The growth of online poker in recent years has been nothing short of amazing, with players joining players all over the world in online poker tournaments with high stakes and big cash games. Because it can be so profitable, more players are looking to try it out, starting with free play games then working their way up to cash game options, where they can start to play online poker for real money. In our online poker guide, we will not only guide you to all the best poker sites, but we will also help you figure out which are the best online poker rooms, which poker room is best for beginners, how to use your sign up bonus to play real money poker
How We Pick the Best Poker Site
So, what is it that makes these real money online poker sites stand out above the rest? Well, when creating our list of best online poker sites, here are the aspects that we took into consideration.
Welcome Bonus
The first thing you will notice when you are comparing different online poker sites is the size of the sign-up bonus. Pretty much all online poker sites offer a welcome bonus, but not all of these are poker bonuses and not all new players bonuses can be used to start gambling on poker games and tournaments. As such, one of the first features that stands out to us is trying to find the best welcome bonus for poker.
Other Poker Bonuses
There are several online gaming sites that cater to the poker audience and consider themselves to be the place to play poker online. These online poker sites will offer specific online poker bonus offers. Sites such as PokerStars and Cyber.Bet and William Hill Poker are designed as specialised online poker sites and, as such, will offer numerous poker bonus offers. As such, if you are looking for online poker sites that cater a lot of bonuses towards online poker, then we would recommend you try out the gambling sites specifically aimed at playing online poker.
Remember, when you claim any sign-up bonus or poker bonus, T&Cs apply. So make sure that you read the terms and conditions carefully.
Online Poker Games
Aside from the poker bonus and sign up bonus offers, we also look at the number of real money poker games available on the site. We also look at poker rooms, free play games, cash games and tournaments.
New poker players may not feel comfortable heading straight over to a poker tournament or a cash game. As such, many like to start out practising their games in the casino. Most casinos offer online video casino games such as Texas Hold’em, Omaha High, Omaha Hi/Lo etc. Pretty much every site that offers poker will give players a way to play for free in order to practice first.
However, if you are looking to join a tournament or find a poker room where you can start playing poker for real big money, then you are better off going to specialised online poker sites, such as PartyPoker, William Hill Poker, Cyber.Bet and Pokerstars. These poker sites have been created with real money poker in mind. They cater for all different poker players and if poker is what you are looking for, then at one of these poker sites, you will find a poker room that suits you.
Poker Traffic
Many people opt to start playing at the biggest poker sites because they are seen as the best and safest choice. When people think about these sites, they know that they are bound to find lots of cash games and poker tournaments. There will also be a range of buy-ins suitable for all poker players, from a few pence to thousands. What’s more, you will also be able to find lots of freeroll tournaments if you want to start out with free poker.
However, it’s worth noting that all of the best poker players in the world will be active on these online poker sites. This can make poker games and tournaments a lot more competitive and difficult to win compared to smaller poker sites.
As such, for new players starting out, smaller poker sites may be more profitable to start with. These will have less poker traffic and if you’re new to playing the game and are looking for easy poker games to start with, you may want to consider smaller sites with less poker traffic.
Safety And Security
No matter whether you are looking for a big poker site or a small poker site. Ultimately, you want it to be licensed and regulated in your country of residence.
Best Poker Sites for Beginners
As we have stated above, choosing the best poker site for you often depends on how good you are at playing poker and whether or not you are a beginner or an experienced player. If you are new to real money online poker games, here are some things you should take into consideration when choosing your online poker site:
Firstly, you should look for those real money poker sites that offer a decent number of Texas Hold’em games. These games are excellent for beginners and can help you practice.
A wide variety of bonuses and promotions to keep you going on your online poker journey.
A poker site that offers a feed selection of low stakes tournaments, so you don’t have to start real money poker games with big risks.
A poker site that offers players a decent number of online qualifiers to play inexpensive events for small buy-ins.
We have found that poker sites such as PartyPoker have gone to some lengths to create a good environment for new players.
Best Poker Sites for Experienced Players
Whether or not you consider yourself to be an experienced poker play is your decision. However, some players may feel ready to play with the big guns in big tournaments.
If you do know how to play poker and are confident in your skills – and are prepared to start risking higher stakes, then you will want to try out a poker site that is catered towards higher spenders. The best poker sites for experienced players offer:
Decent cashback and rake back poker promotions
an excellent selection of poker games and poker rooms
They have high poker traffic with big tournaments
They offer high stakes cash games and big win poker tournaments.
Poker Software
If you are looking for a quality poker site, then you will want to look for one that offers quality poker software. Some poker software offers excellent features but can look outdated. Other poker software may look and feel more modern and have lots of added extras to give it even more appeal.
When looking at poker software, you need to take into consideration more than just how reliable it is. It is absolutely vital that the poker software offers an excellent experience on mobile as well as desktop. So, when you do choose your preferred poker sites, research the type of poker software it uses and decide which suits your taste the most, especially if you are looking to play poker on mobile.
Online Poker FAQs
Can You Play Poker for Money Online?
Yes. If you want to play online poker for real money, then there are lots of ways you can do this. At all of the best online poker sites that we recommend, you will have access to plenty of online poker games where you will have the option to play poker games either for free or for real money. A good online casino will also offer not just free games, but also low stakes and high stakes poker games, so you can decide how much you want to risk – and how much you want to win!
What is the Best Online Poker Site?
This very much depends on your own personal taste and how much you know about playing poker online. If you are a new player, then you may want to try out a smaller site with less poker traffic, so it is less competitive. If you are more experienced, then you may want to look at bigger sites with high stakes tournaments and big cash games. Check out our list of best online poker sites and read the reviews to see which is the best for you.
Where Can I Play Poker Online for Free with Friends?
All of our best online poker sites will give you the opportunity to play poker online for free. Most players will want to have access to free games in order to practice their techniques and hone their skills – even experienced players. As such, at all of the top online poker sites that we recommend, you will be able to play poker online for free.
What is the Best Online Poker Site for Real Money?
There are a number of fantastic online poker sites for real money. Picking the best is tricky, and a matter of personal taste. The best online poker site for you is a very personal choice, depending on the type of games you like playing, how much you know about the game and whether you prefer a low stakes or high stakes game.
How Can I Claim the Poker Bonuses?
If you want to claim the poker bonuses that you have seen on our website, you simply need to click on the link and head over to the poker site in question. You will then need to fill in the registration page and make a qualifying deposit. Before you claim the bonus, make sure that you read through all the terms and conditions carefully and that you name a qualifying deposit.
What Poker Sites Have the Best Mobile Apps?
When you look at our list of best poker sites, you will find that all of them have very good mobile apps. Be sure to read our reviews of the poker sites so that you can see which ones offer the best variety of poker games on mobile.
How Can I Find Out if a Poker Site is Secure or Not?
If you want to find out whether an online poker site is secure, simply look to see if it has been licensed and regulated in your country of residence.
