Chico Poker Network
The Chico Poker Network is a group of three trustworthy poker sites offering online poker options to US players. It has been in business for more than two decades, providing exciting gambling platforms for customers around the world.
The network currently consists of three sites, two of which provide poker to US players and one that caters primarily to casino games, poker games, and sports betting patrons outside of the United States. All three sites have been revamped in past years, offering cutting-edge software, generous bonuses, and a friendly environment for recreational players.
As we take a closer look at the Chico Poker Network, we look at their offerings with a close eye on poker and access for US players.
The History of the Chico Poker Network
When Action Poker launched in 1999, there was no indication that it would grow into a network of popular sites. Action Poker was one of the original poker options for players as online gaming grew and as poker blossomed courtesy of the poker boom, also known as the Moneymaker Era.
Playsafe Holdings bought Action Poker in 2006, and Julian International Holdings took it over in late 2011. Julian, in fact, bought the entire operating division of Playsafe.
It was Julian that rebranded the poker platform of Action Poker Network into Chico Poker Network in 2012. This was, in part, due to problems incurred by Action Poker before its absorption by Julian. The new owner had to content with legal issues due to previously-issued fraudulent checks and delayed payments. After a settlement that Julian entered upon its purchase of Playsafe and its affiliate sites, the new Chico Poker Network emerged as a new brand under new management.
Julian International Holdings continues to operate the network from its Seychelles headquarters.
Chico Poker Network Sites
There are three sites on the current Chico Poker Network: BetOnline Poker, SportsBetting Poker, and Tiger Gaming. BetOnline and Tiger were a part of the Action Poker Network when Julian acquired the company. Julian then took over Sportsbetting.ag from the Merge Poker Network in recent years. SportsBetting’s poker tables then joined those of BetOnline on the same poker platform, providing for greater poker liquidity and more offerings.
Tiger Gaming remained separate, and it is not open to players in the US market. It does offer a poker site, as well as casino games and an online sportsbook. The poker vertical is largely an offshoot of the casino and sports parts of the Tiger brand, which means it caters to recreational players with relatively low tournament buy-ins and cash game stakes.
US Poker on BetOnline and SportsBetting
BetOnline and SportsBetting are separate sites but both operate with a dot-ag suffix. Their poker offerings increased after Black Friday and continue to host hundreds (sometimes thousands on weekends and peak weekday hours) of players at any given time, many of whom are based in various American states.
Being able to share a poker platform gives BetOnline Poker and SportsBetting Poker something called liquidity, the ability to host players uniquely on the two sites but allow them to play on the same virtual cash game and tournament tables. The higher number of players allows Chico to offer more of a cash game variety – both in stakes and poker variations – and bigger tournaments.
What is the difference between the two sites? The primary difference is the site itself, the ease of navigation and game selection, the color schemes, the advertisements and overall designs.
There are also some key differences in the setup of each poker site. SportsBetting Poker, for example, has fewer direct links to its poker software updates, while BetOnline provides more beginner poker player information, such as hand rankings, poker odds calculator, and easily accessible links to explanations for throwables and straddles.
Chico Poker Software
Every few months, Chico updates its poker software for the US-facing poker sites on BetOnline and SportsBetting. The poker team considers input from players as well as software capabilities and offering the latest poker options.
One of the unique features of Chico cash games is “anonymous observation.” This keeps players’ identities anonymous on cash game tables as seen from the lobby. Screen names are only revealed when the players take a seat at a table. This prevents more knowledgeable (semi-pro or pro) players from seeking out weaker players and targeting them. It protects recreational players.
Another protection for players is the inability for pros to use third-party software like Poker Tracker and Hold’em Manager. These types of programs give more experienced players an edge over others with data that targets newer players.
Chico’s ban on such HUD programs protects the majority of players who simply want to play poker for fun and build their bankrolls. Chico has been ahead of many other poker operators with its support of the recreational poker environment.
