Best online poker casinos in Australia 2024 – DiverJoe’s poker sites
Poker is one of the most popular card games that is played socially and competitively, both in land based casinos and online. Online poker has become super popular as people nowadays prefer to play from the comfort of their home. Today I have the pleasure of sharing some of my knowledge about this wonderful game and showing you the best online casinos where you can enjoy online poker. So let’s begin!
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Brief history of poker
Poker has both a deep and rich history. Historians believe that the game that we know as poker can be traced as far back as the 10th century in Ancient China. This version of the game was likely very different to what we know as poker today. Other historians have identified the game of Poque which was a popular game played in France in the 17th Century. Poque involved three cards dealt to players, whereafter each player would place bets based on the cards dealt. There was an element of “bluffing”, similarly to modern day poker, which became a key characteristic of the game. When French travelers brought their game to the new world it began to take root in areas like Now Orleans. As the English began settling in North America the game of Poque transformed into what we know today as Poker, which involved 5 cards being dealt to each player with a 52 card playing deck.
How DiverJoe recommends and evaluates the best online poker sites
Choosing an online casino to play online poker at can be a bit tricky. It requires you to do some preliminary research into the background of the casino to determine whether you will have a good experience. The aspects which you should take into consideration are very clear if you are an experienced online casino player. Here at Diverjoe I have taken the liberty of summarizing these aspects to make your life easier. Take a look at them below!
- Trustworthiness: Playing Poker online can be scary for those who haven’t done it before. You simply do not know whether you can trust an online casino that you have never played at. A good starting point is to see whether the casino holds a license. A licensed casino is 9 times out of 10 a casino that you can trust.
- Bonuses: Casino bonuses are an awesome way to start at a casino. You could receive a mouthwatering welcome offer that makes signing up irresistible. For existing players, you may even get cool bonuses that will make your stay worthwhile.
- Game variety: The best online casinos have a good variety of games. Online poker has a number of variations and it is important that a casino has options for at least a few of them.
- Mobile friendly: In today’s world people do most things on their mobile devices. The best online casinos understand this fact and provide accordingly, with slick and easy to navigate casinos apps for mobile devices.
- Support: Customer support is super important when it comes to online business. It ensures that your queries are dealt with swiftly and in a professional manner. Email, Live Chat and a telephone line where you can contact the casino is a must!
- Design & innovation: Nobody wants to navigate a website that looks old and outdated. We are living in 2020 and expect slick designs that keep the player engrossed in the experience.
Online poker Rules: The basics
So, what is Poker? Poker is a card game that is different from other games that you may find at a casino. How is it different you ask? Well, Poker is a game that has a skill element. What this means is that you can in fact increase your chances of winning by sharpening your skills. The better you get the less advantage the house has over you and the better your chances of winning! This is distinguishable from slots, which doesn’t require much skill and the house advantage is pretty much set in stone. If you are a beginner, I would suggest playing free poker where you will not have to wager any real funds. Secondly, take a look at the poker tutorials on site so that you are fully up to speed with the rules. DiverJoe has compiled an in-depth guide on all your poker rules that you need to familiarize yourself with before playing. These rules can be accessed by following this link: Poker rules!
How to play & win online poker
Playing poker is easy, but winning money is where it becomes tricky. You will need to follow this DiverJoe how to guide if you want to stand a chance of win real money playing online poker. Lets take a look at this easy how to guide below.
DiverJoe gives you quick poker tips
So you are new to Poker? Dear not, DiverJoe has you covered. When starting out your first step will be to familiarize yourself with the different hands of poker. Royal, Flush, Straight flush and Four of a kind should be ingrained into your memory. Next up you should familiarize with the betting round. The flop, the turn and the river are stages in the poker game that you should understand. Lastly your poker etiquette is something that will go a long way, even online! For more of DiverJoe poker tips you should take a look at our dedicated online poker section where we give you in depth tips to ensure your Poker success!
