Planet Poker Review

Planet Poker was the first real money online poker room, launching January 1998. The traffic is quite good, typically among the top dozen. Planet Poker has a good support and a great game variety, with lowball, razz and five-card draw and nice promotions. There are a loyalty program and refer a friend program. The site has a nice vibe, but the software is quite dated with few advantages

Lobby

Table

Full review of Planet Poker

Summary
Planet Poker was the first real money online poker room, launching January 1998. The traffic is quite good, typically among the top dozen. Planet Poker has a good support and a great game variety, with lowball, razz and five-card draw and nice promotions. There are a loyalty program and refer a friend program. The site has a nice vibe, but the software is quite dated with few advantages. Real money player statistics - May 2004: 150-250 ring game players at peak hours, 100-200 tournament players at peak hours.

Software and graphics
The software level is clearly below average standard, with no statistics or note-taking functions. The graphics are not attractive, with old looking interface. There are no advanced buttons for automatic play. A player can only be a one table at a time.Hand histories are available via email or HTML.They need to do a major upgrade of this software to not continue to loose ground.

Ring game traffic
At peak times one can find 150-200 real money ring game players (January 2004).

Tournament traffic
At peak times the traffic reaches around 100-200 players (January 2004). There are multi-table tournaments. However, there are currently no sit and go tournaments.

Game variety
Very good game variety, with hold'em, Omaha Hi and Hi-Lo, seven-card stud Hi and Hi-Lo, razz, draw, lowball. There are also heads up games, no-limit in hold'em and pot-limit in hold'em. Razz and lowball online are quite unique at Planet Poker at present.

Rake
The rake is quite attractive, especially at the low limit games (from $0.05/$0.10 to $0.5/$1). For the tournaments the charge is average, at around 10% for the various levels, including the lowest.

Soft competition
We have limited playing experience lately, but the competition should be quite good, so it is not very easy to make money just by playing tight and aggressively.

Sign up bonus
There is a 25% deposit bonus, limited to $50. Restrictions are not stated clearly on site.

Loyalty bonus
There is a frequent player scheme where Planet Points are earned for each raked hand, that the player participate in. Points are redeemable for tournaments buy-ins and merchandise.

Promotions
Planet poker has good promotions. There are daily free roll tournaments and sometimes special promotions. $50 is paid for as member referral bonus, where the friend makes a deposit on minimum $50 and plays approximately 100 rakes hands (less in high stakes over $3/$6 and more in low stakes under $3/$6). The endorsers Mike Caro and Roy Cooke take part in the games at a regular basis.

Support
The live 24-hours chat and telephone support, combined with the e-mail service provides a good support.

Financial security
Should be clearly secure, as one of the top 20 poker rooms in the world, with no earlier recorded problems. High score.

Deposit & withdrawal options

Deposit options:
VISA, MasterCard, NETeller, FirePay, P$e-direct (US only), bank draft, wire transfer, money order, personal check, VIP Sports, Casino/Bingo Vega.

Cash out options:
NETeller, FirePay, P$e-direct (US only), wire transfer, check, VIP Sports, Casino/Bingo Vega. (VISA at maximum of total deposits)