So you’re thinking about playing online poker; you heard that it is easy to start doesn’t cost anything to join and you can play for free or real money, all this is true.

I have friends who love playing poker but for some reason have never played online, fear of the unknown I guess. I never try to talk someone into something they are uncomfortable with; I realize online poker is not for everyone. With that being said I have to admit I love playing online, it is easy to stay within budget, games range from .02/.04 cent tables to high stakes $500/$1000 tables, some sites even higher. I actually play at a few different sites and have come to find different reasons for playing at each. Of course you can always play for free.

The first site I ever joined was Paradise Poker, my brother played there so I followed his lead I enjoyed the play but didn’t realize what I was missing, other sites had much more to offer. I should tell you that as a consumer I tend to support the ‘little guys’, probably because I was a small business owner and had a hard time competing against the big guys on the block. So I avoided sites like Full-Tilt and Poker Stars, you know the big guys.

Let me tell you, boy was I wrong! There is a reason these sites are successful, succeeding online is very different than making it in the real world, online consumers are a click away from leaving you so you better be able to grab their attention and offer a product they want, provide great customer service and deliver what you say you will. Let’s face it online poker is a service, you want to gamble and you want to have fun while doing it. The big boys were the first to figure this out, other sites have since caught up and some are even technically better, they just don’t have the same customer base.

So the answer to the question is.. do what I did join multiple sites, they are free! From a nuts-and-bolts perspective there isn’t much difference, it comes down to personal preference, Full-Tilt has a huge customer base as does Poker Stars, Absolute Poker is gaining lots of momentum, if you like helping the ‘little guys’  Doyles Room or Cake Poker are for you. These are the sites I play at the most..

Full Tilt Poker   Party Poker  Noble Poker  Sun Poker

Like I mentioned I like different sites for different reasons, Full-Tilt has great tournaments options and there is always one just about to start, so there is no waiting. Absolute Poker has the best graphics and offers Black-Jack, Poker-Stars is a well rounded site and based on customers is the most popular site out there. Doyles Room has a ‘friends house’ appeal to it, I feel like I’m playing with a bunch of buddies, Cake Poker, this site is tremendous, just not well known, I like everything about the site, the graphics, the games, the people, the level of play and their attention to detail.

So my advice, join three different sites and find out which one suits you best, no obligation, no money to lose, kick the tires look under the hood sit in the driver’s seat and take them all for a test drive. Once you find ‘the site’ or sites, start testing your skills!

See ya at the tables!