Poker Networks and Software
It’s important to know when signing up for a new poker room how big the sites player base is, the quality of the software and also the reliability of the site operator and network.
Most poker sites are part of a network of sites or “skins” – This maintains a better volume of players by pooling them and offers a better variety of games across all stakes.
If you have found poker software which you are comfortable with it’s worth checking out and playing the other sites in the same network. You can gain additional bonus sign-up money from bonus hunting while continuing to play on a familiar platform. Most networks allow this, but some require signing up with same details and a common ID across the same network.
Poker Stars & Party Poker dominated the market, with 80% of online players having played there at one time or another. FullTilt Poker has recently approaching Party Poker for 2nd place as a result of the US poker bill. New poker rooms offer increased bonuses and incentives to try them out, many offering newer and innovative software as well as attracting new inexperienced players making for some of the easiest to win poker games online. Newer & smaller mid size sites like Bodog Poker also tend to have a lower number of entries for guaranteed tournaments offering even better odds of picking up prize money.
Below is a list of poker sites and which network they are part of – Ranked in order of network / poker site size starting with the biggest players in the industry. In brackets the approximate peak daily real money player numbers.
• Poker Stars - Very big tournament site, had a reputation as a tough site, but growth has made it more suitable for novice players. Now offering a deposit bonus and the promotions and tournaments offers are huge. PokerStars isn’t as tough in the lower limits.
Read full Poker Stars Review
• Full Tilt Poker - Unique graphics with avatars, great site for tournaments where the players are generally moderately good.
Read full Full Tilt Poker Review
• iPoker Network / Playtech - Growing quickly and has good volume in peak hours. Good playability & graphics. Very loose players across the sites.
read full Titan Poker Review, VC Poker Review
• Party Poker - Was the biggest poker site on net before the UIGEA. Loose players and still big volume of games available 24/7.
Read full Party Poker Review
• OnGame Network - Stylish and very playable software. Network has very high volume and has great range of games. Great choice for Macs.
Read full Hollywood Poker Review, BetFair Poker Review & RedKings Review
• Everest Poker – First genuinely multi-lingual poker room with software working in 16 languages. Unique site and growing well.
Read full Everest Poker Review
• Boss Network - Rapidly expanding network, showing good growth and gaining loose casino players. Good bonuses & promotions.
read full Poker Heaven Review & Paradise Poker Review
• UltimateBet / Cereus Network – UltimateBet and Absolute Poker which has very good player volume and nice looking software. However there have been alot of issues with security and cheating around 2006 which have marred the sites reputations.
Read full UltimateBet Review & Absolute Poker Review
• Cake Network – which is US friendly, grown rapidly and with great software. Generally the quality of players is low.
Read full Cake Poker Review & DoylesRoom Review
• Bodog - Very slick and bling site, growing fast in the states, very loose players. Graphics are unique.
Read full Bodog Poker Review
• 888.com / Pacific Poker Network - New improved software, good games and the easiest site to win at online – Truly terrible players so easy money.
Read full Pacific Poker Review
• Microgaming / PrimaPoker Network - The software is functional and the sites within the network have regular promotions, good sign-up bonus & terribly loose Players.
Read full Poker Time Review and Gaming Club Poker Review
• PKR 3D Poker - Stunning 3D graphics and features like chip tricks, custom avatars and different 3D table views.
Read full PKR 3D Poker Review
• Ladbrokes Poker – One of the biggest poker site in Europe. Uses prima software but NOT part of network.
Read full Ladbrokes Poker Review
• Cryptologic Network - New Software is much improved, efffective and the sites in the network have regular good bonuses, promotions & very loose players.
Read full Interpoker Poker Review
• Merge Network - Carbon Poker / Poker.com network, very nice graphics and lobby info. Good growth, really weak players, healthy bonus & promotions.
Read full Carbon Poker Review
• Action Poker Network - Graphics are OK and has good lobby info. Very small player base. Good bonuses are attracting loose Pacific Poker style players.
Read full Tiger Gaming Review, PokerinCanada Review and Action Poker Review
Comments are closed.
