How To Downgrade Party Poker’s New Features

by Bill Rini on October 9, 2005

With the new upgrade of Party came side bets (betting on the color of the flop = -EV) and blackjack (= -EV). If you want to get rid of those “features” here’s how:

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Fire up Explorer and go to C:Program FilesPartyPokerImages

Either rename or replace table_bj_button.jpg (the blackjack button)

Either rename or replace SideBetBG.jpg (the sidebet button)

Next time you fire up Party, those buttons will no longer appear (or the graphic you selected will appear).

[UPDATE] Why is the side bet -EV? (26/52)*(25/51)*(24/50) = 11.76% Payout is 12.5% (1 for 8 = 7:1 = 12.5%). That gives the house a 0.74% advantage. Or if you like round numbers, you’re getting 7:1 on a roughly 8:1 shot.

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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

1 PartyPBJaddict February 2, 2006 at 5:54 pm: Thanks for this :D
I freaking started playing blackjack due to this stupid stupid feature!
Lost about $500!
So stupid of me but I also think it is disgusting from Party’s side to offer this on a poker website, this is not good for online poker in some countries (due to the gaming laws).
2 Solipse December 1, 2005 at 12:42 am: Div, exactly. Their sidebet should BE a sidebet. I’d like to wager against another player that I had better cards than him, or similar.
3 Pokermac October 11, 2005 at 1:56 pm: Dam,

Sidebets – Yet another reason I wish I wasn’t on a Mac. JK – back to pokerroom for me.
4 Dragonystic October 11, 2005 at 11:33 am: for most of the party players, that small -EV is better than the edge they give up playing poker. they’d be well advised to just do the side bets and hope for the best. especially since it isnt raked. lol. also can’t wait to hear people cry that the color of the flop is rigged too.
5 Div October 11, 2005 at 6:34 am: StudioGlyphic the problem is they are gambling directly with Party, not with you.

If they lose all their cash on stupid sidebets, they can’t lose it to you at the table.
6 StudioGlyphic October 10, 2005 at 6:36 pm: Re: Drizz

This kind of change should be welcome, in my opinion. I think it’s always better to play with gamblers, and the more gamble available to them, the better.
7 Bill October 10, 2005 at 2:48 pm: Joaquin,

You’re absolutely correct. Do you see why?

Bill
8 Drizztdj October 10, 2005 at 2:02 pm: Hopefully Grubby never notices the new buttons.

This is giving me yet another reason not to play at Party though. I don’t need prop bets in my face while playing poker.

If I’m in a gambling mood I’ll throw some money into casino, but poker sites are for poker only.
9 Joaquin Ochoa October 10, 2005 at 1:48 pm: I’m not sure what you are all talking about. I spoke to David Sklansky today and he really broke down the numbers. He says you all are stoopid when it comes to numbers and you have them all wrong and that if you were as smart as him you would get as many ladies as he does.
10 BadBlood October 10, 2005 at 11:59 am: disregard previous…saw the rules at the party site. the best must come pre-deal.
11 BadBlood October 10, 2005 at 11:54 am: When can you make the color sidebet? Pre-deal or pre-flop?

If it’s just pre-flop and you can make the bet after you see your hole cards then it can be profitable.

If you get dealt two black cards, the probability of an all red flop is (26/50)*(25/49)*(24/48) = 0.13265 or better than the 7:1 payout.
12 Toby October 10, 2005 at 10:09 am: I can’t believe they have sidebets now. But thanks for this very helpful way to remove that junk.
13 Bill October 10, 2005 at 6:32 am: I think you’re right Mr. Subliminal. The difference between the two is .74 which is a 5.9% advantage.
14 Jay October 10, 2005 at 4:12 am: I am a little confused on side betting. Is this for poker…. Also why would you want to do this, (something else to bet on while playing?)
15 Mr Subliminal October 10, 2005 at 12:43 am: “Why is the side bet -EV? (26/52)*(25/51)*(24/50) = 11.76% Payout is 12.5% (1 for 8 = 7:1 = 12.5%). That gives the house a 0.74% advantage. Or if you like round numbers, youâ€™re getting 7:1 on a roughly 8:1 shot.”

I doubt Party would bother with a 0.74% advantage. The actual house advantage is a more juicy 5.882%. I will let others elaborate.