House Rules

OLYBET recognizes that providing a secure, fair and friendly playing environment is key to ensuring that our players have as enjoyable a gaming experience as possible each time they access the OLYBET platform.

Maintaining ethical gaming practices is at the very heart of our priorities, and in order to uphold these strict principles and the integrity of our games, OLYBET has fixed House Rules.

All players are expected and required to adhere to these standards, policies and practices, with the assumption that by doing so, the playing environment improves for the entire OLYBET community:

Minors Prohibited Policy

The OLYBET platform and all services made available via this platform should only be accessed by adults (as categorized by the various jurisdictions in which OLYBET operates). According to the Estonian regulations, Estonian residents need to be at least 21 years of age to play poker.

Minors are strictly prohibited from playing at OLYBET and those found accessing OLYBET will be permanently banned.

Responsible Gaming

OLYBET strives to provide players with a responsible gaming environment, which includes prevention of compulsive usage of or underage access to our gaming products.

For more information, please visit our Responsible Gaming page.

Multi-Hand Policy

OLYBET allows players to play at multiple tables or in multiple games simultaneously; the maximum number of tables that a player can participate at or games that a player can participate in is limited by the OLYBET software they are using (such as desktop-based, mobile device-based, internet browser-based, etc…)

Cash Table Posting Fee Policy

A player joining a OLYBET cash table table is usually required to pay an initial fee, equal to that table’s lower limit stake or small blind. This initial fee follows the same rules as the blind bets (initial mandatory bets, typically placed in the pot by the first two players to the left of the dealer in games of Hold’em and Omaha poker) and allows the new player to sit-in at the table and join the game.

Players sometimes have the option of “sitting-out” and waiting for the big blind before beginning to play.

Posting an initial fee ensure fairness to all players, by preventing players from gaining an undue advantage over others by entering a poker game in a “Late Position” in order to avoid placing blind bets.

Missed Blind Bets Policy

A player may choose to temporarily sit-out from a poker table; if the table is a cash game table (as opposed to a tournament table, at which the player typically will have paid a set buy-in amount in order to join), the player may need to post additional fees in order to rejoin the action:

1. If, while sitting-out, the player misses their turn to place the small blind, upon re-sitting that player will be required to post a set amount. This post is considered a “live (active) bet” and is equal to the big blind.

2. If, while sitting-out, the player misses their turn to place both the small blind and the big blind, upon re-sitting that player will be required to post a set amount. This post consists of a live bet, equal to the big blind, plus an additional “dead (non-active) bet”, equal to the small blind, which is added directly to the pot.

Tie Hands Policy

In the event that two or more active players reach showdown at a poker table holding equal ranking hands, the winner is determined by card value (i.e. a pair of aces beats a pair of kings).

Should the poker hands remain tied (i.e. a pair of kings vs. a pair of kings), the highest ranked card, not held in common (the “kicker”), determines the hand’s winner.

In the event of exact ties in poker hand ranking, between two or more active players, the pot (the accumulated amount of chips in the centre of the table, being contested by the active players) will be split evenly between those players holding tied poker hands.

Play Time Limit Policy

To ensure a fair and enjoyable playing experience, OLYBET players must act within a reasonable time limit that varies per table, per game variant and/or per game stage (i.e. the length of time that has elapsed in a given tournaments, etc..).

OLYBET’s time limits are enforced in an effort to maintain a reasonable speed of game play. Players who fail to act within the set time limit will have their hand automatically folded, and will forfeit any amounts that he/she has previously wagered during that hand.

Time Bank Policy

In many OLYBET poker games, if a player requires extra time to make a decision, a ‘time bank’ will be accessed if a decision is not made in time.

Depending on the software used, the time bank will be visually displayed and will ‘count down’ while being accessed. The time bank gives players extra time to complete their actions, and those who fail to act before the time bank is exhausted will automatically fold their hand.

Poker Rake and Fees Policy

As game host, OLYBET applies a commission charge (often known as “rake”) to each pot at cash game tables. To find out more details on the rake collected at OLYBET, please visit the Our Games section of the OLYBET website and review each game variant’s page.

In tournaments, OLYBET does not levy rake, but typically collects a tournament fee instead. The amount is often a set percentage of the tournament buy-in, and will be detailed in the tournament lobby for each event (e.g. as of April 2019, the total amount a player pays to participate in a $1 Omaholic tournament is $1, made up of a $0.90 buy-in and a $0.10 tournament fee).

Table Etiquette

The normal courtesies extended at live poker tables are also expected at OLYBET. Please see the list below for OLYBET’s etiquette guidelines:

1. Intimidation or harassment of other players at the table will not be tolerated

2. Do not spam emojis or engage in “shouting matches” with other players at the table

3. Lagging is a natural occurrence in an internet age. As it is unavoidable, please be polite when notifying a player who is lagging

Tournament Policy

All tournaments will begin promptly at the scheduled time stated in the tournament lobby. OLYBET reserves the right to delay or cancel any tournament without prior notice.

Seats are assigned to players at random. Prizes are awarded as stated in the tournament lobby, except when a deal is made or the tournament is cancelled. The prize structure used in any given tournament depends on several factors including the number of entrants and the number of players per table. The prizes awarded in any given tournament are not finalized until registration has closed and the rebuy and/or add-on period is over.

In order to be eligible to re-enter, rebuy or add-on in a re-entry or rebuy tournament, you must have the funds available in your account.

Late registration is available in most tournaments. The length of the late registration period varies, but will always be shown in the tournament lobby. Late registration will close early if enough players are eliminated to begin payouts or the tournament has reached the maximum number of players allowed.

If players are already in the money while registrations are still open, registrations may close earlier than the scheduled time. In such a case, only the prize pool collected via registrations, not the guaranteed prize pool, will be distributed as prizes.

