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
$1-$3 Prime is BACK!!
Beginning April 15th with all the same Player Rewards
and High Hand payouts.
Daily Promotions In addition to the instant payouts
Monday-Thursday 1st-15th 10A-2P, 4P-8P, 10P-2A:
$500 EVERY 30 MIN
-Friday and Saturday 12p-10p:
$400 + $100 Every
Instant Payout H.H. Paid During All Business Hours
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 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
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
I'm enjoying the recent change to prime game now being a 3 blind game with no drop preflop and 8 handed play. The... Read More
Just tell dealer, they will call floor and it WILL be taken care of..in one case at DL player was escorted off... Read More
Early morning game and 2 tables 1/2 running and combined the 2 tables when several players went to 1/3. Our while... Read More
Other than the Omaha table, no tables should have more than 9 players. The tables are too small and players are... Read More
Steer clear of this place even if you live walking distance from this room. Just not worth giving them any sort of... Read More
Just a terrible decision increasing the blinds with a mandatory 6 straddle just disaster makes more a bigger cost per... Read More
The last review was clearly written by this place. Pathetic. The only saving grace this place has is there... Read More
I was pleasantly surprised with number of live tables, lots of loose players, good dealers, all in all a really fun... Read More
Total rip off won't be going back. If you want to play short handed and pay high rake this is the place to play. They... Read More
The 1/3 prime games have gone to complete nit mode. There is group of 5-6 Euros and a bunch of Sarasota regs who... Read More
Everything is good at Derby Lane except the chairs. They are the worst of any room in the Bay Area. The recent... Read More
There are 3 Great poker rooms in the area and derby is not one of them. Worst poker room I have ever been to. Food is... Read More
They rake preflop & charge $10 rake (7+3) now. Per hour, $300+ coming off the table. Do not give this room any... Read More
Never made it to the room. I was visiting tampa, wanted to try a different room, looked this place up on poker atlas,... Read More
Been awhile since been there, room seems much better, dealers much better, high hand payouts OK, but don't understand... Read More
