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The most loved card game? Possibly. But which are the best Poker Sites Online that offer it?
In this CanadaCasino guide for Poker Canada, we shall explore all the basics of poker – its basic concepts, Variants and the best Poker Sites in Canada to visit when playing casino poker.
Find the Best Online Poker Casinos in Canada
What are the best Poker sites in Canada? By best, we mean the top online casinos that feature a wide array of casino poker – from RNG and even Live.
| Rank | Casino | Where to play |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Lucky Creek | Play Poker Here! |
| #2 | SlotWolf | Play Poker Here! |
| #3 | CasinoExtra | Play Poker Here! |
| #4 | Leon | Play Poker Here! |
| #5 | VIPSlot.Club | Play Poker Here! |
In this article, we will go over everything you could possibly want and need to know about playing online poker in Canada. Depending on the type of poker player you are will determine which online poker casino is best for you.
Maybe you’d like to experience live poker, participate in poker promotions, or have some fun playing free online poker. No matter what your requirements are, there will always be poker sites in Canada that will meet your expectations!
Start by checking out the casinos listed at the top of this page, then check out our casino reviews. All the casinos we recommend come with excellent reputations, bonuses and a high level of service.
Is Online Poker Legal in Canada?
At present, none of the provinces has decided to ban people from playing poker online from Canada, but this doesn’t mean that they authorise it either…
Does this sound confusing? It’s natural to think that the legal situation is problematic. However, at the moment, it’s quite the opposite!
Online poker is possible and completely legal for players, and this means that a lot of online poker casinos are accessible to Canadian players, no matter where they reside.
Are Online Poker Games Rigged?
If you join a licensed online casino, any online poker games you play will be fair. Online poker is programmed to generate random outcomes according to the odds of traditional poker.
This means that the program is made to generate any Poker card from a 52-card pack randomly, and there is no way that this program can be changed to deal you weak hands purposely.
Why Play Poker Online?
Your online poker experience will be quite different from traditional poker because you may not be able to put on your Poker face and judge other players.
Still – Poker Chips, Poker Table – the online version has it all. The difference is that most online games are played against the house, so the game is between you and the computer or the dealer (that said, you can still play poker against other players if you join an online poker room).
Despite these differences, there are still enough compelling reasons as to why you should play poker online, which we’ll look into here.
Are Online Poker and Live Poker different?
To put it simply – Online Poker is when a player chooses to play against the computer through the RNG technology. Live Poker is when a player chooses to play Poker against a live dealer. The game is featured live and virtually through the poker sites online platform.
How to Play Online Poker
Online poker in Canada is played with one standard 52-card deck, which sometimes includes one or two Joker cards (wilds), depending on the variant being played.
Players will get two or more cards each, whereas five cards will be dealt in the centre – the latter are called Community Cards.
The aim of the game is to combine your poker cards with the community poker cards to create the best 5-card poker hand. You have to keep in mind that these rules may vary depending on the variant of online poker that you choose to play.
Blinds in Poker
Before a game of poker begins, each player will have to fork out an initial contribution in the pot, which is called an ‘Ante’ in Stud Poker, or the Big Blind and Small Blind in Hold’Em and Omaha.
The small blind is placed by the player to the left of the dealer button, whereas the next player posts the big blind.
These blinds exist because Omaha and Texas Hold’em are played without antes, to avoid all players folding without placing a bet.
You can get a variety of hands, but not all of them are valued equally. The best hand you can get is called a 5 of a kind. The only way you can put together this hand is if there is at least one Joker. The rest is self-explanatory since you need to land 4 of the same card.
Straight Flush Poker, Four of a Kind and Full House Poker are the other best hands you can land.
2 Important Tips to Know Before Playing Online Poker
Planning Poker and doing the necessary homework is crucial if you want to have an upper hand in the game.
So, before you play online poker, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind to improve your chances of doing well and possibly winning.
1. Master the rules, positions and poker hands
The first tip we have for you is to learn the rules, different positions and various poker hands that are possible.
If you don’t understand at least the basics of the game and lingo, it’ll be extremely hard to do well in the game. If you’re new to the game, playing online poker for free is one of the best ways to learn the game. You can practice different strategies and rules, without wagering any real money.
2. Understand the key concepts of a poker strategy
Online poker is a game of strategy. While luck has a very big role in the game, having a good poker strategy can improve your odds greatly.
Although poker rules are quite easy to grasp, it will take a lot of practice and mind work to develop a solid poker strategy that will help you win more at poker.
