No matter where you’re based, you can play live and casino-style online poker with real money. In this guide, you’ll find the best platforms for this popular card game and learn tips and strategies to help you win more games.
Apart from listing the best online poker sites on the Internet, this guide will also explain important differences between all the major variants. We’ve also included plenty of information regarding payment options and how to play online poker anonymously.
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The Basis of How to Play Poker
There are several different versions of poker, but the characteristic that binds them is the same. Every poker card game is based on a collection of high-ranking hands that are usually made up of five or fewer cards. This means that once you learn these hand rankings, you should be able to play any version of the game. We’ve prepared a useful cheat sheet to help you remember the hand rankings.
Texas Holdem poker online is the most popular variant of this card game. You’ll be able to play it across all our featured casinos and face either other players or the house. If you wish to experience different gameplays, we suggest also trying Omaha, Tri Card, and Video Poker.
Top 3 Real Money Online Poker Variants
Here are the three most popular types of online poker. You’ll be able to play these and other variants across our list of recommended sites.
Texas Holdem
Texas Holdem poker online is probably the first variant that most players start with. This version is typically played with other players, though there are some formats where you simply play against the house.
You can find a detailed explanation of the rules and gameplay in this game in our online Texas Holdem casinos guide. To complete a winning hand, this game gives you the opportunity to combine your own cards with up to five community cards that any player can use. The winner is the hand that outranks all others.
Pros:
- The most popular poker variant in the world
- Beginner tables can accept small blinds of $0.02
Cons:
- A round can take long, especially if there are several players
Omaha
Omaha is the second-most popular poker variant and is also available across most of our featured casinos. If you’ve understood the basics of Texas Holdem, you should not find any trouble playing Omaha.
The main difference of this game is that you are dealt four hole cards instead of two. However, you can only use two of these cards to create your hand. This is different from Holdem as in that game, players can choose to use one, both, or none of their hole cards.
Pros:
- Features the same gameplay as Texas Holdem
- A preferred version by experienced poker players
Cons:
- You must always use exactly two of your four hole cards
3 Card Poker
Tri Card poker is a casino-style game, which means that you’re playing against the house, not other players. Once you’ve placed your first wager, you’ll be dealt three cards that only you can see. If you’re happy to continue, you’ll need to place a so-called Play Wager that’s equal to your first bet.
If you decide to proceed, the dealer will then reveal his cards and the winning hand is determined according to rank. However, if the dealer beats you with a simple Jack-high or lower rank, half of your total wager is returned. Similarly, if the dealer beats you with a Queen-high or better, both the Play Wager and Ante Bet are evenly paid out.
Pros:
- Faster gameplay as you don’t need to wait for other players
- Can be played for free in demo mode or with real money
Cons:
- Beyond determining if you have a good set of hole cards, no skill is required
Casino Online Poker Games for Real Money – Betting Against the House
When you sign up to most of the featured casinos, you’ll be able to choose between playing poker against other players or playing against the house. Whilst traditional poker is played with other players, online casinos have provided several versions of the game that you can play alone.
Just like Blackjack, Baccarat, or other table games, casino-style poker games can be played against a computer or a live dealer. In any case, the dealer is representing the house and your objective is to create a hand that beats the dealer’s. As a result, the house will always have an edge over you.
Online Poker Tournaments for Real Money
If you’re just starting out playing poker online, you’ll probably stick to standalone tables. However, once you’ve gained some confidence, you may wish to participate in tournaments. These will give you the opportunity to experience different playing styles and stand a chance of winning higher payouts.
The following are some of the most popular types of poker tournaments.
- SNG – Known as Sit and Go’s, these one-table poker tournaments begin as soon as all the available seats are covered. You’d normally play either Texas Hold’em or Omaha during these tournaments, but other online poker games may be available.
- MTT – Stands for Multi-Table Tournaments, meaning that these competitions involve several tables. Each table has about 10 players and the tournament culminates with a showdown involving the winners of each table.
- HU – Heads Up tournaments feature a simple 1vs1 setup where you knock out one opponent after another until you either win the competition or are knocked out.
Helpful Tips When Playing Online Poker for Real Money
A lot of thought goes into playing online poker, so regularly educating yourself on the latest poker strategies is a good idea. Here are our top five tips to help you be more successful whilst playing poker games online.
1. Learn the Hand Rankings
Without a doubt, you must first learn the basics of the game, especially the hand rankings, before placing your first real money wager. To help you out, we’ve listed these rankings in the following section of our guide.
2. Set a Budget
Playing Texas Holdem poker online, or any other variant really, can provide you with awesome thrills. However, you must be careful not to spend more than you afford to lose. It’s a very good idea to only deposit funds that you can comfortably risk before starting a new game.
3. Try Different Variants
There are numerous poker games online and you should never play just one. Whilst most players begin with Holdem, they soon discover that Omaha, or a casino-style game, such as Tri Card, is more fun for them.
4. Take Frequent Breaks
Since this casino game involves skill and strategy, you can get tired quickly when you play poker online. Tired players normally make the most mistakes, so be sure to take breaks frequently or stop altogether if you’re feeling tired.
5. Don’t Chase Losses
No matter how experienced you are at playing real money online poker, you can never guarantee a win. If you find yourself losing round after round, consider taking a break and perhaps researching a new strategy.
