WPT Global Changes Rakeback for Regular Players

Starting August 1, 2024, WPT Global is making a big change that will affect how much money regular players make. The site will no longer pay affiliate partners for players who are skilled at certain cash games.

This article explains how this change will affect rakeback, how WPT Global decides who is a skilled player, and where players can find alternatives.

What does “highly skilled” mean on WPT Global?

In 2022, WPT Global announced that it uses a special artificial intelligence system called FairGame to figure out how good players are. Here’s how it works:

• The system collects data on a player’s first 300-500 hands at a specific betting level. It looks at their poker strategies and playing habits.
• After collecting enough data, the system compares the player’s results to a database of top players at that betting level.
• Based on the comparison, the system predicts how successful the player will be with about 90% accuracy.
• The player is then labeled as either “PRO” (highly skilled, professional, or regular player) or “Non-Pro” (recreational player, amateur).

This evaluation is done separately for each betting level. If a player is labeled “PRO” at any level, they will also be labeled “PRO” at all lower levels. They won’t be labeled “PRO” at higher levels until the system has more information about their play.

The system constantly evaluates players, so their label can change over time.

How does this affect where players can sit?

• “Non-Pro” players can see all tables and choose where to sit.
• “PRO” players can only sit at a limited number of tables.
• “PRO” players can’t see tables that have reached the maximum number of “PRO” players, even if there are empty seats.
• “PRO” players can join existing tables but can’t create new ones.

This last rule encourages “PRO” players to join existing tables instead of creating new ones and waiting for amateur players.

Can players find out their label?

WPT Global doesn’t let players see their own label. Players can only figure out if they are labeled “PRO” at a certain NLHE or Short Deck level by noticing changes in the lobby, asking WPT Global support, or asking their affiliate.

Is WPT Global really taking away rakeback from regulars?

According to WPT Global director Alex Scott on the Two Plus Two forum, starting August 1, 2024, the site will no longer pay affiliates for players who are labeled “highly skilled” by the FairGame system.

This only affects NLH and Short Deck cash games. PLO, PLO5, tournaments, and Global Spins are not affected.

WPT Global didn’t offer regular rakeback to players before this change. They didn’t have a loyalty program, and the only extra money players could get was through short-term rakeback promotions.

What is WPT Global offering instead of rakeback?

On July 29, 2024, WPT Global announced a new rakeback program called “Poker Rewards Program.” It works for NLHE, PLO, PLO5, and Short Deck cash tables and has some interesting rules:

• The first two players to sit at an empty cash table get 20% rakeback for the whole session.
• Players must sit at a completely empty table or a table with only one other player to get rakeback. Sitting at any other table doesn’t qualify.
• Rakeback is paid out every Monday at 2 pm CET (3 pm Moscow time).
• Players can get rakeback from multiple tables as long as they follow the rules.

Where can players play instead of WPT Global?

This news is not good for regular NLH and Short Deck cash game players on WPT Global. It’s understandable that many are thinking about switching sites.

Pokeroff is reaching out to its players individually to offer alternatives, such as:

Room / Parameter	PokerKing	RedStar Poker	Club Apps*
NLH Limits	NL2 – NL100K	NL2 — NL5K	NL10 — NL5K
Short Deck Limits	None	NL 4 — NL200	NL10 — NL600
Rake (as of July 30, 2024)	1% — 4.5%	5% — 6%	3% — 8%
Rakeback from Room	Up to 65%	35% from day one with Pokeroff	Up to 65%
Additional Rakeback from Pokeroff	15%	Up to 9% with Rake Chase promotion	Up to 5%
First Deposit Bonus	100% up to $2,000	200% up to $2,000	None
Reload Bonuses	50% during periodic promotions	Up to 10% from Pokeroff + various during room promotions	None