A little more info on this 103-million-hand study done by Cigital, from the PPA:
The study, released by Cigital, Inc. in conjunction with PokerStars, used data acquired from 103 million hands of Texas Hold ‘Em played online in December of 2008. According to Cigital’s report, more than 75 percent of the cases saw an outcome determined with no player even seeing more than his/her own cards and the community cards. Nearly 25 percent of the games witnessed a showdown where the cards were revealed to determine the winner, but only half of the showdowns were won by the player who had the best five card hand. The other half of the showdowns were won by someone with an inferior hand because the player with the best hand decided to fold prior to showdown.
Ahh, I was wondering what Cigital was all about, and why and how they were involved — Go PokerStars! But what also jumps out here … those 103 million hands … they all come from DECEMBER 2008 … as in one month! (And from one site!) Surely that has to raise a few political eyebrows, as soon as we can get them to understand the concept of rake.