Online Poker Bad Beat Jackpots
11/15/2011Love it or hate it, you’ve probably noticed that Bad Beat Jackpots are available at many online poker room these days. Some players enjoy these progressive jackpot tables as they dream of a chance of a big score; others despise them because they take away action from the “real” tables. Grinders tend to be the types of players that have the harshest feelings against these tables. Essentially, their dislike comes from a lack of desire to contribute to a jackpot drop -- usually $0.50 per raked hand -- for a prize that they will likely never see. It’s all about the variance.
That’s certainly a fair assessment, but what many players don’t realize is there is a point when the jackpot reaches a level where the extra value of playing these tables exceeds $0, making players technically better off playing these tables versus normal tables, all other things being equal. And who doesn’t like a little extra EV? Of course (and unfortunately) the odds don’t change your chance of being involved in a Bad Beat Jackpot hand, but at least you can sleep knowing you’re getting extra value for your time.
Every jackpot has slightly different rules and stake levels/games where Bad Jackpot tables are available. Each of these variables has an impact on how high the progressive prize needs to be before it can be considered +EV. Generally speaking, this number at which Bad Beat jackpots have a positive expectation for a player is around the $200k-$350k range. Once the jackpot eclipses this mark, you can be fairly sure that are at least approaching the territory where you are arguably better off at these tables than not, albeit with very high variance -- again, assuming all other things are equal (such as game quality).
Despite having different rules, Bad Beat Jackpot tables usually take on a fairly similar structure. Generally Quad Sevens to Tens have to be beat with four or more players dealt into the hand at eligible real money Texas Hold’em games with the winner and loser each holding two hold cards. When a jackpot is hit, often around 70% of the total amount is awarded to the table: 50% to the loser of the hand, 25% to the winner and 25% split between the rest of the table. Of the unpaid amount (30%), 20% is used to seed the next jackpot and 10% taken as an admin fee by the site.
A Bad Beat Jackpot isn’t hit every day and that’s one thing that makes them so special. Most people that hit one are going to earn a life-changing (or life-effecting) payday. Whether you decide to sit down at a Bad Beat Jackpot table because the game looks good or because of the extra value, there is always that thought in the back of your mind that maybe, just maybe, this hand is the one.
Let’s take a look at some of the internet’s largest Bad Beat Jackpot prizes:
| Current Bad Beat Jackpots for RakeTracker Sites | ||
|---|---|---|
| Site | Bad Beat Jackpot Qualification | Current Bad Beat Jackpot |
| Boss (Poker Heaven) | TTTTx | $728,474 |
| Yatahay (True Poker) | 8888x | $172,000 |
| Merge Gaming (Carbon Poker) | 7777x | $170,000 |
| Party Gaming (Party Poker) | 8888x | $21,800 |
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by George B on January 26, 2012
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