Online Casino Gambling

Ultimate Bet Poker Review

Some older online poker players hear the name “UltimateBet” and still shudder. Though UltimateBet has offered a really solid poker experience for almost a decade, sadly the site is best known for an inside gambling scandal that occurred among its staff a few years ago.

The site was recently rebranded as just UB.com in hopes that a fresh look and a fresh name would equal a fresh start in the unforgiving online poker industry. Find out if UB is worth a second chance in our site review below.

UltimateBet Poker Bonuses and Promotions

Right on the front page of their site, UltimateBet boasts that their sign-up bonus is “the best in the business.” With a 111% match worth up to $1100 it’s at the very least the best bonus we’ve seen at any poker room of this size or caliber. The minimum deposit eligible for this promotion is also one of the lowest we’ve ever seen – a budget-friendly $10. Presently new depositors are also getting a free entry to the site’s limited-seat $1000 guaranteeds.

Ultimately UB has so many promotions and special events that it would be tedious to outline them all, but suffice it to say players that want more bang for their buck will get it by playing here, whether their preference is for ring games or tournaments.

In terms of the latter, UltimateBet has a deep tournament lineup, though they may not support as many as some other big sites. What they do offer is larger prize pools and lower buy-ins for an overall greater value. If you’re a trophy hunter, then try the site’s $200,000 guaranteed every Sunday. On the other hand, if you’re a small fish willing to work your way up, you can earn big money by starting with a $.10 Step 1 buy-in and grinding your way to the top.

UB’s satellite prizes are also unparalleled. You can actually start with a ten-cent buy-in and earn your seat to the WSOP. As an added bonus, players that have to pay the full buy-in to see some WSOP action can still get money back by pimping the site out by wearing UB gear to your event. Whereas some poker rooms focus on one promo per month, UltimateBet offers several exciting satellites at any given time.

Of course we have to mention UB’s new loyalty points program, RAI$E, which is easily one of the most generous poker rewards programs on the web. Players aren’t forced to spend their points on cheap apparel or low-pot freerolls; there are three different ways to redeem rewards and one of them is straight up cash. The top tier players can actually earn nearly a third of their cash back. Another positive aspect of UB’s promotional program is that they actually encourage beginners to start out at their free tables, whereas most other poker rooms want to push new members directly into cash games.

UB has capitalized on the wild popularity of poker pros by hiring some of the most visible figures in live poker to help them resuscitate the site’s public appeal. Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Adam Levy and Brandon Cantu are just a handful of the top players that are throwing their weight around for the sake of the site. That means that especially ambitious players will get their chance to test themselves against the best when playing at UB.

Banking

UltimateBet currently offers 25 different payment methods, most of which are instant and free. While this alone is impressive, what’s even cooler is that the site recently introduced a 1-click reload option that allows returning players to reload their balance instantly, so you’ll never lose your seat if you take a big hit at a hot table.

Software

UltimateBet’s big turnaround can largely be credited to the CEREUS Network software that powers it.The site is bright and colorful but also easy to navigate and uncluttered. The lobby offers a number of useful filtering options and a wonderful array of games. Obviously there’s always good action at the Texas Hold’em and Omaha tables, but you can also expand your strategy repertoire at the 7 Card Stud, Razz,  HORSE and HOSE tables.

Tournament fans can choose between MTTs, STTs, SNGs, freerolls, direct entry satellites and bounties almost all of which are also eligible for the site’s special late registration program which makes it hard for even multi-taskers to miss their favorite games. And while we’re talking about multi-tasking, it’s worth noting that UB’s resizable game windows are the kind that multi-tablers love. We also love their hand replay option and the player block feature which allows you to do away with game chatter altogether. The oft-excluded Mac users will be glad to hear that all of these options are available to them via UB’s flash version.

Summary

UB took a dire misstep a few years ago, but play an hour at any of their tournaments or tables and you’ll quickly see just how hard they’re working to restore their reputation. It’s a commitment that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the poker community, which regularly pumps UB’s peak hour numbers above 20,000 players.