So paidverts is still working fine e? I used to be active in there but ended up quitting due yo many ads to click just to get cents from them. They allow Bitcoins, Paypal, Perfect Money, Payeer, Western and etc. So yea,
I haven't heard too many complaints against PaidVerts recently, but I stopped as well since I got a bit fed up with the same matter. There are plenty of people on the forum who use faucets for many times less than it, though, so I don't know why they aren't using it yet.
From what I learned by using them for a short while, am I right in saying that it's a ponzi? Pay $1, get $1.55 worth in ads.
It would depend on how spread out that $1.55 gets. For example if that $1.55 is spread between 100 people and only 20 cash out then it is actually profitable for them to do so.