Poker is one of the most popular casino games, both online and offline in traditional casino gaming rooms. While many casino games are based on luck and chance, poker requires special playing skills. There are hundreds of variations, rules and ways to win at poker. For these reasons, poker is very popular all over the world, and you are sure to find some form of poker game at any online casino site you visit.
We are huge fans of poker and spend a lot of time playing the game online and offline. It’s great fun to play with friends or even strangers, and it’s a great way to earn money if you know how to do it right. We play many different types of poker and always keep up to date with the latest strategies and tips.
We’ve put together this guide to help more people get back into the game and improve their poker skills. Poker sometimes puts many beginners off because it seems too challenging at first sight. We have written this guide to help you simplify your understanding of the game by explaining the different types of poker and revealing some basic tips. Some poker tips can also be found elsewhere on our site, this is how we help players of all levels to improve their game.
We’ll inform you about the best places to play poker, introduce you to the best types of poker and a few other things to look out for. We help players like you to improve their online poker experience. No matter how experienced you are, we can help you learn more about poker. We’ll help you not only win more, but also have more fun playing poker online!
Read on to find out more about the best sites and online poker bonuses, and where to find them. When it comes to online poker, our site has everything you need.
Why play poker?
Poker is undoubtedly one of the most popular card games in the world. It’s great fun to play and, unlike some other casino games, it’s not just about luck, but also about skill. Here are some of the reasons why poker is so popular and why we love it so much:
- Many variations – there are hundreds of different poker variations. Although it may be confusing at first for a beginner, this variety offers a great choice for the everyday player. Even when playing the same type of game, poker games will never be the same thanks to the variety of players, hands and rules.
- Skill-based – Unlike a slot machine or roulette table, poker involves skill. Of course, a lot still depends on luck, such as what cards are dealt, but bear in mind that the best cards don’t always win. You need to know how to use the cards to your advantage, using psychological tricks such as bluffing to help you beat your opponents.
- Widely available – Poker is one of the most popular card games, so it’s available at almost every online casino. There are also hundreds of great poker sites dedicated to providing the best poker tables for players around the world.
- Play against other players – Instead of playing against the dealer, you compete against other players. This adds to the excitement for players who enjoy knocking another opponent off the table. It also allows you to play poker against people at different skill levels.
- Excitement – Poker is one of the most exciting casino games, thanks to four betting rounds where you can see what your opponents are made of. Poker may pass slowly compared to some other games, but it never fails to give us that thrill of anticipation.
- Big prizes – lots of people play poker, so with such a large player base, it’s no wonder that huge sums of money are being made. On the simpler sites, you can usually find games with pretty high stakes. Many sites also offer tournaments with huge cash prizes for the winners.
Online poker strategy
Since poker is not just about luck, you have the opportunity to turn the odds in your favour. We’ve compiled a list of our favourite tips that we hope can help you improve your playing skills and beat your opponents at the table more often.
- Slow start – When you first start a game, you will be considered a beginner. This can make it easier for other players if you are not careful. Before you start playing for real money, it’s a good idea to practice your basic skills in free poker. You can also start with low-stakes games, so your maximum loss will also be lower. Don’t get carried away with increasing your bets, even if you think you have a great hand. Move slowly and steadily, you will learn a lot more this way. As you become more skilled, you will be able to increase your bets and eventually move on to higher stakes games and multi-table games.
- Understanding the game – Many players get carried away and lose control when they first start out, thinking that the rules they know apply to all forms of poker. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way and you’re in for a shock if you rush in without reading the rules. Make sure you know which hands are best before you start any game, remember that most players will be more experienced than you, so make sure that your opponent has less of an advantage over you at the start of the game!
- Take advantage of bonuses – many online casinos and poker sites offer great promotions and bonuses for new players. Make the most of these opportunities and they will allow you to play more rounds with less risk. Make sure you check the terms and conditions before you sign up, as some will have certain wagering requirements or other restrictions. Independent players are also often treated to special offers, so don’t miss out on the latest announcements from the casino operators where you play. Find all the best online poker bonuses on our online casino bonus page, or check out the latest bonuses on our site’s casino bonuses page.