Poker variations – Different poker games
As you may have noticed, there are multiple variations of online poker. Each casino will have its own selection of Poker games that to enjoy. Before you decide on which version you are going to play you will have to understand the different rules that apply to each. In the section that follows I will be telling you about the most popular poker variations including Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi/Lo, Five card stud and Five card draw.
Texas Hold’em
The most popular, and widely played version of Poker. Texas Hold’em, or simply Hold’em, uses a 52-card deck. Each player receives two hole cards. There are 5 community cards dealt face up which is separated into 3 rounds of betting. The player who wins is the one who can create the best possible 5 card hand using the two hole cards and 3 of the 5 community cards.
Omaha Hi/Lo
Omaha Hi/Lo is a variation of Omaha poker. In this variation the pot is split between two players: The one who has the highest hand and the one who has the lowest hand. The lowest hand must not be more than 8, which is why it is called a qualifier. If the lowest hand does not ‘qualify’ then the entire pot goes to the player who has the highest hand
Five Card Stud
Five card stud involves players being dealt two cards. The first card is dealt face down and the second is dealt face up. After this there is a betting round followed by another card being dealt to players face up. After this point there is a betting round after each additional card is dealt, which ends once each player has 5 cards. With the initial card still being face down there is a final betting round, followed by the reveal of the face down card. The player with the strongest hand wins the pot!
Five Card draw
Five card draw is widely considered the easiest to play of all variations of Poker, which is why it is preferred by beginners. 5 card draw has similar rules to your other versions of the game with the same poker hand rankings. The game begins with each player paying a blind and receiving 5 cards in the face down position. Players then place their bets. Players then have the option to discard a number of cards from their hand and replace it with ones still in the deck, alternatively players can choose to keep their original hand.
Poker online multiplayer
Playing poker online you will quickly realize just how amazing the internet is. It has connected the poker community like never before. Gone are the days where you would have to try and get a group of friends together to play a poker tournament. Online poker is great as you will always connect to like-minded people that simply love to enjoy a good game of poker. You will be able to play with people from all over the world as you pit yourself against them in exciting poker tournaments. Below you can find some of the best online poker houses that offer great services to those wishing to play poker online. Let’s take a look at some of them!
Pokerstars
Owned by the Stars Group, Pokerstars is by far the leader in the industry for online poker. The Stars Group is a listed company with a huge global audience. The size and scope of their operation ensures that you are dealing with a company that knows what they are doing. Pokerstars has a huge selection of games such as the usual favorites Texas Hold’em and Omaha Hi/Lo. You can expect to find massive tournaments as players from around the world show up to prove their skills and bring home huge paychecks.
Bwin Poker
If you are looking for a stalwart of the online poker industry then look no further than Bwin Poker. Operating since 1999, this poker room has stood the test of time and has emerged as a leader in online poker, hosting on average 5000 players per day. Bwin features a slick design and a dedicated mobile app that makes playing on mobile an enjoyable experience.
888Poker
Established in 2002 under the name of Pacific Poker and later rebranded to 888Poker, the company operates out of Gibraltar and is owned by 888 Holdings PLC. The site is the second largest poker site that brings in crazy amounts of people. The software being run at 888Poker is a big reason why it is so popular. The gameplay is distinctively fast, the graphics are very well designed and the site is easy to navigate.
Poker terms and phrases
Here are some of the most popular terms that you should familiarize yourself with before playing online poker.
- Action: An action is when it is your turn to make a move. If you choose to call, raise, fold etc. these are your actions. Action could also refer to a specific card that is pivotal to the most players hands in the poker game.
- All-in: Going all in is where a player puts all his chips in the pot for his current hand. This is a risky move but may pay off really well should he come out tops. When a player goes all in the next player can either call this bet or drop out.
- Bluff: In Poker players do not always bet on the strength of their hand. They also bet on how this hand may appear to the rest of the table. A player’s confidence in making a large bet may be used as a method to deceive other players into thinking he has a hand that is stronger than what it actually is. When a player does this it is called bluffing and is quite an important part of the poker experience.
- Call: When one player makes a bet the next player will “call” the bet which involves him wagering the same amount.
