Betphoenix

[birdhands]

Does anyone play the live wheel at Betphoenix?  I'm in the US so it's my only option, but it seems pretty dodgy.  The website is lame, the croupiers abandon the wheel for long periods of time with no warning, and they won't even let me deposit with a credit card.  Not to mention the terrible table mins and maxs and the fact that they kick you off if you don't bet for 5 spins.  But really, please someone say something good about it so I can hope.

Sam

[xman1970]

Your have answered your own question Birdhands, you know they are "iffy" & being based in Costa Rica make them a HUGE no go for me.... 

Hope you don't have to move to New Jersey till you CAN bet online.....

[ADulay]

I've played the live game at BetPhoenix (NOT BetPhoenixCasino) for almost a year now with no problems at all.

My payout requests are handled quickly and the check arrives on time, every time.

I have NOT played the roulette table as my primary game is baccarat but I have dabbled with the blackjack game when friends want to play "real cards" and not my stupid bac game.

They do have video feed problems from time to time and if the game gets too far out of sync for me, I just leave it and come back later or the next day.

My two requests for refunds from games that just kind of died "mid play" were handled quickly and correctly.

I do not work for them, have any affiliation with them and am only replying to this thread because evidently I'm the only person actually playing there for real money.

Once again, do not confuse BetPhoenix with BetPhoenixCasino as they are two different sites and one of them has a pretty poor reputation, assuming it's even still operating.

AD

[ADulay]

Also, to add to your original question.

I had no problems with a credit card deposit.  They run it through a third party service as a "cash advance" instead of a credit transaction and that's how it gets through.

Your credit card company WILL charge you a cash advance fee, as they all do, but if you're any good, you'll only have to make one deposit and never see that fee again!!

AD

[birdhands]

AD,
 Thanks so much for your reply; that's exactly what I wanted to hear.  They told me I need to make 3 deposits with Western Union and then I can use my card, but as you said, I don't plan on making many deposits.  So lemme get this straight:  You had two games die mid-play (does this mean mid-progression?) and they refunded you money.  What money?  Had your bets disappeared?  Also it sounds like you win consistently and they still like you.  That's my other big worry:  if I succeed and make regular money will they give me the boot?
   Sorry to hit you with so many questions.  I really appreciate your help.

Sam

[ADulay]

AD,
 Thanks so much for your reply; that's exactly what I wanted to hear.  They told me I need to make 3 deposits with Western Union and then I can use my card, but as you said, I don't plan on making many deposits.  So lemme get this straight:  You had two games die mid-play (does this mean mid-progression?) and they refunded you money.  What money?  Had your bets disappeared?  Also it sounds like you win consistently and they still like you.  That's my other big worry:  if I succeed and make regular money will they give me the boot?
   Sorry to hit you with so many questions.  I really appreciate your help.

Sam

Sam,

  You can use the Western Union thing but it still costs money and three WU-grams can get expensive.   I'd go with the credit cash cash advance and be done with it on the first shot.

  Before you can get your money OUT, you will need to fill out some pretty detailed paperwork, which I did when I first signed up which made the initial withdrawl a breeze.   No, I was not happy about the information I had to send them, but I faxed the needed stuff with the girl I was talking to standing right at the machine so she got my info "hot off the fax".   I was a bit concerned about the privacy issue, but it as turned out to be a non-event.

  The two games that died were apparently server drops on their side.  Each time I gave them the game number and they checked it.  Once I had lost my wager and the other time I had won it.   The winning one was a larger wager and they did confirm the win.  End of discussion and both parties were satisfied.

  I'm kind of lucky when something odd happens in the game.  Being dropped, losing video, etc as I have about a dozen or so fellow players who usually are in at least one of the same games, so when we compare the shoes, there's never any problems with what we've seen.

  Being "banned" for winning is usually some kind of excuse for being banned for being a jerk, except in very rare circumstances.   At the rates we generally win at I don't think I'll be sent packing for pulling a grand a month out of there.

  With that said, I did pull my initial deposit out after 90 days, once I had built up a sufficient bankroll to play correctly.  No sense in taking any chances early on while I still was testing the waters over there.   Who knows, the whole country might go up in a landslide or something and the casino could wash away!

  Seriously, I made the deposit, sent in all the paperwork and when I requested my first payout, it went off without a hitch, right on schedule.  I don't request a direct deposit or anything, just a normal check, which you can get for free once a month, minimum payout is $500.   

  A lot of people want their money "right now" for some reason and see no problem with paying $40 or more to get it fast.   Me?  I'm not in that big of a hurry and a check that shows up on time in a week is adequate for my requirements.   FedEx to my door on the  last Sat**day of the month.  Such a deal!

   If worse comes to worse and you want to "make sure" it's going to work for you, make a $100 deposit and play with that until you feel comfortable.   If you hate it, use their sportsbook to make some odd parlays or something and call it a learning experience.   As it's the only game in town for the US player for the time being, it'll have to do.

  Oh yeah, I did NOT take any bonus money for my deposits.  I'm not big on playing the bonus angle like so many others do, mainly because I don't want my money tied up waiting for me to "play through" 300 games of Pakistani cricket matches or boxing or whatever they want you to do to play through the bonus money.    It's just not worth it to me.  All I wanted to do was play baccarat and that's what I do there.

  It is kind of fun to play a few hands at blackjack though, but nothing serious.

  AD
 
 

[ADulay]

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