Talking about gambling and not mentioning about poker would be an incomplete discussion. Shining as the brightest star of globally acclaimed casinos as well as online gaming platforms, poker has been in the industry for over 450 years now. Where earlier it was seen as a gambling sport, today it rules the hearts of millions of its fans worldwide as a game of intellect and mindful strategies. The craziness for the game is so high that many business heads invested their capital in developing innovative variants of poker in a user-friendly interface.
Unlike some of the gambling sports, poker is not about sheer luck rather it tests the analytical and strategical thinking of the players. You can be a novice or an experienced poker player, victory cannot be guaranteed for you if you fail to hit the right chord of the game. Some people have an excellent hand in poker but do not have a supporting bankroll to land on a poker table. It is here when poker staking or backing comes into play.
What is poker staking?
Poker staking is quite popular as it helps a less experienced person to win profits by staking on the knowledge and expertise of the more experienced one. In simple words, poker staking involves two persons:
- Backer- He is the poker investor who puts his money on behalf of another person.
- Horse- He is the poker player on whom the money is invested.
How does the mechanism work?
Staking is like a well-designed investment process in which both, the backer as well as the horse, negotiate to agree to profit sharing. If the player wins a particular game, he or she has to share the pre-determined amount of his reward with the investor. In case of a loss, neither of the party gets anything at the end of the tournament. The backer bears the burden of the loss. It is of utmost importance for both parties to maintain close communication to enjoy a fuss-free environment.
There is a wide range of backing deals offering different terms of service. You can enter into a staking deal for a single tournament or for a longer period. Poker staking also involves an important term “makeup” which implies that the player needs to write-off his previous losses before getting any profit credited to his account.
Some tournaments might have multiple backers supporting a single-player and so the profits will be distributed proportionally between each investor. Sometimes, the backer only pays half of the buy-in leaving the rest for the player to play in this case the profit is distributed between the two accordingly.
What is online and offline poker staking?
The growing popularity of online poker helped to stake to flourish in the online segment in heaps and bounds over time. Though, offline and online poker staking talk about one mechanism, they are somehow different from each other. In offline poker staking, usually, the backer prefers to invest in a player who is ready to participate in a single high rewards game tournament. A player using an online platform will be able to participate in over 20 events simultaneously. The backer and the horse hold discussions and decide an average buy-in limit for tournaments which works as a bar for the player and he cannot exceed it.
What are the pros and cons of poker staking?
Pros
- The players do not have to bear the financial burden of the registration fee or any other charge required to be paid for participation in a poker event at the first hand.
- It helps in solving bankroll management issues thus encouraging participation in long-run and high rewarding battles.
- One can take benefit of the training provided by the investors to the new, middle level, and experienced players.
- Backers prefer to hire players who can communicate with other players efficiently. Thus, it boosts networking.
- An investor can multiply his income even with a medium buy-in during any contest.
Cons
- The variance in multi-table tournaments or MTT can lead to continuous losses before a big win.
- Keeping good relations with players and expecting loyalty from them is a challenging job for the investors.
- Sharing of profits with the backer in a go by the player is a drawback of staking.
Conclusion
Poker staking is not a loan rather it is an investment. One can win big tournaments without bothering about bankroll and simply focusing on the game. A thorough professional relationship between an investor and the player is a must. Both parties should be loyal and true to each other. So, if you have the potential to win poker or you have the money you can surely enjoy lucrative rewards from the various tournaments.