Most OLYBET tournaments allow players to un-register until a few minutes before the event begins. The exact time at which un-registration closes may vary from event to event. Registration and un-registration times may vary between tournaments of different types. Not all tournaments allow un-registration, and some tournaments do not allow players to un-register if they won their way in via satellite or giveaway tournaments. OLYBET reserves the right to alter registration and un-registration times without prior notice.

Tournament Elimination Policy

Most tournaments end when a single player accumulates all of the chips in play, and in some tournaments, when all remaining players will receive the same prize (for example, if a satellite tournament awards 5 identical prizes, the tournament may end when there are 5 players left).

If two or more players are eliminated on the same hand, the player with more chips at the start of that hand finishes ahead of the player(s) with fewer chips. If all players started the hand with an identical number of chips, the eliminated players tie for that rank, and any prizes due to those players will be equally distributed between them.

As players are eliminated from OLYBET tournaments, the software will “break” tables to fill available empty seats. Players are reseated randomly and may result in a player having to post multiple big blinds in a row. On occasion, the OLYBET software may balance tables to ensure all tables have an equal (or as close to equal as possible) number of active players. Players moved to balance tables will, whenever possible, be moved to similar positions relative to the blinds.

Tournament Break Policy

Details about each tournament’s breaks are listed in that tournament’s lobby, with the amount of time remaining to the next break listed if the tournament is running.

Many tournaments feature synchronized breaks but not all do, so OLYBET encourages players to make themselves aware of the break times of each tournament they are playing in to better ensure a comfortable playing environment.

Tournament Disconnects and Sitting Out Policy

By participating in a tournament, OLYBET players accept the risk of internet disconnection, due to problems with the connection between their device(s) and the servers, lag or freeze or some other problem in the player’s device(s) or how that device accesses the internet.

OLYBET does not accept any responsibility for a player disconnect except in the case of a server crash. While each user is responsible for his or her own internet connection, we make an effort to protect players who are disconnected during the final stages of a real-money tournament, by allowing extra time to reconnect.

If a player times out during a hand, whether connected or disconnected, his or her hand will be folded if facing action or may be checked if facing no action.

If a player is not connected before a hand starts, he or she will be dealt cards, and a blind and/or ante will be posted. There is no rule against a single player choosing to sit out; the player doing so will continue to have blinds and antes posted and cards dealt. Two or more players may not make any agreement to sit out simultaneously, whether at the same table or different tables; such actions may fall under OLYBET’s collusion policy.

Chat and Emoji Policy

Players, whether in the hand or not, may not discuss the hands until the action is complete; ignoring this rule adversely impacts other players’ gaming experience.

Discussing cards discarded or hand possibilities is not allowed. A penalty may be given for discussion of hands during play.

Players are encouraged to use OLYBET’s emojis at the poker tables but asked to avoid ‘spamming’ other players.

Tournament Deal Making Policy

Deal making is allowed in many tournaments. If all remaining players in a tournament agree to making a deal, they should indicate so by selecting the appropriate option at the table. A deal can then be discussed and agreed upon or rejected by the participating players.

Bounty Tournament Policy

In some specially designated OLYBET tournaments (e.g. as of April 2019, in Bounty Hunter tournaments), a bounty will be placed on some or all of the tournament participants. A player who eliminates an opponent will add the bounty amount to their own bounty total. Each surviving player’s bounty total will only be awarded once the prize-paying finishing positions are reached (i.e. the bubble bursts).

In the event that two players show identical winning hands and therefore split the pot in a hand that eliminates another player(s), any bounty awarded will be divided equally between the players that hold the winning hands.

Players may not make any agreement amongst themselves to eliminate a particular player in order to claim their bounty award. Such agreements are considered collusion and are grounds for disqualification from the tournament and/or other penalties.

Tournament Prize Award Policy

OLYBET reserves the right (at any time) to modify the prizes awarded in any given tournament. Further, OLYBET reserves the right to award a monetary prize of equal or greater value as the main prize in place of the main tournament prize, at its sole discretion.

Please Note: players will not receive fractions of a cent. In all instances where a player’s winnings include a fraction of a cent, OLYBET will round down such player’s winnings to the nearest cent. So, for example if you win $4.096, you will receive $4.09.

Tournament Staking Policy

Many OLYBET tournaments include a staking feature, which enables players to “sell” a set percentage of their action in the tournament after such time they have registered for the tournament and before the tournament begins.

If a player decides to sell some of their tournament action, but unregister from the tournament before it begins, the staking funds will be returned to the players that bought a stake and will not be retained by the selling player.

Refund Policy

In the event of OLYBET servers crashing or a OLYBET unscheduled downtime happening, OLYBET shall refund players as described below. OLYBET, in its sole discretion, shall decide otherwise for any other events disrupting play caused by the Licensee or the Licensee’s players

For Cash Games, all hands in progress will be rolled back. Each player’s chip count will be reset to the amount at the beginning of the hand

For Tournaments, there are three (3) possibilities depending on the status of the Tournament:

1. If the Tournament has not started, OLYBET shall refund all buy-ins and fees to the registered players.
2. If the Tournament has started and is in Late Registration period or if the Late Registration period has finished but the Tournament has not reached the paid places, remaining players shall be refunded their Fee. Regarding the Prize Pool, (fifty) 50% shall be paid equally to the remaining players at the time of cancellation with the other (fifty) 50% being paid according to the chip to the remaining players at the time of cancellation
3. If the Tournament has reached the paid places, remaining players shall be refunded their Fee. Regarding the Prize Pool, the next Prize to be won shall be distributed to each remaining player at the time of cancellation with the remainder being paid according to the chip count to the remaining players at the time of cancellation. All transactions, including pots won and lost, are posted to players’ account at the completion of each hand.