Poker

Game Play & Rules

How to Play

Traditionally, the majority of poker enthusiasts had to travel a considerable distance, stay in hotels and then sometimes wait for a long period of time before even being seated at a game. Not anymore. betinternet.com is the newest fun, fast, convenient and safe way to enjoy poker… instantly. We bring all your favourite poker games to the comfort of your home with the click of a mouse.
If you are looking for some real money live action, tournament play or are just trying to improve your game on our play money tables, betinternet.com hosts all the following games to meet your needs:

Hold’em
Omaha
Omaha Hi-Lo
Tournaments

Click on any poker game listed above for a detailed description of the rules. If you're new to online poker, we recommend that you read a description of all the games we offer before joining a table. Also, feel free to check out betinternet.com’s Glossary of poker terms so you can learn to chat with fellow players like a seasoned poker veteran.
Just like in any poker room, certain rules apply to ensure a pleasant and courteous game for everyone so, before you take your seat at a table please take a moment to look them over.
Now you’re ready to sit down and have fun!

Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular and exciting form of poker available to players today. With the explosion and success of major televised tournament events, No Limit Texas Hold’em has become the player’s favorite type of poker.
Texas Hold'em, also known simply as Hold'em, is a poker game in which each player receives two cards (hole cards) dealt face down, while five community cards are dealt face up on the table throughout four betting rounds. The object of the game is to win the pot that players invest in by betting during the various rounds. All players play their best five cards using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards on the table. The best five-card poker hand among those in contention for the pot wins.

How to Play Texas Hold'em

The Button

In Texas Hold'em, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round begins. A Texas Hold'em hand starts when the first card is dealt and ends when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed, as with standard poker rules, the “button” moves clockwise to the next active player. This is done because there is an advantage to having to act last and therefore each player will get his fair share of early, late and middle positions. This player will be considered to be “playing the button" for that hand.

Blinds

The player to the immediate left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a “small blind”. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the small blind is $2; in a $3-$6 game, the small blind is $1. The player to the immediate left of the small blind is required to post the “big blind”, equal to the lower limit bet (For example, in a $3-$6 game, the big blind is $3.). When a new player sits down at a Texas Hold'em poker game, he must either post the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in the big blind. This prevents players from gaining an advantage by avoiding the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have missed one or both blinds, our software will prompt you if to put in the correct amount. You can also wait for the blind to get to your position. This is called coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Texas Hold’em poker are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position.

Betting Rounds

First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Texas Hold'em players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer deals two cards called “hole cards” to each player. At this time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate left of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the small blind. Thus in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Hold'em game, it would cost a minimum of $5 for the player who acts first to call in this initial round of betting. (The maximum dollar value and number of raises per round depends on version of Texas Hold’em being played as described below.)
Second Round (Flop) – Next, three cards are dealt face-up on the board also known as the “flop”. These three community cards are available to all active players. In this round play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise) of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold. Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has the same choices. Once a bet is made, each succeeding Texas Hold'em player then has, in turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Hold'em game the bet would cost a minimum of $5.
Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed for the flop round, the “turn” is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in a Texas Hold'em poker game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button and the same rules apply as the second round except that poker betting doubles from the lower limit bet to the higher limit bet. In a $5/$10 game, betting on the turn is done in $10 increments.
Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed for the turn round, the “river” is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in a Texas Hold'em game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button as explained above.
Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines who wins the game of Texas Hold'em. In No Limit Texas Hold’em, it is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one active player has any chips left with all other active players having bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player to open with a bet or raise is required to show their cards first and anyone else can fold. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. However the hole cards of all players who stay in to the showdown are included in the hand history, even if they choose to muck). The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Texas Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.

There are three different types of Texas Hold’em Poker games, made different by their betting structures

No Limit: Players may bet all of their chips at any time.
Pot Limit: Players may bet an amount equal to the pot size.
Limit: Players may bet a fixed amount for each round.

No Limit Texas Hold’em

In No Limit Texas Hold’em, the minimum amount a player can bet must be equal or greater than the big blind and a raise must equal or be greater then the last bet or raise within the same round. There is no maximum amount to bet, a player may bet his entire stack at any time. The number of raises is only limited to a player’s chips total.

Pot Limit Texas Hold’em

In Pot Limit Texas Hold’em, the minimum amount a player can raise must equal or be greater than the last bet or raise within the same round. The maximum a player may bet is equal to the amount in the pot including his call before making the raise. (Example; a player‘s call is $5 and the pot is $20, he may raise to a maximum of $50. His call of $5 brings the pot to $25 and he may raise the amount equal to the pot of $25, thus the raise is $25.)

