You have decided to play online poker. Now you need to find the right site. There are hundreds of poker websites on the Internet. How can you distinguish between the many available sites to find your favorite site? In your search to find the perfect poker site for you, there are a few key factors you need to be aware of. These criteria will make your search easier and allow you to compare them.
Free Poker
If you’re looking to play poker online for recreation and not for profit, make sure that the site you’re interested in allows “free” players. Most online poker sites do cater to free players.
Software Download or Web-based?
Most online poker sites require that you download their client software to your computer to use it. You might be hesitant to download such software onto your computer. Instead, you can check to see if there is a web-based interface that allows you to play online poker from your browser.
Although software installations can risk malware or viruses being installed onto your system, most reputable companies would not do this. However, software installs on your computer are generally faster than web-based sessions. Software installations use the power of your PC’s CPU, while web-based interfaces download any screen real estate updates from the Internet during play. This can cause slowness, especially if you have a slow internet connection (e.g., a dial-up). If speed is your goal, you can choose local software installations. However, if safety and disk space are a concern, you can opt for a web-based poker website.
Deposit/Withdrawal Methods
When you plan to play online poker for real money, it is important to know each poker site’s deposit and withdrawal methods. These sites allow major credit cards, which seems to be the most popular deposit method. Other sites enable bank transfers, ACH transfers, checks, and wire transfers from banks. Many poker sites support 3rd-party eWallets. These allow for an intermediary between banks and the poker site. You should consider the following: 1) Which deposit and withdrawal methods are available on the poker site? 2) How many are available in the area you reside? 2) Is it legal to deposit/withdraw to/from a Poker site from the jurisdiction where you are playing? ; 3) What fees are associated with 3rd-party eWallet companies you can use, and how reliable are these (this question can be researched on some poker message boards).
Locale Restrictions
Some poker sites restrict playing poker us for money or even free play, depending on where you live and the laws in place. You should consult your local laws and the poker site to determine if any restrictions are in place.
Support
You should look into the support options offered by a poker site. Most poker sites offer telephone, fax, email, or live chat support. A poker site should offer as many of these options as possible. Toll-free support is available from your jurisdiction.
Game Variety
It is important to know which poker sites support you, depending on your poker experience and interest in variety. Most sites offer Texas Holdem. However, depending on your level, you might want to check to see whether they provide Omaha Poker, Five and Seven Card Stud, Omaha Poker and all its variations, Blackjack (not poker but included as a game option), Stud and its variations, Draw poker, Tournament Support, Limit and Pot Limit games, and Tournament support. Online poker sites love tournaments, with some offering substantial prize pools.
Bonuses
Most poker sites offer some bonuses when you sign up. Although each site provides a different bonus, most offer a minimum deposit bonus. Many bonuses are calculated based on the amount of money spent and deposited on the site. Many sites also offer to reload bonuses to existing customers. These bonuses are added to the initial deposit bonus and are intended to encourage you to stay as a customer.
Graphics & Usability
This is an important consideration. Each poker site is unique in its look and feel. You must be comfortable using the poker software and the screen graphics. You should not play at the poker site if uncomfortable with it. Before you gamble real money, it is a good idea to test out a poker site in free mode.
Game Features
You must always consider the game features available at a particular poker site. You should consider game features like hand history, multiple playing windows, player notes and visual indicators, player statistics and connection status indicators, player chat, and turbo games.
Rake
The amount of each hand’s pot the poker website takes as part of its business fee. It is important to know how much rake each poker site charges compared to other sites. When calculating rake, poker sites use either a Weighted Contribution or an Average Contribution method. The rake is a measure of how much you make on hand wins. However, this should not be the only criteria you use to choose a poker site. All factors must be considered. When deciding on the best Poker site for you, it is important to view all of the above criteria. These criteria can be weighted differently depending on your preference. Have fun searching for Poker sites!!
