Lock Poker Overview

Lock Poker is a US facing room online room on the Revolution Gaming Network. The company history dates back to 2008, when the room first appeared on the Cake Poker Network. A few years later, Lock Poker moved to the Merge Poker Network.

Lock had a tumultuous history with Merge Network management and left Merge in June 2012. In a move that changed the US poker landscape, Lock purchased the network they originally debuted on, the Cake Poker Network. Lock rebranded the network, naming it Revolution Gaming.

The room accepts players worldwide but has an extensive US player base. They are licensed in both Malta and Curacao.

Software used at Lock

When Lock left Merge, they adopted Cake’s network software and have been upgrading it up ever since. Though, many users might see this as a downgrade, especially after seeing Merge Poker’s 6.0 client, it should not be viewed as such. Lock’s software has all the features of most poker rooms and is an excellent piece of software.

The client is stable, but not flashy. Graphically it isn’t impressive, but has plenty of options for players. Resizable tables, four color decks, and auto rebuys are all offered.

A key component of every room is the lobby; Lock offers a customizable advanced lobby filter that works perfect for finding optimal games. Also, one of the unique features Lock offers players is the “Vault”, which is a virtual safe with a four digit PIN, inside each Lock account. This extra form of security for players can protect accounts from fraud or hacking, and offers players tilt control if they are experiencing a bad session.

When Lock bought Cake, they reversed a long time policy of Cake Poker and allowed heads-up displays and stats overlays to be used by players. Lock is compatible with both Holdem Manager and PokerTracker.

Support at Lock

Lock offers players 24 hour support, and usually takes 48 hours to respond to inquiries. They currently provide support via email and live chat. Also, they have representatives at major poker forums, which help players with support and take site suggestions. Lock is receptive to player needs and suggestions.

Cashier Options

Since, Lock Poker accepts both US and international players, depending on your location, your options will be different.

International Options

The best option for both payouts and deposits are internet e-wallets, Neteller and Moneybookers. These have an almost unlimited deposit limit, and payouts can be processed back to the e-wallet of your choice. Both methods are highly trusted and are the best options for non-US depositors.

There are many other options for international players, so there should be no issues depositing or withdrawing.

US Players

The list is a lot shorter for the much maligned US poker market. The two main options for US players are credit card and Western Union transfer. Credit card is a quick process, the funds appear instantly, and there are no fees for this deposit method. Western Union takes a few hours once sent, as a Lock agent to receive your funds and put them into your account. This method comes with high fees, but Lock will cover deposit fees for transactions over $300.

Payouts are among the best for Lock Poker, they offer checks that usually take one month to reach players. Western Union transfers are also a form of payout, and both withdrawal methods have a $3000 per transaction limit. Lock offers players one free payout a month, which will be credited back to a player’s casino account, but can quickly be transferred over to poker.

Bonus and VIP

Lock Poker currently offers players a 200% deposit, up to $4,000. This is one of the largest deposit bonuses available online, and will likely only be available for a few more months. Also, previous depositors are offered a 100% up to $2,000 reload bonus. Clearly, this is one of the best deals around for poker players, not just in the US, but around the world.

Bonuses are released via the VIP Program, by earning VIP Points, which players are automatically entered into once they play a real money game. The VIP program has several tiers, with the top tier offering players 45% cashback. Other perks include a monthly freeroll, VIP Vault access and a dedicated personal VIP Lock Representative.

Lock also offers tons of seasonal promotions, such as rake races, satellites to live events and many other offers.

Traffic and Games Available

Lock Poker and Revolution Gaming are neck and neck with Merge Poker for the top site for US players. They have several thousand players at peak hours and have 50+ skins. Hold Em’, Omaha, and Stud variants are all offered, along with Razz, Badugi, and other obscure games. Action is great at the micros to the middle to high limits at No Limit Hold Em’. Limit Hold Em’ has a decent following as well, but has more action at night, during peak hours.

Lock has a ton of tournaments action, Sit N’ Go tournaments go around the clock and multi-table tournaments have tons of money added. Lock has massive Sunday tournaments, the biggest available for US players. The formats are excellent, as Lock sponsored pros talked to players, and used their insight to create a powerful tournament schedule and environment.

Pot Limit Omaha

Lock has a ton of PLO action and offers 6-max, 9 handed and heads-up tables at all limits. Micro-limit action is booming at all hours, and even during off hours $1/$2 and $2/$4 will always have players. During peak hours, games normally run as high as $10/$20.

The Omaha play at Lock is hit or miss. While there are plenty of fish from Revolution’s 50+ skins, many of which are sportsbooks, there are many professional type grinders in the games, as well. Overall though, Lock has the best Omaha games for US players. There should be no issues finding games at most limits during peak hours.

Overall

Lock Poker is a terrific option for US players who currently don’t play on Revolution Gaming. Omaha is an especially notable option on Revolution, as action goes around the clock at the micros and middle limits. Players should take advantage of the fishy player base and lucrative $4,000 deposit bonus before it is gone.