Limit Texas Hold’em

In Limit Texas Hold’em, players must bet a pre-determined fixed amount per each round. The betting amount is equal to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and doubles up for the last two rounds of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round which includes a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Texas Hold'em game, players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20 for the pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up to a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round).

Omaha

Omaha poker, sometimes called Omaha High, is a variation of Texas Hold’em poker with a much wider range of hand possibilities that makes for a lot of excitement. As in Texas Hold’em, Omaha is a community card game with the object being to win the pot that players invest in by betting at various rounds. However, in Omaha there are 2 major differences: Each player receives four cards (hole cards) dealt face down and at the showdown each player must use exactly two of their four hole cards and combine them with exactly three boardcards.

How to play Omaha

The Button

In Omaha, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round begins. An Omaha hand starts when the first card is dealt and ends when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed, as with standard poker rules, the “button” moves clockwise to the next active player. This is done because there is an advantage to having to act last and therefore each player will get his fair share of early, late and middle positions. This player will be considered to be “playing the button" for that hand.

Blinds

The player to the immediate left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the small blind is $2; in a $3-$6 game, the small blind is $1. The player to the immediate left of the small blind is required to post the big blind, equal to the lower limit bet (For example, in a $3-$6 game, the big blind is $3.). When a new player sits down at an Omaha poker game, he must either post the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in the big blind. This prevents Omaha players from gaining an advantage by avoiding the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have missed one or both blinds, our software will prompt you if to put in the correct amount. You can also wait for the blind to get to your position. This is called coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Omaha poker are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position.

Betting Rounds

First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Omaha players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer deals four cards called “hole cards” to each player. At this time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate left of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the small blind. Thus in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha game, it would cost a minimum of $5 for the player who acts first to call in this initial round of betting. (The maximum dollar value and number of raises per round depends on version of Omaha being played as described below.)
Second Round (Flop) – Next, three cards are dealt face-up on the board also known as the “flop”. These three community cards are available to all active players. In this round play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise) of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold. Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has, in turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 Omaha game the bet would cost a minimum of $5.
Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed for the flop round, the “turn” is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in an Omaha poker game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button and the same rules apply as the second round except that poker betting doubles from the lower limit bet to the higher limit bet. In a $5/$10 game, betting on the turn is done in $10 increments.
Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed for the turn round, the “river” is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in an Omaha game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button as explained above.
Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines who wins the game of Omaha. In Omaha, it is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one active player has any chips left with all other active players having bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player to open or raise is required to show their cards first and anyone else can fold (muck his cards if he decides he has lost. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. However the hole cards of all players who stay in to the showdown are included in the hand history, even if they choose to muck).The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. In Omaha poker, players must use two of their four hole cards in combination with three of the cards from the board. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Omaha rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.

There are two different types of Omaha Poker games, made different by their betting structures

Limit: Players may bet a fixed amount for each round.
Pot Limit: Players may bet an amount equal to the pot size.

Limit Omaha

In Limit Omaha, players must bet a pre-determined fixed amount per each round. The betting amount is equal to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and doubles up for the last two rounds of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round which includes a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha game, players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20 for the pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up to a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round).

Pot Limit Omaha

In Pot Limit Omaha, the minimum amount a player can raise must equal or be greater than the last bet or raise within the same round. The maximum a player may bet is equal to the amount in the pot including his call before making the raise. (Example; a player‘s call is $5 and the pot is $20, he may raise to a maximum of $50. His call of $5 brings the pot to $25 and he may raise the amount equal to the pot of $25, thus the raise is $25.)

Omaha Hi-Lo (8 or Better)

Omaha Hi-Lo (short for high & low) is a very entertaining game to play and can generate some truly sizeable pots because of the number of drawing possibilities. The same Omaha rules apply to Omaha Hi-Lo with the exception that the pot may be shared between a player holding the high (Hi) hand and a player holding the qualifying low (Lo) hand. A low hand must have a high card "8 or better" to qualify to be the low hand. That is, to be eligible to win the low, the highest card must be an 8 or lower. Upon a tie with the high card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest high card. Any hand that is high card 9 or higher cannot qualify as a low hand. In Omaha Hi-Lo the same player can also win both pots for the Hi & Lo hand when there is no qualifying low hand. The straight ace to five is the best possible low hand with the straight four to eight being the worse possible qualifying low hand. The ace can be used as a high and low card in Omaha Hi-Lo. Straights and flushes are not considered when evaluating a low hand.

