Party Poker Reviews

Review of Party Poker PartyPoker has been a major part of the online poker scene for a very long time, and it's one of the most well-known online poker rooms in Europe. Just one part of the expansive PartyGaming network that has been operating since 1997, PartyPoker has a vast number of players. Partypoker prepaid card (Party Poker) Please note that regardless of the site you pick, your cash-outs might take some time to process due to security checks. In most cases, this shouldn’t be longer than 48 hours.

In the first decade of the 21st century, PartyPoker was the largest online card room in the world. That ranking changed substantially following the passage of the UIGEA and a withdrawal from the U.S. market, although they’ve managed to keep a top 10 presence throughout.

Thanks to licensing on the state level and a limited return to America, the site looks poised for another run at the top spot in the near future.

This Party Poker review is meant to provide an overview of the site’s services, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Longtime players may learn something new in the process, while newcomers should be able to size up the company’s offerings without having to risk any money in the process.

We no longer recommend PartyPoker. Instead, we suggest you check out a trusted poker site like BetOnline.

Software Quality

Over the years, PartyPoker has received more than its fair share of complaints regarding their software. Various bugs in the system would result in the occasional crash, something that often drove players crazy (and rightfully so). Fortunately, the number of irate customers has diminished in the last few years, and my own experience indicates that the overall quality of Party Poker software has been improving.

When it’s not acting buggy, the software presents players with a smooth and simple gaming experience. Games are easily located with a filtering system, and the card room supports Mac, PC, iOS, and Android. If you prefer to multi-table, you’ll be relieved to know that synchronized breaks and a replay button are available.

The site is also big on customization. Players can choose from a number of themes to meet their tastes, and those wanting a memorable avatar are able to upload one within seconds.

Another feature allows the player to tag opponents with color-coded notes. There are six colors to choose from, giving you plenty of diversity when it comes to ranking fish, sharks, and whales.

Now that the bug issue has been dealt with, I find Party Poker to be one of the more convenient sites when it comes to the overall player experience. Their software may not be as advanced as PokerStars, but it’s still more than sufficient.

Player Traffic

My most recent visit to Party Poker came on a Wednesday at 11:03am. During this time, the site had 119 players online and 136 active tables. While those numbers may seem out of whack at first glance, keep in mind that multi-tabling is commonplace at most poker sites.

According to the PokerScouts website, which keeps meticulous track of traffic for the various card rooms, PartyPoker averages 1,200 players during a 7-day period. Their peak number of customers during a recent 24-hour period was 2,398.

The above numbers are comparable with most competitors, making PartyPoker one of the top five options among Internet card rooms. The only exception is PokerStars, which boasts more traffic than any of its competitors.

Party Poker Reviews Reddit

Banking Options

The banking options at Party Poker are another strength, allowing players from across the globe to move money around with a minimum amount of fuss. Of course, your actual options depend on where you’re located, so be sure and check the cashier’s page before making any assumptions.

The standard deposit options include wire transfers, personal checks, bank transfers, credit cards, and eWallets. The same applies for withdrawals, although receiving a check via courier service is also an option.

I’ve always found Party Poker to be solid enough when it comes to the speed of their payouts. Unless they need to request additional documentation, you can expect your payment to be mailed or transferred within a matter of days.

Deposit Bonus

PartyPoker is somewhat lacking when it comes to bonuses and promotions. While many of their top competitors offer five or more options, this site only has a couple.

If you’ve just signed up with PartyPoker, you’ll receive a complimentary $25. This includes $10 for poker cash tables, $10 for casino games, and $5 for high roller tournaments.

The second option is a 100% matching bonus with a $1,000 limit, and it’s available to anyone making a deposit for the first time. In order to unlock the free money, you’ll need to earn loyalty points by playing in cash games. As these points add up, the bonus money is released into your account in 10 installments.

Game Selection

The selection of poker games offered by the site is about average, with Texas Hold’em predictably dominating the landscape (including No Limit, Limit, and Pot Limit). If you’re in the mood for something different, the following card games are also available in tournament and sit & go formats: Pot-Limit Omaha, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, 7-Card Stud, 7-Card Stud Hi-Lo.

If you tire of poker, you can also head over to their casino and try your luck. The emphasis here is on slot machines, with around 150 options to choose from (many of which are also available on the mobile app). There are four video poker games to choose from, as well as classic table games such as roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

Customer Service

I’ve never been a fan of the contact forms used by most sites, and I’m happy to report that PartyPoker doesn’t have such a thing. Instead, they provide the following methods of contact: phone number, live chat, snail mail, and email.

While I applaud their range of contact options, the actual customer service can sometimes be lacking. It’s the kind of mixed bag that I’ve come to expect from most online casinos, with representatives ranging from cheery and helpful to sullen and uncooperative.