- Creating a distraction-free play area – Before resuming play, it is important to eliminate any distractions. Poker requires a lot of concentration and you need to be attentive in order to win. Play some relaxing music, set your smartphone to silent mode and settle into your comfort zone. The difference between good players and great players is often how seriously they take the game.
- Controlling your balance – Your balance is how much money you have available to place bets in a game. This will be the money deposited into your player account at the casino or poker site. Be sure to set a limit to play with each day and do not exceed it. If your amount gets low, play lower stakes poker games. If your bankroll gets bigger, you can risk more by playing higher stakes games. Keep an eye on your balance and stop playing if you think you are spending too much.
- Limits on losses and wins – Before you start playing again, it is important to set limits on how much you are willing to lose. You should also set a maximum amount you can win before you stop playing for the day. It is always a good idea to set limits when gambling as it is easy to get carried away when playing. Especially at the time of losses, when players tend to bounce back, which usually only leads to more losses. It is important to remain calm when playing poker, so you should avoid playing when you are overconfident about wins or angry about losses.
Online Poker Tips
Before you start playing poker online, it’s important to make sure you understand what the game is all about. The last thing you want is to play against players who have a lot more knowledge about the game than you do. Players can always be more experienced, but you should never enter a game knowing less than your opponents.
There is also an element of luck in poker, especially when cards are dealt, but what to bet and how to play the cards you are dealt is a matter of strategy. We’ll give you the lowdown on which hands are the most profitable, as well as some general tips. You can find more detailed tips on our poker page.
Most of these tips will be applicable to Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, which is considered to be the most popular type of poker game. If you want to know more about the different types of poker, we’ll cover some of the main types in this guide.
Play poker online for free
One of the best ways to improve your game is to practice. Usually, when playing casino games, you’ll have to play for real money, which means it’s hard to practice for a long time without risking a lot of money.
Luckily, there are some great options for new players. Many online casinos will offer free demos of their most popular games. Although you won’t be able to play for free with other players, you could play poker against the computer at the major sites.
Some poker sites also offer free entry to certain tournaments, especially if you are new to the game. They may allow you to try a poker tournament for the first time, which will give you a better idea of how they work.
Finally, some sites also offer bonuses that allow you to try out the games without risking your money. If you are a new player, it is advisable to try out the games as risk-free as possible. You can get a lot of experience even playing the free version of the game and it will help you understand the rules and combinations much better.
Even if you are an experienced player, free games are a great way to try out different strategies and prepare for a real tournament.
Poker bonuses
Nowadays, almost every poker site and online casino offers lucrative bonuses for new players. This is one of the best parts of online casino games and the reason why online gambling remains even more popular.
Since there are so many new gambling sites out there, all competing with each other, bonuses are a motivation to sign up and play. Poker sites and casinos could not exist without players, so sites are always competing with each other to attract new players. This is a great opportunity for players as it means that most sites offer big bonuses for new players.
The most common type of bonus you will find is the matched deposit bonus or cashback bonus. An example of this would be a site that offers a 100% bonus up to AUD$670 on your first deposit. This means that if you register with the site and deposit AUD 670, you will receive an additional AUD 670 cash bonus.
You will not be able to apply the amount of this bonus to your bank account. You will need to play it a certain number of times first. This is known as a play condition. Most sites will require you to wager the bonus money between x15 and x35 times before claiming the winnings.
Some sites also offer no deposit bonuses. These are some of the best bonuses available on the internet, despite the fact that most often their value is significantly lower than that of cashback bonuses. This is due to the fact that no deposit bonuses are easier to obtain. All you have to do is register and the free bonus will be added to your new player account. This way you can try online poker without making any deposit.
If you are looking for the best online casinos and online poker bonuses, you have come to the right place. Our goal is to find the best bonuses on the internet. We offer them all here on our site, giving you the chance to find the biggest and most exciting casino bonuses. Whether you’re looking for cashback bonuses, no deposit bonuses or something else. They can all be found here. Our main bonus page is updated regularly so you can always find the latest casino bonuses and bonus codes.
What is bluffing?
In poker, the object of the game is to make the best hand that beats the other player at the table. However, just because you don’t have the best hand doesn’t mean you will lose. Players bet according to how good their hand is, and if they think someone else is better than them, they will fold rather than spend money to call. Deceiving the other players at the table into believing you have a strong hand is called bluffing.
