Top online poker sites 2025
The online poker scene in regulated gambling markets is largely dominated by several big brands, with these including Pokerstars, 888 Poker, GGPoker and Party Poker. Having said this there is are many more online poker sites servicing various countries around the globe. The top online poker sites are accessible across Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, while many also have a browser-based playing option. The best poker bonuses, promotions and no deposit offers are spoken about below in-depth. Our article will highlight the various types of online poker that you can play, top poker apps globally, major online poker tournaments, payments and more.
The top online poker sites for 2025 include:
Online poker games available
While it will depend on the online poker site you are playing at, there are many different types of poker available to play, with these including the super-popular variations like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, right through to your niche games like Razz and 8-Game Mix. The table limits will available in these variations will also depend on the operator, with the more action happening the bigger the limits.
Texas Hold’em
- Texas Hold’em Availability: High
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit
- Guides: Texas Hold’em Rules, Texas Hold’em Strategy
The no.1 online poker variation is Texas Hold’em with it readily available at every poker site worth their salt. Texas Hold’em is the traditional game you will find at land-based casinos and easily the most popular version found at online casinos. If you’re playing at one of the bigger poker sites, you might find high roller tables with blinds of $100 and $200, with other tables including 1c/2c blinds, 25c/50c blinds and pretty much every table limit you can think of.
5 card Omaha
- Texas Hold’em Availability: Medium
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit
- Guides: 5 Card Omaha rules
Both 5 Card Omaha and 5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo are available to play for real money online at respected poker sites, including Pokerstars and 888 Poker. As a general rule, if an online poker operator is busy they will have several different tables of 5 Card Hold’em available, plus regular scheduled tournaments. You’re more likely to find a higher-limit game, if you plan in advance and look at the tournament schedule. The gameplay is much like regular Omaha games, but each player is dealt a fifth hole card pre-flop.
7 Card Stud
- 7 Card Stud Availability: High
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit
- Guides: 7 Card Stud
7 Card Stud might not be as popular as it once was, but there are still plenty of loyal players out there. 7 Card Stud is found commonly when playing online poker, with table limits in ring games starting starting, using Pokerstars as an example, from $0.04/$0.08 and going up to $100/$200. There are also daily 7 Card Stud tournaments at most online poker sites. WSOP, which has 7 Card Stud bracelets, runs online satellites for the events in the lead up to the event each year. 7 Card Stud begins with players being dealt two cards face down and one card face up. The player with worst-ranked upcard then pays the “bring-in”. The betting then proceeds as normal.
7 Card Stud Low or Razz Poker
- Razz poker Availability: Medium
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit
- Guides: 7 Card Stud
Most people have heard of Razz poker, which is an online form of 7 Card Stud Low. This version of poker is all about building the worst possible 5 card hand. Yep you read it right this is a version of online poker where the winner is crowned by having the worst hand. The structure or Razz poker online, is the same as 7 Card Stud except it is played as a “low” game, where the worst hands win. Flushes and straights are losing hands in Razz, with the best possible 5 card hand being 5,4,3,2,A.
Omaha High/Low
- Texas Hold’em Availability: High
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit
- Guides: Omaha Poker Rules
Probably the second most popular variation of online poker, with it having many similarities to Texas Hold’em. The big difference is that players are given four hole cards in Omaha, instead of two. In Omaha Hi/Lo the pot is divided between the top hand for high and top hand for low, with these judged by the traditional poker hand rankings. Other variations we have seen of Omaha poker include Omaha Eight, which is when you must score an eight minimum to qualify for the low part of the pot.
6+ Hold’em
- Texas Hold’em Availability: Low
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit
This is prime example of how poker has adopted to the online realm. 6+ Hold’em is a lot like Texas Hold’em except all cards six and below are taken from the deck. The other key change is everyone posts an ante before a hand. Only the first player after the dealer, the player on the button, is the only one to post a blind. The hand rankings vary slightly, with a flush beating a full-house and an Ace can tap in for a 5, in a 5-9 straight.
