Pros and Cons of Online Poker

For online casinos, poker has become of most popular and profitable games available.  Because of the game’s many fans and the advantages of playing online, these online card rooms have been able to incur considerable financial gains.

The Pros

Poker online is much different than the conventional live game played in casinos and other locations.  Firstly, the online poker game attracts a much younger internet-savvy crowd.  These experienced web users have found a wealth of information online, such as tutorials and software, to help them learn and become skillful at the game.  Many websites exist that specialize in changing a novice player into a formidable opponent.  The software programs that can be downloaded also help to develop a player’s skill set and allow the game to be played anytime of day.

Another difference between the live and online games is the abilities needed to be a successful player.  While the live game requires a knowledge of how to read people and interpret the connection between words and actions and the strength of a player’s cards, the online game is more focused on mathematics and understand different patterns of betting.  To be successful at either game, a player must learn how to adapt to the opponents he is playing against.

Lastly, the pace of the game is much faster online than live.  While a good live dealer can only manage up to thirty hands per hour, many online tables average nearly one hundred hands per hour.  Online, there is no shuffling, interruptive talking, or physical chips that slow down the speed of the game.  Coupled with the fact that online players may simultaneously play at more than one table, a huge disparity exists in the possible amount being profited per hour played.  An example would be a player that is playing online at four tables.  Each table averages sixty hands, so in a given hour the player has completed 240 hands.  This is eight times the number of hands that would be seen in a live game in the same timeframe.  Provided the stakes being played are the same, the player has a much better chance at higher profits in the online game.

The Cons

However, there are negatives to online poker as well.  It is very difficult for a site to catch a player that is cheating.  If a player is playing with friends, they can speak about what their hands are and maximize profits against players who are playing legitimately.  The most reputable online card rooms try very hard to provide a secure playing environment, even utilizing IP address tracing to determine if multiple players are playing from the same location.  In this manner, several thieves have been caught, but many more could still exist.

Another problem with online poker is that it is impossible to tell who a player is playing against.  An opponent may be another player who enjoys the game online or could be a computer algorithm created by the casino to drain funds from honest players.

The internet has completely changed the face of poker, reducing the perceived importance of playing the game in a live setting.  On the other hand, the availability of online poker has also introduced a new audience to the game, surging the popularity to never-before-seen heights.