Online poker has become hugely popular with the internet producing players who have gone on to conquer real life poker tournaments and allowing people to learn to play poker in the comfort of their own homes. Obviously you can find benefits to playing poker from home, but there are also some downsides which could not obviously become apparent and the differences between real life poker and online poker can often be significant.
Pros of Online Poker
The first big benefit of online poker could it be offers unrivalled variety compared to offline options. There are literally a large number of poker games occurring at all times of your day and night and of course every conceivable variety of poker game can be acquired to play if you look in the right place. This is something which few players actually take advantage of, but switching up the overall game you play every time will improve your playing style and your poker knowledge in general. You can even perform ‘multi-tabling’, having multiple game windows running simultaneously to instantly raise the hourly winnings you collect from online tables.The second advantage is the less expensive buy-ins and the low rake rates which internet casinos take from each game. Because you can find no croupiers, security or buildings to keep up it’s a lot cheaper to play poker online, with some tiny minimum bets and some sites even offering free poker games which can serve as an invaluable learning resource. Finally there’s the conveninence that playing online affords over real life poker. You can play in your dressing gown, you can play dressed as a Storm Trooper, you can play first thing each morning or last thing during the night and you don’t need to pay for casino drinks or food whilst you’re playing, which mount up if you venture out and play poker in true to life. It is possible to play poker online whilst you’re performing other tasks.
Cons of Online Poker
The first negative side of internet poker is the speed at which hands are played. Because there’s no delay in dealing or sorting out bets you’ll receive through a game more speedily, so it’s a lot easier to lose money quickly, especially if you’re a beginner. poker88 can also contribute to a few other issues. Firstly it will be a lot harder to follow what’s going on in a casino game, like following a folds and keep a tabs on the prior actions on the table as possible do in real life, as some individuals fold instantaneously or have their computers do it for them automatically in certain situations. This style of fast play can also lead to a simplified, mechanical and ultimately boring poker lifestyle, which in the end is more likely to lead to a habit forming gambling problem. The second most apparent issue is the lack of physical connection with other players, meaning it’s a lot harder to out-bluff an opponent or observe any tells that may let you know when a player is bluffing. This may make high risk bets a lot riskier than they would maintain real life. It is rather hard to recreate the feel of a poker table online, though some companies do try and do this more than others.