5 Card Draw poker
- Razz poker Availability: Low
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit
- Guides: 5 Card draw rules
Five Card Draw is not a game that we have found to be common when playing online poker, and even when it is available, the table limits we have found have generally been very low. A quick scan of Pokerstars schedule when writing this article and we did not see any decent 5 Card Draw games on the horizon. In 5 Card Draw you are attempting to make the best five-card hand after one draw, or swapping out cards you don’t want. To start, players are dealt five hole cards, before a round of betting; when concluded players can then discard the cards they don’t want. There is then another round of betting, with the winner crowned when everyone folds, or it goes to showdown and the best 5 card hand wins.
HORSE
- HORSE Availability: Medium
- Betting structures available in online Texas Hold’em: Limit, No Limit
HORSE is the ultimate game for those who think they know a thing or two about poker. Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Eight or Better make up the different poker games in HORSE. Online poker sites like Pokerstars have some really competitive HORSE games, with big pots on a weekly basis. You will also find Sit and Go HORSE tournaments at Pokerstars. 888 Poker and Americas Cardroom also have HORSE available.
There are plenty of other version of online poker available in 2023, with many of the top gambling sites having variants like Pai Gow Poker and Caribbean Stud available for real money.
Best online poker sites 2025
The World Gambling List loves online poker and we understand the lay of the land. The best online poker sites are clearly some of the bigger brands in the world, such as Pokerstars and 888Poker, but having said this many players will not be able to sign up at these sites because of their location.
While there are many online poker sites that operate out of places like Curacao, which will accept players from the likes of Australia and United States, we opt not to advertise these brands to our readers.
Generally the top online poker sites will have a download available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, with these pretty standard, while you can often also play via your web browser. Many of the top poker sites share the same platform, meaning their player pools intermingle, with this including UK giants like bet365, Coral Poker and William Hill.
The best online poker sites will offer both multi-table tournaments, cash games and even Sit and Go events, which kick off when a certain amount of players have entered. These S&G events are often capped at 30 or 40 players, which can be a great starting point for tournament play because it can limit the length and difficulty in winning.
While much of the publicity surrounding online poker goes to major events, like the WSOP Main Event Online and GG World Festival, teh recreational level stretches to millions of players around the world, across many different sites and jurisdictions. There really is a game for everyone at online poker websites.
One of the most challenge things about playing online poker is funding your account, with what methods available to you depending on your currency and location. For instance, players in Canada can play at many offshore poker sites legally (Ontario and Alberta excluded) and use everything from crypto (bitcoin and ethereum), right through to credit and debit cards and payment processors. Other regulated poker markets, like Ontario, have been ring-fenced to create local player pools and have strict regulation around payments, including not allowing crypto.
These quick poker sites reviews will help you identify an online poker site for you.
Pokerstars
URL: Pokerstars.com
Player Volume: High
Pokerstars sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes
Tournaments: yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, 6+ Hold’em, Showtime Hold’em, Omaha High, Omaha Hi/Lo, Pokerstars Fusion, 5 Card Omaha, 5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo, Courchevel, Courcheval Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, Razz (7 Card Stud Low), Five Card Draw, 2-7 Single Draw, 2-7 Triple Draw, HORSE, 8-Game Mix, Badugi.
Arguably the biggest poker brand in the world, Pokerstars rode the initial online poker boom and then established itself as one of the main players globally.
With heaps of action available at any given time, Pokerstars runs some of the biggest tournaments, and hosts massive cash games on a regular basis.
Party Poker
URL: PartyPoker.com
Player Volume: High
Party Poker sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes (Min blinds: 0.01/0.002. Max blinds: 500/1000)
Tournaments: yes
Freerolls: Yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud, Pot Limit Omaha, Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, Limit Hold’em Blackjack
Partypoker is one of the longest-running online poker brands, first launching in 2001 and quickly becoming a dominant force, with their brand very visible during the early poker boom. Known for large player pools, user-friendly software, and major tournament series, it built a loyal following alongside a strong live poker presence through the Partypoker LIVE tour. Party Poker has modernised its software, and while it no longer holds the global market share it once enjoyed, they remains a respected, regulated operator offering cash games, sit-and-gos, and major MTT events across numerous jurisdictions.
William Hill Poker
URL: https://poker.williamhill.com
Player Volume: High
William Hill sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes (Min blinds: 0.01/0.002. Max blinds: 500/1000)
Tournaments: yes
Freerolls: Yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud, 5 Card Stud, Turbo, Micro buy-ins, Omaha Hi/Lo.
