Poker has been around for approximately 40 years. Although considered a universal game, it is no secret that poker previously dominated in the U.S over any other country. Today, poker is popular world-wide, including in Australia. Aussies can access and enjoy a variety of exciting online poker Australia games regardless of their location; be it Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane or Darwin.
But, finding the best online casino you can trust to play your favourite online poker can be difficult, or rather tricky with many chancers out there. And that is where we come in. Here at Pokies.com, we guide you to only the best Australian sites where you can play top online poker games for free and for real money. Besides being your best guide to online poker, we also review these online poker best sites and games – making it convenient for our readers to find the best and safest online poker Australia sites to play at.
The Best Sites to Play Online Poker in Australia
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How to Play Poker Online
The rules for playing online poker – also known as online poker machine – are not any different from conventional poker rules. And, although the game has many variations – they all follow a similar pattern. Playing online poker requires strategy and skill, regardless of if you’re a newbie or a veteran in playing the poker game.
Online Poker Australia Bonuses
Playing Australian online poker with real money can be very rewarding. Our preferred best Australian poker sites, which are the best legal online poker sites Australia has, have awesome bonuses for real money gamblers. Register to play online poker for real money at the best sites for online poker in Australia to enjoy these rewards. Online poker players also have an option of gambling using bitcoin at our top online poker bitcoin sites.These best online poker casinos are also open for players who wish to play online poker for free. This means you don’t have to make any real money deposit at the online poker aus casino, but still get to enjoy the best poker games free online.
Online Poker Game Variants
As we’ve mentioned before, online poker has a great deal of variations. However, below we’ve explained the most common and best online poker games that can be found at our highly recommended online poker websites.
Straight Poker
Straight poker is one of the oldest, and best online poker game in poker history. At the beginning of each game, each player at the online poker rooms is dealt with a complete hand. All of the players bet in one round – raising and re-raising hands. The hands of cards in Straight poker are sometimes used as a final face-off.
Online Stud Poker
In Stud poker, each player places a poker ante prior to the game. Once this is done, a player is then dealt a mix of face-down and face-up cards. The next step is called the “bring-in”. A player with the weakest face-up card on the table is supposed to place a small bet. However, they are not forced to. When it happens that players have a similar card, the one closest to the dealer is the one who places the bet.
The rounds in which a player receives a new card in Stud Poker are referred to as ‘streets’. On ‘Third Street’, each player receives a third face-up card. The player with the strongest face-up is the one who initiates the betting round. This phase is then followed by the ‘Fourth Street’ which follows a similar pattern.
The final round is called the ‘river’. In this phase, a player receives their last face-up card. The phase follows the same pattern as the other ‘streets’. However, this is where the game gets more exciting. Here, players challenge each other on a showdown. The player who remains with the strongest hand in stud poker online wins.
Texas Hold’em Online Poker
Texas hold ’em is one of the most played forms of poker on the online poker table. In Texas hold ’em, a player is virtually dealt two ‘hole’ cards face-down, and five community cards face-up in three rounds; the flop; fourth street; and the river.
The game involves ‘the blind’ or first player seated on the left-hand-side of the live dealer placing a bet – which is half of the bet limit – before the other players see their cards. The next player on the left, usually referred to as the ‘big blind’ follows to do that as well. The number of blinds is usually two but sometimes can be a total of three. Their bet has to then meet the bet limit. Once this is done, the remaining players place their bets. Each must either ‘check, fold, call or match’ the bets placed by the blinds. This phase is then when the live casino dealer places the community cards on the centre of the table. Each of the players uses the centred cards to make a full hand. In order to win the pot, players need to have the strongest five card-poker hand, which is made out of a combination of two hole cards and three community cards.
Players have the opportunity to play free online Texas Holdem or play Texas Hold’em for real money at any of the best online poker site available on our list.
