It seems that poker has been on an unstoppable streak since the cameras were brought into pro tournaments in the early 2000s. The mainstreaming of the game – particularly the Texas Hold’em variant – has made celebrities of the top players and created a demand for poker that transcends the casino. Online poker is preferred to casino poker for some players, with a glut of players turning to online games in the wake of the recent pandemic, according to Businessinsider.com. After all, not everyone has access to a card room, and even for those who do, not everyone likes being in a high-pressure environment. Some folks would prefer to play for high stakes (or virtual stakes) in the comfort of their own home.
Without the physicality of the table, you can avoid any awkward dynamics with other players; you can dip in and out without anyone knowing who you are, coupling anonymity with regular games. Many poker professionals like to play on iOS and Android when they can to get plenty of practice in, and as Poker.org outlines, practice is a fundamental part of becoming a poker professional. Of course, not everybody who turns to online poker wants to later head to the tables of their local casino; you might just be a casual player looking for an experience to pass a few hours. Again, mobile poker can be for you. Even if you want to play free-to-play games with no financial risk, there are providers that can deliver that experience.
Mobile poker is popular for myriad reasons: it can offer beginners a way to learn the game with no financial outlay; it’s a good way to connect with friends for a social game, and games can be quicker and more convenient. If you can’t commit to a whole evening of cards, you can play a few hands while killing half an hour on the train, or get half an hour in whilst your partner commanders the television for an awful show you can’t stand! However, if you also wish to sit for hours and maybe get in a couple of big wins, there is a facility for that as well, hidden amongst these useful platforms.
KHELO365
The Kheolo365 app is very popular in India, but it now has an iOS app to allow you to play wherever you are in the world. It is also very secure, as its payment system is run by the Bank of India. Khelo365 offers a wide variety of games, including Texas Hold’em, and Omaha with frequent tournaments. Daily bonuses make this a very strong player in India.
ZYNGA POKER
A free download poker app, Zynga Poker has virtual stakes to allow you to hone your game. Launched in 2009, there’s a massive community enabling games to be picked up any time. The bright, bold, clear graphics mean even if angle shots were part of the game, you’d spot them a mile away. Flawless social media integration means it’s easy to find Facebook friends to play against, or boast about your tournament wins on your profile feed. Recommended.
888POKER
888Poker has gone from strength to strength in recent years. It was the first poker site to integrate webcam support into its platform to make games more sociable and humanistic, for players who wish the conviviality of the card table at home. It is also supported by a host of live tournaments around the world, and you can qualify for those through the app, making it a gateway to a fully-fledged poker career.
POKER OMAHA
Like the name suggests, Poker Omaha offers Omaha poker, where the rules are a little different to Texas Hold’em. Instead of being dealt two cards, each player is dealt 4 individual or ‘hole cards’. From there, like Hold’em, the dealer deals 5 ‘community cards’, however here lies the difference – in Omaha, each player must use 2 of their 4 hole cards and 3 of the community cards in order to make their best hand.
POKERBAAZI
PokerBaazi has frequent tournaments, leaderboard benefits and regular bonuses. A relatively new poker app – only launching in 2014 – it has a state-of-the-art engine running both PC and iOS platforms. That means you can enjoy it on the go, as well as in the comfort of your own home with multiple windows open.
If you are playing at home on your PC, then you may find our article titled ‘When Was the Computer Keyboard Invented’ interesting.