William Hill Poker operates on the iPoker network (via software provider Playtech) and shares liquidity with other major skins on that network, including bet365, Coral and Titan Poker. William Hill Poker remains available in many regulated European jurisdictions, and player layer traffic is solid, particularly at low-stakes cash games and Sit-&-Go formats, making it well suited for recreational play rather than high-stakes professional grinders. Players typically like its trustworthiness and ease of use, though some criticise the bonus value and high competition at upper limits.
GGPoker
URL: GGPoker.com
Player Volume: High
GGPoker sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes
Tournaments: yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, 6+ Hold’em, Showtime Hold’em, Omaha High, Omaha Hi/Lo, Pokerstars Fusion, 5 Card Omaha, 5 Card Omaha Hi/Lo, Courchevel, Courcheval Hi/Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo, Razz (7 Card Stud Low), Five Card Draw, 2-7 Single Draw, 2-7 Triple Draw, HORSE
GGPoker.com is arguably the no.1 card website globally in 2025, with many of the top players, including Daniel Negreanu ambassadors for them. GGPoker accepts players from many different countries, including Canada, New Zealand and much of Europe. GGPoker also features some great weekly promotions that keep players coming back for more.
Coral Poker
URL: Gaming.Coral.co.uk
Player Volume: Medium
Tiger Gaming sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes
Tournaments: yes
Freerolls: Yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, 6+ Hold’em, 7 Card Stud, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, 5 Card Stud, Razz, casino games.
Coral Poker is the poker arm of the long-standing UK betting brand Coral, and while poker is no longer a primary focus for the operator, it remains available to customers who want casual action alongside sports betting and casino play. Now part of Entain, Coral Poker is integrated into the wider Entain poker ecosystem, which runs on the same network technology used by partypoker, giving players access to familiar software and liquidity. The platform still offers low-stakes cash games and small tournaments suited to recreational players. However, those seeking large-field events, high-stakes action, or major tournament series will generally find stronger options elsewhere.
888Poker
URL: 888Poker.com
Player Volume: High
888 sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes
Tournaments: yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Omaha Hi, 7 Cards Stud, Snap Poker, 888 God of the Arena, Blast Poker, Pick’Em8
888Poker is one of the most well-known poker brands globally, despite not being as visible as they once were on the pro circuit. Catering to many different countries, including regulated gambling markets like the United Kingdom, 888 remains one of the top online poker rooms.
Unibet Poker
URL: https://www.unibet.co.uk/poker
Player Volume: Medium-Low
UniBet Poker sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes
Tournaments: yes
Freerolls: Yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, Banzai, Omaha
Unibet Poker is the online poker offering from Kindred Group (formerly Unibet Group) and remains operational in several regulated markets such as the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. Unibet Poker runs on a standalone, proprietary poker network, meaning it does not share liquidity with a larger multi-network room. Traffic is modest: the site is best suited for recreational players rather than those seeking big-field tournaments or high-stakes cash games. Player feedback is a mixed bag — software is user-friendly and regulation is solid, but some users raise concerns about low traffic and occasional client issues. Overall though, we have no hesitation recommending Unibet Poker to our readers, with it still a very serviceable online poker website.
How to play real money online poker
Real money online poker can be played from the comfort of your home, with it one of the most popular gambling pursuits in the world in 2023. How common online poker is will largely depend on the gambling laws in your country. Much of the world is serviced by the big poker companies, we have mentioned on this page, but even if you are in a place which has banned online poker, you will still be able to play, but with a website based in an offshore location.
- Choosing a poker site: Online poker can be played at many different sites, you will either be able to play at poker sites like Pokerstars and Party Poker, which are regulated in the UK, or poker sites licensed by places like Curacao, that allow their licensees to accept players from anywhere.
- Should I accept a poker welcome package? Whether you should accept a poker site sign up bonus, or welcome package, sometimes depends on the wagering requirements and always depends on your own preference. At some of the best online poker sites the bonus wagering requirements are far too hard to play-through, meaning you are basically playing for fun. Many poker players also choose not to accept bonuses, because they are either high stakes level, or believe that the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to wagering requirements and poker bonuses.
- Funding an online poker account: Playing real money poker is not possible unless you fund your account. This is done via many different methods, including credit and debit cards, web wallets and online payment processors. You can read more about poker site banking options further down on this page. Free rolls are also available at most online poker operators.
