We have taken a closer look at the best online poker sites offering top-notch games to UK players and compiled a list of gambling establishments where you can place real money bets in GBP. To help you choose the best poker site, we have reviewed and rated poker sites based on multiple criteria that contribute to the overall gambling experience.
Online poker sites UK offer a wide variety of poker-based games you can play to learn the ropes and hone your skills. If you join them, you can access a plethora of online poker variants, including those not available in brick-and-mortar poker rooms. Playing poker online is an entertaining pastime where you can score real money payouts once you master the game.
Online Poker History
IRC poker was the first-ever online poker game. It was introduced in 1994 as a text-based poker game played with fake money. However, the first online poker game played with real money was launched four years later, in 1998. Some of the first websites specialised in online poker were PartyPoker, PokerStars, Paradise Poker and UltimateBet.
Launched in 2001, PartyPoker was the largest poker site until 2006, attracting thousands of players. However, due to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), the operator was forced to leave the US market.
The beginning of the 21st century was a rocky road for online poker. In 2009, Finnish professional poker player Patrik Antonius won the biggest pot ever on Full Tilt Poker. Only two years later, in 2011, the FBI seized the domains of four poker rooms, including Full Tilt, PokerStars and Absolut Poker. The series of events is known as Black Friday.
Nevada and Delaware launched the first state-regulated real money online poker game in 2012. Two years later, in 2014, Amaya Gaming Group, Inc. acquired Oldford Group, the parent company of Rational Group, which owned Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker. The all-cash transaction worth $4.9 billion made Amaya the world's largest publicly traded company in the online gambling industry, with 85 million PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker registered players added to its database.
Mobile poker became popular between 2017 and 2021. Today, some of the best poker brands have their online and mobile platforms, enabling players to enjoy multiple game variants from the comfort of their homes or on the go.
How to Play Poker Online
There are not many differences between playing poker offline and online. On the best poker sites UK, you will have access to various poker games supporting a wide range of bets to please all kinds of players. Furthermore, some sites allow players to play poker games for free, thus enabling novices to learn the basics and practice without risking their hard-earned money.
Whether you are into poker classics like Texas Hold 'em or fan-favourite Five Card Draw, you can play it on UK poker sites. They offer a wide range of RNG and live poker tables, so you can choose to play against the computer or real-life dealers. Besides, you can take part in poker tournaments available in multiple formats.
Beginner's Guide to Best Poker Sites UK
As a beginner, you can join the best UK-facing poker sites and choose from different poker variants accepting low stakes. Look for online poker sites that offer free games to learn the basic rules if you have never played poker before. Keep in mind that poker is a skill-based game, so no matter which variant you choose, the decisions you make matter.
Once you learn the ropes, you can enter low-stake tournaments on Texas Hold 'em and use your skill to compete against other players. In addition, you can look for bonuses and promotions that will enable you to play your favourite games longer. Before you claim any offer, study the T&Cs and check whether it comes with achievable wagering requirements.
How to Choose Best Poker Sites UK as Advanced Player
If you are an advanced player, you can choose from multiple games and tournaments available at higher stakes. The best UK poker sites offer various gaming options designed with advanced players in mind.
As an advanced player, you should pick high-traffic poker sites that attract pros. On these sites, you will be able to enter poker tournaments with sizeable pots, meaning that you will have an opportunity to compete for huge prizes.
Play Online Poker with Friends
Playing online poker does not have to be a solitary activity. Some of the most popular UK poker rooms allow you to play online poker with friends. Create an account on the poker site that offers this option and invite your friends to play cash games with you. Besides, you can join poker tournaments and compete for a share of the prize pool.
Free Online Poker: How It Works?
The best UK poker rooms provide free-to-play games and so-called freeroll tournaments you can join with no buy-in. Free games allow you to learn the basics with no risk involved. On the other hand, freeroll tournaments require no buy-in but provide you with a chance to with a share of a pre-determined prize pool.
Besides the basic rules, it is important to understand table positions in online poker. The three most prominent positions in poker include:
In no-limit hold 'em games, experienced players prefer to play hands from late positions. Fewer players choose middle positions, while the least players go for early positions. When playing from EP, the best hold 'em players tend to be net losers while winning most hands when playing from LP.
Poker may take a lifetime to master, but we have a few tips up our sleeve that can help you improve your skills. Let us tell you more about the most popular strategies to up your game.
Knowing the basic rules of a poker variant and its terminology will give you an advantage over players who are new to it. Also, you should be familiar with hand rankings since the goal in most poker variants is to create the strongest hand.
One of the biggest differences between online and offline poker is in the number of decks in play. In online poker, more than one card deck may be in play, meaning that counting cards will be more challenging. This strategy is used to determine the remaining cards and can help you decide on your next move.
Experienced poker players enjoy online poker as it allows them to take advantage of so-called multi-tabling. In brick-and-mortar poker rooms you can play at one table at a time. On the other hand, online, you can join as many tables as you like at once. By doing so, you can stand more chances of winning. The strategy is perfect for seasoned players, though.
Now that you are familiar with poker basics, you can start your online poker adventure. Here is how to get started playing at UK poker rooms.
Signing up with a trusted online poker room licensed by a trustworthy gambling body is essential to having an enjoyable player experience. On our website, you will find only trusted gaming venues where you can enjoy poker in a safe and fair environment.
Once you pick a trusted online poker site catering to UK players, register with it and create an account. Enter the required details and complete the signup procedure in a few easy steps.
