Ultimate Bet

The UltimateBet lobby (click for a better view)

[UltimateBet] is one of the top 5 internet poker sites by volume. Its main celebrity endorser is Phil Hellmuth.

Games spread

Limit hold 'em: 0.01/0.02, 0.02/0.04, 0.05/0.10, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1.00, $1/$2, 2/4, 3/6, 5/10, 8/16, 10/20, 15/30, 30/60, 50/100, 80/160, 100/200, 150/300, 200/400, 300/600. Games above 80/160 run sporadically, but games at 10/20 and below are usually always running. Shorthanded (6-seat) and full (10-seat) tables available at most levels.

No-limit hold 'em: $2 max 0.01/0.02 blinds, $10 max 0.05/0.10 blinds, $25 max 0.10/0.25 blinds, $50 max 0.25/0.50 blinds, $100 max 0.50/1.00 blinds, $200 max 1/2 blinds, $400 max 2/4 blinds, $600 max 3/6 blinds, $1000 max 5/10 blinds, $2500 max 10/25 blinds, $5000 max 25/50 blinds, $10000 max 50/100 blinds. Games under the $5000 max are always running; higher games run sporadically. Shorthanded (6-seat), full (10-seat) and heads-up (2-seat) tables available at most levels.

Pot-limit hold 'em: One 10-seat table each of 0.25/0.50 blind, 0.50/1.00 blind, 1/2 blind, and 2/4 blind. Rarely in use.

A screenshot of an UltimateBet no-limit hold 'em table

Omaha high: Pot-limit Omaha high listed at nine levels: $2 max, $25 max, $50 max, $100 max, $200 max, $400 max, $1000 max, $2500 max, $10000 max. 6-seat and 10-seat tables available at most levels; usually a game going on at most levels at any given time. Fixed-limit Omaha high listed at seven levels: 0.01/0.02, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1.00, 1/2, 3/6, 30/60, 80/160. I have never seen any active games of fixed-limit Omaha high here, but there may be some, sometimes.

Omaha/8: Pot-limit Omaha/8 listed at eight levels: $2 max, $25 max, $50 max, $100 max, $200 max, $400 max, $1000 max, $2000 max. 2-seat, 6-seat, and 10-seat tables available at most levels; usually a game going on at most levels at any given time. Fixed-limit Omaha/8 listed at seventeen levels: 0.01/0.02, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1.00, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 10/20, 15/30, 30/60, 50/100, 80/160, 100/200, 150/300, 200/400, 300/600. There are always at least a few games going at the lower limits (2/4 and lower), and often interest in two or three more. Tables available in 2-seat, 6-seat, and 10-seat versions.

7-Stud: Fixed-limit games listed at 0.25/0.50, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 5/10, 10/20, 200/400. Occasional games at the low limits (1/2 and below).

7-Stud Hi-Lo: Fixed-limit games listed at 0.25/0.50, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 5/10, 10/20, 200/400. Usually a few low limit games (0.50/1.00 to 2/4) going, during peak hours there may be three or four games in play.

Triple draw: Fixed-limit tables at 0.01/0.02, 0.25/0.50, 0.50/1.00, 1/2, 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, 10/20, 30/60, 80/160, 150/300. There is often a low limit and a high limit game going at any given time.

Pineapple: Fixed-limit tables at 0.25/0.50, 1/2, 3/6, 5/10. There is often a low limit game going at any given time.

Tournaments spread

Tons of scheduled tournaments as well as sit-n-go tournaments. Various buyins and games.

Quality of opposition

Notably better than average at an online site.

Customer Service / Cashout Issues

None, yet.

Software Issues

Overall, a below average interface.

Pros

Cons

Players cards are shown large Can select different "backgrounds" for table screens Ability to leave notes about players Neat "mini-view" that shrinks a table down into a control bar that takes up very little space. Nice "player stats" feature gives you details about your stats at the table you're at. In chat box, different colors indicate different types of people talking Software rotates tables you join so that your seat is at the bottom

Player cards are shown "overlapping" so it's harder to see the "back" one. Board and opponent cards are shown very tiny No avatars of any kinds; you're playing against empty chairs Hard to read players names if they are over about ten letters long; they extend off their "chairs" Only indicator of whose turn it is: their chair gets slightly lighter colored. Almost unnoticeable. No way to see details about a player; they are identified by country, not city or state (so practically everyone is "representing the USA") difficult to use chat box with "disappearing entry bar" hard to see chip stacks awkward lobby interface uses "web pages inside window" which makes it sluggish and hard to use (fewer menus, more "click on links" stuff) software rotates tables you join so that your seat is at the bottom; can be disorienting the "preselect action" buttons are difficult to determine if they are on or not: they only have a tiny "light" on them