Have you always wanted to explore the best online live poker casinos? Then this guide sporting ranked and reviewed online casinos with live dealer poker games, and a plethora of tips and instructions on playing live online poker is just what you have been waiting for.
200% Match Bonus up to €200
One of the longest-running casinos online.
Several good progressive jackpot slots.
Responsive customer support.
Payouts are processed between one and three business days.
Uses high quality updated software.
Flawless mobile gameplay.
50% Match Bonus up to €150 + 50 Free Spins
Pachinko game is available.
24/7 phone support.
Payouts are processed between one and three business days.
Professional and easy-to-use software.
Mobile-friendly with an optimized site version.
Guaranteed safe & secure.
Up to €300 on your first 2 deposits
Excellent reputation since its foundation.
You can play games in demo mode.
Friendly customer support by live chat.
Wide range of currencies.
Free demo options for playing for fun.
Also playable on mobile devices.
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A special place is reserved in the hearts of online casino game players, and it is dedicated to online poker games. Several modern online casinos sport one or several types of poker games, with the occasional live poker game mixed in for variety. But the latter are an exclusive club that is operated by online casinos that are few and far between. These casinos usually also offer live blackjack, live roulette and live craps. If you see these, you will probably also uncover live dealer poker tables and their variants.
The most common variants that cross your path are: Live Casino Hold 'em, Live Caribbean Stud Poker, Live Three Card Poker, Live Red Dog, and Live Pai Gow Poker. We will touch on some of these later on, but let us first dive into the game’s history.
Every infamous entity, even casino games, gets its own theories regarding its origin. These theories are usually riveting, filled with mystery and unexpected historical links. The roots of poker can be traced all the way back to the tenth century when it rubbed shoulders with domino-card games in China. However, certain historians claim that poker actually originates from the sixteenth century and is the offspring of As Nas, a Persian game. The only thing that we know for sure is that the game's European forefather was called Pogue and was played in seventeenth-century France. Its German cousin Pochen, just like Pogue itself, was based on Primero, a Spanish sixteenth-century game.
As the French colonized their share of the world, they brought Pogue to North America. It then spread from 19th-century New Orleans and took the nation by storm using the Mississippi River as its expansion route. It took up passage with riverboat workers, later landed in the camps of Civil War soldiers and eventually walked into the iconic saloons of the Wild West.
The 1970s saw the introduction of the World Series of Poker, and the rest is, as the old cliché goes, history. Periods and poker variants came and went. Some of these included Texas Seven-Card Stud and Five-Card Draw, but the game remained popular to this very day. One quirk that it picked up along the way was the possibility of playing against the house.
When it comes to online live dealer poker, you really are spoiled for choice. You can partake in everything from Casino Hold 'em and Caribbean Stud Poker to Three Card Poker and more. Live poker games bring the casino to the comfort of your home without any extra effort.
Live Dealer Casino Hold ’em
Out of the countless live dealer poker variants that online casinos usually offer, Live Casino Hold 'em tends to be the most popular one. Casino Hold 'em is very similar to other popular live casino games that pit you against a real human dealer, such as blackjack and baccarat. You can expect something akin to Texas Hold 'em in terms of rules. But do note that the dealers in Texas Hold 'em do not partake in the fun.
The simple rules behind Casino Hold 'em make it great for live poker beginners and overall casino newbies. All you have to do is beat the dealer’s hand with your very own five-card hand. Luckily the rankings are the same as in other live poker variants, so you will not have to learn new categorizations.
The usual game of Live Casino Hold 'em kicks off with an ante bet. The latter's size is based on the table limits. Two cards are dealt to everyone, including the dealer after the ante bet is concluded. Three community ones accompany these two cards, and two distinct options appear.
The first one is calling the croupier's bet, and this brings two additional community cards into the picture. Such a move also forces the croupier to reveal his cards and pay potential winners.
The second one is simply folding your cards, in which case you also give up your ante bet and are excluded until the next round, when you get to start a new hand.
