Best Online Poker Sites in Ireland

With online poker being incredibly popular among Irish players, there are countless of poker sites to choose from that finding the right one can be overwhelming. Fortunately for you, our team of casino experts has done all the hard work so you don’t have to. Jumpstart the poker action by picking any from our compilation of the best Irish poker sites.

What to Look for When Finding the Best Online Poker Casinos

With what seems to be a limitless selection of poker casino sites available for Irish poker enthusiasts, choosing the right one for you can be tough. The key, however, is knowing what features of an online poker room you are most interested in. First and foremost, you need to ensure that the site you choose is licensed and reputable. Other key features you will want to consider when choosing an online poker casino are the following:

Provides a wide array of poker variants for real money
Offers a diverse selection of juicy bonuses and promotions
Offers daily, weekly, and monthly poker tournaments
Supports a broad selection of payment methods
Provides 24/7 reliable and easy to reach customer support service

With a myriad of poker casino options readily available for Irish poker fans, now isn’t the time to skimp or stick to online casinos that aren’t performing well in one or any of the core characteristics of an online poker room. By choosing the right poker site, you can be completely confident that you’re going to have a safe and enjoyable poker experience while playing online.

Are Online Poker Sites Legal in Ireland

Online poker is completely legal in Ireland. That said, Irish poker players are free to indulge in their favorite poker games, and they can do so in full confidence knowing that they won’t be violating any laws.

Moreover, all poker winnings are currently tax-free in Ireland. Now, don’t you think that this is about as good as it gets for any online poker player? It’s not surprising then that online poker is very popular among Irish players.

Choosing the Best Poker Online Casino Bonuses

As mentioned, the best Irish poker sites always provide decent incentives and various promotions both for new and existing customers.

A poker bonus is an excellent way for an online casino to greet its new players by giving them free play money, and thus giving their bankroll a lift to give them a head start when hitting the poker tables. There’s a wealth of poker bonus options out there up for grabs, including welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, and VIP offers, which can be your ticket to winning huge poker prizes.

It’s important to note, though, that poker bonuses are often subject to certain terms and conditions that can vary from one casino to another. With this, you need to make sure that you go over these T&Cs to help you decide which ones are worth claiming, steering clear from those that aren’t in the process to avoid frustrations later on when you want to claim your bonus winnings.

Online Poker Game Variations

With poker as one of the all-time favorite casino games in Ireland, it only makes sense for Irish-friendly poker sites to offer the most popular variants of the game. And, while you will find a handful of poker variants typically featured in the top Irish poker casinos, they can be grouped into four main categories with the games in each type following the same protocol in terms of card-dealing and betting.

COMMUNITY CARD POKER – These are poker games that use community cards also known as shared or the board cards. Here players receive an incomplete hand of down cards, called the ‘hole cards’ with several community cards to be dealt faced up at the center. Players must use these community cards, in conjunction with their hole cards, to come up with a five-card hand. Texas Hold’em is the most popularly played form of community poker, particularly in tournaments and main poker events.
DRAW POKER – Variation of poker where complete hands are dealt to each player faced down. After the first round of betting, the players develop their hands by discarding or drawing new cards. The most popular modern variation of this game is the 5-card draw poker.
STRAIGHT POKER – the oldest form of poker where a complete hand is dealt to the players and players bet in a single round. Here, to beat the other players, you must make the best of the cards you are dealt with and have no chance of improving them.
STUD POKER – A poker variant where the players are dealt with prearranged combinations of face-down and face-up cards with a round of betting following each. Popularly-played modern varieties include the seven-card stud poker and Razz.

Getting Started: How to Play Poker Online

Online poker enthusiasts in Ireland are lucky to have all the opportunities available to them. You can play anytime you want at online casinos that exceed the average bettor’s imagination. And, getting started is incredibly easy. All you need is an internet connection and a PC or a mobile device. As soon as you log in to the virtual gambling platform you will find limitless possibilities of ways to win.

