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:
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.
Related Links
More Thoughts on the PartyPoker Massacre
A Day That Will Live In Infamy (aka The Day Party Booted Their Skins)
Related posts:
- Party Poker Takes Huge Gamble on World Poker Tour By this point everyone and his or her mother...
- Breaking News at Gambling911 I hate to bust chops but some things just...
- Ongame’s New P5 Engine Not Well Received I didn’t want to be unfair and just single out...
- 888 and Party Gaming Agree With Me on Legalized Gaming in the US Last month I posted an article about what would...
- Pics From APT Party My friend J-Dawg forwarded these pics from the APT party...
| Site | Rackback | Sign Up Bonus | US |
| Absolute Poker | 30% | 150% up to $500 | ![]() |
| Ultimate Bet | 30% | 111% up to $1100 | ![]() |
| Cake Poker | 33% | 110% up to $600 | ![]() |
| PKR Poker | 30% | 100% up to $800 | |
| Paradise Poker | 30% | 200% up to €1,000 | |
| Players Only | 33% | 100% up to $650 | ![]() |
| Fortune Poker | 30% | 200% up to €1,000 | |
| Betfair | 30% | $1500 | |
| Aced | 30% | 100% up to $500 | ![]() |
| Poker Heaven | 30% | 200% up to €1000 | |
| Poker Nordica | 30% | 100% up to $200 | ![]() |
| Carbon Poker | 30% | 150% up to $1000 | ![]() |
| Red Star Poker | 33% | 110% up to $600 | |
| True Poker | 27% | 100% up to $200 | ![]() |
| Action Poker | 35% | 100% up to $2500 | |
| Cellsino Poker | 40% | 500% up to $500 | |
| Minted Poker | 40% | 100% up to $400 | |
| Power Poker | 33% | 110% up to $600 | |
| Interpoker | 30% | 200% up to €1000 | |
| Doyles Room | 33% | 110% up to $600 | |
| Gutshot Poker | 33% | 110% up to $600 | |
| Full Tilt Poker | 27% | 100% up to $600 | ![]() |
| Fat Bet Poker | 40% | 1000% up to €500 | |
| NoiQ Poker | 30% | 100% up to €5000 |
| Site | Rake Race | Rake Chase | Freeroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doyle's Room | $35,000 | ||
| Cereus Poker Network* | $7,500 | $10,000 | $10,000** |
| Cake Poker | $60,000 | ||
| Party Poker*** | $50,000 | ||
| Red Star | $23,000 | ||
| Eurobet*** | $21,000 | ||
| Players Only | $16,400 | ||
| Tower Gaming*** | $15,000 | ||
| Full Tilt Poker | $10,000 | ||
| Carbon Poker | $12,000 | ||
| Betfair Poker | $12,000 | ||
| Boss Media Network**** | $5,000 | ||
| Cellsino Poker | $5,000 | ||
| Power Poker | $5,000 | ||
| Poker Nordica | $5,000 | ||
| NoIQ | €1,500 |
* Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet (UB) ** May not be available to all players *** Poker Heaven, Fortune Poker, InterPoker, Paradise Poker










Hi, my name is Bill Rini and this is my poker blog. I've been blogging about poker and the poker industry since around 2003-ish. Like most people I started out playing poker as entertainment in home games whenever we wanted to sit around and smoke cigars, drink beer, and eat pizza, and needed a good excuse. I started playing online shortly after the first online card rooms opened and it wasn't long before I was playing 20, 30, or even 40 hours a week or more. One day I received a phone call about a program manager position at Tiltware which was the company that consulted to Full Tilt Poker on software development and marketing. After Tiltware I spent about 2.5 years working at Party Poker where I was the poker room manager.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
“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.”
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.
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?)
I think you’re right Mr. Subliminal. The difference between the two is .74 which is a 5.9% advantage.
I can’t believe they have sidebets now. But thanks for this very helpful way to remove that junk.
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.
disregard previous…saw the rules at the party site. the best must come pre-deal.
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.
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.
Joaquin,
You’re absolutely correct. Do you see why?
Bill
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.
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.
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.
Dam,
Sidebets – Yet another reason I wish I wasn’t on a Mac. JK – back to pokerroom for me.
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.
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).