On Monday, 2/14/22 I went to Derby Lane to play in their 6:30 pm poker tournament; $165 buy-in with 10k guarantee purse. As the deadline for entry approach (2 hours into tournament) there were fewer than 60 paid entries with a number of re-entries making up that number. There was discussion at the table about how many entries were required to support the 10k purse and whether it would be reduced because of the lack of turnout. No one expected what management did when we started playing after the break and after the entry period was over.
When break was over 20 plus players were pulled from cash games and given free entry into the tournament with the same opportunity to win the tournament as the players who had paid up to $330 to participate in the tournament. These players had no investment in the chips they received and played that way making it difficult for those of us who had been playing and accumulating chips for 2 hours. Two of the free pass players were at my table and one appeared to give his chips to his friend and went back to playing the cash game. Nobody at the table understood the decision made by management and those employees that said anything did not agree with what had happened either.
Financially it did not make sense: take players away from cash games where the poker room was collecting its rake and move them into a tournament where they did not receive any more income and tied up at least 3 more dealers that were collecting no rake and no tips.
I had read that it had poor management and many reviews indicated that they would never go back, I now agree with them. I will never play there again and highly recommend that you avoid this card room.
Derby Lane Poker Room
- Poker Tables:
- 51 Tables
- Hours:
- Open Now (All Day)
- Minimum Age:
- 18
Announcements from Derby Lane Poker Room
Sunday 11/24/24:
$75k Guarantee NLHE Tournament
$450 buy-in**30k stack**30 min levels
Starts @Noon
Saturday 11/30/24:
65" 4K TV Giveaway
12p-10p
Highest Hand each hour wins TV
PLUS $100 to all other players dealt in at that table
No Minimum Qualifier. Pocket Pair Not Required. Must use both hole cards
November Daily Promotions
-Monday-Thursday:
10A-10P
$500 EVERY 20 MIN
Pocket Pair required
-Friday's 12p-10p:
$500+$250 Every 30 min
Pocket Pair required (See specific details)
Saturday's
$500+$500 every 30 minutes 12p-10p
Pocket Pair required (See specific details)
Insta-Pay High Hands (During NON-Hourly promotions)
1/2 NLHE win up to $300 with Star Power
Play 60 hours Sun - Thurs to unlock Star Power
Double Star Power Points Mondays and Tuesdays
See specific details
PRIME NLHE
$1-$3 $300-$1,500 Buy-in
$2-$5 $500-$2,500 Buy-in
PRIME NLHE includes:
$500 Instant Pay during all NON-hourly promotional hours.
$1-$3 and $2-$5 PRIME Play 50 hrs get $500
Redeemable the first of the next month
All promotions require the use of both hole cards. Pocket Pair Required for All Timed Promotions
PRIME $1-$3, $3/hr food/drink comp redeemable in 5hr blocks. Food comp does not roll over to the next day.
$2-$5, $3/hr food/drink comp. Expires at the end of the following month
Recent Derby Lane Reviews
This place has great tournament structure, as well as solid buy ins for both low and high stakes. Unfortunately I... Read More
$9 rake , 4 of which is for the promo drop which they make impossible to hit (quads w/pckt pr). NO food comps.... Read More
DONT GIVE THIS PLACE YOUR MONEY! 1/3 players who pay more rake are now not eligible for high hand promos after... Read More
I've played at Derby for nearly a decade and have seen it change over the years, trying various ideas to revitalize... Read More
Great room, good action, plenty of games , nice jackpots, well put together card room with good management and... Read More
All the good games here have died. The management allows the private game to actively poach players from Derby and... Read More
Everything is great, dealers and wait staff are friendly and do a great job. But the room is TOO COLD. No reason... Read More
As a semi-pro poker player who plays 25 hrs a week here, I have played in a lot of places. I love the atmosphere,... Read More
I went to this place and as I entered their was 2-3 security guards there. As I found that strange I still went in.... Read More
Lots of suck out players not very professional and dealers could be better not impressed with dealers they Make too... Read More
Pros - late night action is great. Very few OMCs, lot of splashy action players Dealers are fantastic Table games... Read More
Staying down in Madeira Beach and had a free day to go play some poker. Experience was good all around. Played 1/2 NL... Read More
Since going back to 1/3 blinds for the prime game the room has only caused the games to be tighter and less action.... Read More
The dealers let the players do whatever they want in the prime games: act out of turn, straddle late, don't remind... Read More
After enjoying 2 months of the Prime game being a 3 blind game with more action, the management caved to all the Nit... Read More
The rake will kill you it has friendly staff, but I'm not from here on vacation from Indiana if they don't rake you... Read More
Like it at DL, I really do though rake is obscene..but the lack of promotions is terrible considering the obscene... Read More
Don't waste your time at this card room ,1 3 5 blinds cost you 55.00 per hour to play all because they want a higher... Read More
Always a good time with good people, good play, good dealers and staff! Tournaments are challenging, affordable and... Read More
1-3 prime used to be the best game in the area. But, they shot themselves in the foot. Three blinds and poor... Read More