Online Casino Poker

Online poker has been enjoyed by a multitude of players worldwide. You’ll not be surprised to find the poker community growing in number, as you can play a poker game variety any time of the day or night!

Poker tournaments range in size from ten to thousands of players in on the poker action too. You can play free or grasp the opportunity for payout winnings!

This article will provide you the information you need to enjoy the online poker experience. Are you ready to become the next ultimate poker champion?

What is Online Poker?

Poker is one of the popular casino games that rely a lot on putting the best poker strategies forward rather than just pure luck.

You’ll constantly need to read other players to know when to fold, bluff, or to call somebody else’s bluff.

Like other online card games, you can play online poker in different variations. The most popular would be Texas Hold’Em. While each of the poker games has its own rules, the basics remain the same.

Poker Rooms

You can find over 200 online poker rooms on the internet today. The largest poker room can hold 500,000 people playing just about anywhere or simply in the comforts of their own home.

It’s definitely not a number you can see on a land-based casino.

One of the qualities people look for in çasino games, pokers alike, is having a good variety of options. Here are the poker variations you may want to look for:

The 4 Main Poker Variations

You can generally categorize the many different types of poker you can find in online poker sites in any one of these categories:

Community Card Poker

A player is dealt less than your complete five-card poker hand of cards.

Face-up community cards are then dealt for the players to make the best possible five-card hand with a combination of their own cards and the community.

Texas Hold’Em and Omaha fall under this category.

Straight Poker

This is the earliest form of poker in history. Each player is dealt a full hand of five cards.

A round of betting happens where players can keep raising until the game concludes. Examples of straight poker are five-card brag and three-card brag.

Draw Poker

This poker variant also deals all five cards at the beginning of the game.

Draw poker then allows them to improve their hand by discarding cards and are dealt with replacements. Five-card draw is famous for this.

Stud Poker

A player is dealt cards one by one in a specified combination of face-up and face-down cards. A round of betting occurs between each dealt card. Seven-card stud and Razz are examples of stud poker.

Bonus Offers

Online poker sites are highly competitive.

They make money in the form of entry fees and rakes, which is money a poker room takes from each pot.

The more players an online poker site has the more revenue. To attract players, online poker sites have to work on the best bonus offers.

Every site basically offers deposit bonus codes ranging from 20% to 100%. These are usually tied with wagering requirements and a predetermined amount of raked hands to be played.

A bonus exclusive would include reload bonuses, loyalty bonuses, freerolls, and other one-off promotions.

It can pay to be selective to get the most out of the money poker experience by taking advantage of the many tempting bonus deals.

Free Poker Vs. Real Money Poker

It’s great to get a start at playing poker for free, especially when you wouldn’t consider yourself one with the experts yet. But there are also certain restrictions to it.

You cannot expect to get a good insight into how players are going to behave when real money is at stake. Eventually, you’d want to step into the big leagues. Here is what to expect:

Free Poker

Pros:

  • You can practice your basic skills and strategy on a free play
  • Guarantees no risk for loss of money
  • Laid back, you can even make a few friends from different countries from poker site users alike
  • You can get familiar with the different poker variations

Cons:

  • No real money prizes unless if its a freeroll tournament
  • Players won’t behave the same than if it were in a real game

Real Money Poker

Pros:

  • Chance to win big cash prizes if you play well or get lucky
  • You can access any poker variation and have the liberty to place your bets
  • Get the best bonus deals and earn loyalty points
  • You get to see players’ true colors especially in bluffing in a game where money is involved

Cons:

  • You could lose real money if you make a mistake
  • Some variants may not offer as many tables for play as you would prefer

What is the Best Poker Site for Real Money?

Online poker in the U.S. has been debated for a while due to some issues raised by the Supreme Court and the Department of Justice.

The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is the U.S. legislation regulating online gambling.

At the moment, only the states of Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Michigan have legalized online poker.

In Europe, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) remains to be the popular authority for licensing online poker games assuring safety from money laundering, for example. Malta is a popular destination for online casinos.

Apart from the best bonus deals, we emphasize security as a basis for choosing a good money poker site.

To play real money online for amusement purposes should regardless, give you peace of mind. Here are five of the best online poker sites:

888Poker

This is our top pick online poker site.

