Online Poker Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This guide will look at online poker FAQ (frequently asked questions). These FAQ have been written to answer some of the questions you might have either about this site, or about playing poker live or on the internet. These questions have been compiled from both our experience in the market and questions that have been asked previously. In this section, we will aim to keep the terminology to a minimum so that everything is plain and simple.

 

Here are the poker FAQ that are featured within this guide:

 

1) What is online poker?

2) What's the difference between online poker and live play at a casino?

3) How do poker rooms make their money?

4) Is online poker legal for me?

5) How to i deposit into an online poker site, and is it safe?

6) What is a poker bonus and how do they work?

7) How do i clear a poker bonus?

8) How do i find out what games are played at a poker room?

9) What is rakeback and how does it work?

10) How do you find which sites have the easiest games (worst players)?

11) Can i really make money playing online poker?

 

Answers to our FAQ

 

Q 1 - What is online poker?

 

Online poker is simply poker played on the internet. Each poker room will have a website. In the home page of their website there will be a download icon which will download the poker client to your PC. If you own a MAC, check to see if there is a MAC compatible version of the software. We have listings of the best MAC friendly poker sites. Once you have downloaded the software, you will need to launch it and follow the registration process. Once registered, you will then be able to use that software to access their poker room and play over the internet.

 

Q 2 - What's the difference between online poker and live poker?

 

There are quite a few differences. The play online is a lot faster and everything is virtual, for starters. During live poker the average dealer can only get 30 hands per hour while online poker has over 70 hands per hour. There is also more scope to play multiple tables at once, source the best poker room, watch players and lots more. Here we detail the major differences between online poker and live play.

 

Q 3 - How do poker rooms make their money?

 

Online poker rooms make money by what is called the rake. They charge players to participate in either an up front entry fee for tournaments or a game rake. The entry fee is often ten percent of the buy in and is shown in this format: “$25 +2”. This format indicates that twenty five dollars goes into the prize pool and two dollars is the actual tournament fee. The rake is a percentage which is taken from the total pot. The rake is removed automatically and many players are unaware that they are paying for it. If you win the rake is taken from your winnings as well. The rake is usually no more than five percent. Other online poker rooms get income from licensing their poker software to other websites that want to operate an online poker room or by letting other rooms share in the available network of players.

 

Q 4 - Is online poker legal for me?

 

You will need to check the legality of your country of residence. Many places in the world (Like the US, it's illegal to deposit money from a bank into your online account). Most European countries and the UK, it's perfectly legal to play. Go online and check if you are allowed to play. That said, most sites will block any attempt to sign up from a banned country. It's better to do some research for yourself first. More on the legality of the game and the loopholes that exist.

 

Q 5 - How do i deposit to an online poker room and is it safe?

 

Once you have created your player account, you can deposit using the cashier facility that exists on all rooms. Before signing up, check our poker room reviews for deposit methods. Additionally, you can check at the poker site when visiting to make sure you are able to deposit by one of the methods listed. Most good sites accept credit and debit cards, Moneybookers, Neteller and Paypal. There are usually a wide range of options available to you. Once you have set up your card or online account with your room of choice, you can deposit to your account, find a table and begin playing for real money!

 

In terms of security, yes it's as safe as anything else you do online. We are not by any means saying there is no risk. Online, there is always a risk - but no more so depositing in a poker room that paying for something at another site. All the sites we promote are big brands and offer heightened security for all their players. More on security and poker online.

 

Q 6 - What are poker bonuses and how do they work?

 

Poker bonuses come in 2 forms. Firstly you have the new player deposit bonus. This can be anything from $50 up to a few thousand. This gives players to earn the bonus as they play. For example, the welcome bonus might be 200% match deposit up to $1,000. This means if you deposit $500, you will be entitled to a bonus of $1,000. This doesn't mean they are going to deposit $1,000 into your account there and then. It does mean that as you play and accumulate player points, the bonus will be released into your account, up to the value of $1,000. Other bonuses will be loyalty deposit or reload bonuses which are bonuses for player loyalty. All of our rooms offer monthly bonuses which mean as you keep playing, you will continue to earn FREE cash! Read more on how these bonuses work.

 

Q 7 - How do i clear a poker bonus?

 

You need to check how long you get to clear it. Sometimes it's 60 days, sometimes 90 days. In some case the bonus doesn't expire. This means that you will need to play enough poker to release the full amount by the deadline, assuming there is one. It's pretty easy to calculate how many points you need to release the full amount. A little calculation and you should be able to work out how much you would need to play to clear the full amount.

 

Q 8 - How do i find out what games are played at a poker room?

All our poker room reviews details the games that are on offer. Each of the poker rooms should also tell you within their website. You will be able to check this out before you sign up.

Q 9 - What is rakeback and how does it work?

 

Rakeback is a fairly new concept although the principles are much the same. In the same way that a poker bonus gives you money back for play, Rakeback gives you back a percentage of the rake you play when playing cash games. The more you play, the more rake you pay, the more money you get back. You see where this is going...

 

Q 10 - How do i find out which sites have the worst players?

 

The only way to find out is to do a little research. For instance, we know through experience that Party Poker is home to some of the loosest players around. They simply don't know where the fold button is! There are also a lot of bad players in the poker rooms that have fully integrated casinos (like 888Poker and William Hill Poker). These sites tend to have a lot of casino players gambling at the tables. When you are on these rooms, use the view flop percentages as an indicator for how loose the play is. The higher the percentage, the better the game for you.

Q 11 - Can I really make money with online poker?
Absolutely! Our team is very successful in the online arena but we are disciplined in our play. Beginner’s luck will only get you so far. You need to work hard, learn the basics and move up from there - one step at a time. It's a scary number but over 80% of players lose money when they play online poker. This is because they rush into games and stakes before they have the skills required to do well at that level. They don't learn how to play solid poker.

 

Here are our recommended rooms for you to make a start on, each with the best poker bonus available online.

 

18+ Terms and Conditions apply to all offers : Gamble Responsibly - begambleaware.org.

I have a question on online poker that isn't listed..

Don't worry - there will always be questions that we haven't answered. We are however more than willing to help. Please use the contact link at the foot of the page and drop us an email and we will be more than happy to assist you. Additionally, if there's a question that you feel we should be answering on this page, let us know and we will gladly add it.