Bluffing is what sets poker apart from many other table games and is one of the reasons why poker is so popular. It allows players to get ahead and win, even if they are unlucky. It’s all about using the odds to your advantage and making a weak hand look stronger than it is. In the online poker world, bluffing is often less effective than in real life, but it can still be a useful strategy.
If you plan to use bluffing in your game, here are some tips:
- Don’t bluff too often – your image at the poker table is built on your bets. If you bet high all the time and rarely show strong hands at the opening, your opponents will know you are bluffing. If you are quite conservative with your bets and occasionally raise, it will be harder for the other players at the table to tell if you are bluffing or if you have a stronger hand. You need to be careful not to go over the line by bluffing too often, because if your opponent does call, you will lose your bet and the players will think you bluffed on the next hand.
- Partial bluffing is more effective – pure bluffing, where you have no chance unless your opponent folds at the end. Ideally, you should use a partial bluffing strategy. That is, if you have a good hand, but you look from the outside like you have the stronger hand at the moment. This way you have a better chance of winning. In addition, if a player does fall for your bluff and calls his bet, he will not necessarily realise that you bluffed.
- If you are a beginner, focus on the basic rules before you start bluffing – make sure you understand the basics of the game before you get into complicated strategies like bluffing. It’s always tempting to go for it from the start. However, it is more important to improve your general skills and knowledge of poker. Make sure you have had proper practice before you start bluffing.
Types of poker
Before you venture into the world of online poker, we recommend you familiarise yourself with the different types of games. As poker is such a classic game, there are many different sets of rules, hands and names for the game.
Texas Hold ‘Em is the most common type of poker game, but some casinos and poker sites also offer other types of poker. Here are some of the most popular poker games you will find online:
Texas Hold ‘Em
The most popular poker game in the world, and arguably the most widely played. If an online casino offers poker, you can bet it will have at least one form of Texas Hold ‘Em available. At the start of the game, each player is dealt two cards. Five community cards are also dealt, and the player who makes the strongest five-card hand wins. Players have four betting rounds where they compete against each other.
Chinese Poker
Chinese Poker is a beginner-friendly game as there are fewer hands to memorise. Here, players are dealt thirteen cards and they must be divided into three parts: front, middle and back. Points are used to score points in the game, with players scoring more points for stronger hands. Chinese poker has many different variations that introduce different rules, this can affect drops, wins and hands.
Razz
Razz is very similar to Seven Card Stud, but the lowest hand wins. Like Seven Card Stud, players are dealt seven cards and have to make the best possible hand using five of them. There are no community cards, so it’s harder to know what other players have. Whereas Seven Card Stud is more likely to be won by a hand containing high cards such as tens, jacks and kings, Razz Poker will be won by a hand containing lower values such as aces, deuces, threes, fours and fives. Another variation of this game is known as London Lowball, where straights and flushes have lower values.
Omaha Hold ‘Em
In this game, players are dealt four cards. You will need to make the best possible hand using two of your own cards and three of the five community cards. Unlike Texas Hold ‘Em, you will not be able to use just one of the cards in your hand. You must use two of the four cards dealt to you. The hand rankings in Omaha Hold ‘Em are similar to those in Texas Hold ‘Em.
Seven Card Stud
Seven Card Stud is unique compared to many other poker variants in that there are no community cards. Instead, players are dealt five cards and must make the best hand using five of them. Some Seven Card Stud conditions allow wild cards, making a hand of five of a kind the best hand of the game. Before Texas Hold ‘Em became popular, it was the most common type of poker found in casinos.
2-7 Triple Draw
This is a type of Draw Poker where the lowest hand wins. Players are dealt five cards at the start of the game and must make the weakest possible hand. They can choose to fold or exchange one or all of their cards for new ones. In this game, straights and flushes are considered bad hands and aces are considered high cards.
Omaha Hi Lo
Omaha Hi Lo is also sometimes known as Split 8 or Better, and is similar to Omaha Hold ‘Em, but with a split pot. Players will compete to get the strongest hand and the best low hand. Strong hands consist of higher value cards, while low hands consist of an eight or lower. It is possible for one player to win the entire pot, either by forcing opponents to fold or by making both high and low hands. As in Omaha Hold ‘Em, players are dealt four cards and will need to use at least two cards to play a hand.
