Is Online Poker Rigged? Why Does It Feel That Way?

You hear it all the time whether it is during the conversations with your closest friends or in some topic on the poker forums " online poker is rigged!" It doesn’t matter the site or the network, for many of us, when we play online, we sometimes have the feeling that the software is actually targeting us, forcing us to give up all of our bankroll. We see countless bad beats, coolers, or just situations where our foe miraculously comes from behind and takes down a huge pot and we slowly start to feel helpless.

So what do we do? We avoid looking in the mirror and start blaming something or somebody else. In the case of online poker, it’s definitely the Random Number Generator - basically the program that shuffles the deck of cards - a.k.a the RNG. But is the RNG really to blame for our poker misfortunes? Is online poker rigged? And if it’s not, why are there times in which it feels that way?

To start things off in a proper, interesting manner, let’s say it has to do with both our human flaws or the way our memory works and the very different nature of the game in the online environment. Not convinced just yet? Then start reading the next lines and be prepared to see this debate from a whole different perspective.

The Bad Beats Are Easier To Remember

It’s definitely not news when we state that we have a much easier time in remembering the bad things in our lives. There are many scientific studies that can confirm this undeniable fact. One study says that this is the result of evolution: negative emotions like sadness and rage trigger increased activity in the part of the brain linked to memories. Our emotional brain is also overloaded with information. In other words, we have to remember such things to try to avoid making the same mistakes later.

Unfortunately, as compared to real life situations, the game of poker is a different beast. In poker, if the outcome is negative, it doesn’t necessarily mean we made a bad decision. We actually may have made the right decision but our brain can’t quite process that. So naturally, we tend to remember things like bad beats and unlikely situations in which our foe won easier than the times we suckout our opponent. In fact, the times when we came from behind to win a random poker hand are blurry and not as distinguishable as a bad beat. And that’s why we tend to believe we witnessed countless numbers of bad beats and not nearly enough suckouts.

What we can do, however, is be honest with ourselves and take a long look in the mirror. Start tracking our online poker history with different softwares like Poker Tracker and Holdem Manager and just look at the times when we suckout. It does look different than the way we remember it, doesn’t it?

Faster-paced, Means Greater Chance To Run Into Big Hands

Besides our obvious flaws, we need to take into consideration other aspects that have to do with the dynamics of the game. Remember, online poker is quite different than your average home game or live casino game. Why? First of all, online we can play much more hands than live; we can multi-table and see thousands of poker hands on a daily basis. At a casino game, the action is slow, and the shuffle takes longer so the volume can’t quite compare with the online business.

So what does it mean? Well, it means we can accumulate more experience in less time as compared to the live green felt. We don’t have to play for years like the pros of old to truly master the game. We can literally play over one million hands per year, inconceivable in the past when there were only a handful of poker tournaments and not that many opportunities to play cash games. But it also means is that we have a much greater chance of running into big hands. Since we see that many hole cards and community boards, expect to see quads and even a straight flush more often than live. This is not to mention situations in which our foe will outrun us even though he was way behind when the poker hand started.

Poker is still a game of chance and very few things are certain. The bullets - pocket Aces - have 85% chance of winning at showdown preflop versus a random hand. So given a big enough sample, that can easily be achieved online. At least one time - if not two - out of ten we will have our Aces cracked. This is not because of some rigged software, it’s a matter of probabilities and statistics.

Different Online Game Dynamics

The speed is just one facet of the online game that makes it different from live, the game dynamics are another difference. We can look at them from two different perspectives.

Let’s talk about the micros first. At the lowest stakes, we may encounter players who enter the pot with many unusual and what we call unplayable poker hands. The reasons behind those decisions may not have to be rational; many of them simply want to take a garbage hand like 72 offsuit only to crack someone’s Aces or outrun a premium hand. That’s their thrill, and since we’re talking about the micros, they can afford to do it. As a consequence, the game dynamic changes dramatically as compared to live where the stakes are much higher thus it is much more expensive to think like that.

We also have to take into consideration that that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, are playing online from all around the world on a given poker site so you’ll see many players entering the pot with garbage, especially at micros. That’s why you have to expect your very good hands will be dominated by some crappy hands from time to time. It’s just the nature of the beast.

The other perspective has to do with the higher stakes, where the games are pretty much reg-infested. Compared with live, the online play in this situation is much cleaner. We will find many TAGs - tight aggressive players who play ABC poker at the low and medium stake. People who play many tables and not so many actual hands. That’s why, against them, we will have a greater chance of running into big hands and coolers. Again, it has nothing to do with the fact that the RNG hates you; the game dynamic is built in such a way that you will experience more coolers and nuts vs. second nuts situations than live.

Conclusion: Online Poker Isn’t Rigged!

So after all the analysis, is online poker really rigged? Of course it’s not, it’s just different than live. Basically, they may be regarded as two different games that require different set of skills besides hand reading, value betting, and bluffing.

And next time you’ll try to convince yourself it is indeed rigged, be honest with yourself. Try to see the truth past your own emotions and be critical of your game. Maybe you did some things wrong, maybe you have leaks in your game that cost you money and increase the variance, or maybe you just need to take a break. And if you’re still not convinced, why do you think there are winners at every known stake in the online poker world? W hy are there regulars and grinders who play certain games online for a living? How can they win and you can’t? Doesn’t it have to be rigged for all the players? Or is it fair just for chosen few - which makes the whole rigged statement even more nonsense?

In other words, the more we dig in and use our logic, the clearer we can see the truth that is online poker isn’t rigged. It hasn’t ever been and won’t be in the future. It’s as simple as that, but why are we losing then? That’s the one-million-dollar question isn’t it?

What do you think? Why does it feel online poker is rigged? Do you really believe it is rigged? Then please share your reasons why you think in such a way in the comment section below.