I don’t think there are less rec players on. There are just more regs taking up seats on already running tables, and not enough table starting happening. The reg/rec ratio at 50NL (and prob higher limits) has been bad since day 1 of the merge.

I predicted (https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/s...postcount=1149) that this would happen, but everyone seemed to think it would be a good thing . It’s certainly been nothing short of terrible for cash games.

The reason the games were good before in MI was because of the ring fencing.

Regs need to have etiquette, stop joining tables when it’s already half regs. It creates a more enjoyable (and profitable) environment not only for other regs but also the recs.

I haven’t witnessed any outright bum hunting (4-5 regs sitting out waiting for a rec) but have seen tables break when a rec busts.

I'd like to add to my point about creating a more enjoyable / profitable environment & not jamming tables up with too many regulars. A bad environment at higher stakes trickles down into lower stakes. A 500NL "bad reg" might have to move down to 200NL or 100NL. Consequently this also makes it harder for lesser skilled players to move up to 500NL, because the lower stake games have now become more difficult. In this instance not only has the lower stake game become more difficult - so has the higher stake one. The higher the stakes we are talking about the more powerful the effect.

Seems like the opposite of what winning players should want.

I do think if you looked at the 200NL games on a typical night pre and post merge that you may actually find that there are fewer rec players on post-merge than pre. At least it feels like it. On a good night I used to be able to get 4 tables quickly, usually with a couple recs and maybe some of the other weaker players in the pool. That's not happening anymore. There are a handful of names I knew that are noticeably missing lately.

If the NJ pool had more regs and less fish than MI pre-merge, then this is just what was going to happen. It's annoying but whatever. But it's also very possible that they have driven away some of our recs. The full tables with waitlists 6+ deep is a problem. Admittedly I haven't been doing my part there. My HU game is relatively weak so I'm not a huge table starter, but I may start doing my part in this if it helps out the pool overall.

The players getting knocked down from bigger games and toughening up ours is just another step in the evolution. I can't really do much about that and won't sweat it much. My only main complaint I guess is just the bumhunting chasing of fish around the tables, and the instant sit-outs that happen immediately after a fish busts or leaves. I get that games will break if there's no fish there. That's how it's always been and won't change. But usually we would at least give it 5 or 10 minutes to see if they would buy back in or get replace by someone else. But these guys aren't doing that. Now the table just immediately breaks. And any fish logging in is just going to see a bunch of tables with massive waitlists and go elsewhere for entertainment.

I'm pretty sure based on the forms I've received the last 2 years that these amounts come from rewards (chests, promos), and not from play.

I believe in most cases recs overestimate their skill level. This means they'll sit into any game, regardless of how bad it may be. They want to gamble, past the time, and probably just enjoy the competition.
So I disagree when you say regs need to stop joining half-filled reg tables, because recs will join these games. I'm a regular at 200-1knl and will be happy to join these games thinking:
1. I'm winning from some regs
2. a rec will sit

Even if I have to reg battle for a little bit, any small EV loss (if I'm losing in the lineup) can be made up by a rec sitting. Worst case you pay a little bit of EV to play vs better opponents anyways.

Since there's mostly enough volume across Borgata/Stars/WSOP , I don't even prioritize these games to begin with, but to tell others to close these games seems silly to me. We just need the egregious bumhunters to be punished, but I definitely won't be getting my hopes up.

This happens constantly at 1k+. Have had multiple tables flat out close because the rec was sitting out, and all the other regs decided to sit out as well. You could say the reason the table broke was because I opened another one after the game filled, but don't fault me for trying to get more tables running.

In one instance 2 regs were on the waiting list, seats opened up for them, and they took them. After sitting down and seeing the rec sitting out they both snap sat out and didnt play a single hand for 5-10 minutes while the rec was sitting out, all while being active on other lower stake tables. And you NJ guys wonder why your pool was so dead. Stinks because the MI guys have worked hard to create a good environment for our rec players (myself and other regs have gotten on people constantly over the last 2 years about doing these things, to the point where it basically didnt happen when it was MI only). Hopefully something is done about this from Stars going forward. Maybe penalties for sitting out on certain tables while playing at others, disallowing table camping, and other ideas can put an end to this.

