Top Live Poker Online Casinos UK in 2023

Overview

Online poker is one of the most popular gambling games at online casinos. Today, most gambling sites feature house-banked poker variations at virtual and live casino tables.

So, if you want to play a live poker game, you first need to find a reputable online casino that offers live dealer tables. If a gaming venue is home to live dealer roulette, blackjack, baccarat or craps, it most certainly offers live poker variants.

Popular poker variants you can play at live dealer tables include Live Caribbean Stud Poker, Live Three Card Poker, and Live Casino Hold 'em. In this guide, you will find more details about these game variations. However, before we discuss them, let us tell you more about the game of poker and its history.

History of Poker

There are multiple versions of the history of poker. According to some historians, the game has been around since ancient times. Its origins are traced back to a domino-card game enjoyed by a Chinese emperor in the 10th century.

Other historians claim that poker originates from the 17th-century Persian game known as As Nas.

As for Europe, poker can be considered a descendant of French Pogue and German Pochen, both based on Primero, a popular game in Spain in the 1500s. French colonists brought Pogue to North America in the 19th century.

Popular among riverboat workers, the game moved up the Mississippi River from New Orleans to other parts of the US. It was also played by soldiers in the Civil War. After the war had ended, poker became a staple of Wild West saloons in the 1870s and 1880s.

A century later, in 1970, the World Series of Poker, the first poker tournament, was founded in Las Vegas, Nevada, US. Five-Card Draw and Seven Card Stud are some of the most popular game variants ever. To attract poker enthusiasts, online casinos today offer various versions of the game played against the house.

Live Dealer Poker Games

At online casinos UK, you can choose from a great variety of poker today. While they may not be all available at live dealer tables, live casinos still offer famous variations such as Casino Hold 'em, Three Card Poker or Caribbean Stud Poker. So, if you want to enjoy a genuine casino experience without leaving the comfort of your home, live dealer poker games are the way to go.

Live Dealer Casino Hold 'em

The famous poker variant Live Casino Hold 'em is available on most gambling sites offering poker at live dealer tables. Instead of playing against other players, you will play Casino Hold 'em against the real-life dealer, just like in other live casino card games, such as blackjack or baccarat. The gameplay and rules are almost the same as in Texas Hold 'em, with the only difference being that the dealer does not take part in the action in the latter.

If you are new to live poker games, Live Casino Hold 'em may be the perfect fit due to its straightforward rules. The main objective is to create the strongest 5-card poker hand to beat the dealer's hand. Casino Hold 'em shares hand rankings with other live dealer poker variants.

• Royal Flush: A hand created with 10 to A cards of the same suit
• Straight Flush: A hand with five consecutive same-suit cards
• Four of a Kind: A hand consisting of four cards of the same value and one side card
• Full House: A hand created with three cards of the same value and two other cards of the same value
• Flush: A hand consisting of five different same-suit cards
• Straight: A hand of five consecutive cards of a different suit
• Three of a Kind: A hand created with three cards of the same value and two side cards
• Two Pair: A hand consisting of two cards of the same value and two other cards of the same value
• Pair: A hand of two cards of the same value and three side cards
• High Card: A 5-card hand that does not qualify as any of the hands listed above.

The game starts with the player placing an Ante bet, which varies in size depending on the table limits. The player receives two cards, while three community cards are dealt on the table.

Once the player receives the cards, they can choose from two options.

The player can either call the dealer's bet or fold their bet.

If the player goes for the first option, another two community cards are added to the table. The dealer shows their cards, and payouts are awarded according to the paytable.

Otherwise, the Ante bet is forfeited, and the player does not make other moves until a new round begins.

Other Popular Live Dealer Poker Variants

Besides Casino Hold 'em, live casinos offer a few more popular poker variants. One of them is Three Card Poker, where the main objective is to create a better 3-card hand.

Once the player places the bet, they get three cards, just like the dealer. The highest-ranking hand wins.

The game uses a 52-card deck, and cards are dealt to the player face-up, while the dealer receives three face-down cards. The player can fold if they are not sure their 3-card hand will beat the dealer's hand. Certain Live Three Card Poker games also offer side bets players can play for higher payouts and added excitement.

Another game variant you can play at live casinos UK is Live Caribbean Stud. Again, the player places an Ante bet. Optionally, they can go for side bets. The dealer deals five cards to the player and themselves, all of them facing down.

Once the player gets their cards, they can fold or keep playing by placing another bet worth two times the amount of their ante. Then, the dealer reveals their cards, with Ace-King or better required to qualify. If they qualify, hands are compared according to the standard hand rankings, and the strongest one wins.

Live Poker Betting Options

Why Play Live Poker?