Is Online Poker Rigged?

If you want to start playing poker, you definitely want to be sure that the game is fair. Safety is extremely important in online gambling. Only a secure site can guarantee that the outcome depends on chance and/or players’ skills.

Nevertheless, players are looking for evidence of fair poker. Their fears are quite logical, as no physical cards are dealt with during an online game. Every action is taken automatically by some software, which is under the control of its owner. In this article, we’ll clear your doubts and explain how online poker works.

Credit: PlayAmo Casino

Why Do Some Bettors Think Online Poker Is Rigged? Destroying the Myths

You must understand that you may lose poker like any other player. This title is not only about luck. If you are skilled enough, you have higher winning chances. However, nobody is protected against bad luck in this game.

Do not take negative reviews on poker forums seriously, which are about “rigged poker”. Rude and angry comments are not evidence. You can ask an author about details, but we are sure that if you choose the best online gambling sites for poker, you can forget about the rigging.

Let’s look at the most common myths and fears related to rigged poker and figure out what they are about.

“After a Cashout, Player Always Lose”

This is not true. It is technically impossible to connect a poker room with the withdrawal history of every player in order to choose the cards for him to be dealt in the next session. The point is that casinos provide a player with a single account where he will accumulate his profit from any service used by him on this site, including poker. That is a real mix that is not tracked by any software.

“There are Too Many Quads/ Full Houses / Straight Flushes”

Gamblers that used to play poker in land-based casinos commonly have suspicions like that when they start playing online. There are lots of online variations of the game full of straight flushes and quads. It looks too good to be true. But, it is just a fact. There is nothing in common with manipulation.

The reason for the effect is simple. The point is that online poker is much faster. When you play offline, about 30 hands can be dealt per hour, while online poker allows you to play 60 hands per hour. There are other options to push the boundaries, like playing at multiple tables at a time. Even beginners try to do it. However, we’d not recommend making things more complicated until you obtain the required skills.

Getting back to the subject, when you play at several tables, you have even more hands per hour. It seems clear that, in this case, there is a higher chance of seeing full houses, more quads, and straight flushes, among others.

“There are Too Many Set-Ups”

In poker there is a situation where you are sure of your hand and place a large bet on the outcome, but suddenly it appears that your opponent has an even better hand. This annoying situation is known as a “set-up.” It may include full house vs. full house, set vs. set, and other combinations. The reason is related to the larger number of hands that a player gets online, which increases the chances of having various hands, including set-ups.

“Poker Sites Intentionally Generate Action”

This is probably a key suspicion. Many players are afraid that poker rooms intentionally generate various actions in their favor.

If you have some doubts, you can store your hand history. Almost all casinos provide such an option in the form of built-in statistical software. The statistics will help you analyze the data and find a consistent pattern.

“I Always Lose with Pocket Aces”

There are four principal types of poker players, including tight ones. The tight players play a few hands, which are mostly very strong. The objective of this strategy is to collect more than just the blinds, even if a player already has good cards. There are some risks. However, in most cases, it can be worthwhile.

However, if a player chooses to limp his pocket aces while playing against other players, he will lose… let’s say every second time. So, it is a small wonder that you lose with pocket aces. You’d better revise your playing style. It could be the source of your losses.

5 Reasons Why Online Poker Isn’t Rigged

Online poker is not rigged. In this section, we’ll give five reasons why online video poker isn’t rigged at reputable poker sites.

 Credit: PlayAmo Casino

Online Poker Sites Want a Fair Game

Poker brings an enormous amount of money to online casinos. The title is extremely popular, which allows gamblers to affect the outcome by enhancing their skills. If you look at the statistics, you’ll see that income from online poker can be compared with the multi-billion-dollar turnover of casinos in Vegas. Why should poker sites take a risk and rig the game? There is no reason at all!

Poker Sites Are Regulated

In the previous paragraph, we mentioned that the gambling market is strictly regulated. This is a strong motivation for poker sites to take care of their unassailable legitimacy. For instance, PokerStars, GGPoker, Partypoker, and other large platforms are licensed by such powerful regulators as the UKGC, the MGA, and others. It means that there are terms that they must comply with. Otherwise, they do not get the license to continue their business activity.