Pai Gow Poker
Pai Gow is a traditional Chinese game, usually played with dominoes. Pai Gow Poker uses playing cards instead of dominoes. The game uses a standard 52-card deck, but also includes one joker. Players must make two separate hands, one of two cards and one of five. The five-card hand must beat both hands and players must either beat the dealer or each other, depending on the type of game. The hands are similar to standard poker, but the Joker can sometimes be used as a wild card or as a wild ace.
Draw Poker
Draw Poker is a category of poker game that allows players to change the stakes on betting rounds. Players are dealt a complete hand, but can change their cards if they wish. This adds a little more strategy and allows players to potentially gamble to improve their hand. There are different variants of Draw Poker, which we’ll look at in a bit more detail.
Caribbean Stud Poker
The rules for Caribbean Stud Poker are derived from the rules of Five Card Stud Poker. However, the main difference with this type of game is that players play against the dealer instead of against each other. Similar to Blackjack, you will try to make the best hand and beat the dealer. Many players prefer Caribbean Stud Poker because it means the game is a little simpler. The dealer only plays if they are dealt a face card or Ace.
Casino Hold ‘Em
Casino Hold ‘Em is quite similar to Texas Hold ‘Em with one major difference. As with Caribbean Stud Poker, Casino Hold ‘Em players are fighting against the casino, not against other players. Both the player and the dealer will be dealt two cards, and the dealer will only continue to play if they have a qualifying card. Instead of betting in a betting round, the payout of the game is predetermined and based on your winning combination.
Video Poker
Video Poker is an RNG casino game that allows you to play different poker variations against your computer. Most games are based on the Five Card Draw form of poker. The mechanics are similar to slots, except you will be trying to make a winning hand rather than matching symbols. In video poker, you will usually be able to shuffle the cards to improve your hand. Different combinations pay corresponding prizes.
Five Card Draw
Five Card Draw is another form of Draw Poker. It is often considered the simplest and easiest poker game to learn. Most video poker games are based on this game type. Players are dealt five cards, one face down. During the betting phase, the cards can be replaced if the player so requests. Unlike 2-7 Triple Draw, you will make stronger hands instead of hands with lower values. Flushes and straights are high value.
Online poker tournaments
Tournaments are one of the most exciting ways to play poker, and online poker sites usually offer a wide variety of tournaments. By visiting the best online poker sites, you’ll find tournaments with high stakes and plenty of options for beginners.
Tournaments allow you to compete against other players for big cash prizes. Most sites will have a buy-in where you will be awarded a certain amount of chips. To progress to the next stage, you will need to beat all players at the table or collect a certain number of chips. By continuing in the tournament, you will have a better chance of winning the top prize.
We actively search for the best online casinos and poker sites to bring you the best tournaments with the biggest prizes. We can let you know how to enter a tournament or reach the best peaks to get ahead, so make sure you’re always up to date.
Poker on mobile
If you like to play games when you’re out and about, you’ll love playing mobile poker. Most online casinos and poker sites are now available on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. If you prefer to play poker on the go, you can conveniently load your favorite site and join the table.
With a stable internet connection, mobile poker lets you enjoy online poker wherever you go. Most sites don’t even require you to download an app to your mobile device. Sometimes you can find a site that offers mobile app downloads, but in most cases it’s not necessary. However, apps will often give you a better experience. They allow you to load games faster, get notifications and even special bonuses.
If you’re looking for the best online casinos and poker sites that offer mobile play, you can check out our mobile casino section. We list all the best sites where you can now play on your smartphone or tablet. We’ll let you know if sites have any restrictions, performance issues or special surcharges for mobile users.
Live poker
Live casino games provide players with a more authentic casino experience when playing online. Most online casino games use a random number generator (RNG) to determine which cards players receive. The dealer is actually a computer program, and while this is fair, it takes some of the fun out of the game.
With live poker, you play with a live dealer instead of a computer. Live games use live studio broadcasts, where a live dealer will deal you cards and chat with you throughout the game. These games give players the chance to see how a real casino works. By bringing in real casino dealers, live poker becomes even more exciting and unique.
The only downside is that most online casinos only offer live poker where you play against the dealer. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as playing against the dealer can still be a lot of fun. If you want to play against other players, try a different version of poker offered by the casino.