LUCKYDOG POKER
BY RUSS SCOTT
RELEASE: MARCH 6, 2012
Geography is First Hurdle in Playing Subscription Online Poker
Many online poker players starved for full-fledged legal games keep looking for a path to safely get back into action. In many cases, their success depends squarely on where they live.
Q: I’m intrigued by the ClubWPT online poker concept, but I live in the state of Georgia. Why am I not able to sign up from Georgia and what are the prospects for doing so in the future. — Bob B. in Johns Creek, Ga.
A: Unfortunately for you, Georgia and several other states have laws against sweepstakes programs. That’s what knocks you out of being able to play on ClubWPT, a players subscription site that’s part of the World Poker Tour operation.
Here’s the key explanation from the ClubWPT website:
“ClubWPT operates within the sweepstakes rules where they are legal and excludes people from joining who live in those states and countries where they are not. To better grasp the concept, think of network television shows or other promotions that offer sweepstakes and you get the idea behind ClubWPT.”
As for your prospects of being able to play on ClubWPT in the future, Bob, your best bet is to write your state representative, asking if there is any movement toward changing the law.
Meanwhile, just days after receiving Bob’s email, word came late last week that Poker Players Alliance and the online HogWild Poker Leagues have hooked up to offer dues-paying 2012 PPA members a shot at winning a World Series of Poker main event package valued at $13,000 — for free!
Bryan Spadaro of the PPA explained:
From March 1 until May 31, the HogWild Staking Series will tally a player’s 12 best games, with the WSOP package going to the top finisher.
Additionally, the top 15 players each month, based on their best eight games, win a $500 buy-in to a live poker tournament of their choice.
In the HogWild Staking Series, there are two $200 freerolls (no entry fee) each week. Should you wish to replace any freeroll score, HogWild offers several Bonus Games on alternate nights for an entry fee of 5,000 HogBucks.
This is where your PPA connection pays off. New and current 2012 paid PPA members ($20) will receive 40,000 HogBucks — enough to enter eight additional Bonus Games to improve on your freeroll scores.
Which means you can play all the games you need to win the WSOP package for free.
“A paid PPA membership has always been the best bet in poker,” Spadaro wrote, “but with this special offer it is +EV (expected valuation) at the tables as well.”
Well, not in every case. When the PPA says “all dues-paying” members can get 40,000 HogBucks, the accompanying small print should read: Except where prohibited.
You guessed it — Bob B. in Georgia and PPA members in 11 other states are frozen out of this offer because of state rules regarding sweepstakes and contests.
HogWild’s website lists the blocked states as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee and Washington.
If you don’t live in one of those states, however, you might want to check out the offer at go.theppa.org/hwp.
There aren’t very many ways out there to capture a $10,000 WSOP main event seat for free.
E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit creators.com or luckydogpoker.com.
COPYRIGHT 2012 RUSS SCOTT
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