- Fold: When a player no longer wishes to continue in a particular round he can fold. In this even he loses the amount which he has in the pot including his ante bet.
Live casino poker
In recent years there has been an emergence of a new era of online gambling in the form of live casinos. A live casino option is where a casino uses streaming technology to bring the real casino experience right to the players home. How does this work? The entire poker is happening live, with live dealers, real chips and actual cards. You control the actions from behind your screen while the live dealer does the rest.
Pai Gow Poker
Despite the name having a somewhat Asian sound to it, the game was inn fact created in the United States in the 80’s. In this version of Poker the player must create two poker hands. One of these hands consists of two cards while the other consists of five cards. In order to claim victory BOTH of your poker hands must beat the dealers. If one of your poker hands betas the dealers it is called a “push”. If both of your hands are weaker then you lose. As you can imagine there is a lot of ‘pushing’ that occurs in a game of Pai Gow… but this is what makes the game so fun!
Red Dog Poker
Red Dog Poker utilizes the same rankings as traditional poker; however, aces are a high rank and the suit of the card does not apply. In this rendition of Poker, the round begins with a bet being placed. After this each player is dealt two cards in the face up position. If the two cards have consecutive values, i.e. 4 card and a 6 card or a 9 card and a 10 card, you wager is returned. If the two cards are equal in value, i.e. two 5 cards or two 7 cards, you will be dealt a third card and if it is the same then you get paid out 11/1. In the event that neither of these two occurs then the dealer will call a spread, being the numbers between the two cards that you were dealt. The next card is then dealt and if it lands within the spread you win.
Casino Hold ’Em
Casino hold’em is a variation of the popular Texas Hold’em poker game. Instead of players betting against each other, Casino Hold’em has players betting against the casino. The same rules of Texas Hold’em apply here however it is the players whose hands that beats the dealer’s hand that gets paid out.
Caribbean Stud Poker
In this variation of five card stud poker the key difference is that players are pitted against the dealer instead of each other. There is no need to bluff in this version of poker as it will get you nowhere.
Video Poker online
Video poker first came on the scene, as many casino games did, in Las Vegas in the 1990’s. Once a game takes off in Las Vegas its only a matter of time before it casinos around the world adapt it, and this is exactly what happened. Video Poker is what you get when you cross slots with the game s pf poker. It is easy to [play yet provides a lot of fun and enjoyment. Your normal poker hands still apply, so if you hit a royal flush you can pop a bottle of champagne! Like most other popular casino games, you can now enjoy video slots online thanks to the work of great development teams such as Play n Go.
Choosing the right poker site for you
People who play poker are very picky with how to run the games. This is why you should not waste a single moment in your search for the best casino. Finding a casino that is the right fit for you will greatly improve how well you play which will directly impact on your winnings, since poker is a game of skill as well as luck. I have taken you through quite a bit in this article which I am sure you will pout to good use as you start your journey. So what are you waiting for, find the best online poker spot for you today!
FAQ: Often asked questions about Poker online
How do I play poker?
Depending on the variation of poker that you are playing the rules will differ slightly. The fundamentals stay the same. This involves players trying to make the strongest possible 5 poker hand using 2 hole cards and 3 of 5 community cards.
How can I win in poker?
You will win at poker by creating the highest ranking 5 card hand out of all the players in the round. Alternatively, you will win where all other players at the table fold, as a result of your deceptive bluffing tactics.
Are online poker games rigged?
No, Online poker games are not rigged. Reputable online casinos that offer online poker will be checked for safety and fairness standards which will make it really difficult to rig the game. Make sure the casino you are playing at is licensed and that they have been given the green light on all gambling forms. If you found the site on DiverJoe then you can be sure that poker will not be rigged.
Can I play poker online for free?
Yes. Most sites allow you to play online for free before you wager your own funds. This is a great opportunity to practice your skills to greater increase the likelihood of you winning it big. This is in fact a recommended option for those who have never played poker online before as it will get you familiar with how things work.