Poker has grown to become one of the most popular casino games in the world. The combination of strategy and skill attracts players who are looking for more than just a game of chance. It is therefore no surprise that the card game has taken the world of online gambling by storm.
However, online poker is not all about placing high stakes and raking in huge wins. In fact, you don’t need to play for cash at all. Would you rather play for fun without putting your hard earned cash on the line? Let us take you through everything you need to know about playing free online poker games.
Why Play Free Poker Online?
While it’s safe to say the chance to land huge wins is the key motive for most online poker players, there are a number of reasons why players play no risk, no reward games online. These games are perfect for those who want to practice, improve their bankroll management or simply play for fun.
Some players simply aren’t willing to put money on the line, but love the game of poker. While there’s zero chance of landing a real money reward on a free game, it’s still a great way to have fun.
It’s also an excellent option for new players looking to learn the ropes too. If you’re a complete novice, it’s important to get familiar with the rules of the game as well its controls. Doing so while wagering real money stakes doesn’t bode well for your chances of landing a winner. Playing for free can really help to develop your game and can even teach you how to manage your bankroll. While there’s no real money stakes involved, you’ll have virtual money to wager during a free game. Whether you’re using a well-known strategy or developing your own, this is a great way to practice before you step up to the real money poker rooms.
How to Play Free Online Poker Games
- Compare and choose an online poker site
We’ve put together a list of our favourite online poker sites that feature free demo games in their libraries. These sites also feature great bonuses, rewarding promotions and of course, a number of the best real money poker rooms too. All you need to do is compare and pick out your favourite.
- Sign up
Once you’ve picked out your perfect place to play poker, simply follow our link to register and become eligible for your exclusive bonus. To sign up, all you’ll need to do is provide a few personal contact details. You’ll be done in just a few minutes!
- Claim your bonus
Unless you’ve claimed a no deposit bonus, most other bonuses will require you to make your first deposit to claim your new customer bonus. This will come in handy if you decide to switch to the real money tables – it’s a great way to boost your bankroll.
- Play free poker
Whether you’ve claimed your bonus or not, you’ll be able to choose from your online poker sites selection of free poker rooms. As you’d expect, this collection isn’t anywhere near as extensive as the real money games library, however it’s still the best way to learn the ropes.
- Head to the real money poker rooms
Once you’ve got the hang of things, the real money poker rooms are always just a few clicks away. You’ll be able to choose from a number of poker game variations, including a number of rooms with different staking limits. There’s something for everyone at our featured online poker sites.
What Else Do I Need to Know?
Texas Hold’em
There are many different types of poker but they all follow a similar pattern of betting or bluffing on the hand that you have been dealt. Most online poker games are based on the popular Texas Hold’em format. In this game, each player is dealt two cards, which are not revealed to the other players. As five community cards are revealed, each player must try to combine them into a winning hand and place bets or fold according to the strength of their hand. Alternatively, they can bluff their opponents into thinking they have a strong hand by continuing to bet or raising the stakes.
Poker Hands
The outcome of a round of poker is always determined by the strength of your hand. Before you try your hand at your favourite poker game online, you should become familiar with poker hand rankings.
Here’s a Comprehensive List of Poker Hand Rankings, In Order from Highest to Lowest Value:
- Royal Flush: The five top value cards in sequence and of the same suit.
- Straight Flush: Five card in sequence of the same suit.
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same number and any other card.
- Full House: Three cards of the same number and two cards of another number.
- Flush: All cards of the same suit.
- Straight: All cards in sequence but of different suits.
- Three of a kind: Three cards of the same value plus two cards of different values.
- Two Pair: Two pairs of different value plus any other card.
- Pair: A pair of the same value plus cards all of different value.
- High card: When no other combinations are formed, the highest card counts.
Compare and Play Free Poker
Fancy a flutter without breaking the bank? Check out our list of top online poker sites – it’s jam-packed with the biggest and best brands as well as a few newcomers too. You can expect some great free games, an extensive collection of real money poker rooms and some amazing freeroll offers too! All you need to is compare, sign up and play!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. All of the sites featured on our list are mobile-friendly, so you can sign up and play from just about any web-enabled device. Some poker brands even offer dedicated native apps available for download from application stores like the Apple App Store and Android’s Google Play Store.
This depends on where you choose to play. Some sites will allow you to play instantly, no download required. Other sites will instead state that you must download software to enter any poker rooms. This will almost always be clearly stated on the site. Chances are, if you need to download software, you’ll know about it.
No. Virtually every live dealer game, including casino titles such as live dealer roulette, require real money stakes. This is usually due to the higher running cost of operating a live dealer table, which involves real croupiers and casino equipment. If you want to play live poker, you’ll have to make a deposit. The top online casinos offer support for a huge range of payment options, including e-wallets such as PayPal and Neteller.
With hoards of players checking in and placing huge buy-ins everyday, gambling operators such as online casinos and poker sites make enough profit legitimately, to not need to resort to underhanded measures. Nonetheless, the best way to guarantee a fair game is to play at a licensed poker site. These sites use Random Number Generators (RNG) to ensure all cards are dealt fairly and randomly. These RNGs are put through rigorous tests frequently to ensure they’re up to scratch. All of the sites featured on Compare.bet are fully licensed, so we can guarantee a safe and fair gaming experience.
In most instances, you’ll need to make a deposit before playing a real money poker game. However, if you claim a no deposit bonus, you’ll be able to play using your bonus funds after signing up – no deposit required!
