Run It Once Poker is a brand new poker site that is the product of poker star Phil Galfond. The site launched into beta testing on Feb. 8. Run It Once is designed to be a place for the professional to make a living and the rec player to chase a dream.
How to register an account with Run It Once
Like many poker sites, the first step for players will be to download the client onto their computers. Download times can be a bit lengthy, although the site acknowledges that they’re working on it.
Run It Once sign-up promotion
The sign-up bonus is a very straightforward promotion. All new players will receive a 100 percent deposit match on their first deposit.
This match bonus is good up to €600. Run It Once will then release the bonus in drips as players pay specified amounts of rake.
The nice thing about this sign-up bonus is that there is no expiration date on unreleased bonus funds. As long as the player plays at least a single hand each month, they can take as long as they need to release the money.
Run It Once promos
StreamR
Run It Once features an extensive rakeback system for its players who broadcast on Twitch or other streaming websites. The StreamR program rewards players with ever-increasing levels of rakeback if they gain an audience for their gameplay.
In fact, a player must only accrue 200 total watch hours in a month in order to be eligible for the program. Even at this minimal level, the player will receive 50 percentage rakeback.
From there, the percentage of rake returned escalates according to watch hour milestones. Potentially, a StreamR could find themselves receiving 110 percent of their rake back.
Splash the Pot
Streaming players won’t be the only ones to receive rakeback. In fact, Run It Once is pledging to return 51 percent of all rakeback in its Splash the Pot system.
Like the name implies, Splash the Pot will feature random additions of money to pots. These splashes can occur on any table and at any buy-in level.
As with other promotions on the site, Run It Once is focusing on reducing the number of hoops that the player must jump through in order to trigger a promo.
Run It Once user experience
Run It Once is not going to win any awards for a flashy design scheme. The lobby and table layout are both plain in execution.
For right now, there are a few color options for the felt, background, and deck. Some of the text on the screen is also a bit on the small side.
However, the jewel of the site is its avatars. Unlike avatars at other poker sites, these versions will offer indications about their player’s underlying play style.
So, a maniac might have an avatar with hair going every direction and glasses askew. A tight player might seem to have a sleepy avatar.
While these so-called “dynamic avatars” might give away unwanted information to other players, they can also serve to alert the player to his or her table image. The use of facial expressions will also bring this online poker game closer to a real-life game.
Run It Once poker games
For right now, Run It Once is only offering cash games for play. There are NL Hold’em and PL Omaha options available.
Within each game, there are five different levels of buy-in. Players will find games with maximum buy-ins as low as €4, or as high as €2000.
Recreational player protections at Run It Once
Run It Once is designed for both the professional and recreational player alike. As such, there are design elements that cater to one group or the other.
Of course, professionals can certainly play any level of game they choose. However, Run It Once founder Phil Galfond has stated that the team will be on the lookout for predatory behavior, particularly at more casual levels.
For instance, Run It Once will selectively offer use of heads-up displays on the site. The so-called nosebleed tables will permit their use, but lower limit games will not allow HUDs.
A player’s identity will always remain hidden from opponents, too. Instead, each player will receive a new table alias when they switch seats. The dynamic avatars will also randomize whenever the player joins a new table.
Through these methods, Run It Once hopes to combat the sort of behavior that drives away the recreational player. Quite frankly, there aren’t enough professionals to sustain a site by themselves.