Depositing on a poker site is as easy as it gets. UK-friendly poker rooms allow you to deposit in GBP and support a wide range of convenient payment methods, including e-wallets, Pay by Phone and debit cards. However, keep in mind that you cannot use credit cards for online gambling in the UK.
On most poker sites, you will find welcome bonuses. To claim them, you have to make a deposit and enter the promo code if needed. Check the terms and conditions to find out how to turn your signup bonus into real money.
As mentioned before, poker is a skill-based game, so when choosing a variant, make sure to go for the one you are familiar with. If you want to try out a new one, consider playing it for free until you learn the ropes.
Once you are sure about the game you want to play, go on and place your bet. Set your stake according to your budget, and never wager more than you can afford to lose.
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You can apply various tips, tricks and strategies to improve your online poker game. Below you will find the best tips you should follow to make the most out of playing online poker.
If you want to look for a UK poker site yourself, take a look at the criteria we base our reviews on.
Background & Reputation When looking at an online poker room, we pay close attention to the reputation it enjoys among players. Therefore, we recommend only licensed gambling sites with an excellent reputation.
Bonuses & Promotions From welcome, reload and cashback bonuses to free bets and tournaments, there is a plethora of deals you can take advantage of on UK poker sites. Choose those that suit your playing style best to make the most of the money you deposit.
Games & Tournaments A wide variety of cash games and tournaments is what we look for on a poker site. Luckily, most poker specialists don't fail to offer different poker variants. What's more, they host various tournaments, including freerolls you can join without risking your own money and win a share of the pot.
Mobile Responsiveness Enabling their customers to play poker on the go is a must for modern poker rooms today. Thankfully, most UK-focused poker sites are compatible with Android and iOS mobile devices. In addition, some of them will allow you to install a dedicated app on your smartphone or tablet to enjoy seamless gameplay on the move.
Deposits & Withdrawals While deposits are processed instantly in most cases, withdrawals may take up to 10 business days. That's why it is important to register with a poker room that supports banking methods that will enable you to request fast and hassle-free cashouts.
Player Traffic When it comes to online poker, the more, the merrier. Playing on poker sites with high traffic is more fun as you can easily find opponents. Besides, high-traffic sites host tournaments with larger prize pools.
Customer Support The best poker rooms provide 24/7 customer support via various communication channels, and you should not settle for less. The live chat functionality is a must as it enables you to get instant responses to your queries. A comprehensive FAQ section that covers crucial topics, including how to play poker, is a plus.
The variety of games you can come across in a poker room can be overwhelming. Here is a quick overview of the most popular poker variants available online.
Stud Poker Variants Stud poker includes a range of game variants that share a set of common rules. Players are dealt a combination of face-up and face-down cards, and the main objective is to create the strongest poker hand using them.
Draw Poker Variants What makes draw poker games unique is the opportunity to improve your hand by discarding the cards you have been dealt and getting new ones from the dealer. The most popular variant is 5-Card Draw.
Community Card Variants In community card variants, you will receive face-down cards, also known as hole cards. Your task is to combine them with community or shared cards to create the best hand.
Texas Hold 'em Texas Hold 'em is the most popular community card poker game and probably the most popular poker variant in general. You will be dealt two hole cards, and you need to combine them with five community cards revealed one by one to create the strongest 5-card hand.
Omaha Another community card poker variant called Omaha sees you get four hole cards, while five community cards are placed on the table and immediately revealed. Again, the best 5-card hand should be created using two hole and three shared cards.
7-Card Stud As its name suggests, in 7-Card Stud, players get seven cards, three face-down and four face-up. To win the pot, you have to create the best 5-card hand.
5-Card Draw In 5-Card Stud, you will receive one face-down and four face-up cards. To create the best possible 5-card hand, you can trade up to three cards.
Chicago High/Low Chicago High and Chicago Low are poker variants similar to 7-Card Stud Poker. In Chicago High, the pot is shared between the player with the strongest hand and the player with the highest spade hole card. On the other hand, in Chicago Low, the other half of the pot is won by the player with the lowest spade hole card.
Follow The Queen Also known as Follow Mary, Follow the Queen is another variation based on 7-Card Stud. The twist is in Queens dealt face up that become wild cards and can replace any other card. Furthermore, the face-up card that follows the Queen also turns into a wild card, hence the name.
Texas Hold 'em, one of the most popular poker variants, is played in three stages. The game's main objective is to create the best 5-card poker hand from two hole cards you have received and five community cards.
The poker site quality depends on several factors. They include background and reputation, safety, range of games, bonuses, freeroll tournaments and customer support. On our website, you will find only the best poker rooms accepting UK players, so you can rest assured that each is a trustworthy gambling destination.
Make sure to know the basic game rules and understand hand rankings before you start playing poker online first, then learn the basic strategy. Once you feel confident enough to place real money bets, you will need a stable internet connection and a PC or mobile device.
The best online poker rooms for UK players will allow you to play different game variants for free. Take advantage of this option to learn the ropes without risking your own money. Besides free-to-play poker games, some gambling sites also offer freeroll tournaments you can join without a buy-in.
Yes, most online poker sites are compatible with mobile devices. Furthermore, the most popular poker rooms offer dedicated iOS and Android apps you can download and install on your smartphone or tablet.
If you join a trusted online poker room, you don't have to worry about the fairness of the games it offers. The best poker sites are regulated and licensed by trustworthy authorities, such as the UK Gambling Commission. At the same time, independent agencies audit them for the randomness and fairness of game results.
Like offline poker, its online counterpart is based on skill and luck. The outcome of each round is determined by dealt cards, an element of luck, and moves made by players. Because of that, if you want to be successful at online poker, you must learn not only rules but also optimal strategies.
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