- Download vs Instant play poker: Often online poker sites, even for mac computers, will have software to download which allows you to access their poker suite. These are usually small executable files that take a few minutes to install. Instant play poker is when you play via your internet browser, on the website of the chosen poker site. If you’re in a country with tough gambling laws, there is every chance that the downloadable poker options will be limited.
- The poker games available and buying in: The poker titles available to play will largely depend on the site you are playing at. For instance Pokerstars has got many more titles, than a smaller boutique poker offering, like Unibet. Classics like Texas Hold’em, 7 Card Stud and Omaha are commonly found at the top online poker sites. As a general rule poker sites will have all of the upcoming tournaments and ring games listed, with blinds, a buy-in button and how long until the tournament kicks off. As long as your account is funded, you will be able to buy-in and take a seat at a table.
- Real money poker gameplay: After you have taken a seat at an online poker table, you are officially ready to begin. The beauty of online poker is that the game prompts you along the way. Meaning even if your poker skills are developing you will be able to follow the gameplay.
- Poker account verification process: Often playing at real money poker sites you will be required to verify your account (within 72 hours of opening it in the UK) and prove your identity before you can withdraw. The best poker sites will have an online verification process, or verify you automatically using the details you used signing up; while others will make you send in scans of things like driver’s license or utility bills
- Cashing out poker winnings: The methods of being able to withdraw your money at online poker sites include things like bank transfers, checks and web wallets. You can read more about withdrawing poker winnings on this page.
Online poker strategy
Online poker has changed the way we play the game, with a new generation of statistically driven player players emerging. While the champion live players will always have a place in poker, with the ballsy bluffs and ability to read the man, this new wave of player takes the emotion out of playing, playing each card on what will statistically hold them in good stead. This technique is honed by playing hours and hours of online poker, where no one can see your emotion, using tools and plenty of strategy advice initially before crafting your own style, and way of tilting those odds more in your favour.
The World Gambling List has got many strategy guides for online poker players, with all types of players catered for, from the beginner, right through to the experienced player who is looking to hone or refine part of their poker strategy.
General poker guides:
- Poker hand rankings
- Texas Hold’em Rules
- Texas Hold’em strategy
- Omaha
- Meta game in poker
- Beginner’s guide to online poker
10 richest online poker tournaments in 2026
| Tournament / Series | Operator | Expected 2026 dates | Key events | Last champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP Online Main Event | GGPoker | Late Aug – late Sep | $5k Main, GGMillion$ HR, bracelets | Benjamin Rolle (2025) | Anatoly Zlotnikov (2025) |
| GG World Festival | GGPoker | May – early Jun | $10.3k GGMillion$, HR + PLO mains | Ilia Streltsov (2025) | If_i_persist (2025) |
| WCOOP $10.3k Main | PokerStars | Mid–late Sep | NLHE/PLO championships, HRs | Gilles Simon (2025) | ardonaS (2025) |
| SCOOP $5.2k Main | PokerStars | Mid–late May | High/Medium/Low mains, mixed | stek94 (2025) | hellzito (2025) |
| Sunday Million Anniversary | PokerStars | Early April | $215 Anniversary Main | Carlos Martins (2025) | KkkEndriK (2025) |
| partypoker MILLIONS Online | partypoker | Late May – early Jun | MILLIONS Main, HR series | Benedict Cullen (2025) | Not published |
| 888poker XL Spring Main | 888poker | Late May | $500k Main, side events | MindaugasKR (2025) | WakeUpBuddy (2025) |
| Bounty Builder Main | PokerStars | Early Feb | $109 & $1.05k PKO mains | EVOllOVE (2025) | Not disclosed |
1. WSOP Online Main Event (GGPoker)
This is the online incarnation of the prestigious World Series of Poker Main Event, bringing the “gold bracelet” vibe to the digital felt. The 2025 champion was Benjamin Rolle (bencb789), who outlasted a massive 9,735-entry field and collected a $10 million first prize. It’s popular because it combines elite prestige and high-stakes access from anywhere globally, with the largest online prize-pools in poker. Fields often range from several thousand to near-10 000 entries. Recent news noted the third-largest field in WSOP history and a prize pool over $90 million.