How to play Omaha Hi-Lo

The Button

In Omaha Hi-Lo, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round begins. An Omaha Hi-Lo hand starts when the first card is dealt and ends when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed, as with standard poker rules, the “button” moves clockwise to the next active player. This is done because there is an advantage to having to act last and therefore each player will get his fair share of early, late and middle positions. This player will be considered to be “playing the button" for that hand.

Blinds

The player to the immediate left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the small blind is $2; in a $3-$6 game, the small blind is $1. The player to the immediate left of the small blind is required to post the big blind, equal to the lower limit bet (For example, in a $3-$6 game, the big blind is $3.). When a new player sits down at an Omaha Hi-Lo poker game, he must either post the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in the big blind. This prevents Omaha Hi-Lo players from gaining an advantage by avoiding the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have missed one or both blinds, our software will prompt you if to put in the correct amount. You can also wait for the blind to get to your position. This is called coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Omaha Hi-Lo poker are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position.

Betting Rounds

First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Omaha Hi-Lo players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer deals four cards called “hole cards” to each player. At this time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate left of the big blind. As mentioned, the minimum bet is the size of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the small blind. Thus in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game, it would cost a minimum of $5 for the player who acts first to call in this initial round of betting. (The maximum dollar value and number of raises per round depends on version of Omaha being played as described below.)
Second Round (Flop) – Next, three cards are dealt face-up on the board also known as the “flop”. These three community cards are available to all active players. In this round play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise) of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold. Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has, in turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 Omaha game the bet would cost a minimum of $5.
Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed for the flop round, the “turn” is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo poker game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button and the same rules apply as the second round except that poker betting doubles from the lower limit bet to the higher limit bet. In a $5/$10 game, betting on the turn is done in $10 increments.
Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed for the turn round, the “river” is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in an Omaha Hi-Lo game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button as explained above.
Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines who wins the game of Omaha Hi-Lo. In Omaha Hi-Lo, it is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one active player has any chips left with all other active players having bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player to open or raise is required to show their cards first and anyone else can fold (muck his cards if he decides he has lost. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. However the hole cards of all players who stay in to the showdown are included in the hand history, even if they choose to muck). The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. At the showdown each player must use exactly two of their four pocket cards and combine them with exactly three boardcards. At the showdown each player can use any two of their pocket cards for their high hand and any two of their pocket cards for their low. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Omaha Hi-Lo rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.

There are three different types of Omaha Hi-Lo Poker games, made different by their betting structures

Limit: Players may bet a fixed amount for each round.
Pot Limit: Players may bet an amount equal to the pot size.
No Limit: Players may bet all of their chips at any time.

Limit Omaha Hi-Lo

In Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, players must bet a pre-determined fixed amount per each round. The betting amount is equal to the big blind for the first two rounds of betting and doubles up for the last two rounds of betting. A maximum of 4 bets is allowed per round which includes a bet and three raises. (Example; in a $5/$10 Limit Omaha Hi-Lo game, players must bet $5 and raise by $5 up to a maximum of $20 for the pre-flop and flop rounds, they must bet $10 and raise by $10 up to a maximum of $40 for the turn and river round).

Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo

In Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, the minimum amount a player can raise must equal or be greater than the last bet or raise within the same round. The maximum a player may bet is equal to the amount in the pot including his call before making the raise. (Example; a player‘s call is $5 and the pot is $20, he may raise to a maximum of $50. His call of $5 brings the pot to $25 and he may raise the amount equal to the pot of $25, thus the raise is $25.)

No Limit Omaha Hi-Lo

In No Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, the minimum amount a player can bet must be equal or greater than the big blind and a raise must equal or be greater then the last bet or raise within the same round. There is no maximum amount to bet, a player may bet his entire stack at any time. The number of raises is only limited to a player’s chips total.

7 Card Stud

7 Card Stud, sometimes referred to as just Stud, was quite likely the most well known and widely played variety of poker in the world until it was overtaken by Texas Hold’em. Stud is different from Texas Hold’em and Omaha in a several ways. Primarily, Stud is not a community card game. Each player is dealt seven cards throughout five betting rounds with the best five-card poker hand winning. 7 Card Stud is only played with a limit betting structure and therefore an ante must be posted by each player to ensure there is money in the pot. Occasionally, when there are a lot of players left until the river card is dealt there may not be enough cards left to give each player their own river card. In this situation the dealer will turn one card face-up to be used as a community card.

