Full Tilt Poker Review
Written by Keith Brown
Full Tilt is back and fully operational! The site first came on the scene in 2004, but was closed down by the U.S. Government in 2011. Back in its heyday, it was one of the biggest and most popular online poker rooms in the world, and a place frequented by many high stakes pros. Consequently, its sudden loss on “Black Friday” had a huge impact on the poker community. However, in 2012, an agreement was reached with the U.S. Department of Justice for the site to be purchased by Poker Stars, along with the stipulation that previous Full Tilt Poker players must be refunded their money in full. Full Tilt reopened in November, 2012, and since then, the response has been tremendous.
Unfortunately, strict rules are in effect, forbidding current real money play at this site by anyone living in the U.S, regardless of whether or not they have played at Full Tilt Poker before. However, they can play for free. In due time, this may change, but probably not anytime soon. Poker Stars which tried to open a state-run poker room at Resorts in Atlantic City in November, 2013, was not only denied a license but given a two year moratorium on reapplying. But none of these restrictions affect you in Australia. As before, you are welcome to play at Poker Stars anytime and for as little or as much money as you like.
By the way, as of this writing, here is the latest update on refunds of old account money. All players who filed a claim by the deadline can expect to receive an echeck with their refund in the early part of 2014, if they haven't already.
Full Tilt Poker was conceived and designed by professional poker players. So if you are an Aussie who loves online poker and loves action and fierce competition, you have come to the right place. In our Full Tilt Poker review, you will see exactly how much action the site offers!
- The same great software you know and love
- Exciting Sunday night major action on-site
- Lots of tournaments and soft cash game action
The Main Features of Full Tilt
Full Tilt is powered by proprietary TiltWare, LLC software. The state-of-the-art software is compatible with both PC and Mac computers and can be quickly and easily downloaded. Once you are logged on, you will find the site easy to navigate so you can be happily playing the cash game or tournament of your choice in no time at all.
While no poker room anywhere can perfectly meet the needs of every player, you'll see in out Full Tilt Poker review that the site offers some great features unmatched by many other sites. First and foremost, there is a tremendous variety of both ring games and tournaments at every size playing stake imaginable. Because of very high traffic, you won't have to worry either about your game or tournament of choice not being available or there being too few players to make it worthwhile.
But just in case that is not enough action, you can take part in exciting leaderboard competitions. And don't be surprised if you find a world class pro like Gus Hansen or Viktor “Isilder1” Blom at your table. What could be more exciting than that!
The generous Welcome Bonus will get you in the door, but the equally generous player rewards program should keep you coming back often for a long time to come. If you have a Poker Stars account, you can use it to fund your opening deposit at full Tilt and, later, transfer funds, back and forth between the two accounts as often as you like. Although completely optional, you can pick your own avatar.
Mobile Gaming At Full Tilt
Full Tilt offer dedicated Android and iOS apps for their poker games. Apple fans with an iPhone 4 or an iPad 2 upwards will have no problem signing up and joining tournaments on their devices. Samsung, Sony and HTC users are well catered for with the Android version, and the app will transform your tablet or smartphone into a perfect gaming device, with the scope to play the full range of games and even set up multitable sit & go tournaments to watch all your bets in one place.
Players have access to all of the sign up bonuses and promotions Full Tilt offer when they play on mobile. Thanks to the watertight SSL encryption, you needn't worry about submitting your bank details via the app, either.
Deposit Options
Your safe and secure deposit options include MasterCard, Visa, Neteller, Skrill (Moneybookers), Click2Pay, ClickandBuy, Wire Transfer, and echeck. Or take advantage of the instantly available Single Click Deposit (limited to MasterCard or Neteller and for deposits of $50-$600). Still another option is to transfer funds from your Poker Stars account.
Withdrawal options are limited to Visa and transfer to Poker Stars. However, locating the place on the website where the different banking methods are listed is not as easy as it should be. Also given the limited choice, particularly for withdrawal, it is frustrating that this website does not offer live chat if you need help.
Games Offered
This is an area in which our Full Tilt Poker review found that the site excels. Not only will find here all of the most popular varieties of poker, but some other twists on the game that you have probably never even heard of before.
Now that No Limit Hold ‘Em has become the game of choice for all levels of players, many poker rooms-online and brick and mortar rooms alike-don't offer anything but this game. If you happen to be in Las Vegas looking for a stud game bigger than 1-5 but smaller than 20-40, you probably won't find it, and your luck at most online poker rooms won't be any better. In addition, some poker rooms are great for high stakes action, but offer very little that would appeal to casual low stakes players. Conversely, there are sites which are perfect for low level play but which high stakes players wouldn't go near. Full Tilt, however, has something for everyone, from the .01-.02 no limit “micro stakes” tables and .10 + .01 satellites to $200-$400 no limit cash games and tournaments costing hundreds of dollars to enter. It is probably no exaggeration when the website states “If you can find it in a poker room, you can probably find it at Full Tilt Poker”
The wide range of tournaments is especially impressive. At many casinos, only a few are scheduled, either with no late entry allowed or the structure so fast that you have no shot unless you are there from the beginning. But at Full Tilt, not only is late entry no problem, in case you miss a tournament, no problem either. Whatever your level of play, you will find daily freerolls, sit and go's, satellites, and guaranteed payout tournaments all day long.
That said, the advice of this reviewer is to be very careful at this site if your bankroll is small or your skills are rusty. The site is 100% legitimate, and the games are fair, but no online poker room can keep out predatory players and Full Tilt Poker is overrun with them. If you are a beginner, take advantage of the free tutorials and free play options and by all means dabble in the micro stakes cash games, freerolls, and cheap tournaments. But that is all you should do. If you want to play 1-2 or higher at this site, your skills should be at least as good as that of your opponents. Otherwise, the sharks will gobble up all of your chips and rebuys a lot faster than you can back to the ATM to replenish your account.
Bonuses & Promotions
There is a very attractive Welcome Bonus when you open your account: 100% deposit match up to $600. Also, if you already have a Poker Stars account but are new to Full Tilt, you can transfer $10 or more over and get the opening deposit bonus as well. The bonus clears at the rate of $1 for every 25 Full Tilt points (FTP) earned either in raked cash games or buying into real money tournaments. Cash is released into your account in increments of 10% of your initial deposit, or $20, whichever of the two amounts is smaller. You have 60 days from the time you opt in for the bonus to clear it.
You keep accumulating more FTP every time you play. You can use your points for tournament entry fees, as ring game tickets (to buy chips in ring games), and for purchases in the Full Tilt Store.
There is also a 6-tiered loyalty program called EDGE. As you advance in level (starting with Bronze, followed by Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Black Card), the rewards increase accordingly. Silver level and above players receive cashback into their account of $1-$2.50 for every 100 FTP earned depending on level. Players at the top Black Card level also get to convert accumulated points to cash and to compete for a lucrative Black Card Pro sponsorship contract.
In case you are wondering about any other exciting extras we found doing this Full Tilt Poker review, the preceding paragraphs don't even scratch the surface. Here is a brief summary of some of the special ongoing promotions that might appeal to you.
Sunday Big Tournaments
Sunday is definitely not a day of rest for Full Tilt Poker players signing up for any of these big tournaments.
- $250K guaranteed tournament (buy-in $200+$15) with 5,000 in starting chips
- Sunday Brawl, a $200K guaranteed tournament (buy-in $240+$15). Includes a $40 bounty on the head of every player.
- Supersized Sunday $100K guaranteed tournament (buy-in $600+$35)
- Sunday Mulligan $50K guaranteed tournament
More Weekly Promotions
Happy Hour: Earn double or triple points at designated tables.
Refer a Friend: You and your friend can each earn up to $115 if your friend signs up and reaches specified FTP milestones.
Avatar Tournaments: Affordable weekly tournaments (for as little as $3+.30) with avatars up for grabs in addition to cash prizes
Game of the Week: All week long, buy discounted tickets and play tournaments that feature that game. Then play the Game of the Week Tournament on Sunday.
Daily Double Tournaments: Winnings from the first tournament are parlayed over into the second tournament.
Friday Night Fights: On Friday, you can play in a $20K guaranteed tournament (buy-in $300+$15). $100 of your entry fee is for a bounty pool. Win $100 extra for every player you eliminate.
$1K Saturday: A $75K guaranteed tournament (buy-in $1,000 + $50)
These weekend tournaments aren't cheap, but you could win your way in by playing in a satellite. Or you can watch just like on TV, which won't cost you anything. There are also many inexpensive tournaments you can play.
Customer Service
Customer Support is available to answer your questions and concerns 24/7 but only via email. There is no support by phone or live chat.
Full Tilt In Summary
As you can clearly see from our Full Tilt Poker review, the site is buzzing with all kinds of activity 24/7. Of course, with so much going on, it is easy to be tempted to keep on playing, chasing your losses when the cards are not falling right. Then you could be playing Full Tilt Poker in a way that is not conducive to building your bankroll. So it is important to set limits and to adhere to them.
FAQs:
Do Full Tilt Poker have a good game variety?
Yes. Before Black Friday Full Tilt was one of the most varied poker rooms about. Since they've been taken over by PokerStars, the great range of games and stakes has continued.
What is the most popular game?
No Limit Texas Hold'em is still the most popular game at Full Tilt. The nosebleed cash game action may not be as ripper as it used to be, but there's still plenty of solid action to rail.
How quick are their payouts?
Full Tilt pays out between 3 and 10 business days.
Can I play on a mobile or tablet?
Yes, Full Tilt operates a solid app for both iOS and Android devices.
Are they recommended for Australian players?
Certainly. Traffic might have fallen away of late, but for solid software and ease of use, it's hard to fault Full Tilt. The site's 'Lobby Widgets' are good for customising the lobby any way you want.
Do they have a good number of regular players?
Not as many as they used to, but Tilt is still a good source of soft cash action and busy weekly tourneys. The original home of fast-fold poker, Tilt's 'Rush Poker' tables continue to attract the fishy players.
Who is eligible to enter the tournaments?
Anyone with a real-money account can enter the tournaments on Full Tilt.
Reviewed By: OnlinePoker.com.au
Play at Full Tilt Now with a $600 Bonus!
