Is Online Poker Rigged?

To address this question, let’s explore three distinct business models that online poker sites might use:

1. Poker Site A: The Fair Play Advocate

This site prides itself on maintaining the integrity of the game. Every hand is dealt randomly with no interference in the shuffling or dealing process.

Pros:

• Game Integrity: The randomness of dealing ensures fair play and upholds the game's integrity.
• Skill-Based Success: Better players have the chance to succeed, while novices can learn from experienced players, even if they experience losses.

Cons:

• Bot Risks: Without robust measures against bots, these automated accounts can exploit the system.
• New Player Attrition: New players may lose money quickly, which could lead to reduced site traffic.

2. Poker Site B: The Entertainment Hub

This site’s business model focuses on providing entertainment rather than fair play. It doesn’t deal cards randomly but rather determines winners and losers randomly. Another word, one for me, one for you, one for her, one for him, etc.

Pros:

• Entertainment Value: By leveling the playing field, it ensures that the game is fun and engaging for everyone, not just skilled players.
• Increased Player Retention: Players are likely to stay longer and return for the entertainment, even if they experience losses.
• Bot Neutralization: Bots have very little advantage on this type of site.

Cons:

• Potential Legality Issues: This model might border on illegal, as it manipulates outcomes rather than relying on randomness.
• Emotional Rollercoaster: The high level of action and fluctuating outcomes might lead to emotional frustration, potentially causing players to react negatively.

3. Poker Site C: The Quick Cash Grab

This site operates with the sole intention of quickly extracting money from players. It employs house players and bots with superuser privileges to target winning players, swooping in to take their winnings before disappearing.

Pros:

• None: There are no benefits to this type of site.

Cons:

• Avoid At All Costs: This model is highly exploitative and should be avoided to protect your money and gameplay experience.

Let's examine how Poker Sites B and C could influence the outcome of a hand. Specifically, we'll explore how Site B’s method of randomly picking winners and losers is somewhat the same as Site C’s approach of intentionally determining the outcome.

Brute Force Attack! Let's create 100% quantum random shuffles until we find a shuffle that produces the results we need. No tampering with the deck.
Step 1: Select 1st for SB, Select "Random" for the rest, then click the deal button. On the average, 1 out of 6 shuffles should produce SB: 1st, winning every hand.
Step 2: Click "Reset Selections", Select 6th for SB, Select "Random" for the rest, then click the deal button. On the average, 1 out of 6 shuffles should produce SB: 6th, loosing every hand.
Step 3: Click "Reset Selections", Select 1st for SB, Select 2nd for BB, Select "Random" for the rest, then click the deal button. On the average, 1 out of 30 shuffles should produce SB: 1st, BB 2nd.
Step 4: Click "Reset Selections", then dial up ending positions for all 6 players. On the average, 1 out of 720 shuffles should produce the intended result.
Note: Use the "Reset Selections" button to clear all selections.

 

Conclusion:
On a 6-handed table, in a 100% random setting, to control the finishing positions of all 6 players, the total possible combinations is 6x5x4x3x2x1 = 720, skipping tie hands for now. That means 1 out of every 720 random shuffles, will produce the exact intended result.
If a shuffle server is capable of producing 1000,000 random shuffles per second, keeping only 1 out 720 shuffles, would not be an issue what so ever.