Why play online poker? Online poker is an exciting and entertaining platform for recreational and professional poker players to hone their card skills and potentially make some serious cash. Thanks to the proliferation of online poker sites, the popular card game is now accessible to anyone and everyone. Poker aficionados can play their favourite card game at any time of the day or night – with a never-ending choice of poker sites to try their luck on.
Is online poker legal in the UK? Online poker in the UK is fully licensed and regulated by the government ensuring that the UK remains a haven for online gambling. A host of home-grown gambling websites are successfully being operated here and UK residents can enjoy the freedom to play virtually any card game they wish, make deposits, and withdraw their cash to a UK bank account. Any site that is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission is legal to play on. The UK Gambling Commission individually vet each operator before granting them a license, so prospective players can rest assured that every site we recommend here on UK Poker is 100% safe to deposit on.
What types of online poker games are available? Online poker sites tend to focus their attention on classic poker games, usually variations of Texas Hold’em and Omaha, with 5 and 7 Card Stud games also being popular. Players can enjoy multi-table and sit ‘n go games, as well as having the chance to enter freeroll tournaments for free. Bigger tournaments can be paid to enter, often having huge prize-pools and the chance to qualify for national tournaments.
How to play online poker Most sites come complete with online tutorials and guides for learning and improving poker skills. Rather than be considered a singular entity, poker is actually a collection of individual game variations that come with their own set of skills and characteristics. Players can experiment with versions of Texas Hold’em, Omaha High, Razz, 5 Card Stud and other games to find which they excel at – all while perfecting their poker face.
What poker sites are out there? All the major UK gambling companies have online poker sites, from traditional high street bookmakers like William Hill and Ladbrokes, to newer groups like Unibet and Bet365. The world’s biggest poker site, PokerStars is based in the UK as well as its affiliated sites, like PartyPoker. The oldest poker sites in the UK have been running for over two decades, and these sites can boast the best resources, the most thorough experience, the strongest reputations, and the highest levels of player traffic. The websites ranked and reviewed here do not only have impressive software and expansive card game selections but can offer their players generous bonuses promotions and loyalty scheme offers.
What should I know about depositing/withdrawing money on poker sites? Making monetary deposits into an online poker site account isn’t strictly necessary, as most sites will allow you to play for free, but money naturally tends to make games more interesting. By depositing money, players can take advantage of first deposit bonuses and promotions allowing them to build their loyalty points. Most sites have a standard selection of banking options (credit/debit cards, bank wire, e-wallets) and offer competitive cash-out times so players can withdraw their winnings as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Is online poker secure? The security of online poker sites may have experienced some stumbling blocks in the past, but you should rest assured that all of the UK poker rooms recommend here are well-versed in the internet gaming business and much of their success is down to treating their players well by protecting deposits, keeping personal information safe and honouring their payments to customers. Players can be sure that UK poker sites will deal fairly with any disputes, if they do happen to arise.
How do we rate poker sites? Here at UK Poker we effectively compare and test numerous online poker sites to sort the good from the bad, leaving you with the best options. Reviewing the merits of each site’s cash games selection, the efficiency of its banking methods, the quality of its software and the benefits of its promotional offers will give you a clear idea of which poker site is worth trying out.
Are there any poker sites to avoid? Thankfully, there are very few poker sites out there which should be avoided as the standard is maintained at a fairly high level.