Exchange Poker - the latest product to join the Betfair family

You know when there’s something “big” on the horizon. As a mere serf I’ve learnt to pick up on the usual signs, the engineers talk in excited hushed tones in the canteen, and Bert strolls into the office wearing a more ridiculous T-shirt than normal. As this point the "impending good news" market goes 1.01 to lay with nothing to back!

And then one morning you check your inbox and find the reason for such excitement: a simple email to “All” announces the arrival of the latest product to join the Betfair family, Exchange Poker (or XP as it’s been dubbed in the Betfair office).

Exchange Poker is the offspring of a happy marriage between the two great online gambling phenomena of recent times: betting exchanges and poker.

Like all great ideas, the concept is devilishly simple. Using the same exchange betting interface and back and lay principles, the punter watches an automated four way Texas Hold’em game play out in front of them. Privy to the cards of each of the 4 “players”, the punter gets the opportunity to bet on which hand will win as the hand unfolds; before the deal, pre-flop, after the flop and after the turn.

As I say, devilishly simple!

The game has a number of benefits to the regular Poker player. Allowing you to see the odds change as the hand unfolds when you can see all the cards face up has been a real eye-opener for those of us who thought we knew what we were doing on the Betfair Poker tables. It really can improve your real poker play and give you a better understanding of probability. After a few hours at the XP tables, the odds started being imprinted on my brain, and it undoubtedly has improved my “real-life” poker play. Which, of course, is not the purpose of the game - but it's a nice benefit.

It is a unique concept in the world of games because it allows you to bet on a fixed probability game at 'true' odds. And if you don't like the odds on offer, in true exchange style, you can ask for better ones.

If you haven’t tried Exchange Poker and are intrigued to see what the debate and excitement is about why not take a look for yourself at www.betfairgames.com: games are played 24/7.

As Betfair Poker Manager Ben Fried would say “See you at the tables.”

(For a full explanation of the rules of Texas Hold’em see www.betfairpoker.com)