The lobby is continuously upgraded to provide easy navigation. Players can find the cash games and stakes they want, the ones that best suit their bankroll needs and skill levels. The tournament lobby can be sorted by date or buy-in, with the ability to filter by events that are in late registration periods and those that provide special structures, like turbo and even freerolls.
Players can navigate the tables themselves quite easily, with large buttons that clearly show the fold, raise, and call options. The ability to change their avatars, deck colors, felt and background design also give players the ability to customize their playing experience.
Software Compatibility
The poker skins on the Chico Poker Network are compatible with native PC and Mac computers. Players can easily download the software and install it within minutes (sometimes seconds) via the installation wizard. Action is available almost immediately after setting up a new, free poker account.
The best part of SportsBetting Poker and BetOnline Poker is that players don’t need to download any software if they choose. Both sites are accessible from any major web browser. The login process is the same, as a new window opens to provide full access to the lobby, cashier, and promotions.
Mobile Poker Options
Chico Poker sites offer mobile gaming options for Android and iOS users. These are not in the form of downloadable apps, which means players don’t have to agree to app conditions or use space on their phones for poker apps. It is simple enough to pull up the websites on any mobile web browser, log in, and play.
Mobile poker for BetOnline and SportsBetting are smooth and easily navigable. Further, Chico is consistently updating its poker software for mobile users. All options are easy to see, especially when in landscape mode, and the “more” button in the bottom corner provides access to all parts of the poker website.
Players can do everything on mobile that they can on the desktop version of the poker sites. They can change avatars and backgrounds, sign up for a new account and bonuses, deposit and withdraw funds, and even chat with a customer service representative.
Poker Bonuses and Promotions
There are a number of promotions shared by BetOnline and SportsBetting for poker players. With shared online poker liquidity comes better promotions and more opportunities for bigger bonuses.
Welcome Bonuses
Our partnerships with BetOnline and SportsBetting Poker provide our readers with top welcome bonuses, no matter which site a player chooses to join.
BetOnline and SportsBetting each offer a 100% match sign-up bonus for up to $1,000, with only a $10 minimum deposit required.
In addition, new players also receive eight days of complimentary tournament tickets through the Step Satellites program. Players can compete in free tournaments to win their way to a $109 ticket into the $100,000 Sunday Showdown. By simply meeting the daily rake requirement, they can play Sit & Go step satellites through the Step 3 Mega.
Sit & Go Jackpots
Players around the world have grown to love jackpot sit-n-go action, as the SNGs move fast and present the potential to win significant money.
Chico Poker sites offer Jackpot Windfalls, which are short-handed SNGs at hyper-turbo (fast-fold poker) speeds. Jackpots start at just 2x the buy-in but climb to 2,500x the buy-in. There are also All-In-or-Fold jackpots for up to 1,000x the buy-in.
Bad Beat Jackpot
A favorite of many poker players is the Bad Beat Jackpot for cash game players. The most recent version of this promotion, “New Bad Beat Jackpot 2.0,” is available to players in No Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha cash games. Now, players can participate at various stake levels, so pros and recreational players aren’t competing for the same jackpots. At the different levels, players can cash in on the jackpot when they take a particular kind of bad beat – a full house (aces full of kings) beaten by four of a kind (threes or higher) or a straight flush. (In PLO, the minimum four of a kind is sixes or higher.) At a table with a bad beat qualifier, the jackpot will be paid as follows:
- Player taking the bad beat wins 20% of the jackpot
- Winner of the hand takes 10%
- All other players at the table split 10%
- All players at other Bad Beat Jackpot (BBJ) tables split 20%
- Jackpot is reseeded with 35% of the jackpot
- Poker operator takes 5% of the jackpot as a fee
Rake & Rise Rewards
A new 2024 promotion is called “Rake & Rise Rewards.” Players can climb the tiers of the program based on rake contributed through regular poker play. Players simply opt in to this particular “contest” in the “My Missions” part of their platform, and rake is automatically calculated for participation. It resets weekly (Monday through Sunday) and offers the chance to win up to $500 at random as follows:
- Level 1: rake at least $25
- Level 2: rake at least $75
- Level 3: rake at least $175
- Level 4: rake at least $425
- Level 5: rake at least $925
- Level 6: rake at least $1,925
Weekly Boost Leaderboards
Boost is the brand of fast-fold cash games available at BetOnline and SportsBetting poker sites. This is available most months for No Limit Texas Hold’em cash game players.