Omaha Poker
The gameplay in Omaha is not far different from Texas hold ’em. The only difference here is that players at a poker website receive four hole cards. Similarly to Texas hold ’em, players need a combination of two hole cards and three community cards to form a strong hand. Once the players post their bets they must ‘check, fold, call or match’. Omaha follows the same routine as Stud poker in general. It also consists of the flop; fourth street and the river. The showdown in Omaha happens after all the players have posted their bets. The player with the strongest hand wins the bet.
Play Online Poker on Your Mobile for Real Money
Online poker players have an option to play their favourite online poker game from the palm of their hand using their mobile devices. All thanks to new technological developments – gambling has never been much easier.
Australian punters can play poker online free or choose to play on a real money poker app from one of our top-rated internet poker sites. Pokies.com’s mobile poker sites support iOS, Androids, and Blackberry.
Online Poker Rules
Poker can be tricky, and as such, we’ve compiled a few general rules for our Aussie readers to remember when playing the game. The rules are as follows:
- In a player-dealt game, cards must be shuffled and cut before they’re dealt to players.
- The smallest chip that can be wagered is the one used in the ante or blinds.
- All Australian poker players on the table can choose to either ‘check, fold, call or match’ bets at each round.
- If you fold or announce that you are when facing a bet, your hand is declared dead.
- The highest ranked hand always wins the pot.
Online Poker Hands Ranking
Royal flush – A hand which consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack and ten, all in the same suit.
Straight flush – Comprises of five cards in a sequence, all in the same suit.
Four of a kind – Consists of four cards of the same rank and any other unmatched fifth card. Whereas, three of a kind consists of three matching cards and two unrelated side cards.
Full house – Comprises of three cards of the same rank and a pair of another.
Flush – Five cards of the same suit not in a sequence.
Straight – Five cards in a sequence.
Pair – Two matching cards. Whereas, two pairs are two different pairs.
High card – A no-pair hand.
The Best Online Poker Tips
If you’ve been wondering how to be an online poker pro at our popular poker sites, then the following tips are just for you:
- First things first, prepare for a long session.
- Always keep the game rules in mind and remember the different hand ranks, especially if you’re new to playing the game.
- Learn poker game basics and play for free until you get it right.
- If you are gambling for real money, start with small stakes, and make sure your internet connection is great.
- Avoid playing at more than one table if you’re a beginner.
- Play with a clear mind.
- Avoid distractions and always stay focused.
Online Poker Dictionary
Blind: Forced wager placed by players on the left side of the dealer.
Check: When a player refuses to place a bet until another player does
Dealer: A casino representative who monitors the casino games
Fold: To forfeit the round losing any bets made in that round
Call: Putting money that equals to the previous bet into the pot
Pot: Total betting money made by players during a session. The money is given to the winner at the end of each game
Online Poker Australia: FAQs
How many variants are there in online poker?
There are a number of online poker versions, including live poker games to choose from at our recommended top online casinos. Punters can choose to play online poker free or gamble for real money at online poker Australia sites.
Can I play online poker for real money?
For sure. You can play poker online for money or just for entertainment at our recommended online casinos. Our top online poker sites also offer poker tournaments Australia for Aussies and gamblers alike. So, if you like to play online poker real money, you better choose a casino on our list of the best online poker sites Australia.
Do I need high-speed internet connection to play online poker?
It depends. You do not need high-speed internet connection to play free online poker Australia, but you do need if you want to play poker online real money.
Do the best poker sites monitor actions on my computer when I’m playing online?
Yes. There are terms and conditions at online casinos just like in land-based casinos. When playing online poker at online poker sites Australia, both the player and the site agree on certain rules which include having the casino monitor the actions on your computer while you are playing. This is only done for fair play.
How is playing poker online different to playing live poker at a land-based casino?
The pace for playing poker online is relatively faster, unlike playing live at brick-and-mortar casinos. Also, playing poker online is more comfortable to new players since they don’t get to feel intimidated by other players. There are also fewer distractions when playing online.