How to play 7 Card Stud

Betting Rounds

First Round – In 7 Card Stud, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. After all players have placed their ante they receive their initial cards. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each player is dealt three cards (two of them face down and one face up). The player with the lowest face up card is known as the "bring-in" and must make a wager of half the small blind. (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bring-in is $2). The other players then must decide to match this amount beginning clockwise from the bring-in. If two players are tied for the low card the card rankings are broken by suit, with the order being spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs (in descending order).
Second Round (Fourth Street) – Next, each player is dealt another face up card, known as “fourth street”. In this round the first person to act is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value. This player may either check or bet. The bet amount is determined by the value of the face up cards on the table. If there is no pair exposed then the amount will be the small bet (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $4). However, if there is a face up pair then the amount is the big bet ($8 in the previous example).
Third Round (Fifth Street) – Each player is dealt a third face up card in this round, called “fifth street”. Starting in this betting round and all subsequent betting rounds all wagers are in the big bet amounts (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $8). The first person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Fifth Round (Seventh Street) – Each player is dealt a seventh card called “seventh street” or the “river”. This last card is dealt face down. The first person to act on the river is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Showdown – If more than one player remains after the fifth round of betting is completed then there is a showdown and the last player to bet shows their cards first. If no one acted then the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value, shows their cards first. The player with the best five-card stud poker hand wins the pot. In the event of identical poker hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.

7 Card Stud Hi Lo

7 Card Stud Hi-Lo is a poker game that combines the strategies and game play of 7 Card Stud and the possible split pot aspect of Omaha Hi-Lo. The same 7 Card Stud rules apply to 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo with the exception that the pot may be shared between a player holding the high (Hi) hand and a player holding the qualifying low (Lo) hand. A low hand must have a high card "8 or better" to qualify to be the low hand. That is, to be eligible to win the low, the highest card must be an 8 or lower. Upon a tie with the high card, the hand goes to the player with the next lowest high card. Any hand that is high card 9 or higher cannot qualify as a low hand. In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo the same player can also win both pots for the Hi & Lo hand when there is no qualifying low hand. The straight ace to five is the best possible low hand with the straight four to eight being the worse possible qualifying low hand. The ace can be used as a high and low card in 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo. Straights and flushes are not considered when evaluating a low hand.

How to play 7 Card Stud Hi Lo

Betting Rounds

First Round – In 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, a disc known as the dealer “button” serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. After all players have placed their ante they receive their initial cards. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each player is dealt three cards (two of them face down and one face up). The player with the lowest face up card is known as the "bring-in" and must make a wager of half the small blind. (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bring-in is $2). The other players then must decide to match this amount beginning clockwise from the bring-in. If two players are tied for the low card the card rankings are broken by suit, with the order being spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs (in descending order).
Second Round (Fourth Street) – Next, each player is dealt another face up card, known as “fourth street”. In this round the first person to act is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value. This player may either check or bet. The bet amount is determined by the value of the face up cards on the table. If there is no pair exposed then the amount will be the small bet (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $4). However, if there is a face up pair then the amount is the big bet ($8 in the previous example).
Third Round (Fifth Street) – Each player is dealt a third face up card in this round, called “fifth street”. Starting in this betting round and all subsequent betting rounds all wagers are in the big bet amounts (For example, in a $4-$8 game, the bet is $8). The first person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Fourth Round (Sixth Street) – Each player is dealt a fourth face up card in this round, called “sixth street”. Once again the first person to act is again the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Fifth Round (Seventh Street) – Each player is dealt a seventh card called “seventh street” or the “river”. This last card is dealt face down. The first person to act on the river is the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value.
Showdown – If more than one player remains after the fifth round of betting is completed then there is a showdown and the last player to bet shows their cards first. If no one acted then the player whose face up cards, comprise the highest poker value shows their cards first. Players use five of their seven cards and the player with the best five-card stud poker hand wins the pot. The highest hand wins 50% of the pot and the lowest qualifying low hand wins 50% of the pot. If no low hand qualifies then the highest hand wins the entire pot. In the event of identical poker hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.