Through simple cash game play each week, players can qualify for parts of the $5K weekly Boost Leaderboard prizes. Action plays out Sunday through Saturday, and the top 50 players in each buy-in level will win $100 for each of their high-hand combinations through the week. Players simply need to opt in to the “contest” in the “My Missions” part of the site to participate.
More Bonuses
Players can check their login page of the poker site on which they play for the latest promotions. Each month, there is the chance to reset any promotion or find new ones.
Most poker promotions cater to cash game players, but there are also sit-n-go and tournament options from time to time. Players that make the most money from promos are the ones who check the promos page at the beginning of each month to start on new ones right away.
Available Poker Games and Stakes
There are as many poker options as players can desire at Chico Poker Network sites. There are the standard Hold’em and Omaha variants, as well as stakes for all levels of players.
Cash Games
BetOnline and SportsBetting Poker cash games are available at a variety of levels and game types. No Limit Hold’em players can start at $0.05/$0.10 or $0.10/$0.25 and climb the ladder up to $5/$10. Omaha players will find everything from standard PLO to PL 5, PL 6, and Omaha Hi/Lo from $0.05/$0.10 to $2/$5 and $5/$10.
Experienced players and those who like new challenges can also play Pineapple OH for $0.10, $0.25, and $0.50.
The limits of this platform, however, do not allow for games like Stud, Draw, and mixed games like HORSE.
Players can find some Six Plus Hold’em (also called Short Deck Hold’em) at times, depending upon player demand. This game is played with only 36 cards in a deck instead of 52, as all of the twos, threes, fours, and fives are removed. The hand rankings are a bit different, as a low straight is A-6-7-8-9. The rules are fairly straightforward, and it provides a new challenge for players.
Variations of cash games also offer features like straddles and Boost structures, many with the ability to run the board two or three times.
Tournaments
Most of the tournament options on Chico poker sites are of the Hold’em variety, though Omaha does offer some tournament action as well. Many tournaments offer guarantees on their prize pools, especially the daily, weekly, and series events.
Some of the regularly scheduled tournaments include the Sunday Majors, notable among the options being:
- Sunday Mini Main (NLHE) $22 buy-in ($10K GTD)
- Sunday Main Event (NLHE) $109 buy-in ($200K GTD)
- Sunday Showdown PKO (NLHE) $109 buy-in ($50K GTD)
There are also self-explanatory guaranteed tournaments, like the $40,000 GTD, $30,000 GTD, $10,000 GTD PKO, and many more at lower levels. Most tournaments are reentries, and all offer satellites for players to earn their seats at discounted prices.
There are also lucrative “Tournament Money Builders” hosted daily at buy-ins from $1.10 to $22, each offering rebuys and add-on options.
Players should always check the tournament lobby for specials and freerolls, the latter often putting hundreds of dollars in the freeroll prize pools.
Tournament Series
The signature tournament series on Chico is the Championship Online Poker Series (COPS), which runs several times each year. The Winter COPS and Summer COPS are two of the most popular versions, as the total guarantee often exceeds $2M or $3M for each series. Buy-ins start at just $11 and work up to a Main Event, usually with a $109 buy-in. Individual tournament guarantees can climb as high as $250K and $300K.
