Online Poker
Online poker is played over the internet rather than at a physical table. When poker is played online rather than at a live table, the game changes in specific ways. Hands are dealt faster, tables run around the clock, and players from around the world can compete against each other rather than needing to be in the same physical room.
This hub explains how the online game works, what the playing experience is like and how it differs to live poker. Learn more about online poker on the main poker page, and for how poker works as a game, see poker fundamentals.
What is Online Poker?
Online poker is an online version of the game of poker. The rules of the game are the same as the live version of the game that’s played at a real-life poker table; the main difference between the two is how the game is delivered. This page will cover that difference in more detail.
How Online Poker Works
Online poker follows the same structure and rules as live poker, but the software handles the mechanics automatically. Players act within a time limit for each round of the game by selecting check, bet, call, raise or fold on screen. Cards are shuffled by a random number generator, blinds and antes are posted automatically, and the calculating and awarding of the pot is also automatic.
The underlying betting rules are the same across online and live, and are covered in the poker rules section.
Online Poker Vs Live Poker
Pace, information and access are some key differences between online poker and live poker. Because of the way that online poker is delivered, online poker games deal hands faster and more frequently than at a live poker table. Games are available continuously without any need for travel. Physical tells are replaced by timing patterns and bet-sizing reads.
The below table sets out the main differences between the two in even more detail:
Online poker | Live poker | |
Speed / hands per hour | High volume; software deals continuously, no manual shuffling | Lower volume; dealt and shuffled by a human dealer |
Reading opponents | No physical tells; reads come from timing and bet-sizing patterns | Physical tells and body language |
Accessibility | Playable 24/7 on desktop and mobile, no travel required | Requires attending a physical venue at the time of the game |
Playing multiple games | Multi-tabling allows several tables at once | One table at a time |
Player pool | Large, global pools which leads to a wider range of games and stakes | Limited to players physically present |
Rules & hand rankings | Mostly identical to live poker. | Mostly identical to online poker with some additional rules that are unique to the live environment. |
Getting Started Online
Getting started with online poker begins with creating an account at a licensed site. Players then choose between real-money games, which stake real currency, and Play Money games, that are played for free. Play Money games are good practice for new players who are still learning how online poker works.
Real-money play should always be approached within personal limits, and licensed sites provide deposit, session and time limits to support this. More details about learning the game is covered in the how-to-play guide.
Online Games & Formats
Online poker has the capability to offer more poker variants than those available at live venues, but Texas Hold’em remains the most popular online and live. Online poker also offers formats that are not possible to replicate live, like Zoom poker, where players are automatically moved to a new table after folding.
The Online Playing Experience
The online playing experience differs greatly from a live poker experience. Games are available at any time, anywhere, with players having access to a vast range of stakes and formats rather than a handful of tables in a physical casino.
The pace of games means the volume possible is greater online. Opponents are a name and avatar on a screen rather than a face round a table. Reads are built from betting patterns and timing rather than from physical behavior.
Is Online Poker Safe and Fair?
Online poker is safe as long as it is played at a licensed site that is regulated by the relevant authority. That ensures the technology is designed to keep play fair. A certified random number generator is used for the shuffle, and independently tested. Security teams also monitor games to ensure no players seek to gain unfair advantage.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Because card shuffling and dealing happens almost instantly using online software, there isn’t any manual card handling involved, allowing games to be completed quicker. Players can also play at multiple tables online at the same time which wouldn’t be possible at a physical casino.
Yes, but reading an opponent in online poker relies on things such as spotting differences in bet sizing and noticing timing patterns. Contrast this to a physical table, where players can pick up on a rival player’s physical behavior to help inform their next move.
Online poker is played using online software and a random number generator, and players can play in multiple games at the same time. Live poker is played against other people sitting around a physical poker table, and cards are dealt by a human dealer.
Yes. Both online and live poker follow the same rules and use the same poker hand rankings. Although live poker requires some additional rules due to the human nature of it. The main difference between the two is the way that the game is delivered.
Online poker draws on large player pools that can stretch across countries and timezones. This means that a much greater variety of games, variants and stakes can be offered, as opposed to a handful of poker tables in a live casino.