You will need to open a betfairpoker.net account in order to play poker. This is a very simple one-off process that will take less than 1 minute and then you will be able to play poker for free! Please click here (hyperlink to below) to open an account https://registration.betfairpoker.net/account-web/registerAccount.html?origin=GOAALL

Can I change my Poker Alias?

Unfortunately not. Once your poker alias has been chosen it cannot be changed.

What happens if I have forgotten my username and password?

If you forget your password, simply click on the ‘Forgotten Password’ link just below the login section of the website.

You will be guided through a series of memorable questions which you are required to answer. Once you have correctly answered the questions you will be able to set up a new password of your choice.

The new password must be 8 letters and include at least one number. We would recommend using something memorable to you, but that will not be easily guessed by someone else.

If you’ve forgotten your Username please contact Helpdesk and they will be able to assist you. Nobody at Betfair has access to your password, however we can guide you through the process of creating a new password.

In the event that your Betfair account has been suspended you will need to contact us for it to be reactivated.

In which language should poker chat be conducted?

Please only chat in English on the Betfair Poker tables. We do realise that for many of our players English is not their first language, and we do appreciate the effort made to respect the use of English as the only accepted chat language.

Can I chat as an observer?

Yes, you can chat as an observer. You need to be logged in but not necessarily sitting at a table to chat.

Can I turn observer chat and tournament announcements off?

Yes, to do this go to your Preferences section within the Poker Client and place a tick in the box named 'Mute observer chat' and 'Hide tournament announcements'.

What should I do if I am the victim of or witness chat abuse?

We encourage you to report any offensive behaviour by email to info@betfairpoker.net.

If possible please include the game (hand) number, or alternatively include screenshots of the offence. You can do this by pressing ‘Ctrl’ + ‘Print Screen’, and then pasting into your email.

Abusive and obscene language is not tolerated at Betfair. Players who insist on using offensive language will have their chat blocked.

What is a Single Table Tournament?

A Single Table Tournament (STT) is a poker tournament which takes place on only one table. Play continues until all players are eliminated, and the last few finishers win chips depending on their position.

This is the first three in a 9 handed tournament, the top two in a 6 handed tournament and the first player in a heads up tournament.

A tournament will begin automatically when enough players have registered.

What is a Multi Table Tournament?

A Multi Table Tournament (MTT) is a poker tournament where many players play at many tables for the same prize pool.

As some players are knocked out, the amount of tables in play is gradually reduced, and remaining players on ‘broken’ tables are moved into gaps on tables still in play.

Play continues until there is one winner. Usually between the top 10 – 20% receive chips payout.

What is a Satellite?

A satellite tournament is, along with freerolls, the cheapest route for a chance at the big prizes. Within the tournament section of your poker lobby you’ll find the required details by selecting the satellites tab. The name of the Satellite will tell you which final tournament you are qualifying to e.g. ‘Satellite to Sunday Special 250 000 Chips GTD’.

Satellites can start from as little as 50 chips which would for example provide you with 2 seats worth 2500 chips in the Sunday special 250 000 chips Guaranteed. Remember to check your ‘My Tourneys’ section in the lobby after you have won a satellite for more details. Sometimes the tournament you have won a seat into won’t yet have been 'Announced’ and therefore not visible in the lobby. A quick check of the tournament schedule will show you when the tournament is scheduled to start.

Not every Satellite tournament will guarantee a seat. If there is no ‘GTD’ in the tournament name and the total prize pool of that tournament is not enough to cover the cost of a seat in the next level the top ranked position will instead win chips – so it’s a win win situation every time.

How do Tournaments differ from Cash Tables?

To play in a tournament you would need to sign up and bring in a specific number of chips, called the buy-in, prior to playing.

For your fixed buy-in, you will receive chips. All participants start with the same number of chips.

The blinds / antes and table limits increase periodically at pre-determined intervals. This is to ensure that the tournament reaches an end.

Prizes are awarded according to how high up the field you finish. This is usually in the range of the top 10 – 20% of the prize pool. You can check the payout structure of a tournament once you are seated and playing. To do this click on the lobby and locate the tournament you are in (My Tourneys), then click on Prize Pool.

Players are not able to purchase additional chips during a freezeout tournament.

Rebuy tournaments allow players to buy more chips if they lose their chips and often allow a top-up at the end of the rebuy period.

How do I register for a tournament?

Click on the tournaments tab in the lobby of the software. You will then be presented with a screen showing information about the tournaments on offer, including the tournament name, buy-in, number of players registered, time until start (for multi-table tournaments) and tournament status. If you select a tournament you will then be given more information, and to register simply click the ‘register’ at the top. You will then be asked for confirmation.

What happens if I decide not to play in the tournament I have registered?

If you decide to un-register for a tournament before it begins, you can do so by clicking on the tournament you have entered and click the UNREGISTER button. You cannot un-register once the tournament has begun.

How will I know when the tournament is due to start?

