Is Online Poker Rigged? Your Poker Questions, Answered
Is Online Poker Rigged? Your Poker Questions, Answered
So, you've decided to dive into the wild world of online poker. Good for you, bud. One of the most popular casino games around the world, poker has been entertaining players for hundreds of years.
Step foot into any land-based casino worth shouting about and you'll soon find bustling poker tables surrounded by people keen for their chance to scoop the prize pot. It's no wonder so many new faces are eager to get in on the action.
But before you start throwing poker chips around like you're the next star of a high-stakes movie montage, you probably have questions. Lots of them. And guess what? We've got all the answers.
Just keep scrolling to find out.
Is online poker rigged?
Let's kick things off with one of the biggest questions asked by players new to the game: Is online poker rigged? To cut to the chase, no it isn't.
As long as you're playing on a reputable, licensed online casino site in the UK (or the rest of the world if you're jetting off on holiday), then they will use Random Number Generators (RNGs) to ensure the outcome of the online casino game is completely fair and without bias.
This insanely small piece of technology takes the place of your regular casino dealer, shuffling and revealing the next cards to be added to your poker hand. It doesn't matter whether you’re playing regular online poker or live poker – the RNG is charged with dealing cards that are entirely random.
After all, you don't get to call something 'Random' unless it really is, well, random. And, just to ensure our RNG is super random, all our poker decks are re-shuffled immediately before a new card is required.
Since there is no storage of a pre-shuffled deck, it is impossible for anyone to know what the next card will be before it is dealt. This means we don't need to 'burn' a card either, as they're already secure.
Is online poker legal?
We know, we know, playing online casino games provides awesome entertainment. But we also know having fun shouldn't come at the cost of breaking the law.
The good news is playing online poker in the UK is completely legal. That means you can pull up a seat at an online poker table without sweating about getting in trouble with your local jurisdiction. Take a trip abroad, though, and you might find there are different rules.
See, some countries block gambling of any kind, while others have different laws depending on whereabouts you're playing. In the U.S., gambling isn't legal everywhere. There isn't one federal law overseeing online poker, which means you'll need to brush up on all the state's laws before planning your All-American poker road trip.
If a poker site is licensed by a recognized local gambling authority (such as the Gambling Commission in the UK), you can legally enjoy a game of poker. Just check the casino site’s fine print for the details before depositing your wager.
How old do I have to be to play poker online?
It may be legal to play poker online in the UK, but there are some conditions. The big one is how old you are. To play poker at an online casino in the UK, you need to be 18 years old.
Meanwhile, folks in the USA need to wait a little longer to get in on the poker fun, with the legal gambling age for many states set as 21. And, if we're getting technical, in some states such as California, the legal drinking age is older than the gambling age. Since most land-based casinos serve alcohol, no one under the legal drinking age may enter – even if they can legally play poker by that age.
What are the best poker hands?
Since poker is a strategy-based card game, you'll want to brush up on the best poker hands available before deciding how much, and when, to wager.
Don't sweat it if you're pushed for time, though. Here's a quick breakdown of the top poker hands ranked from best to worst, just for you.
- Royal Flush
- Straight Flush
- Four of a Kind
- Full House
- Flush
- Straight
- Three of a Kind
- Two Pair
- Pair
- High Card
What is a rake?
Running a poker game is plenty of fun, but it also requires some work. A rake is poker slang for how much is paid to whoever is running the game. In the case of online poker, it's the amount paid to the casino site operating the game.
Rakes are formed of a small cut of the player's entry fee or table's prize pot and can usually be found in the details of the game.
Can I play online poker for free?
You bet you can. At Bally Casino, we're Big on Rewards. That's why all our members can play free online poker with us. So, you can learn how to play poker online, try new poker strategies and enjoy a slice of the action without betting the big bucks.
Unlike traditional Texas Hold'em poker tournaments, our Chip and Chair tables are free to join. There's no need to wager to play, and no way to buy towering stacks of chips to start with. Instead, every player at the table will start with a single, free poker chip.
Play your cards right and your single chip could land you the £20 prize pool of cash and poker chips. Wanna know the best bit? These free poker games are available to join every. single. day.
Just become a member to join in.
Can I use special software and tools when playing poker online?
One of the perks of playing poker online is the ability to see real-time data about the game's performance so far. Take a seat at an online poker site and y'all can clearly see how much is at stake, how many rounds have been played and exactly who is on a hot streak.
Some players like to take it a step further by using tools like hand trackers and odds calculators to give them an edge. However, this can be seen as an unfair advantage, so lots of poker sites ban certain types of software. Always check a site's rules before using any third-party tools to avoid getting banned.
What's the difference between cash games and tournaments?
All online poker games at Bally Casino are No Limit Texas Hold'em – one of the most popular poker games around. But there are different types of No Limit Texas Hold’em games: Cash and Tournaments.
In cash poker games, you buy in with real money, and each chip has a real monetary value. You can join and leave the table whenever you want, without any specific registration period or game end time, unless it's an exclusive game with a limited timeframe, making it a flexible choice for players who aren't big on commitment.
In online poker tournaments, you pay a fixed buy-in and receive a set number of chips. Unlike cash games, where you only compete against players at your table, tournaments will set you against players across multiple tables – meaning you could be competing against more players for the progressive jackpot.
Know what happens when there are more players? More money gets added to the prize pot. If you're hoping to land an epic win, and don't mind committing to sticking around until the game ends, then this is the poker game for you.
At Bally Casino, we offer a number of different poker tournaments for members to choose from. We're talking Chip and Chair, Community, Linked, Wild Seat and more. There's a tournament for everyone right here.
How can I become a professional poker player?
Fancy taking your love for playing poker to the big time? Then you might want to consider turning your hobby into a career by becoming a professional poker player! These folks get to play with some of the biggest names in the industry at the biggest events around. Think World Series of Poker, world tours and more.
The first step to becoming a professional poker player is to learn how to play poker. You'll need to brush up on everything there is to know about the game, from the best poker hands to the popular strategies and chip meanings.
Remember practice is key, so be sure to play poker online as much as you need to get the rules down and set aside a bankroll that will let you play in a comfortable way. We recommend making the most of our resident poker experts too. Just ask our dealers and your fellow players if you have any questions and they'll be happy to help out.
What is the best online poker site?
You're looking at it, bud! Just like the humble game of poker, Bally Casino boasts a proud American heritage with decades spent delivering epic entertainment to players. And now we're bringing the very best of our American gaming experience to your fingertips.
With classic video poker tables and slick dealers delivering our iconic 5-star customer service, our online poker lobby will have you feeling like you're playing in one of our incredible land-based casinos in the States. Thrilling poker prize pools? We got you. Free chat feature? You bet.
And there's more. From low-stakes fun to fast-paced live casino games, there's a poker table for you everyone right here. That's the Bally Casino way.
Go on, sign up to see for yourself.
Learn more about playing casino games online at the Bally Casino blog, where you'll find insights and tips from the top writers in the business. Or skip straight the ‘JOIN NOW’ button to start playing.