Tournaments

betinternet.com is pleased to offer a wide variety of tournament formats and games available to you 24 hours a day! In addition to being a fun and exciting way to gain a greater all-round poker experience, tournaments are also a powerful way to build your bankroll and get a great return on a minimal investment. In a tournament, as opposed to a live ring-game, the most money one can risk is the Buy-in for that tournament. All players start with the same amount of chips and play continues until one player has won all the chips. Tournament chips have no cash value. Tournaments are available in all the poker games we offer; Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Stud and Stud Hi-Lo.
We offer Multi-table, Sit & Go, & Heads-up tournaments in various Freeze-out, Re-buy and Shoot-out formats. We also offer satellite tournaments to gain entry into much bigger events and freerolls that cost nothing to enter. Please see the tournament lobby for the exact details and rules for each tournament.

Tournaments Types and Features

Multi-table
Sit & Go
Heads Up
Re-buy & Add-on Tournament
Freeze-out
Shootout
Satellites
FreeRoll
Tournament Rules
Tournament Glossary

Multi-table

If more than one table is needed to accommodate the number of registered players in a tournament, it is known as a multi-table tournament. During a Multi-table tournament, as players are eliminated, players will be moved randomly from one table to another in order to keep the number of players at each table as balanced as possible. Although we try to be fair and move players in relation to their position with the dealer button, a player may end up moving from their blinds and move to a blind position again.

Sit & Go

Sit & Go tournaments are events that do not have a scheduled start time. They start when the needed number of registered players is reached. When the prearranged number of competitors is reached each participant is notified that the tournament is about to start. Example: A No Limit Hold’em one table Sit & Go will start as soon as ten players are registered.

Heads-up

When a contest is between 2 players only, it is referred to as Heads-up. Heads-up Shoot-out tournaments are a good way to improve your winning game, as you will end up facing one opponent most of the time to win any tournament. The rules are the same with Heads-up play with the exception that the player with the "dealer button" posts the small blind and will act first pre-flop then last for the remainder of the hand. The player who posts the big blind is dealt first.

Re-buy & Add-on Tournament

A Re-buy & Add-on tournament allows for players to Re-buy and/or Add-on additional chips during the game. These tournaments have a predetermined Re-buy period but generally it is during the first hour of play up until the end of the first break. During the Re-buy period each player is allowed a fixed number or unlimited number of Re-buys depending how the tournament has been set up.
A Re-buy is permitted during the Re-buy period only when a player’s chip count is equal to or less than the amount of chips the player had at the start of the tournament. For example, if players were given 1500 chips at the beginning of the tournament they may purchase a Re-buy ONLY if their chip count is less than or equal to 1500 chips. This means that if a player loses all of their chips in any hand during the Re-buy period they can remain active in the tournament by purchasing a Re-buy of additional chips. The cost of a Re-buy and the number of chips provided is generally the same as the cost of the original buy-in and number of chips provided when the tournament begins. Check the tournament information for details.
A Double Re-buy allows players to purchase two Re-buys in a single transaction. Double Re-buys provide players twice the number of chips as a single Re-buy, at twice the cost of a single Re-buy. For example, if a single Re-buy costs $5 and provides players 1500 chips a Double Re-buy will cost $10 and provide players 3000 chips. The option to purchase a Double Re-buy will only be offered to a player when their chip count is zero.
An Add-on will be available during the first five minute break of a Re-buy & Add-on tournament. All players that are still active in the tournament will have the option to purchase an Add-on of additional chips regardless of how many chips they have at the time. The cost of an Add-on is generally the same as the cost of the original buy-in. The number of chips provided with an Add-on is the same or slightly more than the original buy-in. Check the tournament information for details.
Re-buys and Add-ons can be purchased by clicking on their respective buttons located at the Dealer chip tray or by clicking on the Dealer chip tray itself and then clicking the Add Chips button. There is no additional fee paid by the player when Re-buys and Add-ons are purchased which means that all Re-buys and Add-ons are added to the tournament prize pool. The total prize pool and the payout structure will not be finalized until both the Re-buy and Add-on periods have closed.
For complete Tournament details open the Tournament lobby and click the Tournament Information button.

Freeze-out

In a Freeze-out tournament players make a single Buy-in and upon losing all their chips, will be eliminated from the tournament. As players become eliminated the tables are combined with other tables until there is a final table and ultimately there is one player left with all the chips.

Shoot-out

A Shoot-out tournament consists of a limited number of players competing on different tables. In round 1, players compete until there is one player left at each table with all the chips. In round 2 the winners from round 1 are then combined at other tables and they again play until there is one player left with all the chips. A Shoot-out tournament can have between two (Heads-up) to ten players on each table competing over 1 or more rounds. The number of rounds and players per table varies and can be found in the tournament lobby.

Satellites

Satellite tournaments are events where prizes are entries into other larger tournaments. A satellite could award the winner(s) entries into other satellites. All satellite tournaments end when all players have won or qualified for their prizes.

Freeroll

betinternet.com regularly offers tournaments that require no Buy-in or registration fees, no risks or conditions. These true freerolls are our way of giving back to our players.

Tournament Rules

All tournaments will be accessed via the tournament lobby.
All the features, details and prizes of each tournament will be posted in the tournament lobby.
All tournaments will begin promptly at the scheduled time stated in the Tournament Lobby.
Tournament seats are available on a first come first serve basis. All players are seated randomly at the beginning of all tournaments. The tournament starts with the "dealer button" positioned at seat 1 (Hold’em & Omaha). Players cannot change seats during a tournament. A player will change seat only when moved from a table to another table during a multi-table tournament.
The tournament is played until one player accumulates all the chips in play. Players may not acquire additional chips beyond the original Buy-in unless there are Re-buys and Add-ons. When a player loses all their chips they are declared out of the tournament and finish in the order they were eliminated. If the tournament is a satellite event, the tournament will end when all players have qualified for the target event regardless of the chip count.
If more than one player is eliminated in a hand, the player with more chips at the beginning of the hand is placed higher. In an instance where 2 players started the hands with an identical chip count, both players tie for that rank, and any prizes due to those players will be equally distributed between them.
If there is a split pot, not equally divisible by the number of player in the hand the extra chip(s) will be awarded to the player closest to the left of the “button”.
In Texas Hold’em or Omaha poker tournaments when the small or big blind is eliminated from a tourney, the blinds must be slightly re-positioned to account for the eliminated player. The rules pertaining to this event are referred to as the Dead Button rule. Cake Poker uses this format to be fair and to ensure that all players post their appropriate blinds without giving any advantage to one player over another. Due to this randomness, all players will have an equal opportunity to benefit from this scenario. When two players remain or in a Heads-up tournament, the button will post the small blind, and act first on the opening round.
Disconnects:

The Internet makes playing poker online possible, but it can also cause issues. A player accepts the risk of Internet disconnection (please see disconnect policy for full details), due to the problems with the connection between their computer and the servers. Other issues, including a connection slowdown or some other problem in the player's computer may also arise. betinternet.com does not accept any responsibility for a player disconnect except in the case of a betinternet.com server interruption.
While each user is responsible for his or her own Internet connection, betinternet.com makes every effort to protect players who are disconnected during the final stages of a tournament, by allowing Extra Time to reconnect.
If a player times out during a hand, whether connected or disconnected, his or her hand will be folded unless the check option is available to them, at which point the player will auto check.
If a player is not connected before a hand starts, he or she will be dealt cards, and a blind and/or antes will be posted automatically. Players can choose to sit out on there own, there is no penalty.