Below, we’ve listed some of the most common terms and strategic plays you should know before playing online poker for real money.
| Poker Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bluff | Basically, it’s lying. A player can bluff in poker when he knows that he doesn’t have the best hand. |
| Fold | The decision to forfeit one’s cards for the current hands. Players cannot win or act when they decide to fold. |
| Check | The players may refuse to bet if there is no bet during the current round. |
| Call | If someone else has bet during the round, players can call by matching the highest bet. |
| Raise | If other players have already bet, the raising player may raise the bet by at least doubling the amount. Then, other players will be required to either call the raise or raise again to continue playing. |
| Flop | Players bet again after the first 3 community poker cards are dealt. |
| Pre-flop | Players bet before community cards are dealt, as soon as players receive their hole cards. |
| The Turn | Players bet once the fourth community Poker card is dealt. |
| The River | The last betting round when players bet after the final community card is dealt. |
| Value Betting | Value betting is a technique that comes in useful in land-based poker when a player wants to try and make his opponent think that he’s got a better hand than yours. This involves placing a bet that is of the perfect size that would prompt the opponent to call, so you can get the best value from someone’s weaker hand! |
Online Poker Variants
Today, you can find a wide variety of poker variations at poker sites online in Canada. The most common types would be Texas Hold’em and Omaha, but quite a few casinos in Canada also offer video poker options, which include Jacks or Better.
Take a look at our list below to see which poker variants you can expect to find at a Canadian online casino. You can read about each variation of the game at our Online Poker Variants Guide.
- Texas Holdem’ Poker
- Omaha Poker
- Live Three Card Poker
- Seven Stud Card Poker
- Jacks or Better
- Caribbean Stud Poker
- Casino Hold’em
Want to learn how to finally beat your poker buddies at Omaha Hi-Lo? Watch as our CanadaCasino Youtube host, Erik, teaches us all we need to know about this popular poker variant!
How to Improve Your Online Poker Game
Apart from developing a steady strategy, you can do a few other things to improve your poker game.
Below we’ll share with you our best tips to give you a better chance of winning more.
Play when you fee like it
Poker is a casino game meant to be fun. It is important to stop playing the moment this changes. Playing for the sake of it or to make up for lost bets can push you to make an emotionally-based decision instead of a logical one.
You might also find yourself in the trap of betting more than you can afford, which can eventually lead to addiction.
Our advice is to play when you feel like it, but before you sit to play, decide on a budget and a time frame. Our article about Responsible Gambling can help you set up boundaries so that gambling remains always fun!
Learn and understand the concept of Game Theory Optimal (GTO)
Poker is a game of chance so there is a lot of probability and odds involved. Although you never know what cards you’d be dealt, a GTO strategy can help you optimize your winning potential.
This mathematical-based model is not easy to learn, but learning the basics and practicing often will greatly improve your skill.
Play fewer hands and play them aggressively.
New players who lack experience tend to either play too conservatively in the hope of lasting longer or go about it too aggressively, throwing all their poker chips in at every hand.
The trick is to learn which are good hand openings and use poker chips to your advantage. This is a great rule to stick with if you want to increase your chances of staying longer in the game and maybe win!
… Be patient
Don’t play too aggressively by throwing in all your poker chips in the hope of miraculously landing a Five of kind or a Straight Flush Poker!
You need to remember that not every hand you’ll be dealt will be good and you might be out of the game right after the first round of bets.
Don’t just throw your poker chips. The trick is to be patient! Wait for the right hand!
Analyse your opponents
This tip might be harder to practice if you are playing online; however, if you have a view of the other players, and they are your opponents, it might be a good idea to analyze them.
If you can’t spot the weakest opponent, there is a chance you’re playing that role. If that’s the case, maybe it’s wise to look for another Poker table to join…
Practice for free
Playing free online poker is the best way to learn the game and not lose any money while doing it. The demo mode, or play-for-fun mode, does not require you to bet any real money. Instead, the game will allocate you a huge supply of fake coins or chips to play with.
The game will play out in the same way as the play for the real version, with the same odds and payouts (though these are fake).
There are no restrictions on how long you can play, making it possible to practice for as long as you wish.
Manage your funds through Poker Bankroll Management
It’s all about discipline. Through Poker Bankroll Management you can manage your own budget for each poker game. Like this, you will not be in the rest to exceed your budget and always be in control of your gameplay.
Watch streamers to discover new tips
Apart from practicing, you can watch professional poker players playing in streamers on Twitch or Youtube.
Not only can you see some play for real but also learn strategies and tips from experts.
While there are many streamers online, some of the most popular poker players out there are:
Do you know the differences between Omaha and Texas Hold’Em? Erik does, and he’s here to break it down for us in our video below:
Playing Online Poker on Your Phone
These days, you don’t need to sit at your desktop computer to play online poker. HTML5 technology has made it possible to play from your smartphone or tablet anywhere you might be.
The smaller screen delivers an HD experience with additional features to make it easier to play like live chat, Auto-bet and automatic commands to check or fold.
While some casinos have a mobile-optimized site, others have a dedicated app that makes playing poker online that much more enjoyable.
Some of the best mobile casino apps offering poker are:
Popular Online Poker Providers
Without game providers, you wouldn’t have any online poker games to play. In Canada, there are a few providers that stick out for their selection of poker games, both online and in the live casino.