No More Rough Roads
Mac owners are known to be fiercely protective of their Apple products. Many are almost religiously dedicated to that particular operating system and would not dream of accessing the internet from any other product, not even for poker online.
When select internet poker operators finally started to enable their software to run compatibly with Mac products, the race was on for all operators to do the same. That race intensified even further when mobile devices became a factor, as Apple’s iPhones and eventually iPads became immensely popular as well. There was no way for an operator to dismiss the importance of enabling poker online for all Mac products.
Today, all of the top online poker sites are Mac-friendly.
Concerns About Mac Poker Sites
With all of the technological advancements, especially in the online gambling world, most games are compatible with Mac products. However, there are numerous concerns from players that online poker sites crash often, do not run smoothly, and become very problematic when multi-tabling. The complaints can still be found on social media and poker forums on a very regular basis.
Basically, Mac products are designed with many users in mind, but online gamers are not among them. Everyone from business professionals to artists adore their Apple devices, but professional gamers nearly always own a PC, even if only for gaming.
The same can be said for poker. Most professional poker players do not use Macs for online poker. On the other hand, recreational players want the option to play on their Mac products since it is typically an occasional usage and purely for entertainment purposes. With that in mind, the Mac poker sites do work and offer all of the benefits of playing poker on PCs. Any lag time or slow play is likely due to the machine itself, not the software running from the online poker operator.
Mac Poker on Networks or Platforms
Most online poker software is set up to work on Mac products whether used by a network of poker operators or for a single site.
When it comes to the largest sites in the world, such as PokerStars, 888poker, PartyPoker, and Bodog/Bovada, they operate via their own proprietary software platforms that host players from various countries around the world. These sites tend to respond better on Mac products because the operators have dedicated a great deal of time into making them compatible with all computers.
Poker on networks, however, like Bet365, may be a bit tougher to play on a Mac. For clarity, Playtech and other online poker software providers have consistently upgraded their software to ensure its compatibility with Mac poker, but when a site shares its poker across a network, it may cause more hiccups when playing. This has not been proven, only suggested by some online poker players.
Either way, Mac products are not designed for online poker, even if the software is.
Importance of Connection and Security
To improve the ability to play poker online on a Mac, it is vital to maintain a solid internet connection that uses a password for access. If in public, use a private hotspot or secure internet hookup rather than a public line that processes more virtual traffic. A singular wi-fi connection is preferred to give the best chance for smooth play.
In general, public wi-fi is discouraged when playing online poker on any device, as it reduces the level of security and opens players up to various forms of hacking and cybercrime activities.
System Requirements
The best way to have an optimal online poker experience using a Mac product is to check the system requirements of the site before downloading the software or logging on to play. For example:
- PokerStars requires Mac OS X 10.7 with 512MB RAM, 1024×768 or higher screen resolution, 60MB free disk space, and 56k dial-up internet connection at minimum.
- Bet365 suggests Microsoft Windows for its operating system.
- 888poker provides an instant-play version of its site to be played in an Apple Safari browser.
Mac users also have the option to dual-boot computers with OSX Leopard or other similar programs in order to run the Windows version of an online poker site, which makes it smoother and easier to use.
Best Sites for Mac Poker
Today’s online poker rooms want to cater to all players, and with so many Mac users around the world, they have made sure to create software that is compatible with all Apple products.
The top poker sites online – PokerStars, 888poker, PartyPoker, Bodog/Bovada, etc. – are playable on Mac products.