Poker is a game of integrity and etiquette. Each player should play with the same intensity against all other players. Unethical play, such as soft-play and chip dumping, may result in penalties, including seizure of funds from the offender's account and/or forfeiture of any prizes and/or termination of the account.
Each betting round consists of a bet and up to three raises. There is no raise cap in pot-limit and no-limit tournaments.
Level Structure: To ensure tournaments are completed within a reasonable amount of time, the blinds/antes increase during a tournament. When such increase takes place it is called a level. The level structure for a tournament can be found in the tournament lobby.
There will be a 5 minute break every hour in a standard multi-table tournament. There are no breaks during single-table tournaments.
betinternet.com will not assist in any deals among players during tournaments. Tournaments will continue until there is one declared winner, unless it is a satellite event, and the payoffs will be exactly according to the prize payout structure.
Extra time: Each player is given Extra Time, beside the normal time, to make a decision during a tournament. That Extra Time is limited and displays as a clock when activated. It decreases as it is being used and stops once a player acts. Extra Time will automatically be activated if a player has an active connection to the game, has money in the pot and does not act in time.
As players are eliminated from the tournament, the software will balance tables in an attempt to ensure that all tables have an equal number of active players. The balancing of tables is done randomly and, although rare, may result in a player having to post several big blinds in a row. When 10 players remain in a Hold’em or Omaha tournament or eight players remain in a Seven Card Stud tournament, all players are brought together at the "final table".
In the event of a server crash, the hands in progress at every table will be restored by rolling back these hands. Each player’s chip count will be reset to the amount at the beginning of the hand. In special circumstances, when a tournament needs to be cancelled because of a crash or some other reason, players will be compensated according to betinternet.com's tournament cancellation policy.
betinternet.com reserves the right to cancel or reschedule tournaments at any time, for any reason, with or without notice.
Tournament registration must meet minimum requirements for that event or the tournament will be cancelled. In the event of a tournament cancellation due to an insufficient number of entrants all buy-ins and entry fees will be returned to player’s accounts.
The prize pool payouts for all poker tournaments will adhere to the betinternet.com payout schedule.
Players, whether in the hand or not, may not discuss the hands until the action is complete. Players are obligated to protect the other players in the tournament at all times. Discussing cards discarded or hand possibilities are not allowed. A penalty may be given for discussion of hands during the play.
Late Registration: Registration will terminate if all tables allocated at the time of seating are full, or once the first player is eliminated. Late registration is usually available for 10 minutes after the tournament start.
Unregistration: In most tournaments a player can unregister until ten minutes prior to the start of the event. Players who have won their seats through a satellite cannot unregister unless otherwise informed.
Any player found to be playing multiple accounts during any tournament will have their account closed and will forfeit any winnings that are found to be a result of these actions.
In the final stages of a tournament the prize money can jump significantly with each player eliminated. In these instances where there is more than one table remaining the tournament may be played "hand-for-hand". This means that if one table finishes its hand before the other table(s), that table waits for the other table(s) to finish before the next hand is dealt. During this hand-for-hand period, all bustouts during a "synchronized" hand (even at different tables) are treated as having happened on the same hand and chip stacks will be compared as in rule 7 above to determine the finishing order.
betinternet.com management decision will be final in all cases of disputes.

Tournament Glossary

Add-on

The “Add-on” is the last opportunity a player has to buy additional chips in an attempt to better his/her chances to win a “Re-buy” & “Add-on” tournament. The Add-on is available for a limited period of time to players after the Re-buy period is over. The amount and time restriction can be found in the tournament lobby.

Buy-in

The registration cost for a poker tournament is referred to as a “Buy-in”. The “Buy-in” is the amount each player must invest to enter a tournament. The Buy-in amount for each tournament can be found in the tournament lobby. Total Buy-ins from all registered players creates the total prize pool for that tournament. Players are allowed to unregister for a tournament up to a deadline found in the tournament lobby.

Fee

The fee is the amount paid by the players to participate in the tournament. That is the amount paid to the site.

Hand-For-Hand

In the later stage of a tournament, when each position represents a substantial difference in prizes and there is more than one table remaining, the tournament may be played "hand-for-hand". This means that each table will play each hand at the same time until a player is eliminated. Table(s) may have to wait until all hands from the other table(s) are completed in order to start the next hand. Hand-for-Hand play may happen more than once during the same tournament.
If two or more players are eliminated from a different table during "Hand-for-hand" play, they are considered to be eliminated in the same hand regardless if one of the hands finished earlier than the other. Chips stacks will be compared to determine the finishing order.

Heads-up

When a contest is between 2 players only, it is referred to as "Heads-up". Heads-up Shoot-out tournaments are a good way to improve your winning game, as you will end up facing one opponent most of the time to win any tournament.
The rules are the same with "Heads-up" play with the exception that the player with the "dealer button" posts the small blind and will act first pre-flop then last for the remainder of the hand. The player who posts the big blind is dealt first.

In the Money

When a player has qualified for a prize in a tournament, it is called "In the Money". If a player is "In the Money" that means that he will win at least the minimum prize available for that tournament.

Prizes

The total prize pool and number of players being paid is determined by the number of registered players in a tournament. The more players that enter a tournament, the larger the prize pool will be and ultimately the more players who will receive prizes. The number of players, prize pool and prize distribution can be found in the tournament lobby. All monies paid from all Buy-ins account for the prize pool for each tournament.

Re-buy

When a player qualifies to purchase another “Buy-in” during a tournament, it is called a "Re-buy". A Re-buy allows for a player to continue competing in a tournament. Re-buys are available in a Re-buy & Add-on tournament only. The number of Re-buys, time restriction, amount and conditions for Re-buys can be found in the tournament lobby.