However, before we get started on learning some basic rules on how to play poker online, one thing you should familiarize first are the basic poker game hand rankings. Don’t worry, they’re actually not that hard to remember. Here’s an easy guide for your reference:

Royal Flush – The highest straight flush in poker, Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten all of the same suit.
Straight Flush – Any straight sequence with all the five cards of a similar suit, for example, 9-8-7-6-5.
Four of a Kind – Any four cards that are of the same value, such as 4 Aces or 4 Five cards. In the event that two players share the same Four of a Kind, the bigger fifth card, aka the “kicker” decides who will win.
Full House – Three of a kind AND a pair
Flush – Any 5 cards of the same suit, not consecutive.
Straight – A basic sequence of different suits such as 6-5-4-3-2
Three of a Kind – Three cards that are the same rank/value like 5-5-5
Two Pair – Two pairs, for instance, 9-9 AND 5-5
One Pair – Any two cards of the same value, such as A-A or 2-2
High Card – Whatever your highest card is

Every variation of poker has its own specific set of rules. However, the ultimate objective for each remains the same – winning the pot. Generally, there are two ways to win the game:

By creating the best five-card combination as per the hand ranking rules, or;
By making every other player fold before the showdown.

Poker is a mind game that challenges the focus, patience, and decision-making skills of the players. Other than knowing the fundamental rules, it is also critical to learn how to implement strategies and tactics in the game to up your ante.

Below we’ve outlined the steps on how to play some of the popular poker games online.

Rules for Texas Hold’em – Texas Hold’em

A community card poker game, this is the most played poker variation particularly in tournaments and poker events. In the hold’em version, each player is dealt two cards face down, known as the hole cards or pocket cards, and then five community cards are dealt face up in three rounds of betting to make a five-card hand.

Rules for Omaha Poker

Omaha, also known as Omaha hold’em, has quite an identical gameplay as the popular Texas hold’em. This variant also uses a three-card flop on the board, a fourth board card, and then a fifth board card. However, instead of two, each player is dealt with four hole cards at the start. A player must use exactly two hole cards, plus exactly three of the five community cards to make a hand. You win the round in either of the two ways – all the other players fold (lay down) their hands, which means you’re the only player left in the pot, and you hold the best poker hand during the showdown.

Rules for Seven Card Stud

Seven-card stud poker uses two down cards and one upcard dealt prior to the first betting round. Three more faced up cards will be dealt with a betting round following each card, and then one more down card. A final round of betting follows after the last down card is dealt. The best five-card poker hand combination wins the pot.

Rules for Razz Poker

In the game of Razz, a low-ball version of the seven-card stud, the object is to make the lowest possible five-card out of the seven cards you are dealt with. Unlike in the seven-card stud high, in Razz, the ace always plays low and the low (or weak) hand acts first on all succeeding rounds. Straights and flushes bear no ranking, and thus, the best possible hand is 5-4-3-2-A known as a wheel.

Rules for Five Card Draw

The five-card draw poker is among the most basic forms of poker, and also one of the oldest versions. The aim of the game is simple, that is to come up with the best five-card poker hand value possible after one draw and wager accordingly. The player with the best hand after the second (and final) betting round wins the pot.

The Pros of Playing on Online Poker Sites in Ireland

You can find plenty of reasons why playing poker online has such a widespread appeal. With online poker, you can access a variety of games wherever you are, and if you like, you can open a few different poker rooms at the same time and enjoy the ultimate variety. Besides greater accessibility, online poker action tends to be faster and comes with less risk as you can play for smaller amounts or according to your bankroll size. You also have significantly more choices, including a variety of poker tournaments and events, than you get when playing at traditional land-based casinos.

Another thing that makes online poker sites more beneficial for players compared to its traditional land-based counterpart is the range of bonuses and promotions they offer to players, from the lucrative sign-up bonuses and cashback to all other forms of VIP/loyalty programs and regular poker tournaments that can be rewarding and at the same time entertaining. And, if you’re new to the game, one of the greatest advantages of playing online poker is the chance to play free poker games. This can be an excellent way for starters to learn the game and master its rules. Even if you already have a decent knowledge about the game, online casinos are a great arena to hone your skills and stay sharp to ace the game.

Join the Poker Room Action Now!

The great news is Irish poker aficionados have access to some of the best online poker casinos in the world. So, whether you are new to the game or are a seasoned player, you can always find the right online poker casino to match your skills, tastes, and preferences. So, what are you waiting for? Time to hit the action at your chosen poker rooms. For a grand experience, simply pick your choice from our list of the top poker sites Ireland has to offer.