Playing Online Poker at Top Internet Gaming Sites

There are countless opportunities for anybody wanting to play poker online. Most major internet gaming sites carry a handful of titles, and there are also many domains which are solely dedicated to offering you a hand or two of the action. If you’re interested in finding out where you can play poker online, and what types of games you can play, read on…

Playing Poker Online

Once you’ve made the decision to play poker online, you won’t be short of places offering great games. Of course, your natural inclination will be to head to an online casino. However, there are other places you can choose to play, too. Available options include:

• Casinos: Arguably your first port of call for poker games. These domains are the most numerous of the three listed here, and often include table poker titles and live dealer games.
• Sportsbooks: Internet betting sites are also known for carrying poker games. However, the selection available will be petite compared to casinos.
• Poker Rooms: These gambling sites are dedicated to poker gaming. Some even go as far as having tournaments and competitions. If you want a more professional edge to your poker gaming, poker rooms are the way to go.

What Can I Play?

The array of games available to you will vary depending on the site you opt to go with. Some will be RNG (random number generator) games played solely against a dealer. Others will see you compete against other players. Here is a quick run-through of the more popular games and where you can expect to find them…

• Casino/Texas Hold’em: The legendary game and first choice for many seasoned poker players. Some domains offer one or the other, but the larger sites can often carry both.
• Hi/Lo: Hi-Lo is one of the more common poker titles you can expect to find. Often available in a few different variants, it is regularly found at poker rooms and online casinos.
• Caribbean Stud: Caribbean Stud is notable for its progressive jackpot prize, and tends to appear, often as an online casino and live dealer game.
• Stud/Draw Poker: If you want to try your hand at 5-card stud or draw, your best shot of finding the game is in an online poker room, rather than a typical casino site.
• Let ‘em Ride/Ride ‘em Poker: This is another game which can go by either name and is more commonly found in online casinos than true and dedicated poker rooms.
• Other Variants: A typical online casino may offer a few other RNG-based table poker titles. These can include Oasis Poker, Tequila Poker, Cyberstud Poker and others. These games are usually developed by a specific software provider, so their availability changes from site to site.

Classic Video Poker Gameplay

Of course, if you are a poker newbie, or want to try your hand at something simpler, then video poker could be the way to go. These games are played without any opposition (even without a dealer), and your sole objective is to simply build the best hand you possibly can. These games usually only appear at online casinos, and notable ones include:

• Jacks or Better: One of the basic forms of video poker, whereby a player wins with a pair of Jacks or a higher-ranking hand.
• Deuces Wild: Another simple game. It sees all 2s act as wild cards, which act in the stead of any others you might need to land a win.
• Bonus Poker: Bonus Poker is a Jacks or Better variant, which offers a special bonus prize payout when players win with specific four-of-a-kind combinations.
• Multi-Hand Video Poker: These games are often based on Jacks or Better, too, but allow players to wager on two, five, ten, fifty, and perhaps even a hundred hands at once.
• Other Variants: Other video poker games of note include Aces and Faces, Joker Poker, Pick ‘em Poker, Tens or Better and All-American Video Poker. Each has its own rule changes making them worth exploring.

Online Poker Tournaments

If sitting down with the pros and playing in a poker tournament interests you, then you need to head to online poker rooms. You might find a few online casinos which are prepared to offer you basic tournaments, but the real action is to be had in dedicated poker sites. Some of these competitions are affiliated with the WSOP (World Series of Poker) and other poker tours, so the prizes can be considerable. If you do consider this, remember that you’re likely to be going up against the very best.

Live Dealer Poker

Another way you can have a realistic experience (without the budget required for tournament gameplay) is to play live dealer poker. Most major casinos now offer live dealer games, which are played over a video stream. They feature a real, human dealer and you can often interact with them, and in some games, other players. Most games are based on Casino Hold’em Poker, and Texas Hold’em Poker, and you’ll get a good mix of amateur and professional players in these games. You don’t need to worry about those, though, as in most cases, you’ll just be taking on the dealer.

Know Your Table Limits and Rule Variants

Before you bet on online poker, it is important that you consider two things. Firstly, you should know what the table limits are of the game you are planning on playing. There are often low-roller, mid-roller and high-roller tables to choose from. You need to find one which is right for your purse. Secondly, each game may have its own rules. If you don’t know how to play Let ‘em Ride or Caribbean Stud, you might find them a touch different from hold’em poker. Always play demo games for free before playing for real money. This is something many top casinos and poker rooms offer, with the latter sometimes hosting “poker schools” for newbies and beginner’s tables which pros aren’t invited to. It is best to learn a new game inside out, as you may not be familiar with how it works.

Which Poker Game is For Me?

There are many different variants, so you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll like. However, your ideal poker game will generally be one you can afford to play, one where you know the rules, and a game which features players of your skill level or lower. Between sportsbooks, poker rooms and casinos, you’re not short of options.

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