Finding the right site
Choosing where to play poker can be a daunting prospect.
You've probably paid some free poker and you also know how to pay money into a poker site. Now it's time to pick a poker site to play on. Here a brief summary of the main issues you should consider.
Software
You have to deal with the software on your poker site every single time you play.
Dealing with unresponsive or unreliable software, especially when there is money at stake, can be extremely frustrating and potentially expensive.
Luckily these days most sites have well designed software that you can depend on, and often the choice comes down to personal preference. It’s usually possible to download the software from a site before you sign up for an account. Take advantage of this try a few to see what you like.
Traffic
An online poker site is useless without players to play against. The traffic across sites varies greatly, from the hundreds of thousands of players regularly found on Pokerstars, to the smaller sites which may only have a few dozen players online at once.
You need to make sure that there are enough tables running of your chosen game. This is especially important if you play any of the less popular variants of poker.
A way a lot of sites get around the problem of low traffic is by belonging to a network (such as iPoker or OnGame).
This is where a number of ‘skins’ all share the same player pool. One more thing to be aware of is that the sites with higher traffic tend to attract the better players due to the ability to multi-table.
Game selection
As well as checking out the traffic on a site, it’s also vital to check the game selection available.
All sites will offer Texas Hold’em and the other more popular poker variants, but different sites offer games of different structures. Check things like if the site offers the kind of tournaments you want to play at times suitable for you.
If you play one of the lesser known poker games, then you will have to check that your choice of game is supported.
Bonuses and rewards
The way online poker sites compete for your custom is by offering sign-up bonuses. These are promotional offers where the site will offer you ‘free’ money by matching a certain percentage of your initial deposit.
Shop around and find the best offers you can, but be aware that the site will not simply hand you the money. You have to clear the bonus by playing in real-money games, and it can often be difficult and time consuming to play enough hands to fully clear the bonus.
Check out the rules laid down by the site and work out whether you will be able to claim your reward.
Some sites, such as Pokerstars and SkyPoker, also offer VIP rewards systems for continuing players. Basically these schemes refund some of the rake, or commission, taken by the site.
Security and integrity
Of course you want your money to be safe and the games to be fair. All of the big online poker sites are highly regulated and very secure, so there aren’t many worries in this area.
But if you decide to go for one of the smaller independent sites, make sure you do some research. Check out how the site is regulated and where it's regulated from, and also look for independent verification of their procedures.
Reputation
Online poker sites rely on their reputation to generate business. This means that most poker sites are highly reputable and fulfil all of the criteria laid down here. A lot of the choice of where to play comes down to personal preference.
If you sign up for an account at one site and it doesn’t suit you, remember that it doesn’t cost anything to withdraw your money and find somewhere else. There are so many sites out there these days that there is no reason to settle until you’re happy with your site.
Our next step on the poker journey is to consider whether you should play cash games or tournaments.
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