Round

A round is a term referred to in “Shoot-out” tournaments; it is like an individual “Freeze-out” tournament. Rounds have their own Level Structure and the winner(s) from each table per round advance to the next round.

Tournament Cancellation Policy

In the unlikely event that betinternet.com has to cancel a scheduled tournament we will make all possible efforts to refund players as fairly as possible. Due to the varied scenarios that may be involved we have decided to simplify our policy to cover the three most likely scenarios:

Cancellation prior to the start of a tournament

If a tournament is cancelled prior to starting, all players will receive a refund of their full tournament registration fees. Tournament fees will be refunded in the exact manner that they were paid. (This may include any combination of cash, Gold Chips or Gold Cards).

50/50 Tournament Policy

If a tournament in progress but with no players are yet in the money, is cancelled for any reason, we will try to compensate all remaining players based on their play up to the time of the interruption. This is best achieved by awarding 50% of the prize pool to all remaining players and the other 50% of the prize pool will be awarded proportionately based on each players chip count. All remaining players will also receive their entry fee. Any player who was eliminated prior to the interruption will not be entitled to a refund. All awards for tournament cancelled in progress will be cash. If the cancelled tournament has a guaranteed prize pool only the entry fee will be returned not the guaranteed prize.

In the Money Tournament Policy

If a tournament is cancelled and there are players in the money, we will try to compensate all remaining players based on their play up to the time of the interruption. This is best achieved by awarding each remaining player with the minimum prize not yet awarded and the rest of the prize pool will be awarded proportionately based on each players chip count. All remaining players will also receive their entry fee. Any player who was eliminated prior to the interruption will not be entitled to a refund. All awards for a tournament cancelled in progress will be cash. If the cancelled tournament has a guaranteed prize pool only the entry fee will be returned not the guaranteed prize.

Tournament Payout Structure

Pos.	3 - 19 Players	20 - 34 Players	35 - 39 Players	40 - 49 Players	50 - 79 Players	80 - 119 Players	120 - 169 Players
1	50.00%	45.00%	40.00%	40.00%	30.00%	27.00%	26.00%
2	30.00%	25.00%	24.00%	22.00%	20.00%	18.00%	17.00%
3	20.00%	17.50%	16.00%	15.00%	13.00%	12.00%	11.00%
4		12.50%	12.00%	10.00%	9.40%	8.70%	8.00%
5			8.00%	7.00%	6.60%	6.00%	5.80%
6				6.00%	5.80%	5.20%	4.80%
7					4.80%	4.40%	4.20%
8					4.00%	3.50%	3.40%
9					3.40%	2.80%	2.60%
10					3.00%	2.40%	2.20%
11-15						2.00%	1.60%
16-20							1.40%

Pos.	170 - 249 Players	250 - 349 Players	350 - 449 Players	450 - 549 Players	550 - 699 Players	700 - 949 Players	950+ Players
1	25.00%	25.00%	25.00%	25.00%	25.00%	24.00%	23.20%
2	16.00%	16.00%	16.00%	15.00%	15.00%	14.00%	13.50%
3	10.00%	10.00%	10.00%	9.00%	9.00%	8.80%	8.50%
4	6.80%	6.60%	6.40%	6.40%	6.20%	6.20%	6.10%
5	4.80%	4.60%	4.40%	4.40%	4.20%	4.20%	4.10%
6	4.20%	3.80%	3.40%	3.30%	3.20%	3.20%	3.10%
7	3.40%	3.00%	2.60%	2.50%	2.30%	2.30%	2.20%
8	2.80%	2.40%	2.10%	2.00%	1.90%	1.90%	1.80%
9	2.20%	2.00%	1.70%	1.60%	1.50%	1.50%	1.40%
10	1.80%	1.60%	1.40%	1.30%	1.20%	1.20%	1.10%
11-15	1.40%	1.20%	1.00%	1.00%	1.00%	0.80%	0.70%
16-20	1.20%	1.00%	0.80%	0.80%	0.80%	0.70%	0.60%
21-30	1.00%	0.80%	0.70%	0.70%	0.60%	0.55%	0.50%
31-40		0.60%	0.60%	0.50%	0.50%	0.45%	0.40%
41-50			0.50%	0.45%	0.40%	0.37%	0.35%
51-60				0.40%	0.35%	0.33%	0.30%
61-70					0.30%	0.30%	0.25%
71-80						0.27%	0.23%
81-90						0.25%	0.22%
91-100							0.21%
101-110							0.20%
111-120							0.19%