are any of the new sites gonna make it big?

[PokerPaul]

just wondering since i wouldnt mind giving one of the newer sites a shot to foster more competition in this industry.

However, more new sites fail than make it.

Hence, between these sites, where is my $$ the safest:

- Fulltilt
- Absolute
- Pokermountain
- Bodog

[RollaJ]

Maybe BoDog due to their sports gambling connection, the others no. I wouldnt be surprised to see full tilt close down within the year, if the WSOP doesnt get enough people back

[PokerPaul]

Really?

wow...i have never checked out fulltilt, but big marketing campaign, big bonus, and multiple celebrity endorsers would have thought that was the one most likely to get there.

Is the traffic that limited?

[PJS]

What about doylesroom. Anyone ever played there?

[otctrader]

Highly unlikely; the better question is which of those sites will go under. If the site is run as a crossover business with an online gambling/sportsbook operation (even if the poker aspect of it is a loss leader), then it's a viable entity, but won't make it competitive with the likes of IGM.

To take those guys on, a site would need a massive infusion of capital for marketing - bombardment on TV, radio, print media, etc... along with money to throw into freerolls, overlays, and legitimate bonus incentives.

The problem with supporting a site "to foster competition" is that what is important to you is not imporant to the fish. Fish see the Partypoker ads, see people having a good time sucking out with K7, and frankly don't care if they have to pay a $2 rake when they drag their small stakes pot. Although you and I see the damage rake does over 100,000 hands, Dutch proved the average player base could care less if they're paying $2 or $0.

The one exception in the field right now seems to be Pokerstars which has carved out its tournament niche with superior structure/software/support; the problem here is how many other niches can a site specialize in? I'm not sure there are any.

[RollaJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Really?

wow...i have never checked out fulltilt, but big marketing campaign, big bonus, and multiple celebrity endorsers would have thought that was the one most likely to get there.

Is the traffic that limited?

[/ QUOTE ]

You and most others. I cleared my $600 bonus, but once the "early adapters" cleared theirs the games dried up a lot

[joedot]

Absolute Poker is not a "new" site.

[playersare]

[ QUOTE ]
Hence, between these sites, where is my $$ the safest:
- Fulltilt
- Absolute
- Pokermountain
- Bodog

[/ QUOTE ]
Absolute already has like 6000+ players during peak hours, I wouldn't include them in this batch.

Your money is as safe at these places than any other site IMO. Good bonuses, now that's a different story.

[Uglyowl]

Bullcrap they are not going to make it. They may not get as big as Party, but there is no reason that Fulltilt and Absolute can not be profitable if not already. Bodog, I don't know enough about and it seems Pokermountain is not having a great time yet.

[peekozi]

Fulltilt poker is not going to make it!

Background: I play on pokerstars and 95% of my play is in SNG's. I'm not that good, I am a little below the even mark but getting better. All dollar amounts are paltry, but that's not the point.

I wanted to try a new site so I figured "why not fulltiltpoker.com, I see some pros have affiliated themselves with the site, thus it is most likely a reputable and safe site." I go against my normal play and deposit $100 to play cash games as opposed to the SNG. I play a little and I'm up about $82 but I don't like the software, and I hate playing against those corny icons, so I decide to cash out. They send me an email a day ot two later saying that they won't send a check for less than $300 so I need to set up a neteller, firepay or eteller account to have the money transferred. I don't have an account with any of those sites but that does not matter, fulltilt poker won't issue a check for less than $300. When I told the "customer service" rep that their policy should be made clear he told me that there is a popup, at some point after requesting the withdrawal, that says there is a $300 check minimum (I have not confirmed this, but if this was tru at the time, I doubt my request could have gone far enough that "customer support" needed to send an email telling me "to issue a check for under $300 is IMPOSSIBLE."
So, I deposit another $120 bucks, as recommended by fulltiltpoker, to get my balance above $300 and give them the 21 business days they say it will take to get a check cut.
It's been about 25 BUSINESS days so I sent them an email asking about the money. I was told that they can't issue a check without a driver's license and a copy of a utility bill being faxed to their office. Again, no where on the site does it say that these items are required to be paid by check. Obviously, this is not a US based corporation, so why would they need this info? It could just be a monkey in the office playing games with me, but a company's model of operation always comes from the top!

This is a paltry sum of money but, as they say, "it's the principle of the thing".

PS - I have a business opportunity to everyone interested:
I am going to start a basketball league, each team only needs to put up $10,000 to enter...the winning team get a $1,000,000 prize! No pros are allowed, except for my team. I am going to put only all stars on the team. Anyone wanna join and play??

I hope fulltilt fails quickly, I don't even care if I get my money as long as they go under!!!