Whether you are completely new to online poker and wanting to join your first poker room or an experienced player looking for somewhere new to play, it is quite likely that you will be somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of choice available. There are so many poker sites around that, even if you have some idea of what you are looking for, it really can be quite challenging to decide which one is right for you. It is very difficult to definitively state which the best poker site is, as so much depends on your own preferences and circumstances.
We believe that there are certain aspects of a poker site which are particularly important, and we have provided more detail on these below. These are the kind of things that you should be considering when deciding where to join. Some of them will be more relevant to you than others and there may also be other specific criteria that are significant to you, but these factors are a very good place to start when it comes to choosing a poker site.
Reputation & Safety
We strongly advise that you stick to playing at poker rooms that have an established reputation and have proved that they are safe and trustworthy places to play. There are, unfortunately, some poker sites that do not put the best interests of their customers first and such places should obviously be avoided.
Thankfully, such sites are very much in the minority, so you are somewhat unlikely to ever encounter a problem. Just make sure you join somewhere reputable, such as one of our recommended poker sites. We only ever list those places that we have complete confidence in.
Number of Players
It is generally a good idea to join somewhere that has a large number of players, for two reasons really. Firstly, if a poker site has a lot of active players then this is a good indication that they are doing something right. Generally speaking the best sites attract the most players, so anywhere that has plenty of players is very likely to be a good place to play. Secondly, lots of players typically results in lots of games running. This means that you will have a better chance of finding a game that you want to play, whenever you feel like playing.
Quality of Software
Overall, the standard of software used by poker rooms has improved greatly over the last few years. Some of the best sites are constantly upgrading and improving their software to provide the very best possible experience for their players, and there are obvious advantages to playing at such places. Software that is stable, runs smoothly and is user friendly will lead to a much better playing experience. You’ll also find that the top poker websites also have a whole raft of useful features, such as the ability to take notes on your opponents and review hand histories.
Range of Games & Stakes
A good range of games and stakes might not seem hugely important to you, particularly if you primarily play the same game and stakes all the time. However, a lot of players do like to play different games and vary their stakes so this can be a big plus for some. Several poker rooms even have real money online casinos that players can enjoy between tournaments. A decent variety of different games and a wide range of stakes also generally lead to more players too, which has its own advantages as we’ve already pointed out.
Deposit Options
Before you can even begin to play poker online, you will need to be able to make a deposit to have funds to play with. There are many ways that you can deposit to a poker site, but not everywhere offers all the different options. This can be frustrating if you want to use a specific method to deposit but it is not available. Most of the leading sites do have plenty of options, but you should check out if your preferred method is available before signing up somewhere.
Bonuses & Promotions
With the online poker market being so competitive, sites have become increasingly generous with the bonuses and rewards that they offer their customers. Pretty much every poker website will have a sign up bonus of some kind and a big sign up bonus is often seen as a very good reason to join a site. However, you shouldn’t consider only the size of the bonus and you should also look at the terms and conditions.
Generally, sign up bonuses require you to play a certain amount before they are released into your account and some are much harder to clear than others. A smaller bonus that is easy to clear is usually a better option than a massive bonus that you are unlikely to ever release. You should also look at any additional promotions and rewards that are offered on an on-going basis, as these can offer a great deal of extra value if you play regularly.
Summary
The points that we have mentioned above are, in our opinion, the most important things you should think about when choosing a poker site. However, they are not necessarily the only factors to take into account and there may well be other things that you are specifically looking for. There is no particularly right or wrong way to go about choosing a poker room to play at, but we would certainly suggest that you at least take the above into consideration.
