How to play online poker and win real money
Are you looking to take your game from home to play for real money at casinos or poker rooms around the globe? If yes, then read on! There are plenty of ways to play poker online without spending real cash.
Poker Sites
This is by far the most popular way to play Texas Hold’em and other variants of poker games online. The very first thing that you need to look out for when choosing a site to play on is how many people are competing in their tournaments. You want one with a large number of tournaments so that it makes sense to spend money n entry fees. On top of this, you should be able to find free chips to practice with before eventually depositing some hard-earned cash into the account.
Freerolls
These are tournaments where players can enter without having to pay upfront. You will usually have to register an account with the site to qualify but once that is done you simply get entered into the tournament as soon as there is one running – which can often happen within minutes. Most freeroll sites offer rewards such as free entries into bigger tournaments or even free cash.
Virtual Cardrooms
In these cases, you don’t buy any cards! All you do is sit down at the virtual table and play against each other. Because they aren’t regulated by the government (as live cardroom tables are), virtual cardrooms come in all shapes and sizes. Some only allow you to play certain types of poker while others may not let you use a single pair at all. It depends on what type of player you are and whether the site has rules you agree with or not.
Free Games
Now we move onto our last method of playing poker online without paying anything in advance. Here you just go ahead and download software or play using flashcards. Many sites now also have mobile apps through which you can play on the go. To win points here, you either have to beat opponents, make friends, or both!
Practice Mode
Some sites offer a “practice mode” where you can try out different variations of poker without risking much. Of course, you still won’t be playing against live opponents but you can learn more about the game without the risk involved in real play. Not only does it save you time and money because you don’t have to travel anywhere to play, but you can always play whenever you feel like it. No matter if you are broke right now or going through a bad patch, you can always log on and have fun.
Play Live Tournaments
A great alternative to playing online poker without paying is to join a live casino or poker room. At these places, you will be dealt a real deck of cards and compete against real people who will also be holding real cards. While the stakes tend to be higher than those found online, the atmosphere tends to be a lot friendlier too. With luck, you could even end up turning a profit!
Betting Exchange
A relatively new concept, betting exchanges operate similarly to stock brokers in that you place bets against other users instead of actual shares. However, unlike a stock broker, you can bet on your favorite sports teams and earn points based on how well they perform. You then exchange those points for cash or other prizes. Although there is no guarantee that you will get back what you put in, it is still possible to win from betting exchanges.
Cash Game
The best form of online poker is probably the traditional multi-table cash game format. Here, you are allowed to place wagers against other players in a variety of hand combinations. Of course, you will be competing with fellow human beings rather than computers, so skill levels tend to vary quite a bit. If you are good enough to consistently defeat other high-stakes players, then you will rake in the rewards!
Online Poker Sites
The final way to take part in online poker without spending any money is simply joining an existing site. Once you sign up for one of these sites, you automatically become qualified to attend the tournaments hosted at that particular establishment. Although this is generally considered cheating to some degree, most established sites are willing to overlook small infractions as long as you pay a fee. That said, you should avoid signing up for new sites unless you already know someone who works at that specific website.
Conclusion
So which option suits you best? Well, it depends entirely on what kind of person you are, and what you prefer. Do you like sitting down at a computer screen and playing against another human being who happens to be thousands of miles away? Or would you rather sit back, relax and wait until someone beats them? Maybe you love playing poker but hate going to casinos with all the commotion and crowds.