About to try a Crypto Site for the first time - have questions

[djcolts]

Tonight, I'll make my first deposit into a Crypo Site. A silly question but how is the best way to keep track of hands, raked hands and/or time spent to clear the bonuses?

I've read that having a deck of 50 cards is a manual way to keep track of hands. Any other techniques?

Also, I want to make absolutely sure of this - but does it matter which currency you are in at the 5 pounds per hour sites (Total Bet, William Hill, UK Betting) - if I say dollars, I won't get 5 dollars per hour instead - true or false?

[illunious]

I've only done 2, haven't done the hourly sites. I used the hand history window to keep track of my hands, I requested all the hands from my last X sessions, each hand will be numbered up to the number you've played.

This (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=865836&page=1&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1#865836) post had a reply about the 5 pounds/hr sites, I guess depositing in $ is fine.

[moondogg]

Using US $$ is absolutely fine. I have US $ accounts at all of them (at least the ones that allow US players), play the $1/$2 games, and I still get paid 5 pounds/hr.

After each of the first 5 hours you play there, they give you 5 pounds. If your account is in US $, they pay you the equivalent in US $. At an exchange rate of about 1.82 or 1.83, it works out to about $9 US.

Of course, if you are playing two tables, then it is actual counting 2 hours per hour. In this case, they pay you the 5 pounds every 30 minutes. Some sites (I believe William Hill) credit your account immediately after each "hour" played, but others don't credit you until you leave the table.

For tracking time, I use an excel spreadsheet (mostly started for being able to report taxes on sites which don't support PokerTracker). It has columns for date, table name, start time, start chips, end time, end chips. It also has to calculated columns for net time and net chips. It takes a few seconds to throw those numbers in there when I enter or leave a table, and it saves a whole lot of headaches later.

For sites that use # of hands, I also use the hand history tool, and record the total hands for a group of sessions (if I play more than one table). Until this month, I've been operating under the assumption that it was all hands, not just raked. That may or may not have been the case before, but they definitely have to be raked now. Anyhow, it won't tell you how many raked hands you've played, but the total hands should get you within the ballpark. Especially at 1/2, where there is almost always 4 or 5 tables going where the vast majority of hands are raked.

BTW, if you ever want to know exactly what exchange rate they are using, try to sit down at a pounds table. When it asks you to buy chips in pounds, it tells you the exchange rate they are using.

[djcolts]

I've completed 4 of the 6 sites this month over the weekend. I'm pleased with the results - thanks again! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[moondogg]

[ QUOTE ]
I've completed 4 of the 6 sites this month over the weekend. I'm pleased with the results - thanks again! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I was sitting next to you for a couple hours at one table. Well played.

574 InterPoker hands down, 1476 to go!

[akerman]

I do not know if you are an european, if you are then you should hit ritz first. The deposition bonus with £25 for £25 is great and you get the hour bonus ontop of that up to 5 hours with £5 per hour as william hill. You can clear this bonus in 1 hour and 15 min if you play on four tables at the same time since it adds up the £5/hour from all the tables you are active upon.

As for reading raked hand I suggest you read my next post upon this forum. title "Counting raked hands on cryptosites"

[luckydog]

I have a real newbie question.
What is a crypto site?

[moondogg]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a real newbie question.
What is a crypto site?

[/ QUOTE ]

InterPoker (formerly InterCasinoPoker) is owned by (or affiliated with or whatever) a company called Cryptologic. Cryptologic setup a poker network, and licensed access out to several other poker sites (called skins). The result is whether you log into InterPoker, PokerPlex, Carribean Sun, or any of the other skins, you see the same tables with the same players (yes, the software prevents you from logging into two different sites and sitting down at two seats at the same table). This same thing is done with Party/Empire/Intertops/Coral/etc.

All of the Crypto sites/skins offer similar bonuses. So, one month you can go to InterPoker and get a bonus, and then go to PokerPlex and get a bonus, and then continue to Carribean Sun, etc.

[luckydog]

Thanks Moondog.
Besides answering my question I think you also gave me some insight into this "bonus whoring" thing I have seen mentioned.
I appreciate the help.

Luckydog

[djcolts]

I netted over $500 total with the 6 sites this month. I'm very happy with this. Thank you all!