[Rob]

I have an online question for you guys -

I normally play on Holdempoker.com, which is an affiliate of Pokerroom.com

Last Thursday night I was playing online. While online I play pretty much just $5, $10 and couple of $20 sit and goes, depending on the size of my bankroll.

I entered what I thought was a $10 SNG. I folded several hands and then bet, noticing then that I had 2500 in chips. Normally there are 1500 in chips. I checked my bank and my $108.45 balance was now $0.45. Somehow I had entered at $100 SNG.

The software I'm using is a recently released downloadable client - prior to this client, all you could use was a Java based client. There are some crummy aspects to this client, like the hand stats dont record consistently. But the worst part of this client is that when you are selecting games the display jumps after a table fills and moves off the screen. Based on this, I thought it was 'possible' (unlikely, but possible) that I had selected the wrong game.

I wrote an email to their tech support group while the game was in progress and received a message back that their records show that i never entered a $100 tourney - they show me entering a $10 tourney. This response included some bank history, but the numbers didnt show a progression to my $0.45 current status - it jumped around between negative and positive balances. So now Im thinking buggy software - not just the client, but the game servers as well.

I responded with what evidence I had - a screen shot from the the client showing I entered this tourney, and a list of the players I played against - I found a file in the client program directory which has the notes in it of anyone that I've made a note about. For every game Im in, I record at least that I played them, on what date and which SNG or tourney it was.

They're not responding to my emails now.

My opinion is that a bug helped me enter a $100 tourney, supported by the fact that they dont show me ever entering a $100 tourney.

Think I have a case? How would you handle this?

Rob

 

[Hagar]

You should be able to get a statement, either somewhere on the site or by request that shows all of activity over a givne period (last month, whatever) It will show where your money mysteriously went.

I don't what you can do if the statement shows that you paid for a $100 tourney (whether you meant to or not is a differnt issue.) If you see a series of transactions that you didn't do you may have been hacked.

Unfortunately, there's probably not a lot you can do if the site isn't going to work with you - you wouldn't get any legal backing from the US since it's not clear weather gaming on-line is even legal. The only power you have is the "not gonna do business with you anymore" which unfortunately isn't all that much.

Hope you can resolve it. Your rugrats didn't stumble onto your account and "learn how to play" by any chance did they?

 

[Quads]

The best thing is the screen shot, if it is of the tourney or the cash game. (if you were in one) And in the tourney, what the tourney number is. They should be able to easily look up the tourney number, see that you were in it, and paid for it. Fight it with them. Worse case scenario, you played a $100 toureny, and didn't cash. Sucks, but unless you have proof that you were in the toureny, they will keep denying you of it.

I'd also go and check to see if there is a new client, or patches to the client you were using. It's always possible that there was a bug in the release you have. Not very likely, but certainly possible.

 

[partykid707]

Online poker has a risk factor and unfortunetly you have payed the price, good luck going to small claims court with a case if you decide to do so.

 

[Rob]

So far:

4 emails to Holdempoker.com, no answer and no results.
1 email to ongame.com who I gather is the holding company

If I dont get some response shortly, an email will be sent to the Kahnawake Gaming Commission who sponsers them in some way. Seems that they are the top of the food chain for complaints.

What is really frustrating is that when you have a problem you read through pages and pages of "the customer promise" on these web sites - where they say they will resolve problems quickly, with integrity and be as transparent and as accessable as possible (blah blah blah), when they wont even respond to an email. Bullshit at every level when someone has a problem is more like it. I think I would have been more accepting of any answer had someone responded to me. But at this point I have an ax to grind.

I'm likely to post my story in its completeness to Rec.gambling.poker just so that someone considering these guys will see some reasons why not. Several planted posts about how great it is are in there now. Gotta give it some balance...

 

[Rob]

The best thing is the screen shot, if it is of the tourney or the cash game. (if you were in one) And in the tourney, what the tourney number is. They should be able to easily look up the tourney number, see that you were in it, and paid for it. Fight it with them. Worse case scenario, you played a $100 toureny, and didn't cash. Sucks, but unless you have proof that you were in the toureny, they will keep denying you of it.

The only screen shot I have to offer them is the one from my client. I have the other 9 players names as well. They have this information now, because I sent it to them on Friday.

I'd also go and check to see if there is a new client, or patches to the client you were using. It's always possible that there was a bug in the release you have. Not very likely, but certainly possible.

The client updates with patches on login - I have no control over it - all bugs are ones they place on my computer.

Thanks for the input. I'm keeping on writing emails for now. Its only $100 but I am so irked about this now.

 

[Dodger]

I'm playing on hollywoodpoker.com right now and I believe it's the same software. I had a problem the same night as you.

Their system completely shut down in the middle of a tourney and kicked everyone off. The whole site was down, every tourney and cash table, and I was able to get back in but it was kicking me back off every couple of minutes and was super slow even when I was in (like a 10.0-21.5 sec delay). I was one of the lucky one's, most people couldn't even get a table to load for 2 hours.

Anyway, I sent off one email requesting a refund and within a day I was replyed to, not only with a refund for the tourney but also a token free entry into a $5 + $.50 tourney as well. I was pretty impressed by the customer service to say the least. Some of these sites seem pretty shady, but they responded quickly and with more than could be expected.

Just food for thought.