TonyBet to Launch New Rakeback System Based on Winning/Losing, Not Purely Volume
I feel like we are beating a dead horse at this point, but it looks like yet another online poker room is trying to keep recreational players flush with cash (or if not flush, at least let them hold on to some dough as long as possible). On Monday, March 7th, TonyBet Poker will be implementing a new rakeback system designed to give a helping hand to losing players.
The new system turns the traditional concept of rakeback on its head. Normally, the players who benefit most from rakeback are high volume, usually winning, players. The more customers play, the more rakeback they naturally receive. And those who grind day in and day out, playing multiple tables, often at high stakes, can also reach higher loyalty levels which often grant greater rakeback percentages.
Losing and breakeven players frequently benefit from rakeback, as well, but these players are still typically serious, high volume players who are able to earn enough rakeback to help them profit even while playing slightly losing poker. This writer was like that at times back in the good, old days when we could play in the United States, though my bankroll buoy was a deposit bonus.
In TonyBet Poker’s new rakeback system, it is not the winning players who will benefit most (if at all) from rakeback, but rather the losing and marginally winning players. The thought process behind the concept makes sense: the longer players can keep money in their accounts, the more activity there will be at the tables and the more rake the poker room can pull in. Of course, lots of that extra revenue the poker room makes will be given back in the form of additional rakeback, but it could benefit the poker room in the long-term, as even if a player eventually loses their money despite the rakeback, they might have enjoyed playing more (since their money lasted longer) and will be more willing to re-deposit.
This is not a brand new concept as some online casinos – and even brick-and-mortar casinos – have run promotions reimbursing players a portion of their losses, but this is the first instance that I can think of where the losing player give-back is a permanent feature.
In order to participate, players need to make a deposit using a special deposit code (provided on TonyBet’s website). This code gives players a 100 percent deposit bonus up to €1,000 and gives players 25 percent rakeback. Then, players can earn more rakeback depending on how they do at the tables.
Players who lose €100 or more in a given day will receive an additional 55 percent rakeback for a total of 80 percent rakeback. Those who lose less than €100 or win less than €100 will get an extra 25 percent rakeback for a total of 50 percent rakeback. Players who win more than €100 in a day only get to enjoy their original 25 percent rakeback (we’re not exactly sure if TonyBet uses average daily results or just one day at a time; language on the promotion’s page like “daily balance” and “daily winnings” aren’t quite clear).
Note: While it does appear, based on the explanatory graphic on TonyBet poker’s site, that players must use that deposit code to get involved with the new rakeback system, it seems a bit odd to me that the site would advertise this right on its website without intending for all customers to be able to participate. It seems like this might only be for new customers, but it does not say that, so it might be possible that players could reload with the bonus code and qualify for the rakeback scheme. On TonyBet Poker’s rake page, it does say “All Tonybet players are elagible [sic] for Rakeback.”
Flushdraw has sent an inquiry to TonyBet Poker for clarification; we will update this article when we hear back.
3/9 UPDATE: TonyBet responded, saying, “Please be informed that this promotion is only available to players who already made their deposit to TonyBet account before.” Thus, it looks like players must already be customers of TonyBet and then make another deposit with the reload code. Nowhere in TonyBet’s response was rakeback mentioned, so we are not completely positive that they knew what we were talking about.
Rakeback will be deposited into player accounts every Monday based on how players do at the real money Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha cash game tables (thus, it looks like there won’t be any rakeback on tournament fees).
TonyBet Poker has one of the simpler rake policies around, just a flat 5 percent rake at all Pot-Limit Omaha and No-Limit Hold’em tables. No flop, no drop, meaning that the pot only gets raked if a flop is dealt. The maximum rake at any table is €2.50; it is lower if there are four players or fewer at the table.
The rake cap at Open-Face Chinese Poker tables is just 1 percent with a €2 max.
COMMENTS