History

Party Poker debuted in 2001, and their formative years saw a network of players shared through the main site, as well as skins such as Empire Poker. Thanks to high visibility at live poker tournaments, as well as an aggressive marketing campaign, PartyPoker soon positioned itself as one of the biggest online card rooms on the planet.

In 2005, the company started buying up or isolating a number of its skins. This almost resulted in a lawsuit from Empire Poker, but the short-lived feud was settled the following year when the site’s skin operations were purchased to the tune of $250 million.

2005 also saw parent company Party Gaming go public on the London Stock Exchange. With a month, the company’s value skyrocketed to 12 billion British pounds.

By the time the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed in the United States in 2006, Party Gaming held over 40% of the online gaming market. This changed almost overnight, though, as the company was forced to pull out of the American market, causing stock prices to go into a freefall. Over the next few years, Party Gaming made amends with the Department of Justice by admitting wrongdoing prior to the passage of the UIGEA and paying over $100 million in fines.

In 2009, Party Gaming purchased the World Poker Tour for $12.3 million. In 2012, they would be recognized as Poker Operator of the Year at the International Gaming Awards.

In recent years, the company has started focusing on casino gaming. Their poker rooms are far from dead, however, and PartyPoker has legally returned to the U.S. market by becoming licensed in the state of New Jersey.

Conclusion

Due to a recent emphasis on the casino gaming side of business, the player quality at PartyPoker has reached an all-time low. This is due to customers signing up to play slots and then eventually migrating to the poker tables, often with only a vague idea of how the game is supposed to work.

This makes the site a veritable goldmine for experienced players. I’m strictly an amateur, but last week I managed to win three straight buy-ins while playing against some of the most pathetic competition that I’ve ever encountered. As long as you can live with the potential guilt of taking advantage of idiots and the elderly, you should be able to see a respectable return on your investment.

This review was made by: LegitGamblingSites.com Rating: 3.4 out of 5

Party Poker used to be the largest online poker room in the world, but lost some market share after they left the USA market. Party Poker features fishy competition, a 100% up to $500 bonus, and a sparkling reputation.

• Poker Room:Party Poker
• Website: PartyPoker.com
• Location:Gibraltar
• Established:2001
• Bonus Size:100% up to $500
• Bonus Code:500PS
• Traffic:39,432 Players Online
• Mac Friendly:Yes

• Overall:7.9
• Software:7.2
• Promotions:8.0
• Games:7.7
• Tournaments:8.5
• Rewards:7.9

Party Poker Overview (7.9/10.0):

Party Poker (www.PartyPoker.com) is one of the largest online poker rooms in the business, averaging nearly 40,000 players online at peak hours. Soft competition and an exceptional tournament line-up have a lot to do with the big traffic numbers. Party Poker is also known for its intense tournament schedule, including a $300K Guaranteed every Sunday and the famous PartyPoker Million.

Party hosts daily freerolls for existing members, and presents new registrants with a welcome bonus of 100% up to $500, plus automatic entry in a $1,500 New Depositor Freeroll. Read on for the full Party Poker review:

Party Poker Software (7.2/10.0):

The software at Party Poker is privately developed, and is the only part of the online poker room that doesn't really stand out too much. The graphics are good, but not exceptional; the lobby offers most essential stats, but no viewed-flop percentage; most of the standard features are there, but nothing special to write home about. The only notably inspiring feature of Party Poker's software client is its multi-lingual capabilities, offering play in 11 languages: Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.

Party Poker offers a downloadable poker client, compatible with Windows PC, as well as an instant play Flash version that is compatible across all operating systems (PC, Mac, and Linux). The instant play version made our list of the best no download poker rooms. The interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Graphically, Party Poker offers decent avatars, but without much movement, they just seem to get in the way for serious players, taking up more room than necessary. On the plus side, the cards are much larger than life, and are very easy to see.

The poker lobby is well organized, providing table stats like average pot size and hands played per hour, but the lack of viewed-flop percentages is a bit disheartening. Note taking is available during play and easy to recall. The hand history function is commendable, being very easy to use and allowing players to save the data to their hard-drive for further analysis. Here is an image of the poker lobby:

(Party Poker Lobby)

Party Poker is well suited for multi-tabling, featuring a maximum of 12 simultaneous tables that run very smooth. The poker client has a very good alert system, using both graphics and audio to signal a player's turn. An auto-resize function can be very handy depending on how many tables you have open and the strength of your eye-sight. This feature automatically resizes all tables to fit evenly across your screen. Learn how to download Party Poker. Also, if you happen to be on Linux, Party Poker is one of our favorite Linux Poker Sites.

Party Poker Promotions (8.0/10.0):

Party Poker offers promotions including their $500 sign up bonus and their $1,500 New Depositor Freeroll.

