How to Find The Best Online Poker Sites

With all the poker sites out there vying for your business, finding the best poker site can be quite a chore. The vast majority of poker sites are quality operations but most don’t stand out in any way.

You can find a simple list of the best online poker sites in our poker site reviews section.

Additionally, you can use the following checklist to help you find and identify the best poker sites on the internet.

1. Safety and Security

The most important factor in finding a poker site is safety and security. You need to know you can trust your poker site before you entrust it with your poker bankroll. Do a little research on the internet to find what other players think of the major poker sites. Take reviews listed in poker forums with a grain of salt – those are usually posted by players who are frustrated after a losing session.

When you do your research online, you’ll see a few big names come up more often than others. Sites such as PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker have earned the trust of hundreds of thousands of poker players over the years. Generally, the bigger a poker site is, the more trustworthy it is.

2. Player Traffic

Make sure you sign up at a site that has a lot of active players. The most annoying thing in the world is to sign up at a poker site, make a deposit and then realize there’s hardly anyone to play against. The easiest way to find out how much traffic a poker site has is to download the software and check out the games for yourself. It only takes a minute and it will save you hours of frustration.

3. Sign Up Bonuses

All poker sites offer sign up bonuses to entice players to play there instead of at a competitor. These bonuses are offered as a percentage of your first deposit there. For example, a 100% bonus means that poker site will match your first deposit dollar for dollar.

Absolute Poker is currently offering all new players a 150% deposit bonus for up to $500 extra. When you create an account there, you will see a place to type in your Absolute Poker referral code. The referral code listed will unlock that 150% deposit bonus.

4. Stakes Offered

You will also want to make sure your poker site can cater to the stakes you want to play. Many players like to start out with pennies as a way to get started and test the games with minimal risk. A few players like to jump right in to the high stakes games. Whatever level you like to play at, it’s always a good idea to make sure your poker site offers those stakes. You can find out by downloading the poker software and checking for yourself.

5. Withdrawal Options

Make sure you check what types of withdrawal options your poker site offers. Some poker sites offer instant online withdrawals while others will make you wait for a paper check in the mail. Just keep in mind that players from the US don’t have as many withdrawal options as international players thanks to US banking regulations. As a US player myself, I’ve always had the best luck with PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker.