UB.com FULL SITE REVIEW

SITE HISTORY

Anchored by poker mega-stars Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke, Ultimate Bet is part of the new Cereus Network and shares traffic with Absolute Poker. This poker room has been around for over 10 years and features the seventh largest poker room traffic in the industry and third largest amongst rooms that are open to players from the United States. With an aggressive rakeback option of 30% plus constant bonuses and promotions, Ultimate Bet is quickly gaining momentum as an action packed poker room.

GAMES OFFERED

The game of choice at Ultimate Bet, similar to most other card rooms, is No Limit Texas Hold'em for both tournaments and cash games. Cash game regulars will enjoy the bevy of tables at all levels ranging from $0.01-$0.02 blind games all the way up to regular $200-$400 tables that run around the clock. There are a variety of other games constantly running including Omaha, 7 Card Stud and HORSE. Tournaments range from all different games as well as formats including bounty tournaments and qualifiers into huge prize package events.

TRAFFIC

The amount of players playing on Ultimate Bet and the Cereus Network is on the rise this year due to the great job new management has done with the site. With the third largest amount of traffic amongst rooms that accept US players, Ultimate Bet has plenty of action during both peak and off-peak hours to keep a poker player satisfied. Players at Ultimate Bet are regarded as the worst among internet poker players.

VIP PROGRAMS & BONUSES

The rakeback offered at Ultimate Bet is one of the best in the business at 30% and works off of a contributed system. What that means is that players only receive a portion of the rake for rakeback if the put something into the pot. Players universally like this method as opposed to dealt because the games are looser and multi-tabling nits stay away because their style isn't suited towards these types of tables.

Beyond the rakeback, Ultimate Bet has the RAI$E system of loyalty points where players accumulate points while playing real money poker. The more points, the higher you go on the loyalty scale with multipliers adding more points along the way. The RAI$E points allow access to free poker tournaments, and access to purchase items in the Ultimate Points Store. In addition, a unique method of using points for prizes is featured with the Ultimate Auctions site that allows a player to use points in an eBay bid type system to purchase items. Beyond those options, you can always have the option of converting the points into cash.

Finally, there's a lucrative Bad Beat Jackpot featured at the Hold'em cash game tables that often is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars that not only pays the person who was dealt the bad beat (losing with quad 8s or better) but everyone at the table, as well as everyone playing at that same buy-in level.

LOBBY & TABLE SOFTWARE

Since going through a dramatic overhaul when joining the Cereus Network, the lobby software has undergone some fantastic renovations. The entire site is laid out from within the lobby window so players can have quick access to poker games, their RAI$E account as well as promotions and the cashier. The games are sorted by table games, scheduled tournaments and Sit and Go Tournament tabs, with poker game types listed underneath in sub-tabs. From here players can apply a filter that will cut down the results in the matrix to only what the user wants to see. For example players can cut down to table types or buy-ins from this filter button.

The table software now features several different perspectives including the "classic" look and a new, more traditional "top view" which resembles a racetrack. Players can upload their own custom avatar picture which is typically reviewed and approved within 24 hours to make things a little fun at the tables. The graphics for the chips and cards are expertly done and the animations are smooth without causing lag problems. There are buttons for all the actions including handy half-pot and full-pot betting buttons to take some of the hassle out of making the right sized bets.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Ultimate Bet has made a new name for itself in recent months under new management. The games are soft and action packed and the site features some of the best rakeback and promotions around for full time grinders. The lobby software is fully featured and rivals the best in the industry with the table software flexible for many different layouts for a customized poker experience. Because the games are so juicy and the rakeback so impressive, Ultimate Bet should definitely be on your list of preferred poker rooms.