How to back a poker player

01

Have their settlements been confirmed

The profile counts the deals a backer actively confirmed after being paid. Nothing is ever counted because a deadline passed in silence. A high count means people got paid and said so.

02

Do they report results

Shown as a ratio once a player has at least three settled events. A player who reports the losses too is a player you can read.

03

Does the checkmark mean what you think

It is an identity check. It says the name matches an ID. It is not a rating, and an unverified player is not automatically a risk, only an unknown one.

04

Does the markup survive the arithmetic

At 1.2x the event has to return 1.2 times the buy-in before you are even. Ask whether this player, in this field, clears that on average.

How do I back a player?

Browse the listings, open one you like, and enter the percentage you want. Pebel shows your exact cost in real time, including markup. Send the request, it's non-binding and creates no stake by itself. When the player reserves the share for you, you pay the full amount directly to the player before the payment deadline shown on the listing. The statuses mean exactly this: Payment marked as sent, you (the backer) record that the payment was sent; Pebel does not verify or process the transfer. Payment confirmed as received, the player confirms that the payment was received, and Pebel records that confirmation. Stake active, the agreement is treated as active under the locked terms, with a downloadable confirmation. If you don't pay by the deadline, the player can cancel the reservation and nothing is owed.

How long do I have to pay after the player reserves my share?

Until the payment deadline shown on the stake. By default it is two hours before the earliest tournament starts, or 18:00 the day before when only a date is known, and the player may set an earlier one on the listing. When the player says yes, your deadline is locked: it can be extended, with a notification to you, but never shortened. You get a reminder when the event is three days away. If the deadline passes, nothing is released automatically: the reservation stays, both of you are nudged once, and the player decides whether to confirm your late payment or cancel the reservation. A stake activated after the deadline says so on its receipt.

Can I ask for a lower markup than the listing shows?

Yes, that is a counter-offer. When you send a request you can attach your own markup, as long as it is lower than the listing's and never below 0.50x. The player sees the request with your markup and either reserves the share at that price or declines it; there is no haggling back and forth on Pebel. A counter-offer applies only to your own share: the listing's markup and every other backer's deal stay exactly as they were. If the player accepts, that markup is locked for your stake and is what the settlement and the receipts use.

Can I back a player without my name being public?

Partly. The player you back always sees your real name: they made the deal with you and pay you directly, and that goes for the listing's group chat too. What you control is whether anyone else sees it. Showing your name on the listing is opt-in and off by default, so the public listing shows how many backers there are and how much is sold, but not who, and the other backers in the group see you as Anonymous with a number. One public purchase names you in that group. You can change the setting on the stake in your portfolio at any time.

Where do I track my stakes?

Your Portfolio is your start page. It shows what you've paid in, your active stakes, reserved shares waiting for your payment, pending requests, your history under Past stakes, and your ROI once results come in. If you've backed players in more than one currency, the totals are shown per currency rather than mashed into one figure. Posts from the players you follow appear in your feed.

What does the confirm button on a settlement do, and what if I never press it?

Confirming records that you received your share of the result, and it creates the settlement receipt for both of you. You get the request to confirm once the event is decided and the result is logged; before that the player has one day to check the figures, unless they release the settlement earlier. If you do not answer within seven days, Pebel only adds a neutral marker, Unconfirmed, no reply. That is not a confirmation, it creates no receipt, and it never counts publicly for the player. You can still confirm, or flag the deal, afterwards. A bust needs nothing from you.

How long does the player have to pay me after cashing?

The Terms set the clock. The player should record the result within 24 hours of knowing it, and pay each backer their share within seven calendar days of actually getting hold of the winnings. You see the settlement as soon as it is logged and released (the player has one day to check the figures), and you confirm when the money has arrived, which creates the receipt for both of you. If the seven days pass with nothing, write to the player first, then flag the deal privately; the steps are under 'What if a player doesn't settle?'.

The player cashed and hasn't paid me, what do I do?

Start with a message to the player: settlements happen directly between you, and most delays are just that. If it stays unresolved, flag the deal from the settlement row in your portfolio and describe what happened; a description is required. The flag is private, only you, the player and Pebel see it, it is never published, and it keeps the whole record of the deal in one place. The player sees the flag on the listing and can respond. Pebel does not judge who is right and cannot move money, but it decides on platform access and keeps the documentation. An unpaid claim beyond that goes through the ordinary legal channels, with Pebel's record as evidence.

Payments happen off Pebel, how do I stay safe?

A few simple habits cover most of it. Agree the terms up front (they lock the moment a share is reserved, so you both see the same numbers), pay with a method you trust and can trace, and keep your records. Pebel's settlement documentation is there for exactly that. Only send money for a share that's actually reserved for you, and never to someone contacting you off-platform. If something feels off, flag the deal privately or report the user. This isn't financial advice, just common sense.

Someone's asking me to pay them off Pebel, is that safe?

Be careful. Anyone rushing you to send money to a new address, moving the chat off Pebel, or claiming to be a player you never dealt with is a red flag, only pay for a share that's actually reserved for you on your own deal. Pebel never holds money and will never ask you to send funds to it. If someone is impersonating a player or pressuring you, block and report them, and if you're unsure, ask through the feedback form before sending anything.

Can I trust a player who isn't verified yet?

Plenty of good players simply haven't requested the ✓ yet, and an unverified account works fully, they can list, back and settle just the same. Because payment is always direct between backer and player, the checkmark is only one signal. Look at the whole picture: confirmed settlement history, their record on real, confirmed deals, and how active they've been. Agree the terms clearly up front, and it's fine to start smaller with someone new.