Your "current Top3" looks more like a Top 5 missing the two US networks, Yatahay and Dollaro.

It's best to sign through an affiliate because you can get extra value in things like RakeChases. You can still participate in all the skin promotions that Minted Poker offers and the normal 40% RB and Deposit Bonus but you can get an extra 10%+ in 'effective RB' by signing through an affiliate.

where on the minted poker does it show 40% rakeback?

Yanksgiants8787 you can go to the minted poker thread and find a 2plus2 link to signing up and it will auto sign you up when you install the minted software. There's some other rakeback sites also talked about thru the thread.

Do you recommend a certain affiliate?

True Poker > Doyles Room?

Ok I have read through the last few pages of the thread and just want to confirm some stuff. So merge is currently NOT accepting new U.S. players? I also just read that bodog is closing down to the U.S. market, and can someone PM me if they know of any sites that are currently accepting gift cards, preferably gift2go..

You read wrong on Bodog then. They are not closing down, they are simply rebranding their US skin. It will remain on the network.

US Players who have a Mac...what sites do you play?

Quick question:

Does anyone know if rpm or blackchippoker use their own cashier? If not, can anyone quickly mention a few merge skins that do in fact have their own independent cashiers? Thanks in advance.

You can play on Minted Poker through their browser based client. Also Neil, the Minted rep, just confirmed the new software Minted will be releasing in a month or two will be Mac compatible.

Another option is to use parallels on your Mac and access all US friendly sites.

Merge supports Mac and has a Mac client. However they are closed to new us-signups as of now. Bodog has the in browser client on their website, but IMO it's very laggy and limited, often disabled.

BlackChip uses the Merge Cashier, although I would say it's one of the more reputable Merge skins and isn't slowed down by the Merge cashier. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

BetOnline also has a Mac download from what I saw on the website. Depositing has worked well so far also. I just deposited there through the express option, and my bank doesn't support ****.

Yeah, tbh I would wait for a reputable Merge skin to open it's doors back up to US players like most players are doing. I'm not a big fan of the sportsbooks that have their poker clients on the Merge network, Sportsbook.ag certainly doesn't fit the bill with the problems they have had. Take this as you will.

Are you saying that your friend has eight different bank accounts? I'm thinking about running my money through three different bank accounts:

1. Escrow for quarterly income tax payments.
2. Live poker.
3. Online poker.

Why would anyone need 8 bank accounts for poker?

I see that Yatahay and Minted seem to be the concensus...which on Yatahay is most trustworthy guys?

I'm looking specifically to (in order of importance to me):

1. Use PT3

2. Get some kind of RB and deposit bonus

3. Play 45-180 man SNGs (preferably 90 man or there abouts); might venture into rings though

4. Have reliable cashouts (up to 2 week waits are fine, less is better of course)

5. Play a decent volume (like 1000-2000 tournaments a month minimum, at say $10-$50 buy-ins; rings at comparable buy-ins)

What sites might fit this order?

Reading the thread got me a bit confused trying to piece together all that...some mention PT3, some don't; some have cashout issues, some don't; some have decent volume of players (considering) some don't...etc.

Links to affiliates would be cool, as would naming which (if any) segregate accounts (as to avoid my BR getting raped like it did on FTP). I'm aware I'll need to play more than one site also, in order to limit risk. I'm on a PC btw.

I know that's a lot...but reading through the thread was a little confusing, patching together all that stuff and all.

Thank you for your valuable time in advance (and your help, obviously).

looking to getting back into online poker after trying to wait out FTP with no luck (and no money) is there any us site that people are congregating too? like to be able to play 4 tables at a time... looking for 5nl-25nl.... any help would be cool

There are several sites that fall into those specifications. Your best bets are sites on the Merge network or Bodog.

Merge
A Cake Skin (but not cake)
Minted
Bodog (if you dont like rakeback and can handle horrid software)
True poker
Doyles Room

Spot on.

I like playing at a Yatahay skin. Traffic is slow but cashouts are fast.

Well, Merge isn't currently accepting new US sign ups. There are rumors that they will start very soon, but there have been similar rumors that turned out false since they blocked US players.

As stated above, if you decide on Cake look at a skin like Intertops that processes their own Cashouts or you may find yourself in a race to see who pays first, FT or Cake

Minted Poker, True Poker, and Bodog are all solid choices. They each have some positives and negatives. For example, out of these three Bodog has the most traffic but they do not have Rakeback and there is a 4 table max(sounds like not an issue on the 4 table max for you).

Intertops poker, they have a separate cashier.

Lock Poker/RPM Poker or Merge, Merge is yet to reopen its gates for US players.

Thanks all. I'm already signed up to lockpoker just haven't make a deposit. Is lockpoker still offering rakeback? If so whats a reputable rakeback site to use for them? I'm a member of raketherake and didn't see them listed there.

All of merge is now VIP system but it's just tiered rakeback up to 45% (47 on carbon) including points to cash conversions. It's still worth signing up through an affiliate for rake races etc. The Nuts promote Lock I believe.