ClubWPT Gold, rising sweepstakes poker platform by World Poker Tour (WPT), has introduced a new feature that many are likely to view as controversial.
The feature, called “Reveal Hands,” allows players to see the hole cards of every player at the table after a hand concludes for a small fee.
It went live on Thursday morning following a scheduled server maintenance.
Here’s how the feature works: when a hand is completed, if a player was present for the entirety of the action from start to finish, a Reveal Hands button appears beside their avatar. Clicking it instantly displays the hole cards of all players who participated in that hand. The same information is also stored in the Hand History window and can be viewed through the Hand Replayer.
Interestingly, if a player misses the opportunity to activate the feature in real time, they can still use it afterward through the Hand History or the Hand Replayer option.
The ability to see these hole cards comes at a price. ClubWPT Gold applies a small fee each time the Reveal Hands button is used, with the exact amount clearly displayed before purchase. The fee varies depending on the stakes being played, and the cost increases incrementally with each additional use during the same session.
Based on information seen by pokerfuse, the cost ranges from two big blinds to three big blinds, depending on the table stakes.
- Generous Welcome Offer
- Daily freerolls & free SC offers
- Hold’em, Omaha and Mixed Games
The feature has already generated backlash from players on social media, with some players describing it as greedy. ClubWPT Gold, however, maintains that the purpose of the feature is to help players “better analyze how a given hand played out” in ring games.
It is certainly an interesting feature. Some players might try it out of curiosity, paying a small fee just to peek at another player’s hand — but the real question is, is it worth the price?
The operator even released a promotional video for the new Reveal Hands tool, starring high-stakes pro Garrett Adelstein, best known for his involvement in the controversial J4 hand against Robbi Jade Lew, accompanied by the caption: “Never lose sleep over a poker hand again.”
Although the concept is new to ClubWPT Gold, it is not new to the WPT brand. WPT Global, the real-money poker platform available to players outside the United States, has offered the same feature for at least a couple of years. Both platforms share the same software developed by A5 Labs, the provider behind WPT Global and ClubWPT Gold.
Another Gimmicky Feature?
This is not the first time ClubWPT Gold has introduced a contentious feature. A few months ago, the site rolled out a time bank option — but with an unusual twist: players must pay a portion of their big blind to use it. This exact mechanic is also present on WPT Global. That time bank fee was similarly met with criticism, as no other online poker site is known to charge players directly for extending their decision time.
While controversial, the decision to charge for time bank usage may have been intended to speed up gameplay and discourage excessive tanking.
ClubWPT Gold remains in its early days, having officially launched earlier this year following an extended beta. The operator has been steadily adding new features, including a downloadable client and multi-tabling support, but it still lacks several basics, such as support for Pot-Limit Omaha games, a Run It Twice option, and popular formats like Bomb Pots (which are available on some competing sweepstakes sites, such as Clubs Poker).
Despite these gaps, the site has already made a name for itself with bold promotions, such as the Gold Rush campaign that stirred controversy during the WSOP Millionaire Maker. It also recently acquired Upswing Poker and is preparing to run only its second online tournament series, boasting a guaranteed prize pool of 14 million Sweeps Coins.
Whether viewed as a valuable analysis tool or a gimmick, the Reveal Hands feature is sure to spark debate. For now, only ClubWPT Gold and its sister brand WPT Global offer such an option and it remains to be seen if other operators will follow their lead.
