Monthly Flat Rate

[dux]

I recently was thinking about a strategy for online cardrooms, that appeared in a post regarding Party Poker's rake. In small limits, the rake system is used for the house take. Now, in higher limits, and to my knowledge only in brick-and-mortar casinos, you pay a set fee on the hour or half hour, to play the game for that period of time.

My idea for online poker, is to charge users using the time share system, but over a much longer timeframe. You could charge over any sort of period - weekly, monthly, yearly deals could be made. For a site like PokerStars or dynamite, which are mainly tournament based, you could simply have the time charge as an option - if you play a $10 + $1 tourney, those who pay using the time charge system do not pay the entry fee, those who don't use it pay the fee.

This system could be used by a new or small poker room operator to attract customers. Promotions such as your first week or month free (or at a % price) could be used to attract new users.

The way I see it is there are many benefits for players. You know how much you are paying, and you have a better chance of winning in the games themselves. As for fish - with no rake you can play more hands, and with more money in the pot you can call more. Operators now must offer the games and limits people want to play, not the ones that make the most money. Operators also have no interest in altering the randomness to their favour (not that I believe any of them have done so).

For the operators, I think there would be an increased loyalty with it's users, and many would defect from other sites because they would save $100s in rake - you are not losing money from their rake if they would have never played at your casino anyway.

Well, that's my idea. I never said it was a good one however. I'm sure if there was a simple way to increase casino profits, it would have been thought of. But I felt like mentioning it.

[jek187]

I think this is a marvelous idea. As long as it would be doable for the programmers to only rake pots won by people who have not paid for a monthly pass, I don't see any problems. The sites don't have to market what a rake savings this is, but they still get business from the poker savy crowd. Seems like a win/win situation to me.

[dux]

I don't think it would work for ring unfortunately - there could be rake and time charge rooms tho for each type of player. But I'd say u'd need to be 100% with the time charge idea unfortunately [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img].

Perhaps I should set up my own casino.

[Graham]

"I don't think it would work for ring unfortunately - there could be rake and time charge rooms tho for each type of player."

Why not? Just as jek suggested in the original post, simply rake the pot when a non-subscriber wins and don't rake when a subscriber wins. Not exactly a software nightmare. Anyway, it's just pie in the sky right now for us carpal tunnels, but wouldn't it be nice if some sites at least consider the option or even give it a trial.

G

[Martin Aigner]

It wouldn´t be a softmare problem. But many players wouldn´t trust the system for 100%. Imagine that somebody who doesn´t pay a flat-rate playes against a full table of flat-rate-players. Now this one player goes on a rush. What do you think will happen? Within 1 hour the internet forums will be full of posts about the site cheating the flat-rate players, since they want to earn the rake twice.

Still I like the idea. I don´t think, that it will ever be used in low limit games though because of psycholigical reasons. Many low limit players don´t care about the rake, since it´s only 50c or 1$ for every pot they win. If he has to pay 100$ first they can obviously see how much money poker costs.

Regards

Martin Aigner

[Graham]

"What do you think will happen? Within 1 hour the internet forums will be full of posts about the site cheating the flat-rate players, since they want to earn the rake twice."

you don't have to identify anyone at the table. The rake can still be take at the time of the hand regardless, then returned to the subscribed players' accounts after the session or immediately (not back to the balance at the table). So everything still appears the same as now, with the chips going to the dealer tray and vanishing.

[Fraubump]

This is a nice idea. However, for it to be worth it to the cardroom, that fee would have to be fairly high. Let's say it represented a 20% savings over standard rake for someone who plays an average of 5 hours a day, it would still mean forking over a large sum of money upfront, which, given the vagaries of life, might be lost if your computer breaks, your kids get ill, etc. So probably there wouldn't be wide enough interest for a cardroom to bother programming it.

Rake rebates given for frequent play are the way to go.

[24hPOKER]

The technology is probably in place at most card rooms.

I will stick my neck out again and see what kind of interest this creates. This is the deal for you guys only on a trial basis:

1. Tag yourself to this offer by entering "twoplustwo" in the "I was recommended by"-field (or click on the banners here)
2. For the remainder of 2003 I will pay back all rake less $100 on a monthly basis (before the 10th every month).
3. If you did not generate a $100 in a month in rake, you will not be charged $100 but only the rake you generated.
4. This offer goes for new sign ups as well as all the signups we already have from 2+2 (you know I offered $25 for free a while back?)
5. Bonus paid out will be added on top of the $100 charged
6. VIP-points can be used in the same way as any other client
7. Players are eligible for the progressive BadBeat jackpot (since this is accounted for separately and not included in the total rake)
8. We calculate rake as total rake evenly split on each player having been dealt cards in a raked hand regardless of who wins the pot.

Did I forget anything?

Best regards

[Emperor]

Wow, this has got to be the deal of the day for those who generate over $100/month in rake, and if your close but not sure Stefan here is cutting you a break also.

Now if only 24h was pokertracker compatible, had a 10% deposit bonus (for all deposits from 2+2 members), and had 3x the US traffic I would be over there in a heartbeat [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[Tekari]

Ok I just wanted to clarify a few things about this deal:

1. You will give back up to $100 off the rake that you collect per month? Does that mean if you took $150 I get back 100? What about if I paid only $70 in rake do I get back $70 or do you have to have more than $100 to collect. If this is the case is it like you get back $100 or nothing?

2. Why does your email say @24hpokerIGNORE.com that would make me think that my response will automatically be put in the recyclebin so i didn't email you but wanted further clarification on here i guess

3. what is the thing about comping a free pizza that someone else posted about 24hoker?

thanks!