Ultimate Bet Issues Software Update, Changes Name to UB.com

In a major move last week, the online poker site Ultimate Bet changed its name to UB.com and issued a major software update, taking some in the industry by surprise. Poker players can still visit UltimateBet.com to check on the site’s latest promotions and familiar faces like Annie Duke, 11-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth, and PokerRoad’s Joe Sebok will continue to serve as the online poker room’s spokesmen. So what’s different, you ask? Why all of the hype? Read on to find out.

When PokerSoftware.com fired up UB on our Mac, an 8,600 KB software update awaited us, which took about two minutes to download using a high-speed internet connection. You’ll immediately notice the swank new UB.com logo in the upper left and, below that, the latest player and table totals are given. A smaller version of the logo is used for players who have not yet uploaded avatars onto the site and the new UB.com insignia also appears on the center of each table.

The filtering system received a makeover and is now available for Omaha. Cash game filters include the maximum number of players at each table, stack sizes, table type, number of players to the flop, and number of players at the table. You can also filter the lobby by stakes and maximum buy-in. Text found on UB’s website explains, “We've just introduced more options to our existing game filters. Now, it's even easier to create your own custom poker room that features only the games you want to see.”

Tournament icons appear for Turbo, Ultra Turbo, Rebuy, Deep Stack, Bounty, Six-Max, Four-Max, and Heads-Up contests. For cash games, color-coded icons appear for Turbo, Jackpot, 7-2 Action Tables, Deep Stack, 50 Min BB, and Ante tables. A legend at the bottom of the lobby will remind you what each icon means in case you forget. The site triumphantly boasts, “Now, you can find your favorite games at a glance thanks to our new color-coded icons. Get familiar with our tournament and ring game icons to find your favorite games quickly and effortlessly.”

Ultimate Buddy appears in a console to the right of the lobby and retains its old name despite the move to UB.com. The site’s development team outlines other changes: “You'll now be able to view more tables and games in our larger renovated lobby. We've also moved some elements around, including our Buddy button and Bad Beat Jackpot, which both appear above the Login/Cashier button. The Cashier button will replace the Login button after you log into the game.” On each table, text links for Lobby, Cashier, Hand History, Options, and Blackjack appear, with the latter given in red.

Ultimate Bet is one-half of the CEREUS Network along with Absolute Poker and happily accepts players from the United States. According to the traffic ranking site PokerScout.com, CEREUS is the sixth largest site or network worldwide with a seven-day running average of 2,650 real money ring game players and a 24-hour peak of nearly 3,000. Its traffic is comparable to that found on Everest Poker and the Ongame Network.