They don't care about how hard the game is, but they do care about having to wait. Thus having a lobby full of plenty of games, some with open seats even, is rec-friendly. 10 full tables with 5+ person wait lists is not.

I don't get your point, I'm saying to keep open the half-filled tables, even if it's all regs. There will be no waiting lists on those and recs will be able to sit.

People were saying that last year but mine this year has to be many times greater than the random free stuff they give out.

The best thing that could happen (for most players) would be if Stars reinstated the ring fencing for cash games only (not MTTs). Maybe try interstate again after more states regulate & have Stars. Surprising they haven't launched in CT / WV since they could. Possibly NV too now that the bad actor period is expired. I get the feeling keeping the interstate pool in place for MTTs is beneficial, but not really sure. Probably going to be hard to put that toothpaste back in the tube though ...

I realize some regulars have edges on other regs. Generally I know which regs I'm doing well against and vice versa. I'm not going to play cash vs someone that has an edge on me, without the overall situation being +EV. That's just the way it is. I won't (knowingly) play poker in a -EV situation or situation where the +EV is so low it's better to close the table and focus on other tables / open a different table. I play to make money not lose money.

Really think the only messed up thing happening is table camping (sitting out til a fish sits ...), although I haven't witnessed this at the lower stakes. Isn't table camping limited to 1 table per stake by Stars? Not saying Stars allows table camping, but if there are people camping a table and someone makes another table at the same stake, I believe the table with everyone sitting out gets closed after 30 seconds.

At lower stakes we just get people leaving games when they get bad enough or when the table is breaking. Don't see the issue with this. I just leave when it gets down to 2 fish (unless they are super bad or have god seat on them) or when the table is breaking.

Last 2 days after logging in i wasnt sent the login pin but was allowed to play anyway. did they remove that as mandatory?

it's never been mandatory in Michigan.


Check in Settings --> Account Details --> Pin and sse if it's been disabled or not? I'm old school and use an RSA token so I don't need to wait for pins.

About those forms: W2-G forms are issued for jackpot wins over a certain amount (the online casino I work for is $1,200 and that may be an IRS requirement). You can get one for binking a tournament over a certain amount, for example, but usually it's for slot hits and the like.

Note that a jackpot is not the same as your winnings that you are taxed on. You get a W2-G? Request a Win/Loss Statement from that casino. That is the amount you need to pay taxes on.

If you need any more help, ask a tax professional.

I want to say it's similar to Borgata/WSOP now where it's every two weeks. I could very likely be wrong about that though.

These incorrect tax forms are possibly widespread. I've had people on two other gambling forums say they have incorrect forms.

They might have done something like count the value of all offered promos so that they can deduct on corporate taxes.

I'll probably be contacting the gaming commission after the 10 day waiting period.

Might be something interesting here in here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/sportsbook/...ers_i_filed_a/

Havnt earned a single point towards these stupid chests in the last 300 hands or so this morning.. seems like its frozen? anyone else?

Sometimes it bugs if the client has been open too long. log out and log back in again. Should update.

I only play on phone and Zoom vanished on ~ Thursday and hasn't resurfaced. Is it still running at all? I could probably round up a laptop if needed but as a non-serious rec player I'm lazy.

And yeah, I'm mostly playing 10NL. Don't feel like depositing major funds even if it's now legit. If that went away I'd just not play.

I believe it was only through Feb 15 that Zoom was running. Who knows if/when it will come back.

Thanks. I looked around a little on Twitter etc but didn’t find much.

I hope they do bring it back, it’s far more enjoyable than trying to multi table on phone imo and one tabling can be sooo slow.

i saw zoom up this past weekend, maybe fri/sat. i don't know about higher, but saw 2nl and 10nl.

200z ran as well, up to 30-40 ppl at one point

Email received earlier today:

i just watched 2 players fold 100% of buttons back and forth HU to start a table