Online Poker Hands & Names
Before you play poker online you should become familiar with the winning hand rankings. The following list provides you with a comprehensive list that you can refer to whenever you need.
- Royal Flush – The most valuable hand in most poker games. To create a Royal Flush you must have a set of five cards that are specifically the 10+J+Q+K+A of the same suit.
- Straight Flush – Any hand that’s made up of five consecutive cards of the same suit, such as 2+3+4+5+6, all of hearts.
- Four-of-a-Kind – A hand where four cards all have the same value. An example of a Four-of-a-Kind might be 5+5+5+5.
- Full House – A five-card hand that’s split between a Three-of-a-Kind and a Pair. An example of a Full House might be K+K+K+2+2.
- Flush – A five-card hand that’s made up of cards of the same suit but that are not consecutive. An example might be a 2+4+6+7+8 of clubs.
- Straight – Five cards that have a consecutive value but have different suits. An example might be a 2+3+4 of hearts and a 5+6 of spades.
- Three-of-a-Kind – Three cards that have an identical value. An example of a Three-of-a-Kind might be a 3+3+3.
- Two Pair – Two sets of Pairs that are not Four-of-a-Kind. An example of a Two Pair might be a 2+2+4+4.
- Pair – Two cards that have the same value. An example of a Pair might be an A+A.
- High Card – The highest single card value in a hand that has none of the above rankings. A high card could be anything from an A to a J or 10.
Finding the Best Online Poker Sites for Real Money
In this guide, we’ve listed the best options to play poker online. Whilst CoinPoker is the best overall option, we’ve included others as they might better match your preferences and game styles. When determining which site to join, you need to establish what types of poker games you wish to play and how you wish to deposit.
Once you’ve understood these basics, you should browse through the sites that match your needs and check out their current sign-up bonuses and ongoing offers. You should also check average payout times and look for customization or unique features that suit you best.
By joining any of our recommended sites for online poker, you won’t need to worry about safety or support. All our listed platforms are licensed by reputable and experienced jurisdictions. These Panama or Curacao platforms have implemented a variety of measures that protect your details and funds. Moreover, they all offer 24/7 live chat assistance that can be accessed on mobile.
The Best Online Poker App
All our recommended real money online poker sites are accessible on mobile devices. Many of these platforms are among the best mobile casinos on the Internet and provide a fast-loading and pleasant user experience. However, if you’re looking for the best mobile experience for poker, we recommend ACR Poker.
This reputable site provides poker through downloadable apps for Android and iOS systems. These apps will work on the latest OS versions and provide you with a quick way to place deposits and play games.
Payment Methods for Playing Online Poker
When you join any of our featured online poker real money sites, you’ll be able to deposit and withdraw funds securely using a variety of options. Our top sites accept both fiat and cryptocurrencies, and support deposits with debit/credit cards, Neosurf, Bitcoin, Litecoin, and many other methods. Below, we’ve included a table outlining the main pros and cons of the top methods.
| Payment Method | About | Examples |
| Cryptocurrencies | Feature low minimum and high maximum limitsNot subject to operator processing feesThe best way to gamble anonymously | Bitcoin Bitcoin Cash Litecoin Dogecoin |
| Traditional Payment Methods | Can be subject to processing fees of 9% or moreMight not be available for both deposits and withdrawalsProvide instant deposits but can take days for payouts to reach your account | Visa MasterCard Person2Person Bank transfer |
| eWallets | Typically processed quicklyFree to transfer but expensive to top-upOnly a few poker sites accept them | PayPal Skrill Neteller ecoPayz |
Poker Glossary
Throughout this guide and on other online poker sites, you’ll come across plenty of jargon that you might not be familiar with. To help you, we’ve listed some of the most popular words and phrases used in poker.
- Ante – The first bets that must be placed before any cards are dealt.
- Bad Beat – When you lose a poker game even if you have a strong hand.
- Big Blind – The bigger of the two Ante bets with a value that’s double that of the small blind.
- Buy-In – The cost of joining a specific poker game or tournament.
- Community Cards – The cards that are dealt facing up on the poker table and that every player can use to complete a winning hand.
- Face Card – Any card that has a face, instead of a number. K, Q, and J are all face cards.
- Freeroll – An online poker for real money tournament that has no buy-in.
- House – The poker site or casino operator. In virtual games, the house is represented by the computer whereas in live games a real dealer takes on the responsibility.
- Limit Poker – Rules in a game that set fixed increments for bets and raises to facilitate a faster end.
- No Limit Poker – Games that don’t feature the fixed increment rules of Limit Poker.
- Pot – The part of the table where all wagers are placed and kept. The winner of the game normally takes the entire pot.
- Rake – Involves taking a small percentage of the pot as payment for running the poker game.
- Rakeback – A percentage of the Rake that is paid back to players as a reward.
The Best Site for Online Poker for Real Money
Even though there are hundreds of online poker sites on the Internet, none is better than ACR Poker. This licensed and reputable site offers plenty of poker tables and tournaments where you can play against other real players. It also provides casino-style poker that you can play for free or with real money.
Join ACR Poker today and place your first deposit to claim a generous 100% poker match bonus. You’ll be able to use your reward across several tables and also claim additional prizes as an existing user.