Sparcade - gamble real money on proper Tetris, Pac-Man, etc

Was going to drop the links up top but I couldn't make them work. You can find it if you google "sparcade" or "sparcade iOS" though.
I'm not an experienced gambler, but I wonder if any Wizard of Odds type probabilistic strategies would help here. I do buy the idea that these are games of skill and thus legal, but the fact that they determine your rank (to put you with players of similar skill) means they can ensure most players lose money most of the time. These were the same - also real money, as far as I know - games that were available on the Game Show Network web site, but the user pool is expanded hugely by going to iOS.

I see two problems.

First, it says that players are matched "against players with similar ability." This is just asking for sandbagging.

Second, a game like Scrabble can be played with a player getting help from computer software; I am under the impression that this is a serious problem in the online chess community.

Quote: ThatDonGuy

I see two problems.

First, it says that players are matched "against players with similar ability." This is just asking for sandbagging.

Second, a game like Scrabble can be played with a player getting help from computer software; I am under the impression that this is a serious problem in the online chess community.

From What I understand they have something that can detect if someone is using the aid of a computer program to play chess online. I Don't known how accurate or good it is. Poker sites claim they can detect a bunch of stuff as well. But it's in their best interest to claim they can and their system works great, but is is to just make everyone feel safe. We all know people are colluding online, dumping chips and everything else you can imagine.

Quote: AxelWolf

From What I understand they have something that can detect if someone is using the aid of a computer program to play chess online. I Don't known how accurate or good it is. Poker sites claim they can detect a bunch of stuff as well. But it's in their best interest to claim they can and their system works great, but is is to just make everyone feel safe. We all know people are colluding online, dumping chips and everything else you can imagine.

You left out the word " AMEN" If you have not been cheated playing online poker, that means you have never played online poker.

Online chess community OR online chess for money community. Two different things I would imagine.

"similar ability" is meant to insure that some typical players will not be upagainst a world champion in the final round.

Where there is money to be won, sandbagging and/or cheating always co-exist.