The first online poker sites hit the internet in the late 1990s and quickly become a popular alternative to live poker. Since those early poker sites, the idea of betting real money at online poker games has exploded, and today millions of people play real money poker at virtual card rooms and poker websites. The best online poker sites feature hundreds of games, stakes, and tables and also have thousands of players logged in around the clock.
Players today can log in to major online poker sites and bet on poker games in which players can buy in for less than a dollar or for as much as a hundred thousand dollars and everything in between. The wide range of betting stakes has helped online poker betting sites appeal to players of all skill and interest levels.
Best Poker Sites
All online poker sites out there claims to be the best poker websites to play games for real money at, but there are a few factors that can be used to determine which poker sites truly deserve the title. For the most part, we have found that the largest online poker websites are also the best. Large online poker sites are usually the best because they host the most real money poker tables, run the most generous betting promotions and attract the most new (and inexperienced) online poker players world wide.
Two of the most important things to consider when rating the best poker sites are safety and reputation. Both factors will tell you up front whether or not a poker site is even worth betting at. If poker betting sites cannot guarantee the safety of the games or the security of your funds, then there’s no reason to continue any farther.
The number of real money poker game tables running at any given time is another strong indicator of the quality of any online poker site. If you have a lot of tables to choose from, you’ll find an easier time finding the types of games at the poker betting stakes you want. This goes for both cash games and online poker tournaments for real money.
Poker betting promotions such as freeroll tournaments and poker signup bonuses are also good indicators of quality internet poker sites. Successful poker websites have the resources to offer players generous first time poker deposit bonuses and betting loyalty rewards. Small and unknown poker betting sites do not have as much money to devote to promotional efforts.
Poker site game betting software is also important to consider. We have played at some poker sites that use sub-par software, and it was a major detriment to the experience. Poker betting software that crashes regularly or runs slowly makes it difficult to concentrate on the games for any length of time. Smooth running software, on the other hand, lets you focus on playing the best poker possible.
Poker Site Reviews
Poker site reviews are written in order to help players find the best possible poker site. On one hand, poker site reviews are very helpful because they give players a quick look into different poker sites so they can choose a site with minimal fuss. On the other hand, poker site reviews are only as reliable as the person who writes those reviews.
Overall, we have found that most poker site reviews tend to be straightforward and honest. Some poker site reviews might be a little overly positive, but we rarely see websites randomly recommend poor poker sites.
The poker site reviews that you will find here at BettingOnline.org are intended to be as straightforward and factual as possible. There are a lot of great poker sites out there, so there’s really no need to embellish the details. Besides, we would rather earn the trust of our visitors than make the owners of some random poker site happy.
Real Money Poker Sites Online
Real money poker websites feature both cash games and tournaments in which players can wager and win real money. Online poker cash games can let players start out at stakes as low as $0.01/$0.02 and as high as $2000/$4000. The skill levels vary wildly in these games, but you will generally that as you move up in stakes, the players become increasingly skilled.
Online tournaments also come in a wide range of buyins. At the lower levels, players can buy in for as little as a few cents (sometimes even for free). From there, real money tournament buyins can go as high as $1,000 or more. Prize pools vary based on the number of players enrolled in any single tournament, but they can reach as high as $2,000,000 on the internet.
Security plays an important role at online poker sites because of the amount of money involved. Fortunately, current technology can not only prevent cheating from happening, but software can also detect patterns that indicate players are not playing according to natural skill and luck. The most popular online poker sites devote a lot of time and money to providing secure games, and these poker sites have earned reputations as safe places to play.
Getting started playing poker games at real money sites is as easy as downloading the software and creating an account. Most poker sites are compatible with both PC and Mac computers, and some poker sites can even be accessed without downloading any software at all. Once you have the poker software ready to go, you can then create an account and make a deposit.
A variety of poker deposit methods can be used to fund your real money account at any online card room. Many players simply use credit cards to deposit, but there are also other deposit options such as e-wallets, cash transfer, bank wires, prepaid vouchers and more.
Wagering At Online Betting Sites With Poker Games
Players can make real money bets at poker sites by opening an account and making a deposit. With a funded account, you can visit any cash game or tournament and bet to your heart’s content. Of course, you’ll stick around a lot longer if you time your bets according to some sort of strategy.
The term “betting” in poker refers to the act of making a bet or a raise at a table. Players may place bets regardless of the quality of their holdings. That ability to bet at any time is what makes poker such a strategic game. This is the only game in the casino in which you do not play against the house and can actually achieve a positive, long-term return.
No-limit poker tables let players bet as much money as they want at any time. If you want to push your entire $400 chip stack in to a $1.50 pot, that’s your choice. The entire point of no-limit poker is that any player can go all-in at any time. Fixed limit poker tables limit each bet to a specific size. These poker tables end up being more of a battle of exploiting small advantages over a long period of time.
Knowing when and how to bet is one of the most important pieces of poker strategy. Players who know how to pressure their opponents at the right times can make a lot of money at poker. At the same time, it also helps to know when to avoid betting. In any case, online poker is a highly strategic game that is fun for both casual and serious players alike.