$500 PartyPoker.com Bonus

Party Poker offers a 100% up to $500 bonus to all new depositors at the site. To redeem the bonus, sign up at PartyPoker.com and use bonus code 500PS. After you make your first deposit, your deposit money will show up in the Cashier, and an equal amount will show up as Bonus money (due to the 100% match). You then have to 'clear' the bonus money before you can play with or withdraw it.

USE PARTY POKER BONUS CODE500PS FOR THE $500 BONUS

To clear the bonus, you have to earn 5 Player Points for every $1 of bonus money. The bonus is released in five chunks, so if you deposit $500, you will receive $100 every time you earn 500 Player Points. Players have 90 days to clear the bonus money - after that, any remaining bonus money expires. You can learn more about earning Player Points by reading our Party Poker bonus code page (click the blue link above).

$1,500 New Depositor Freeroll

Party Poker Reviews

Every Saturday, Party Poker runs a $1,500 freeroll that is only open to players who have deposited within the last sixty days. New depositors can play in as many $1,500 freerolls as they want (until the sixty days have passed). That means you have up to eight shots at the $1,500 prize pool (for free!).

» Redeem the $500 bonus and the $1,500 new depositor freeroll by visiting www.PartyPoker.com

Party Poker.com Games (7.7/10.0):

Party Poker offers the standard game variety of Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, and Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, with Fixed Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit stakes available. Choose from heads-up, short-handed, and full tables. The stakes start at Micro-Limits of $0.02/$0.04 in No Limit and Pot Limit, and $0.05/$0.10 in Fixed Limit. The highest stakes are $250/$500 Fixed Limit games.

Party Poker also presents a versatile selection of Blackjack games, including Single-Player Blackjack and Multi-Player Blackjack, both offering single-hand and multi-hand versions of the game. One cool feature is the fact that Party offers Beginner tables for new players, that only new depositors can sit down at. This way you can warm up playing against new players, then try your luck at the normal tables.

Beginner Tables

Party Poker offers another excellent feature for new players - Beginner Only Tables. These are special cash game tables, and only players who have made their first deposit within the last sixty days can play at them. You can sit with all the fish for two months and take advantage of the new players.

Party Poker Tournaments (8.5/10.0):

Party Poker offers a diverse tournament lineup including standard freeze outs, rebuys, freerolls, and huge Sunday tournaments. Some highlights of the Party Poker tournament lineup include the:

• Daily $10,000 Guaranteed $22 rebuy at 14:15 GMT
• Daily $20,000 Guaranteed $55 buy-in at 16:00 GMT
• Daily $10,000 Guaranteed $8 rebuy at 16:30 GMT
• Sunday $300,000 Guaranteed $215 buy-in at 12:45 EST

There are plenty of satellites all week long for the Sunday $300,000 Guaranteed - in fact, players can qualify for as little as a $3 investment!

Party Poker also offers a wide variety of sit and go tournaments that run around the clock. The majority of sit and go's are No Limit Hold'em, but there are also other variations including Limit Hold'em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Seven Card Stud. Sit and go buy-ins start at $1 and go all the way up to the hundreds.

Party Poker also hosts satellite tournaments to live poker events like the World Series of Poker (WSOP), World Poker Tour (WPT), and Aussie Millions.

Party Poker Rewards (7.9/10.0):

Party Poker rewards its members by way of PartyPoints, doled out for paying tournament fees and participating in raked ring games. These points have versatile uses, including the release of bonus money, buying into freerolls and other special tournaments, and purchasing gear from the Party Poker Store.

PartyPoints also relate to a players VIP status: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Palladium, and Palladium Elite. When a player increases their level, they are rewarded with exclusive tournament entries, deposit bonuses, cold hard cash, and other valuable offers. The higher a player's level becomes, the faster they will collect points, making it even easier to climb the Party Poker loyalty ladder.

Here is a chart showing how many PartyPoints you need for each level:

Here's another chart showing the rewards available for each member:

As you can see, players receive bonus money and straight up cash for climbing the ladder. To get started in the Party Poker rewards program, create your player account at www.PartyPoker.com.

Party Poker Reviews

Party Poker Deposit and Withdrawal Options:

We've listed all of the deposit and withdrawal options that Party Poker will process.

Thank you for reading our review of Party. If you liked what you read, make sure to visit PartyPoker.com to get started. Remember that Party Poker offers easy-to-beat Beginner Tables, the PartyPoints Rewards system, and a great tournament lineup.

If you sign up, make sure to use bonus code 500PS to redeem your 100% up to $500 sign up bonus along with the $1,500 freeroll satellite tokens.

Party Poker App Reviews

$500 Bonus at Party Poker with Bonus Code: 500PS