Why is Online Poker so Popular in Online Casinos?
Poker remains one of the most renowned casino games in the world. While its origins lie in the 18th Century, the 21st Century has seen a global surge in the game’s popularity, fuelled in no small part by the poker boom of the mid-2000s. The subsequent growth of televised tournaments and online poker has led to an explosion in the numbers of people playing the game.
Poker has managed to captivate millions of individuals worldwide, from players who made it their full-time job, to recreational gamblers, including the many who choose to play the game online.
When compared to some of the other casino games widely available, there are numerous reasons why online poker maintains so much of its popularity. This guide dives into these reasons so take a closer look at 6 factors which make online poker so popular in online casinos.
1. Money Making
Online poker has been a lucrative endeavour for the game’s brightest and best. Many play poker online for financial gain as a full time way of making a living. As players are competing with each other as opposed to against the house, often in large tournaments with multi-million dollar prize pool, there is great scope for successful players to profit from the game. Although other casino games can feature large jackpots, none can offer sustained profit in the way that poker tournaments and cash games do for the game’s elite.
2. Skills Makes a Difference
Whilst many players will turn a profit from online poker, this will invariably consist of the game’s most studied and skilled. The popularity of some casino games stems from their randomness, while the opposite is true for poker. At its most advanced level, poker takes a lot of skill. The highest earning poker players have all devoted their lives to their craft, through many years of study and as well as playing many millions of hands. Strategy, ranges, and adapting and exploiting the tendencies of opponents are some the fundamental aspects elite players will grasp. The most skilful players will also have the ability to manage their emotions during the ups and downs poker, the variance of which can more emphatic and more gruelling than other casino games.
3. Social interaction
While many players see poker as a great way to boost their income, a lot of recreational players don’t consider the financial element their primary motivator. Many see participation in poker as a social endeavour. Social interaction has played a huge part in poker’s overall success. The game is played versus other individuals in various settings, from bustling live tournaments to the virtual tables on online casino websites. The need for social interaction can go some way to explaining the online poker industries difficulties giving players the social interactions that they would enjoy live. Just like weekend bingo halls and the atmosphere around a busy roulette table, poker’s overall popularity has surged largely thanks to the social factor and player camaraderie, which has proved a difficult challenge for providers to integrate on their online platforms.
4. Level of Excitement
Many individuals are drawn to the game as it gives them a way of trying to read their and outwit their rival players. Despite enjoying the mental side of poker, many are not prepared for the emotional rollercoaster that regularly playing live or online poker can seem like. Players must learn to control their emotions which in both moments of great excitement and moments of great anguish or disappointment. Not everyone will know how to deal with these emotional swings, and this is what will often separate casual players from the game’s best. The ability to control one’s emotions may well help everyday situations too.
5. Free Play
Poker attracts players from around the world because the game is available in a multitude of nations. While playing slot games may be less common in many locations, poker is more readily available. It is also available in online settings in a host of free play varieties, which give players the option to test their skills without having to wager their own money. The number of online casinos where poker is available has risen exponentially with virtually all continents represented. With the arrival and growth of mobile casinos, free play online poker games are now accessible around the clock and it wherever a player may be.
5. Multiple Variants
Poker is a game of combined skill and chance that is very well known for its many variants available. Online poker is one of the outlets that allows players to play it in any variant they wish. Players who prefer to engage in different variants of poker within the online realm can head to the poker lobby of their favourite online casino and enjoy the likes of Stud, Draw, Razz, and the different varieties of Omaha. In almost all poker rooms you are therefore likely to find a poker variant meeting your needs and skills.
6. Playing Against Players from All Around the World
Online poker is popular around the world with sites from all over the world offering the game. This also holds true for online tournaments, which are available online for players from all corners of the globe. Online poker lets you play from anywhere competing against people who might just be on the other side of the planet, which would’ve been difficult to imagine a few decades ago. For example, someone playing online poker in New Zealand could be playing against someone from Argentina, Canada, or Australia. Playing in a poker world that doesn’t have borders is an entertaining and challenging pursuit for many!