4. SCOOP Main Event (PokerStars)
The Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) offers High, Medium and Low tiers. The $5,200 High Main Event often attracts significant prize pools and many entries. It is popular due to tier-ed structure allowing players of various bankrolls to participate, and sweeping media coverage. Recent results show that mid-to-high tiers still pull hundreds of entries. Although I couldn’t locate the exact 2025 champion, past winners include players like “stek94” in recent years. The appeal lies in structure variety and premium status within the PokerStars schedule.
7. 888poker XL Spring Series Main Event (888poker)
The XL Spring Series on 888poker is tailored to mid-stakes and recreational players, with affordable buy-ins and meaningful guarantees. In May 2025, Lithuanian grinder MindaugasKR won the Mystery Bounty Main Event after outlasting 2,193 entrants. It’s popular for its value-for-money format, variety of events, and accessible buy-ins. While the prize pools are lower than major high-roller events, they still offer strong value. Recent news highlighted the $500k guarantee for the Main Event and strong field performance.
2. GG World Festival (GGPoker)
This series on GGPoker features multiple flagship events including the $10,300 “GGMillion$ Super Main”, boasting multi-million guarantees. One recent highlight: the festival offered a $250 million guarantee in 2025. It’s popular because the mix of tiers (from low-budget to high-roller) draws a diverse field, big prize-pools and multiple formats. For example, the “$525 Bounty Hunters Daily Main” brought 865 entries in a smaller tier. Notable past champions include those who turned high-stakes tickets into big scores. The event remains a high-traffic series.
5. Sunday Million Anniversary (PokerStars)
This is the anniversary edition of the iconic Sunday Million, the long-running weekly online tournament. In April 2025, Brazilian player Carlos Augusto “gutAoAllin” Martins topped a field of 28,444 entrants in the $215 buy-in Anniversary version, earning $391,436. Its popularity comes from the low buy-in, huge field sizes, and life-changing prizes for modest entry fees. Fields here typically stretch into tens of thousands of entries in these anniversary versions. Recent news celebrated record fields and huge prize pools for modest buy-ins.
8. Bounty Builder Series Main Event (PokerStars)
The Bounty Builder Series features many Progressive Knock-Out (PKO) tournaments across stakes. Its Main Event (e.g., $1,050 stage) attracts serious players seeking both big prizes and bounty dynamics. A recent champion is “EVOllOVE” in 2025, though detailed field numbers weren’t as widely published. It’s popular because bounty formats add excitement and potential payouts beyond standard prize-pool structure. Fields can be sizable, especially at popular buy-ins, and recent news emphasizes the growing PKO format trend online.
3. WCOOP Main Event (PokerStars)
The World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) is PokerStars’ flagship online series each year. In 2025, champion Gilles Simon emerged from a field of about 407 in the $10,300 buy-in Main Event and earned $736,000. It’s popular because it carries high prestige among online players, big prize pools, and broadcast/final-table coverage. Fields vary widely depending on buy-in tier, but even the high buy-ins attract hundreds of entries. Recent news highlighted strong online engagement and final-table streaming.
6. partypoker MILLIONS Online Main Event (partypoker)
The MILLIONS Online Main Event on partypoker remains a marquee online tournament offering large guarantees. In 2025, champion Benedict Cullen captured the title. Fields are strong, especially in the Main Event and High Roller versions, drawing thousands of players in some editions. Its appeal is major branding (MILLIONS) and online access to high-value prize pools. Recent news did not surface broad publicly-published field numbers, but it remains a widely watched series, especially for serious online tournament players.
9. GGMillion$ (GGPoker)
The GGMillion$ is a recurring high-stakes online event on GGPoker, often several buy-ins tiers but prominently the $10,300 version. These events feature live-streamed final tables and high visibility. For example, in 2024 a GGMillion$ event drew 1,433 entries and built a prize pool of over $14.3 million. The event is popular among elite and aspiring players for its prestige and high ROI potential. Recent news highlighted dramatic finishes and surprise winners in Europe.
What are freerolls in online poker?
Online freerolls are a great way to win real cash for no risk. But how should you approach them? If you’ve been struggling with your online tournament form recently, then freerolls could be your next port of call. Almost all poker rooms offer some kind of free to enter tournament, with real cash prizes.
A recent development in the world of online freerolls has seen the emergence of zero balance tournaments. These events allow players to participate for real cash without ever making a deposit.
So, how should you approach freerolls? The number of players for these events are likely to be inflated in comparison to buy-in tournaments, due to this you can expect a wide range of skill levels from your opponents.
Many players will be participating for the first time, attracted by the thought of free money. These players are likely to be the weakest due to their inexperience. There will also be real money players who are playing simply for fun, expect wild playing styles from these guys! There are frequent freerollers too, earning small but regular income from their hard work. The regulars will, in most cases, be showing the greater degree of skill.
Free rolls strategy
There is little point in limping into too many pots early on in freerolls. This is where most of your opponents will lose their chips. Instead, wait for premium starting hands such as: AQ, AK, QQ, KK and AA then raise to reduce the number of callers. Ideally you’ll only get one or two calls with a big raise, should you attract three or more then show great caution post flop, especially if your pocket Kings are facing an A high flop!
As you progress to the latter stages, expect the quality of opposition to be much higher than at the beginning. If you have created yourself a large stack, use it to ‘bully’ stacks who will be struggling in the coming rounds, as you close in on the money these players will become very passive for fear of missing out on the cash. This type of fear is apparent in buy-in tournaments on and off line, as well as freerolls.
On the whole a ‘tight, aggressive’ playing style is considered the most productive in freerolls. Try not to play too many marginal hands early on and be selectively aggressive as the tournament progresses. You could find yourself with a healthy bankroll from your efforts.
History of poker: Moving into the online poker age
Online poker is the game that catapulted online gambling into the mainstream, with it largely blowing up following an underdog’s victory at the World Series of Poker. Online poker has had plenty of bumps in the road, including the infamous Black Friday wipeout in the USA in 2009, while other markets have also felt the overzealous reach of authorities. These days online poker is a billion dollar business with upwards of 100 different poker sites servicing every country in the world, yes, even if online gambling is illegal in your country you will be able to play at many of the best poker sites.
It seems that poker is a game that has been around for an eternity but there is much speculation surrounding the origins of the game. Many historians believe that the name is derived from the French game ‘poque’ which in turn began as the German game ‘pochen’. It is not 100% clear that these games have the same origin but there are many similarities.
The most likely origin of the game comes from an amalgamation of many different games, in particular the Persian game known as ‘as nas’ which Persian sailors taught French settlers in New Orleans. There is a variant that is most commonly believed to be the origin of poker and that game is the Renaissance ‘primero’ and the French ‘brelan’. Brelan produced a common card game called ‘brag’ or ‘bragg’ that is popular in England. If all these games are studied, then elements can be found in poker as we know it today. Brelan involved dealing 3 cards and ‘bluffing’ or betting high stakes whilst holding a poor hand to mislead your opponents and out play them.
The earliest known record of poker being played in America was recorded in New Orleans in 1829 where a deck of 20 cards was dealt out between four players and it was up to the players to guess and bet on who had the hand with the most value. The game spread throughout the country, due to gamers on the Mississippi river boats, where gambling was a common pastime. Early poker was commonly known as ‘the cheating game’ and as the game spread west it became engrained in the frontier pioneering culture.
Poker tables began springing up all over the country in every saloon in every town. During the civil war the game spread further and the English 52 card deck was used. Many variants of the game were adopted such as ‘straight’, ‘stud’ and ‘draw’ and American developments followed such as Wild Card when the joker was introduced to the game and later the ‘split-pot’. American servicemen took the game over seas, in particular Asia when they were stationed there.
The game has experienced a massive revival due to the popularity of online casinos. The game was picked up by a whole new generation, as playing online was a less daunting experience than going to a casino so many players honed their skills on the virtual felts. While online poker has grown the game substantially, the live poker scene is still booming, although there is a distinct online flavour to much of the talent these days. By this we mean, the mechanical online players, have found ways to adapt their statistics-based approach to poker into the live game.
Online poker is heavily dominated by several big brands, with the biggest gorilla being Pokerstars, which is licensed to operate in many countries and has many sub-domains that are just facing one country. Pokerstars liquidity is massive, with the biggest player base out of all online poker operators, but 888Poker, Party Poker and other sites that target black markets like the USA – such as Americas Cardroom — have are also considered to be giants in the online poker world.