Casino Hold 'em is not the only live poker game that you can partake in. A very common choice is the Three Card Poker, the goal of which is to beat the dealer with a three-card hand. This might seem like a step down, but it is far more exciting than you think. Things really get exciting when you realize that the table is enriched with five community cards that are the basis for your and the dealer's five-card hand. Live Three Card Poker changes things up a tad by giving you and the dealer three cards and deciding the winner based on traditional poker hand rankings.
Three Card poker stays close to tradition with one deck of fifty-two cards. Your initial bet precedes cards, and when these are dealt, you can expect three face-up ones and three face-down ones. The next decision you face is whether or not you will fold or play, which depends entirely on your belief in your three cards besting the dealer. Certain variants of live three-card poker allow for side bets that make things even more exciting.
Live Caribbean Stud Poker is very similar to the ones that we have covered thus far. Each session starts with ante bets, but there is also room for side bets. This gives you far more manoeuvre room. Every participating player is given five face-down cards, just like the dealer. Players then decide if they wish to play or fold. Deciding to play will require doubling the starting bet. Once a decision in this regard is taken, the croupier reveals his cards and has to have Ace-King or something better to qualify. Hands are compared only if the dealer qualifies, and the best hand, based on conventional poker rankings, takes home the gold.
Live poker games usually have a very similar array of betting options. The latter include:
Continuation Bet: Some people call this the C-bet, and it is essentially just raising before a flop and then betting on the flop. It is one of the basic poker bets.
Three Bet: You will occasionally hear this one referred to as the re-raise, and it occurs when a player raises the bet of another player.
Value Bet: This particular bet focuses on what you are holding. If you bet based on a quality hand and you consider it the best around, then you are opting for a value bet.
Donk Bet: Another name for this type of bet is the stop 'n go bet, and it is based on ending the action by calling. This might seem pretty straightforward, but it requires a lot of experience to conduct effectively. The issue lies in the fact that you bet on the raiser instead of checking him. It is a great way to counter aggressive opponents if you know what you are doing.
Probe Bet: This bet focuses on raising the pre-flop. The betting will go its normal course, and the player in question will then be the first to bet.
Almost every casino game has a multitude of variants, and poker is no different in this regard. Centuries of dedicated playing have produced variants that are beloved in online and offline casinos. The former tend to offer RNG and live poker games in both classic and modern forms that each have their own twist.
Everyone is bound to find their perfect game, and you might occasionally even be surprised by enormous jackpots. Therefore, live poker is an amazing way to acquire a fun gaming experience and potentially a life-changing progressive win.
Some among you might be completely new to the world of live poker. The following tips will help you quickly jump into the action.
A crucial prerequisite to an enjoyable live poker experience is a stable internet connection. Nobody wants to be in the thick of the action, just about to land an amazing hand and have it all ripped away by a bad connection. Check if your setup enables you to play smoothly and with little to no hassle.
Live poker is one of the few casino games where a strategy can turn the tide. A good starting strategy will maximize your experience from the get-go and set you on a good path to potentially winning.
You should always remember that live poker is a game of chance, and you play it to have fun. Do not let yourself be ruled by emotions or an unforeseen course of events. Set a budget before you even start playing, and do not exceed it.
If you wish to be even remotely successful at poker, you need to know the hand rankings and odds. These two crucial factors will feed into your moves and allow you to mint superior winning hands.
Live poker might seem a bit daunting because of its aura of greatness, but do not fret. You can easily get started in just a few quick steps. The prerequisite for such an adventure is a top-notch live poker casino with a solid array of live poker games.
The first step to opening a new account at a new casino is to click sign up or register at your chosen live poker casino. This will then prompt you to enter your login details and certain personal information.
The next step after creating an account is depositing funds into it. These funds will then be used for real money games. Simply pick your favourite payment method and follow the prompts to enrich your account successfully.
These are classic incentives that almost every online casino uses. A generous welcome bonus is a fabulous introduction to the world of live poker. Note that the terms and conditions might not be what you were expecting, so make sure that they include live poker in the rollover requirements.
