker is getting to spend your winnings.

Why Play On US Poker Sites Instead of Live Games

Online poker is a growing worldwide phenomenon, and there are many good reasons for that. If you’ve never played at one of the many US poker sites online, these are just a few of the reasons you may prefer playing online than playing down the street.

Play When You Want

You don’t have to wait for the Tuesday night game or hunt around for a room nearby where you can play when you’ve got the yen. When you play online at US poker player sites, there’s always a game somewhere.

Leave the Car in the Driveway

You don’t have to go anywhere to enjoy a game of poker when you play online. All you need is an Internet connection and you’ll find games all over the world where you can get your poker fix. You’re still playing against live players, they’re just not in the same room as you.

Hide Your Tells

Don’t have a poker face? That’s not a problem when you play poker online. No one can see your reactions to a winning hand or, conversely, your disappointment when you miss the draw. On most US poker sites, you’ll get to pick a screen name or avatar for yourself – and that’s the only information other players will have about you other than what you choose to show. If you play it cagey, you can completely hide your tells from other players and make it harder for them to win against you.

No Shorting the Pot

On US poker player rooms, the games are managed by computers, so you can be sure of their accuracy. No one plays without their proper ante, and there’s no way to short the pot. When you’re playing for real money, it’s important to know that everything is accurate, especially the split of the pot.

Play More Games in the Same Time

The automation on US poker player sites offers another benefit – speed. The computer gets the hands dealt quickly, your bets are registered quickly and the action is fast. If you enjoy the fast action of an exciting game, you’ll love online poker.

Get Paid to Play

Most US poker sites offer bonuses – deposits in your account that you can use to get into games and bet on your hands – just for playing. You can get bonus codes online from many different places, including websites that provide US poker site reviews.

Keep in mind that not all sites accept US poker players, and you may need to make special arrangements to fund your account on US poker player rooms. There are, however, many US poker sites online, and you can find them by checking out US poker site reviews.

US Poker Sites Accepting MasterCard Deposits

Nearly all online poker sites accept payments and deposits from all major credit cards, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to use your MasterCard on all US poker sites. Since the adoption of UIGEA and subsequent law enforcement action based on its regulations, many credit card processors are wary of processing payments made via U.S. based MasterCard accounts. The ability to process your MasterCard payment varies among the many US poker sites, and often depends upon which bank issued your MasterCard. In general, if your MasterCard is accepted internationally, it will probably be accepted at most US player poker sites.

The Problem with MasterCard and US Player Poker Rooms

MasterCard is accepted in more than 200 countries and processes more than a trillion dollars’ worth of purchases and monetary transactions every year. Any poker room that accepts credit card payments will accept MasterCard payments. The problem lies with the bank at the other end. Some banks will process gambling transactions. Others will not process transactions that have a high rate of chargebacks or that are illegal in their state of incorporation.

For 4 years after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act of 2006, most US banks continued to process payments to US poker sites. In June 2010, though, U.S. law enforcement took action against a number of US poker sites and the banks sat up and took notice. Since then, it has become more and more difficult for US players to find US player poker sites that can process their MasterCard payments. That said, there are a number of US player poker rooms that have a high rate of success in processing MasterCard payments for US players.

What to Do If Your MasterCard is Declined by US Poker Sites

If your MasterCard deposit is declined, don’t panic. While many players have no problems making deposits to their accounts via MasterCard, payments are declined often enough that US player poker sites offer many other options for US players to fund their accounts, generally through third-party payment processors like eWallet and MoneyBookers. Third party payment accounts offer an additional perk for US players who sometimes wait weeks to receive a payout check for their winnings in US poker sites: many US poker player sites allow you to withdraw your winnings to your eWallet account where you can access it much sooner.

If you continue to have trouble funding your account at U.S. poker sites, there is one more option available to you: call or contact customer service at the poker room. CS at most US player poker rooms are friendly, helpful and very knowledgeable. They’ll get you up and running and ready to play in no time.