In a Sit & Go tournament the table will automatically load up when all the seats are taken. You will be taken to the table and a 30 second count down timer will appear. After the 30 seconds have elapsed the draw for dealer will occur. As soon as the dealer has been determined the tournament will start.

In a Multi Table Tournament, the table will load up when there are 5 minutes left until the start. Should you close this table you can force the table to open by locating the tournament in "My Tourneys" and clicking on the relevant tournament.

How are the prizes awarded?

Once the tournament has been completed the system will automatically credit the accounts of the winners with the chips he has won. In Sit & Gos, the payout structure is a follows:

9 seater – 1st 50%, 2nd 30%, 3rd 20%
6 seater – 1st 2/3, 2nd 1/3

For MTTs, the prize pool structure depends on the total number of players. For example, in a 75 player tournament, the top 9 will receive a percentage of the prize pool. The amount of players who "cash" in an MTT is always around 10-20% of the field.

In a satellite tournament, how do I know what I will be qualifying for?

There is a link in every satellite tournament information panel that will direct you to the tournament that you will be qualifying for.

What happens if I get disconnected during the tournament?

If this happens you will be automatically check-folded. This means that your blinds will be automatically posted when it is your turn to do so, and your hand will be automatically folded when it is your turn to play.

What happens if I get disconnected in the middle of game?

If you are accidentally disconnected from the software during a game, your hand will be folded when your allocated time has expired.

If you are playing on a cash table you will automatically be sat out until you return and choose to post blinds again. Until you return you won't pay any blinds.

If you were in a tournament you will continue to pay your blinds when it is your turn to do so. Your hands will be automatically folded without using a time bank first.

If you are connected using a wireless router you will need to ensure that your connection is consistently strong and suitable for the connection to our poker client.

My computer experienced a technical issue, and I had to reboot. What happened to the hand I was in?

Unfortunately you will have been automatically check-folded if you are not available to make a decision. However if you log back in to the game immediately, you will be able to continue playing at the same table by clicking ‘I’m back’.

Should you wish to view your hand history you will need to navigate through the path as displayed under Preferences when viewing the lobby. If you have the check box ticked the hand history will be saved in the path C:\Program Files\Betfair\Betfair Poker\HandHistory.

You can view the hand history using Notepad or the Betfair Poker Buddy.You can link to the Betfair Poker Buddy from the Preferences tab when viewing the lobby.

Why are disconnected players not removed from the table?

Players are in fact removed from a table if they are disconnected or sit out more than 15 consecutive minutes or 8 games.

For Tournaments this rule does not apply, they are removed once they are knocked out.

Is there anything that I can try to reduce the amount of disconnections?

Disconnections can be the result of a number of factors. It is possible to appear as though you are disconnected when in fact the issue would be related to the performance of your laptop or computer. This would be experienced as what we call a screen freeze and is affectively relating to the images not updating on your screen.

If you are using a wireless connection it is advisable to have the router placed within a close proximity whenever possible. This will reduce the chances of the signal becoming interupted by internal walls etc.

Although our poker client does not demand state of the art hardware it is always advisable to check your graphics card for any required updates. Graphics cards can become outdated and perform poorly fairly quickly however many of them can be upgraded for free on-line.

To do this locate the graphics card you have installed from your Windows Control Panel. Click the "System" icon, which opens your System Properties. In the top row of menu tabs – press "Hardware" and then click the "Device Manager" button. This opens a new window with all of your hardware settings.

In the list, click the "Display Adapters" to see the name of your graphics card. Use this information to search online for the manufacturer and download the appropriate, latest driver. Finally, restart your computer and start up Betfair Poker again.

Does the software allow me to muck the winning hand?

No. To protect from accidental mucking of the winning hand at the showdown, the winning hand will always be shown automatically.

How do I use the raise button in no-limit games?

You can use the raise bar/buttons in three different ways:

Type a bet/raise amount in the input field.
Use the raise bar by clicking on it and move your mouse left/right.
Click on the arrows to change amount.

What is the timebank?

When playing in a tournament, you are given an extra 30 seconds on top of the normal time allowed. This 30 seconds can be activated at any time via the “TIMEBANK” button, but the 30 seconds is only available once. Thus, if you use 10 seconds of your timebank on one hand, you will have 20 seconds remaining.

Can I play on the same table as people I know?

This is allowed, but you cannot join the same ring tables from the same IP address. This means that you wouldn’t be able to play with someone else at the same location as yourself, on the same network.

How many Fun Money chips do I start with?

All players start with 2,000 Fun Money chips.

What happens if I run out of Fun Money Chips?

If your Fun Money chip stack is 300 or less, you get an extra 1,000 chips. You can re-load a maximum of 3 times per hour.

What if I run out of chips during a game?

Just click your seat and the popup "Add More Chips" will appear. Depending on the table type (Stakes, Limit, NL) you have different options for selecting the amount.

What do the icons do in the top right of the lobby?

