Jonathan Raab

I’ve contributed to Casinos.com’ sister site Gambling.com since 2023, writing mainly about poker and casino table games. With a long career in the gaming industry and even longer one as a punter, I have a vast knowledge base about all things gambling related. 

I weave stories of my experiences into the content I create, providing unique insights that AI is not capable of delivering. And I love researching topics that I already know inside out, treating it like an investigation to uncover new gems of info that others may have missed about a topic.

Over the years I’ve dabbled in many different forms of wagering, beginning initially with sports-betting. I spent many years spread-betting, loving the thrill and spills of in-play betting markets. I favoured the more obscure markets, such as total points bets in tennis, which means I'm no stranger to volatility.

I’m well-versed on most casino games and have written extensive guides for blackjack and roulette, as well as on staking systems. I even created a staking strategy of my own, the Raab Staggered Progressive, which is a low risk strategy best used for blackjack or even money shots on roulette.

However poker, both live and online is the main area that I have focused on. It’s been central to most of my work throughout my career and although I’m only an average (at best) player, I’m pretty well read on the subject.

I discovered poker in 1999 and it has remained my greatest love in the industry ever since. After watching the first series of Late Night Poker on Channel 4, I took myself down to the Stakis Casino in Russell Square, London. It was a busy Friday night in the basement poker room known as The Dungeon, run by Roy Houghton. 

Everyone had been watching the new series and many of those who would go on to star in later series of the show were there. Victoria Coren was on my starting table, which was self-dealt. Somehow I made it to the final table of this £5 “Beginners Tournament”, where a dealer was finally provided…and I won it. 

By 2003, when Blue Square decided they wanted to get into the online poker game, I jumped at the chance, with my first task being to help get the product off the ground. One failed start and a software provider switch or two later and Blue Square Poker finally launched in 2004. 

I then turned my focus to live poker, working with Grosvenor Casinos for several years, where I created and ran the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour for its first few years. Later I worked for PokerStars, where I was senior business development manager of Live Events, responsible for launching and managing several live tours in Europe, such as the Eureka Poker Tour, Estrellas Poker Tour and the UK & Ireland Poker Tour.

First of all, here for me is the beautiful Mediterranean island nation of Malta. It's been the home for me and my family for the last 11 years, where we enjoy the most sunshine of any country in the EU. There’s over 300 days of sunshine here and also a few casinos, who regularly host visiting poker tours. 

♣️ Poker Home and Away

If I’m not at home or on one of Malta’s beaches, you might find me at a poker event at Casino Malta or Portomaso Casino in St Julian’s. 

Or there’s an outside chance I’m at a poker event away from my island home. Perhaps that might be in London, or somewhere in Europe, or even under the bright lights of the world’s most famous gambling destination, Las Vegas. 

I last visited Sin City itself in 2023, when I took part in the $10,000 WPT World Championship at Wynn, Las Vegas.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Bonnie Scotland

But if I’m not in Malta at all, I’m likely in Edinburgh or London, visiting family and friends. I love the wildness of the very north of Scotland. Although I don’t get nearly enough time to spend in the Highlands & Islands, the landscape features regularly in my dreams.

Documentaries are my favourite genre, having made a few in my time. They can be fascinating and works of art at the same time, often more engaging than fiction. I love historical shows and anything to do with poker, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Mike Matusow’s documentary, despite it now being free to view on YouTube.

To be truthful, I wish I had more time to watch movies and TV shows. I have a huge list of stuff I’d like to get round to viewing but haven’t managed to tackle any since late 2024.