Poker Casinos Canada

Basic Poker Strategy – How to Play Poker

The game starts with each player being dealt some cards. The number of cards you get depends on the type of poker you are playing. In the most common type of poker, called “Texas Hold’em,” each player gets two cards.

Then, a round of betting starts. Players can either bet some money, or “fold” and stop playing the round.

After the first round of betting, more cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These are called “community cards” and can be used by any player to make their hand.

Another round of betting happens, and then more community cards are dealt. This process repeats until all the cards have been dealt.

At the end of the game, players show their cards to see who has the best hand. The player with the best hand wins the game and the money that has been bet.

What’s the best casino to play poker online?

Which site you decide to go with will largely depend on your ambitions and expectations. For example, are you playing for fun, for the social interaction or to achieve the biggest wins possible? Do you consider yourself an amateur enthusiast or a downright pro? There are also things you should always screen for, regardless of your mindset, to keep you as safe as possible when you play poker online. The following are a list of things to think about to help you zone in on the right poker site for you.

What to look for in an online poker site

Reputation and customer support

Go with a well-known site. Sometimes you’ll find obscure poker sites based in even more obscure locations offering bonuses and rake-back deals of your dreams. Come to cash out and you’ll be hit with so much red tape you’ll never see a penny. On the other hand, the bigger, more established sites have a reputation to look after, which means you’ll be treated fairly. Make sure the site you choose has a gambling license and check that your browser tags it as a secure site. Customer support is another big one. If a problem arises (and don’t they always?) you want to know you can communicate with some one quickly and easily. I’m a big fan of live chat, but failing that do a little research and find out what other people have to say about the site’s communication with players.

Competition level

Now this one is all about personal preference. Do you like to be challenged or do you prefer easy pickings for smaller wins? Those you share your table with will determine the style in which you play. The lower the competition, the easier it will be to win long term. Therefore it follows that the higher the competition the harder it will be. Ideally you get a nice mix of players at your table because the better ones will help you improve your game, and the weaker ones will let you scoop up on a few hands. Also consider that some rooms might be soft in tournaments but tougher competition in other formats, so you should scope all this out ahead. Think carefully about your ability level as well as your strategy before you enter an online poker room.

First deposit bonuses

You should always opt for a head start if you’re given the choice. And with the fierce competition in online poker out there, you’re bound to be inundated with all sorts of first-timer benefits. So if a site is excited to have you, allow them wine and dine you, and be sure to take your time. Scout around the best sites and compare sign up bonuses to maximize on your winnings. Bonus offers can range from 50% to 200%, and obviously bigger is better but it’s not always the only consideration.

Take a look at what the maximum bonus will be on these offers. Often you’ll find they’re limited to about C$100 or C$200, which is perfectly fine if you plan to play low stakes. But if you’re in it for the bigger wins, then look out for higher bonuses that set limits at about C$500 or C$1,000. Lastly, and it’s a big one, check out the wagering requirement conditions attached to your bonus. Depending on the conditions, an offer could be worth anywhere between 10% to 50% of your rake-back. Some poker rooms will give you 30 days to clear your bonus and others up to 90. If you’re a less frequent player who mainly enters low stakes games then you should aim for the best clearing rate.

Poker game variety

Are you a strict Texas or Omaha? Or do you prefer to mix it up? Not all sites will offer a selection of poker games so check this out before you deposit your buy in. You might find a particular style isn’t for you or you get bored easily and like to switch things up. A decent site should also offer the opportunity to enter various tournaments and new styles of poker such as fast-fold poker and Spin and Go. You should consider the whole buffet before making up your mind.

That online poker traffic

Again this one depends on how serious you are about poker. If you’re looking to commit to regular play, then poker traffic becomes very important. You should be searching for poker rooms that have enough active tables during peak hours. It’s not hard to find this out. As a rule of thumb, the more popular sites will always host the most action. Most poker rooms will tell you the count of active players, so just have a quick peek.

Ways to pay and play

There’s nothing that gets in the way of your good run worse than stalled deposits and withdrawals. PayPal is one of the safest bets, although not always available. Failing that, your online poker site absolutely must offer a good selection of popular providers, from debit cards to credit cards, e-wallets and money transfers. You need to feel comfortable about where you’re leaving your information and temporarily holding your money.

Are Online Poker Sites Safe?

As with anything else in life, you’ll find both the good and the bad. Are there dodgy online poker sites out there? Most definitely. But there are also completely legitimate dedicated poker sites readily available that you can trust completely. The trick is identifying these and not falling into the trap of going for that too good to be true offer. Do your research and be smart.