PARTY POKER BADBEAT JACKPOTS
Bad beat jackpots sound like fabulous opportunities to participate in a lottery like
scheme, while playing poker. In that respect, sure they provide value, but mind you
that participation in such jackpots doesn't come for free.
Therefore, the true question concerning Bad Beat Jackpots is whether the extra rake
that you pay at BB Jackpot tables is worth the odds you get for taking it down.
Let's first see how a bad beat jackpot works though. At Party Poker (they have one
of the best BB Jackpot promos running) the extra rake that you pay for participation
is 50 cents.
They take that off on top of the regular rake on every raked hand that you play
within the scheme. That may not look like much to you (especially not if you're one
of those believers who consider they don't even pay rake when they lose), but it
can, and will add up. Just how much it matters you can tell by looking at the size
of the progressive jackpot.
On Party Poker, the size of the jackpot increases by about $1,000 every hour,
because there are more than 100 tables participating in the scheme.
Now then, what does it take to take down such a jackpot? Extreme bad luck. You need
to lose on a hand which is better than four 7s. That is, if you lose on four 8s, you
qualify. Happening upon a hand like that is not an easy feat in itself. Losing on
it, is many-many times more difficult. If you do happen to hit four eights or
something better, you'd better pray that you lose though, because the jackpot will
be worth much more than anything you could ever take down in the pot.
The tables that participate in the BB Jackpot scheme can be found under the cash
games tab, and - again - be aware that they charge more rake than regular tables. If
you're playing with a good rakeback deal, you may take some of the bite out of the
special rake, although rooms that feature such jackpots seldom offer any sort of
rakeback to their players.
Even if you do get lucky and get your 4 8s beaten, there are still some conditions
that need to be fulfilled: there have to be at least 4 players dealt into the hand.
If it's a 3-handed game, you're not eligible. Those who sit out will not see a dime
even if the jackpot lands on the table. The hands (both the losing one and the one
beating it) have to contain both hole cards, and a showdown is necessary for
qualification. While the "both hole-cards needed" take is way out there, the
showdown condition is actually pretty reasonable. Nobody will fold four eights or
better, that's for sure.
When the jackpot is hit, only 70% of it will go to distribution among winners. 10%
of it goes to the room (in the form of an administration fee), and 20% will serve as
the basis of the next BB jackpot. Out of the 70% that does see distribution, the
loser gets 50%. The winner of the hand gets 25% (after all, he contributed to the
achievement himself), and the 25% that remains is divided up between the other
players who were dealt into the hand. Those who sit out get zilch, simple as that.
Now that you see what the typical conditions are for the taking down of a Bad Beat
Jackpot, I think you'll agree that the odds do not justify the extra costs by any
means. Just like the real lottery, it is negative EV play. Sure, it is an
interesting prop to spice up the game for those who are easily bored, and it might
even be reasonable for someone playing with
though, the extra 50 cents collected on each raked hand will only hasten the decline
of their bankrolls.
If you happen to come across four eights (or anything better) do not go about
telling the other guys at the table what you have and how they should act. That will
get you disqualified, and not only will you not see a cent of the BB Jackpot, you'll
also give up the money you would've taken down by winning the pot.
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