Pros:

  • Exclusive $1000 new player bonus, $88 free bonus, no deposit required
  • Fast payout speed of 1-3 days
  • Secure banking options including your regular debit card, Paypal, Neteller, Skrill, VISA and Mastercard among others
  • First-class poker software
  • Fully compatible for play on Mac, PC or any tablet device
  • Offers Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Stud Poker and Video Poker

Cons:

  • No download version
  • Other sites have more traffic
  • Tournament schedules could be improved

PartyPoker

Pros:

  • Has cash game missions, the biggest tournament prize pools, and over a dozen regular promotions weekly
  • Has a generous loyalty program
  • Tournament schedules are available 24/7 at all levels
  • Great software quality and is easy to use
  • Money deposits and payout options include Visa, Mastercard, Neteller with payout speed of 1-3 days only
  • Offers Texas Hold’em, Fastforward, Sit Go tournaments, and both real money and free play tables

Cons:

  • Not available for US poker players
  • Must be logged in with registered username and password to access all lobby features

Pokerstars

Pros:

  • Playable downloaded or mobile
  • Has a variety of games with a wide range of stakes
  • Carries high traffic which makes it easy to find a game 24/7 and secure
  • Has a high payout speed within 1-2 days and secure banking methods like VISA, Mastercard, and Paypal among others
  • Has features like multi-tabling, reviewing histories of hand, chatting with other players, and tracking

Cons:

  • A lot of players also mean tournaments fill up quickly
  • There is no instant play version

BetOnline

Pros:

  • Has a high-quality poker room with a vast number of ring games, cash games, and tournaments
  • Has a generous welcome bonus for newcomers, and 100% first deposit bonus
  • Payout speed of 1-3 days
  • Has a rake race for a chance to win the jackpot cash prize
  • Ranks in the US for poker traffic of visitors, resulting in better promotions
  • Accepts bitcoin payments and banks through cryptocurrencies

Cons:

  • Could allow better withdrawal limits per transaction
  • Doesn’t mention maximum monthly cash out in Terms and Conditions

Ignition Poker

Pros:

  • 150% First Deposit Bonus and $1500 Welcome Bonus
  • Secure and fast banking options include Amex, Bitcoin, Mastercard and VISA
  • Built for Android and iOS devices and conveniently play on the go
  • A multitude of no-limit Texas Hold’em and Omaha poker cash games
  • Exquisite rakeback in SNGs, cash games, and MTTs
  • Has large site traffic assuring safety in numbers

Cons:

  • Live chat is not yet implemented
  • Customer service could be better

Poker Sites on the Blacklist

The industry is booming with new platforms popping out each month.

It can be tricky to measure whether an operator is legit or not. We don’t want you to make a bad move and get ripped off.

Here is a shortlist of poker rooms you should stay away from:

LockPoker

They were once very promising, along with Full Tilt Poker back in 2011. The site however started halting withdrawals and revealed in 2014 that they still owed players millions of dollars.

CarbonPoker

They have serious allegations of frozen payments and poor cashouts. Players have also reported shady terms of use.

OddsPoker

They have been accused in several forums of confiscating bonus winnings. Even if the site still operates under the Antigua license, best to stay away from it.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Poker Site

These were the criteria we considered in making our shortlist of the best poker sites listed above:

Safety and Trustworthiness

To play poker safely, the first thing to check is whether the poker website follows regional guides and is properly licensed by a reputable regulatory body.

It is also important to check if they use cutting edge security measures to protect your confidential data at all times, like with SSL technology.

The indication for the best online secured poker rooms makes use of the 1024 bit encryption technology to protect every player from third-party interference.

Player details like his/her personal information, credit card details, and the money in their account are confidential.

Specialized companies like eCOGRa conduct an auditing process regularly to test the security confidence of the software.

Bonuses and Promotions

One of poker’s attraction is the many bonuses and promotions available.

Online poker casino operators should look after both newcomers and regular players. To entice a player to play online regularly, the casino site must provide them with incentives.

Welcome bonuses, cashback, rakeback promotions, freerolls, and loyalty schemes increase a site’s ranking and help influence a player’s decision to choose a site over the competition. This also helps increase your bankroll!

Payment and Withdrawal Options

Casino sites that offer a number of universally used withdrawals and deposit methods are always advantageous to online money gambling. Fast and easy transactions are of great importance to every player because money is hot.

Payment methods to look out for are credit and debit cards, e-wallets, wire transfers, Skrill, Paypal, Neteller, and cryptocurrencies.

If they accommodate a different currency, too, that would be a plus. It’s also good to look at facilities that offer low withdrawal fees and high deposit limits.

Payout Speed

Can you imagine winning a large amount of cash but having to struggle to secure your payout? What a nightmare.

Only reliable poker sites that offer fast player payouts, usually between 1 to 3 days, are highly recommended.

Selection of Games and Tournaments

The availability of real money poker games is of great value to every player and could play a decisive role when choosing his preferred operator.

Texas Hold’Em and Omaha are two of the most popular variants of poker and are available in every poker room. However, there are also a few who like to explore their options like Stud, Draw, and Razz.

Apart from the games mentioned above, some real money poker sites even include mixed poker casino games. A famous example of this type is the H.O.R.S.E., which is an acronym for Hold’Em, Omaha High/Low, Razz, Stud (7-Card), and Eight or Better.

Poker site operators should also consider offering a variety of SNGs and tournaments. Modern poker formats like Spin and Go, and fast-fold poker would raise them to a whole new level.