Visit the live casino section and pick your preferred live poker version. Once you find a game that you fancy, simply load it up and start betting.
You might still be on the fence regarding land-based, and online casino live poker. The following comparison should help you decide.
Land-Based Poker | Live Poker |
---|---|
Rowdy crowds | Any environment |
Face off against others | Have multiple table angles |
Occasionally crowd | Spacious 24/7 |
Sometimes distant | Accessible from anywhere |
Live online poker has a plethora of terms that you might not be familiar with. These, along with conventional ones, can be found in this handy glossary.
Poker GlossaryModern live casino players are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to live poker variants. You can even find casinos with dedicated live poker platforms that cater exclusively to poker fans. The variants that you will chance upon usually have the same rules in place, but with the occasional side bet or unique feature that makes them stand out. Industry giants such as Evolution and Ezugi are especially dedicated to live poker.
This is an undisputed classic that will probably never be usurped. You will find it prevalent both in online and offline environments. The online ones are often supported by Evolution and Ezugi. Their amazing products usually face you off against the dealer, and you have to beat him with a hand made up of 5 cards. You have a choice between main wagers and two side bets, the Bonus Bet and the Progressive Jumbo 7 Jackpot bet.
The goal of this game is to beat the dealer with a 3-card hand. Another requirement is that you have a queen high hand, and this gives way to three potential winning side bets: Ante Bonus, Pair Plus, and 6 Card Bonus Bet. The last one sports wins up to 1000:1.
You will usually find this game with slightly more complex rules, but the basic concept of the best 5-card hand remains. The dealer has to have a pair or better in order to simply qualify, and your goal is to beat him. The associated bets are the usual Blind, Play bet and a Triple Bonus bet, which allow for a win even if you end up with two normal cards and three flop ones. You will be surprised by the payout of the side bet, which can go up to 50:1, and the bonus version is even better with an amazing First Five Jackpot progressive jackpot side bet.
Evolution Gaming landed another home run with this live dealer progressive casino game. The dealer requires an Ace and a King or better to simply qualify, and the bonus side bets of 5+1 give rewards for a three-of-a-kind of better. The payout goes up to a whopping 1000:1, and if you snag a progressive jackpot side bet variant, you can win even more!
Unibet Casino
One of the longest-running casinos online.
Several good progressive jackpot slots.
Responsive customer support.
Payouts are processed between one and three business days.
Uses high quality updated software.
The absolute kings of live dealer poker are Casino Hold’em, Caribbean Stud Poker, and Three Card Poker. Some other quite popular variants include Pai Gow Poker and Red Dog Poker.
No, they are not. You have to understand that live dealer poker games require quite advanced tech and a hefty monetary investment. This might not be in the scope or current capabilities of a casino. However, if a casino has a live section, then you can expect to find a few live poker variants.
House edges vary greatly, but you can expect Caribbean Stud Poker to sit around 5%, Three Card Poker at roughly 3.4%, 7.3% when side bets are involved, and Casino Hold ’em at a very player-friendly 1%.
This is sadly not possible. You will need to invest some money to get a seat at a live poker table. Do not be too concerned if you are a newbie. Live poker games often sport tutorials, tips, and hints that can help you learn the game more quickly. A cost-free way to explore poker is to jump into free RNG poker variants, but those are another topic entirely.
Poker has a special place in the world of gambling since the outcome can be impacted by your strategy. However, this goes completely out of the window when progressive jackpots make an appearance. You can only win a progressive jackpot through pure luck. This means that there is no strategy that can increase your odds, no matter what you do.
The best online live poker casinos will offer an ocean of bonuses and promotions. You might even be surprised to find promotional offers that are reserved for poker players but do not forget about the terms and conditions. The latter must be read prior to claiming any bonus. Nothing is worse than claiming a bonus and not being able to fulfil the rollover requirements with live poker.
This is entirely based on the casino that you are attending, but you can usually expect the big three, so Draw Poker, Stud Poker, and Community Card Poker. These are often joined by Texas Hold ’Em and Omaha.
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