These icons allow you to open new windows and also to arrange (or tile) them in a way that suits you.

You can use them to open new windows, group windows together and to separate windows that are attached.

Can I change the size of the poker tables and the lobby?

Yes you can, all the windows are scalable, but you must have chosen to play the advanced version of the software. To rescale a window you can position your cursor over any outside edge of the lobby and hold the left mouse button down. You then move the mouse to re-size the window as desired. Releasing the mouse button leaves the table size in the position selected.

You select the advanced option when you open the software, providing that you have not previously clicked the "don't show me again" option.

How does Betfair Poker guarantee random cards are dealt?

The Betfair Poker Random Number Generator is a True Random Number Generator. It uses the hardware device J1000KU to generate random numbers.

It does not use a software algorithm (PRNG). The hardware generator, the QNG Model J1000KU, derives most of its entropy from shot noise. Hence its entropy source is almost entirely quantum and therefore extremely non-deterministic – ie. completely true random.

The J1000KU’s output has been tested extensively by the most stringent tests available and it has not failed any test for randomness in tests utilizing up to 500 billion bits. The J1000KU unit has passed Dr. George Marsaglia’s battery of ‘Die Hard’ tests.

Are staff at Betfair able to view my hole cards?

Only you can see your hole cards.

Nobody at Betfair Poker can monitor live playing hands. Administrators can only check hand histories after hands have been played.

I get the 1303 error when attempting to run the Poker Client software on Windows Vista™

If the message includes reference 1303 or 1304 it will relate to ‘User Account Control’ (UAC) settings. In order to successfully download and install the Poker client you will need to deactivate (UAC). To do this please perform the following:

1. Click on Windows Icon (Start) then Control Panel.

2. Click on User Accounts (go to step 4) or User Accounts and Family Safety.

3. Click on User Accounts.

4. Click on Turn User Account Control On or Off.

5. Un-tick the box by ‘Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer’ and press OK.

Once you have done this your computer will need to be restarted. You will be now able to download and install Betfair Poker without any UAC related problems. We recommend that you put the tick back in the box once you have successfully downloaded and installed Betfair Poker.

I have received an error when trying to install Betfair Poker on a machine running Windows Vista.

If you receive an error message containing 'Fatal Error', 'An internal error has occurred' or 'Could not create file 'new version\betfairpoker.exe'.

This can be fixed easily by right clicking the icon and selecting the “Run as Administrator” option.

I have downloaded the BetfairPokerNetinstaller.exe file, why can't I find it now?

Betfair Poker’s default location is on your Desktop.

If you do not see it there then press the Start menu, select Search, and then click Files or Folders.

Now type "BetfairPokerNetInstaller.exe" in the name box and press "Find".

In a few moments your computer will find the file.

Now double-click the file and the installation process will begin.

I have a problem installing the software, what should I do?

If you have experienced problems with the installation, we initially suggest you try to uninstall the program using Windows Control Panel – Add/Remove Programs. After removal download the installer again. If this does not help and the problem persists, please contact our Helpdesk.

If this does not help and the problem persists, please contact our Helpdesk.

Why can't I connect after the Client software has updated files?

If you have problems with your client after downloading a software update, try uninstalling and installing again. Do this using Windows Control Panel – Add/Remove Programs.

After removal download the software again. This procedure will in no way affect your account. Software updates occur on an occasional basis when we make improvements and amendments to the software. If this does not help and the problem persists, please contact our Helpdesk.

Which version of DirectX do I need and what does it do?

The minimum version of DirectX that Betfair Poker requires is 9.0c. The current version available is 10.0.

Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms such as Windows XP and Windows Vista. In relation to Betfair Poker it is used for the graphics displayed on the poker table and is essential to the smooth operating of our client.

To check which version of DirectX you have on all Windows Operating System types (apart from Vista) you can click Start at the bottom on your task bar and then click Run. In the Run dialog box type dxdiag and click OK. A new window will open giving the DirectX version as well as other diagnostic information.

If you are using Vista you will need to click on the Start icon with the Windows logo on the bottom left hand side of your screen then type 'dxdiag' into the seach field. Hit Enter on your keyboard and this will prompt the diagnostics search. You will need to confirm before the pop up window before it will start.

To update your version of DirectX (free) all you need to do is visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and follow the on screen prompts and directions.

Don't forget to restart.

Can I play Betfair Poker on my Apple Macintosh?

At present we do not support Betfair Poker on an Apple Macintosh. We are aware that it is possible to purchase additional software which when installed can emulate the environment that Betfair Poker requires.

We are working on providing a Betfair Poker solution to our customers using Apple Macintoshes so they can join the Betfair Poker community with ease.

Which Operating systems will Betfair Poker operate on?

Betfair Poker can be played on the most common operating systems including Windows XP Professional SP2 , Windows Vista Business.

Betfair Poker may be playable on other Windows versions including 98, 2000, ME, server and 64bit editions.