Listing the Top Online Poker Sites

Getting Started in Online Poker: Reasearching Lists of Online Poker Sites

You wouldn't buy a car without comparing the different models available. You wouldn't buy a house without shopping around first. So why would you deposit at a poker room without making a list of poker sites first? Even now, though I've played hundreds of thousands of hands online, I still make a list of poker sites when I'm looking to move my bankroll. I start my list by creating subheadings corresponding to the key features in a poker room. Then, I note under each subheading how different poker rooms compare in that category.

Here are the subheadings I use:

- Compatibility
- Software Features
- Games Offered
- Bonuses and Promotions

These cover all the key things that we should look for in a poker room.

Let's run through each category, and find out what features we need to consider. Once we're done, we'll have a better idea of how to make a good list of poker sites.

Poker Site Compatibility

If I can't run a poker site's software on my computer, I don't waste any more time looking at that poker room. This saves a lot of hassle later on. A poker room could have all the features I'm looking for; but if I'm running MacOS and the site only runs on Windows, none of the features really matter, do they?

Most of the best poker rooms these days support MacOS somehow. Some sites, like Lock Poker and PokerStars, offer Mac-native poker clients. This is the best option for Mac users, since standalone software is more stable and runs faster than non-native software. But other sites, like 888 Poker and Party Poker, only offer java-based or flash-based web apps for Mac users. You can play on these clients from any web browser, which is convenient; but they are slower and more buggy, so obviously not ideal.

Another compatibility issue also comes down to where you live. Some poker rooms won't accept players from certain countries, due to laws and regulations in those places. Thus you need to make sure a poker site accepts players from your country.

For example if you're from the United States, you unfortunately can't sign up at some of the better rooms. You'll have to look for poker sites that still accept American traffic, like BetOnline Poker, Lock Poker, or Bodog Poker (which are all great options). There are still lots of choices for Americans -- it's just another thing to consider when making your list of poker sites.

Poker Software Features

I want to play at a poker room with good software. What exactly makes good software? For starters, good software should be fast, aesthetically pleasing, and full of multi-tabling features. Slow poker clients make playing a real pain. I don't like having to worry about tables freezing on me in the middle of a pot. I don't like trying to push the raise button, only to find it magically 'stuck' in place. So I note a poker client's speed on my list of poker sites.

I also care about aesthetics. If a poker site is ugly, I simply won't play there. Not only are ugly tables a mood-killer, they are often ugly because they're cluttered and hard to navigate. A table that is hard to navigate is likely to cause screw-ups when it comes time to make a play. So you should consider the more eye-pleasing poker clients, like Bodog Poker or Ultimate Bet.

Finally, I won't play on a poker site unless it's got some useful multi-tabling features. If you play more than one table at a time, you should make sure your site of choice at least has a 'cascade tables' option. You simply can't play multiple tables at a site with poor table-resizing options. It just doesn't work.

Games Offered at a Poker Room

I had a friend deposit a significant bankroll at a poker site, only to find that the site didn't run Razz, his game of choice. It's not that the site didn't spread Razz -- there were tables available. It's just that there was never anyone there playing on them. If my friend had checked out the lists of poker sites before he signed up, he could have saved a whole lot of hassle. Note which rooms spread which games on your list. That way, you'll be able to make an informed decision as to where your favorite games run.

Bonuses and Promotions

The biggest section of my list of poker sites is always the bonus section. That's because I'm all about maximizing my expectation, and bonuses are +EV all the way. Make sure that whatever site you sign up with offers you a first deposit bonus. Most sites will match the amount of your first deposit absolutely free, up to a certain dollar amount. Some sites have bigger bonuses than others, so keep that in mind when you're making your list of poker sites.

I also note whatever promotions a poker room has running on my list. I like sites with a good VIP program, because they basically pay me to play poker. That is just as +EV as a first deposit bonus, and is always a huge factor in my decision to sign up at a site.