Seasonal series also pop up from time to time. For example, the Autum Poker Series of 2023 offered seven days of 50 tournaments, each with a $50 buy-in and totaling $500K in guarantees. That 50/50 Poker Tournament Series is becoming more of a regular offering due to the reasonable buy-ins and easy schedules to remember.
In addition, the popularity of PKO tournaments – progressive knockouts – prompted Chico to start offering a King of the Ring PKO series. These KOTR events take 50% of the buy-in for bounties and the other half for the prize pool. The typical structure gives players the chance to knock out an opponent for 50% of their bounty in immediate cash and the other 50% added to the knockout player’s bounty.
Players enjoy making money throughout the tournaments instead of waiting for the money bubble to burst, and the escalating bounties add more excitement to every hand.
There are also options for low-stakes players, such as the Micro Stakes Summer Festival. That presents dozens of tournaments at the $1.10 level and upwards to $11, with the Main Event offering the only high buy-in of $22 with its $50K guarantee.
Payment Options on Chico Sites
US players have a choice of payment options to fund their accounts on BetOnline and SportsBetting Poker. They can use credit cards or a variety of cryptocurrencies for deposits.
Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card, and Discover are the credit cards accepted on Chico sites.
- Fee: 9.75% of deposit amount
- Minimum deposit: $25
- Maximum deposit: $1,450
Crypto users can deposit poker funds with Bitcoin (BTC).
- Fee: none
- Minimum deposit: $20
- Maximum deposit: $500,000
There are many crypto alternatives (Altcoins) to Bitcoin. Those include BitcoinCash (BCH), Ripple (XRP), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Polygon (MATIC), Avalance (AVAX), Binance Coin (BNB), Cardano (ADA), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Sonala (SOL), Stellar (XLM), Tether (USDT), Tron (TRX), and USDCoin (USDC). All of them have the same requirements:
- Fee: none
- Minimum deposit: $20
- Maximum deposit: $100,000
When wanting to withdraw winnings from a Chico poker site, players can use the Bitcoin or Altcoin options, which typically take 24-48 hours for processing. Other options include ACH transfer or echeck (5 days), check by courier (7 days), bank wire (15 days), or Moneygram withdrawal (5 days).
- Bitcoin: free, minimum $100, maximum $100,000
- Altcoins: free, minimum $20 – $200, maximum $10,000 – $100,000
- ACH or echeck: fee $20 + $2.5%, minimum $100, maximum $1,000
- Check by courier: fee based on amount, minimum $500, maximum $2,500
- Bank wire: fee based on amount, minimum $500, maximum $25,000
- Moneygram: fee based on amount, minimum $50, maximum $400
Chico Trustworthiness and Reliability
One of the most important factors when choosing an online poker site is trustworthiness. This means the site must have years of experience in the poker industry and have shown itself to be reliable. And reliability includes everything from payments to customer service, player protections and account security.
BetOnline is arguably one of the longest serving online poker sites in the world, operating for nearly 25 years in the online gambling space. Players have used the site for sports bets, casino games, and poker play for decades, and it has always been there to facilitate timely withdrawals and protect players from hackers and cheaters. It is rare to find a site like BetOnline with so much experience, which is why players trust it.
Best Qualities of Chico Poker Network Sites
There are many features that bring players to the BetOnline Poker and SportsBetting Poker platform, in even greater numbers today than in the past two decades.
- Generous bonuses: always available to new players and returning players alike
- Omaha choices: several options in a range of Omaha cash poker games
- Software: easy to use and regularly updated to stay current and modern
- Payment options: several credit cards and a range of cryptocurrencies
- Anonymous seating: protection for recreational players
- Third-party software ban: protection from pros using advantage play to prey on weak players
Of course, players may appreciate more deposit options for their online poker sites, but the current state of US poker prevents many financial institutions from handling funds for offshore poker sites.
BetOnline and SportsBetting remain popular options for US players, due in part to the reliability of the Chico Poker Network and its longstanding reputation in the gambling world.
