Poker has moved online years ago. And as practice shows, there are still many questions about its digital transformation. Are casino dealers in the past? What about bluffing — “poker face” is no longer necessary, is it? And most importantly, can you win big there or you’d better not account for that? We’ll see now.
Are There Real Dealers In Online Poker?
Casino dealers haven’t disappeared with poker’s shift to digital platforms. For example, if you visit the live casino section at Stake Deutschland, you’ll find tons of live dealer game versions including
- Video Poker (this one’s not poker in the traditional sense but still)
- Texas Hold’Em Bonus Poker
- Three Card Poker, and more.
Most titles are designed by Evolution (but not 100%). Such games are perhaps the closest to the authentic casino experience. Two important things to keep in mind about them are that they are real money games (you can’t play their free demo versions) and they require a stable Internet connection. Of course, all online games require the latter but for live dealer titles, it’s particularly important.
Can You Bluff Online?
Intuitively, it seems that bluffing is just for face-to-face games. Well, yes and no. Yes because online poker, indeed, strips away physical tells. No — because it, meanwhile, amplifies the psychological play.
Overall, bluffing online is about pattern recognition, timing, and betting strategy. Not about reading someone’s face. It’s interesting because you need to craft a story with your actions. And this story must convince other players to fold. A pretty creative challenge.
What Bonuses Are Available to Online Poker Players?
Bonuses specifically for poker players aren’t super popular. But these players can typically use other bonuses to play card games with them. For example, they can
- Get a cash boost based on the initial deposit (most commonly, online casinos double the latter).
- Get free money in the frame of no-deposit promotions (these are pretty rare though).
- Participate in freeroll tournaments, where they compete without an entry fee but win real cash.
- Get rewarded with rakeback, cashback, cash, or whatever else as loyal players.
One thing to remember here is that in 99% of cases, a bonus has wagering requirements. You need to play the amount of the bonus a certain number of times (e.g. 25, 30, 45). Only after that, you can request a withdrawal. So the point is that if you choose to use the bonus on table games like poker, you’ll need to play the bonus amount more times than you’d do with slots. It’s just something to keep in mind.
What Poker Variation Is the Most Popular Now?
Texas Hold’em perhaps still wears the crown. In this regard, things haven’t changed much. The Pot-Limit Omaha is nipping at its heels, too. It’s a more complex challenge because you have four hole cards instead of two here.
Usually, the variety of poker games is richer in online table games than in live dealer games. For example, at the aforementioned Stake, they have their own version of poker (Stake Poker) but it’s not a live dealer title. It’s just a virtual card game. It’s usually wise to choose such games for practicing because they have free demo versions.
How Much Can You Win in Poker?
Sky’s the limit, in fact. A lot depends on where you play, what game variation you play, and whether you are playing with your money or bonus funds.
In live dealer games, for instance, if you beat the dealer, most bets pay out 1:1. And if side bets are included, you can win up to 1k x the bet.
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On balance, you may see that the poker game has benefited from moving online. It hasn’t lost its charm and authenticity thanks to live dealers. Meanwhile, it has become a bit more accessible thanks to free demo modes and different types of bonuses.