The availability of live video poker games is also a plus. These are run by a live dealer with an actual deck of cards, in an actual poker room with a physical table.

Players and the dealer can opt for communication methods through a live chatbox.

Software

The best real money poker game can only be experienced with topnotch software.

Poker websites designed by the likes of developers Netent and Microgaming are recommended. They are super reliable and user friendly.

Popularity

A large number of players in a poker room is essential to find good and challenging games. Half-empty tables are no fun.

Customer Service

Decent customer support is another factor to consider. Even the most experienced poker players sometimes have trouble finding their way around a poker platform.

Issues regarding your deposit or withdrawal, a software glitch, or problems with your account require quick resolutions.

If a site has an unprofessional or delayed response, it might be best to consider other options.

Tips to Win at Online Poker Sites

Study Your Opponents

The idea of success in poker relies on being able to tell other players’ moves. Since online poker removes the physical aspect of the game, carefully observing how they put on a bet could be everything for your strategy.

Play at Micro-stakes

You can play for free, or you can play at micro-stakes. This means you bet on just a few cents.

You get to enjoy the thrills of real money poker without having to risk too much. This is not available in live casinos, so you can definitely take advantage of honing your skills.

Memorize Poker Hand Rankings

You can check the strength of your hand through poker hands charts available in any search engine web browser.

This will help you determine whether you should raise or fold. This is perfect if you’re playing on an app. But do note, these are frowned upon in land-based casinos.

Manage your Bankroll

A vital tip to avoid having a gambling problem is to make sure you have your funds sorted out.

Our advice is for you to set aside a certain amount of money to bet.

If you take a hit, drop down and build your bankroll back up. Make a risky jump up the stakes only if you are comfortable.

A rule of thumb when playing cash games is to have 20-30 buy-ins set aside.

The casino world is tempting and could even cause addiction. Everyone wants to win some cash, but don’t risk losing your life out of it. Gamble responsibly!

Play Multi-Table

Folding is something you do a lot in poker. If you’re new, then definitely start things off slow with a single table.

If you’ve had enough understanding of the technical aspects of the game, then playing multi-table is no problem!

Playing multiple tables at one time increases your play volume as well as your winnings. Just make sure you can still manage all poker events and not sacrifice any bets.

Master Bluffing

Bluffing is an important element in poker. This enables players in poker sites to win even when they do not have the best hand.

Before deciding to bluff, you need to consider your position, chip stack, table image, and betting history.

This could be incredibly risky, too, so might as well do more research and have some game guides at hand.

Create a Distraction-Free Zone

Without the constraints of a physical table in a casino, players in poker site games tend to fall into diversions.

Typically, these involve watching television or talking on the phone.

These distractions can possibly decrease your chances of winning by making a mistake or missing out on any knowledge you could have observed from your opponent.

If you are serious about playing and wish to even take it professionally, then constructing an environment free of distractions is crucial to becoming one of the top poker winners!

Update Hardware

Ideally, playing at a computer desk with a good chair sets up a professional attitude and, all in all, a more comfortable gaming experience.

A bigger screen and high-resolution monitor can reduce eye-strain and aid in playing multi-tables. A high-quality mouse can also make a difference in the time spent in completing actions. It also reduces wrist strain.

As beginners transition to tournament players, investments like these may be added cost, but it can get you on top of the leader boards too!

Explore Software

Take advantage of the gaming software functionalities to raise your lots at winning.

The best place for new individuals to maximize the software is by using the note-taking function already present on most poker site contents.

Some online poker casinos offer color-coding for players too.

Keeping a record of your opponents’ moves will give you the strength and confidence in improving your hand and in applying betting strategies.

Conclusion

I hope all the information we provided will help you get started at real money poker sites and get you winning some decent cash soon.

Always remember to gamble responsibly. Finding reliable poker sites is easy if you know where to look. We hope we took you a step ahead already.

For any questions or ideas, don’t hesitate to leave us a message in the Comments section below!

Related post

Pennsylvania Officially Legalizes Online Gambling

Pennsylvania officially becomes 4th state to legalize online gambling.
Earlier today, AP Reporter Marc Levy twitted that Governor Wolf has signed H 271 bill. A bill which legalizes online gambling within the borders of Pennsylvania.

Read More
Pennsylvania Online Gambling Bill: FAQ and Expert Review

Earlier this week, Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representative passed H 271 bill which is set to legalize online gambling within the state borders. We are keen to set things straight and figure out what is the future of online gambling in Pennsylvania.

Read More
Pennsylvania Online Gambling Bill Passed

Until Wednesday, Oct 25th online gambling was illegal in Pennsylvania. However, a bill that legalized online gambling and online poker was passed by Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday and passed by Pennsylvania House on Thursday. Many consider this to bthe biggestst gambling expansion since the state legalized land based gambling a decade ago.

Read More

0 Reviews

Write a Review

linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram