What is a poker site?
An online poker site is a place where poker beginners, enthusiasts, and experts can gather to play different variants of poker online, for free or for money. Poker games may be found on
casino sites, but on a poker site, this will be the main focus and speciality.
Poker sites are incredibly popular with all kinds of player, from novices right up to world-class poker legends.
How does online poker work?
Players sign up to their chosen online poker site and make a cash deposit. They then choose a game to play. There are tonnes of different variants of poker, as well as the choice between video poker and live casino tables.
Why is online poker so popular?
Online poker sites give people the opportunity to play poker from home, which is incredibly convenient. However, for many people, poker can seem like an elite game, with etiquette and rules that can be very intimidating for a new player. Playing from home anonymously where no one can see you can be an easier way into poker for a nervous or shy player.
Online poker also comes with the added advantage of being invisible to the other players around the table. If you are the kind of player who wears their emotions on their sleeve and thinks that ‘poker face’ is just a (fantastic) pop song, online poker will allow you to play without accidentally revealing your ‘tells’ to everyone in the room.
What are the different kinds of poker?
If you’ve never played poker, you might think that all poker games are the same. In fact, there are loads of different ways to play poker, and lots of poker and casino sites host more than one variant of the game. Here are a few of the most popular poker variants, and their basic rules.
Texas Hold’em
The aim: to make a better five-card hand than all of the other players, out of a combination of two secret cards that only the player sees, and five shared cards which are on the table.
- Each player is dealt two ‘hole cards’ which only they see (this may be different if playing at a live table online)
- Players bet, check, or fold, depending on their hole cards
- Three shared cards are dealt face up onto the table – this is called the flop
- Players then re-evaluate their hands and bet again
- A fourth shared card is dealt – this is called the turn
- Players bet again, now having four shared cards and two hole cards to look at
- The fifth and final shared card is dealt – this is called the river
- Players bet a final time
- If there are still two or more players who haven’t folded, their cards are all revealed in a ‘showdown’ to see who wins
Three Card Poker
The aim: to stay in if you think you have a better three-card hand than the dealer.
- Players place their ante bets
- The players receive three cards
- Players can fold, or up their ante to keep playing
- The dealer then deals him/herself three cards
- The dealer cannot play if his/her hand is lower than Queen-high, and in this case ante bets are paid
- Those who have stayed in compare their hands with the dealer to see who wins
Caribbean Stud Poker
A.k.a. Casino Five Card Stud Poker
The aim: to stay in if you think you have a better five-card hand than the dealer.
- The dealer and players are dealt five cards each
- The dealer reveals his/her first card
- Players then look at their own cards and decide whether to raise or fold
- The dealer reveals all of his/her cards
- The dealer’s hand only qualifies if it has an ace and a king, or it has a pair or higher
- If it does not qualify, ante bets pay and raises push
- If it does qualify, the players compare hands to the dealer’s, and either win or lose individually
Joker Poker
A.k.a. Joker Wild Poker
The aim: to discard and re-deal cards to make a better five-card hand than all of the other players
Unlike other poker variations, this game includes a wild joker card. The joker can stand in for any card.
- Players place their initial bets
- Players are dealt five cards each
- Players can choose to discard up to five cards, or keep their hand as is
- They are dealt new cards to replace those discarded
- Players then show their hands to determine the winner
Deuces Wild Poker
The aim: to discard and re-deal cards to make a better five-card hand than all of the other players
‘Deuce’ is another name for the ‘2’ cards (like the 2 of Hearts, for example). In this variant, the ‘2’ cards (deuces) are wild and can stand in for any card.
- Players place their initial bets
- Players are dealt five cards each
- Players can choose to discard up to five cards, or keep their hand as is
- They are dealt new cards to replace those discarded
- Players then show their hands to determine the winner
What is live online poker?
Rising quickly in popularity are live casino tables online, and poker is no exception. Rather than computer-generated graphics, a live poker table game is a video feed onto a real dealer sitting at a table, who will deal your cards in live time.
Live online poker tables are the real casino experience from home, as you can watch the cards be dealt and even chat with the dealer through the chat box.
You can see them, but they can’t see you, so feel free to wear your pyjamas and munch a snack while you play!
Are there promotions on online poker sites?
Many online poker sites offer first deposit bonus promotions to bring new customers to the site. These are often quite competitive and can give some good poker bonuses to play with. Often, online poker sites will host tournaments, competitions, or other promotions to keep players interested.
Where are the best UK poker sites?
Right here on OhMyBingo, we have listed the top UK poker sites for you to choose from. These poker sites are the very best, and we recommend them based on our reviews.