Most poker sites lease software and join a network, gaming software is very expensive to develop and this allows websites to offer real money poker games on a shared client, cashier, and support center in order to save costs and provide value to depositing players in the form of competitions.
The big independent poker rooms like Party Poker and the biggest poker site of all Poker Stars have taken their place on top but poker skins that join networks still account for a substantial amount of real money play to the industry. A poker network is a collection of online poker sites that use the same software and share players with each other within a “network”, these poker sites are often referred to experienced players as a “skin”.
Luckily there are people like me that have nothing better to do than keep an eye on these skins/networks and sort the good from the bad for you. I do not promote poker rooms that do not “pass the test”. You can typically tell which poker rooms on a network are going to provide a positive playing experience just by looking at their web site.
If you are interested in playing at real money poker sites not listed on this web site I strongly suggest that you do a little research before you sign up. I am only listing the top room for each poker network. Some networks have several solid rooms though so in each network review I list the best site and if there are other good ones I try to provide links to web sites that have more detailed information on them.
The Best Online Poker Sites On Each Network In 2010
The list below includes every major online poker network in 2010. There are other networks out there but the traffic at the real money poker site tables is less than 100 players so they are not worth mentioning. You’ll notice that the Microgaming Network and the IPN network have no “Top Room”. I am currently in the process of reviewing rooms on the IPN network to find the best and I have blacklisted the Microgaming Network due to shady business practices.
Personally, I only play a couple of these networks. The major independent poker rooms beat “networked” rooms in almost every category so I have decided to list the best of the “stand alone” rooms on this web site as well. You might be wondering why a player would even bother playing at a room like Cake Poker when rooms like PokerStars and Party Poker dominate them across the board?
All online poker sites listed on this website has something unique about them, and a strong reputation on the network (or at the very least strong promise) otherwise I wouldn’t list them. Cake Poker for example has some of the softest Texas Hold’em action online. Another good example is Absolute Poker. In addition to poker games they offer over 70 casino games, all in the same platform. I am offering exclusive bonuses at most of these rooms as well so be sure to read the review carefully and enter our bonus code to receive the maximum bonus and best incentives.
The Best Independent Online Poker Rooms in 2010
Pokerstars ( www.PokerStars.com ) boasts more traffic than every online poker network combined. This is because independent poker rooms are more popular amongst online poker players for many different reasons. There are a few other “stand alone” poker rooms online in 2010 but I have chosen not to list them because of their extremely low traffic. I am offering a very unique bonus at each of the poker rooms listed below. At Pokerstars you’ll receive three, 100% match bonuses, up to $600.
Receiving a bonus on your first 3 deposits is very attractive for small to medium stakes players and people that are just getting into online poker. At Full Tilt Poker the bonus amount is the same (100% up to $600) but you will also receive a life-time pass to the $1,000 freerolls we run twice a month. PKR’s 100% match up to $800 is obviously the largest of the three but as a deal closer we are offering 6 tickets to our weekly $1,000 freeroll tournaments. Instructions on claiming these exclusive bonuses can be found in the reviews.
Real Money Online Poker Guides
New online poker players and experienced players alike will benefit from reading the online poker games listed below. These guides cover general online poker topics that every online poker player should know about. I have tried to include everything a new online poker player will need to know in order to avoid making costly mistakes and falling victim to common online poker scams.
If you do not intend on making a deposit and just want to play for fun I strongly suggest that you read our bankroll building with freerolls guide. We offer exclusive freerolls with real money prizes at many of the poker rooms listed on this site. Freerolls are an excellent way to win money without risking anything.