Depositing real money to online poker sites
As a general rule when playing online poker for real money you will be playing at a site that targets where you are in the world. This means they often will have common banking deposit methods used in the country you are in. Some examples of this include Canadians having access to iDebit and Interac to make gambling deposits. What we are saying is it’s impractical to list every deposit method found at online poker casinos, so we will just list some of the most common.
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Entropay
- Ukash
- Paypal
- Bitcoin
- Litecoin
Cashing out at poker sites
Making withdrawals at online poker operators is generally an easy process if you are in a jurisdiction that allows people to play online poker. Cashing out methods at the best online poker sites can be done via methods like bank transfers, check, web wallets and even transferring back to Visa cards. Also depending on the site, you might be able to cash out instantly via cryptocurrency methods such as bitcoin and Ethereum.
Your own personal situation will determine how long your poker site withdrawal takes, with things like whether you are playing with an offshore site coming into consideration. For instance if you are playing at an online poker operator licensed in Curacao, but you live in Australia, a withdrawal via bank transfer might take 10 days. However if you are playing at a United Kingdom poker operator and live in the UK, you will be able to do a bank transfer, that will be approved and finalised within 48 hours.
You can read our online poker reviews to find out more about the cash out length times at poker sites, with this being one of the key criteria tour reviews. We understand the important of being able to access any money you have won on the poker tables.
Online poker licensing
There are a handful of countries that have set up gambling regulators to police online poker, with many of these countries also allowing their licensees to service other countries.
Many countries have now regulated online poker and police its operations with their own local regulators. For instance, Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Sweden have their own regulators, and don’t allow their citizens to play with offshore poker sites.
There are however a number of other countries that don’t really address online gambling in their laws, which means offshore poker sites are free to offer their services in these jurisdictions. These include countries like Canada and New Zealand, whose residents can play at basically any online poker website they like. Some of the more popular online poker regulators that international players should look for include:
- United Kingdom Gambling Commission
- Curacao e-Gaming
- Costa Rica
- Malta Gaming Authority
Online poker commonly asked questions
The team at the World Gambling List is often getting asked questions about playing online poker from a variety of people, from right around the globe. These range from questions about online poker laws, online poker rules, right through to queries about poker operators. We can be reached at contact@worldgamblinglist.com. We always do our best to answer your questions, and when we do we put our responses here. or if they are private we treat them as such.
Can Australians play online poker? Unfortunately Australians are heavily restricted when it comes to online poker, with the update of the Interactive Gambling Act effectively banning online gambling. This does not mean Australians can’t play online poker, it just means the best poker sites like Pokerstars and 888Poker no longer accept signups from here. The World Gambling List chooses not to promote real money interactive gambling to Australians.
What poker site has the best tournaments? Without a doubt, if you can sign up, Pokerstars has the best poker tournaments, with events generally starting every few minutes. These tournaments range from micro buy-ins right up to high roller events. The bigger tournaments will also have satellites attached to them, where you can buy into the satellite for a small fee and potentially earn a main event ticket. 888Poker and Party Poker also have plenty of tournament action, while Americas Cardroom and Ignition Poker have tournaments on regularly, and serve some gambling markets that are hard to reach.
Can I play real money poker with Paypal? Paypal is the most popular web wallet in the world, with it used by hundreds of different gambling sites as a deposit method. Whether you can use Paypal will depend if there is legal gambling in your country, or even state. As a general rule if you have regulation surrounding online gambling in your country, you will be able to fund an online poker account with Paypal.
Defunct poker sites
Full Tilt Poker
While there are many success stories in online poker, there are just as many poker sites that have gone bust over the years. These range from smaller poker sites started by the likes of Doyle Brunson, during the boom. Others like Full Tilt enjoyed a tremendous run as one of the most popular poker sites out there, before being snapped up by Pokerstars and ultimately shut down. Below we will list some of the defunct poker sites that left a mark.
Full Tilt Poker
URL: FullTilt.com
Player Volume: High
Full Tilt sign up bonus: Yes
Ring games: Yes (Min blinds: 0.01/0.002. Max blinds: 500/1000)
Tournaments: yes
Freerolls: Yes
Poker Games: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha 8 or Better, Razz, Stud, Stud 8 or Better, Draw Poker, HORSE, Mix Games, Rush Poker
