Full Tilt Poker Review
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Overview
Full Tilt has relaunched following a much-publicized meltdown under its previous management. The site is now owned and ran by Rational Group, the company responsible for turning PokerStars into the largest online poker room. Players with an account at each of these sites can sync them with an ability to transfer funds between the two poker rooms.
Full Tilt Poker is the second-largest online poker room. They have terrific software and tournament offerings. The site is also home to many of the largest online cash games in the world.
Bonus
Full Tilt Poker offers a first deposit welcome package which includes a 100% bonus up to $600. Also included upon an initial deposit is 10 tickets to the site's twice-each-Sunday $5,000 first deposit freerolls. Finally, new depositors receive a ticket worth $2.25 to a new-players-only tournament which run around the clock.
Promotions
Like most large online poker rooms, Full Tilt Poker does a great job with offering frequent, cool promotions. Their Edge Loyalty Program is essentially an internally-ran rakeback program. Players can receive between $1.00-$2.50 for every 100 Full Tilt Points earned.
Full Tilt awards double points for players who are among the first to register for sit-'n'-go tournaments. Their player achievement badges allow players to show-off their accomplishments on the site. Display of these achievement badges is optional.
Tournaments
Full Tilt Poker is a top-level site for tournament players. The site runs a $215 buy-in, $350,000 guarantee every Sunday. Their daily multi-table tournament schedule is rivaled by only PokerStars in terms of guaranteed prize pool size.
While sit-'n'-goes have diminished in popularity among online poker players, Full Tilt is working to keep their sit-'n'-go volume respectable by giving players incentive to seed empty game lobbies.
Software
Full Tilt's software is excellent. The site's top-notch software was probably a saving grace during their financial struggles; it may be unlikely that PokerStars would have bought them out, at least for not as much money as they did, were they not acquiring such a well-developed online poker software. Only PokerStars themselves present Full Tilt with a rival for claim to best online poker software.
Competition Level
One knock against Full Tilt Poker is that it tends to attract the type of players who take poker very seriously. In general, the games at this site will be tougher than games of equivalent stakes at many other sites. While smaller stakes games are still certainly very beatable, expect to be up against mostly full-time professionals at the higher levels.
Customer Service
Full Tilt Poker's customer service under the leadership of Rational Group is top-notch. The site previously lacked strength in this area but since their acquisition by PokerStars, their customer service has been improved across the board. This company takes seriously keeping their players happy by offering great customer service.
Ring Games Offered
Hold'em, Omaha H/L, Omaha Hi, Stud H/L, Stud Hi, Razz, Mixed Games
Fixed Limits: $0.05-$0.10 to $2000-$4000
NL & PL Blinds: $0.01-$0.02 to $2000-$4000
Tournaments Offered
Texas hold'em, mixed games, Omaha, and 7-card stud.
Heads-Up: $1.10 to $5600
Single-Table: $0.85 to $5700
Multi-Table: $1 to $2600
Minimum Deposit
30