One of the key requirements of those regulators is to arrange a fair environment for players. In order to make sure that poker sites adhere to the terms, regulatory bodies test the software developed for a random deal before they decide in favor of a casino and grant a license. You can even find seals of approval on poker websites. These seals mean gambling is safe and comfortable. This is considered a competitive advantage and aimed at attracting players.

Credit: Karamba Casino

The Operators Charge Rake

It is clear that online casinos take their fee-for-service from their players and get a solid income every day, regardless of losses or wins. Every game is charged, so the more you play, the more you pay. This is a legal income that makes rigging reasonless. It is far more advantageous if a player continues to play.

The Game Are Produced by RNGs

Poker is partially a game of luck because cards are dealt by Random Number Generators. Moreover, as we have mentioned, the software is tested strictly.

The RNG runs all the time without considering whether someone is winning or losing. It transfers various numbers that cannot be predicted or reasoned with somehow. Even when someone says that he knows what card is going to be dealt with, it is not true. There is no way to deal with a predetermined winning hand. This is a guarantee that players are protected from any fraud.

Also, casinos are concerned with the use of this software as it protects them from players who want to find a pattern and cheat the casino.

Players Can Track Hands

If the above reasons are not still convincing, we suggest that you test a casino for rigging online poker. Find and use tracking software. It will save and analyze your hands, providing you with solid statistics. You should use it when you play thousands of hands of poker. Only this volume of data will be sufficient to determine signs of rigging.

Credit: 22Bet

How to Be Sure an Online Poker Site Isn’t Rigged?

It is normal to conduct some research to learn more about a poker site before signing up and starting to play. Certainly, you should choose reputable casinos with proper licenses. This isn’t up for discussion. But to protect yourself, even more, you should consider the following points:

• Player traffic – it should be quite high to prove the popularity of the platform.
• Software – it should be of high quality (the information is usually available on the gambling website).
• Banking options – you should get access to several secure payment methods.
• Customer support – it is vital to have prompt feedback from friendly, competent, and helpful managers.
• Special offers – it is better if a poker site provides players with bonuses and loyalty rewards.

Attention: Cheaters Are the Biggest Danger in Poker!

In addition to the above warnings, we’d like to talk about threats coming from players-cheaters.

Commonly, you play against other players involved in one session in a poker room. You do not know these people and there can be cheaters among them. Though everybody knows that cheating is a misdemeanor, the possibility of facing it is still rather high.

Let’s see the most common way to cheat. One person creates numerous accounts and uses them to play against himself. So, you think that you are at a table with 5 players when there are only two of you. Most online poker rooms forbid doing this, but technically this is possible. Well, if you need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of your arm.

Watch the behavior of the players. If you notice that reactions, words, and decisions look very much alike, this should raise questions. You can contact customer support and share your thoughts with a casino manager.

Conclusion

Online poker is a game that is strictly regulated. The software (Random Number Generator) is tested regularly by independent organizations. Thus, you can be sure of 100% random dealing of the cards. You can see lots of winners, and it is the best evidence of fair gambling. Only when the money circulates, the show goes on and the players return to play and win more.

If you’ve been losing every poker game, we recommend taking the time to learn the game and practice using free poker sites.

FAQ

Is Online Poker A Skill or Luck?

Poker is both luck and skill. You can count on some good (or bad) luck when the cards are dealt. All other decisions are made by a player and require lots of personal abilities and skills. If you play for a short time, you can enjoy a chance. But when you are involved for a long time, you will win only thanks to mathematics, good memory, focus on the cards, and knowledge of psychology to read opponents’ behavior at a table. Poker is not like slots, where the Random Number Generator does all the work.

Is Online Poker Full of Bots?

Nowadays, this option is not used. You can be sure that poker sites do not offer bots as opponents in the game. But, other players can use bots and it is not officially banned. However, some online casinos practice restrictions in this regard. Thus, if you want to play using your own software, you should make sure that a gambling site does not mind.

Is Online Poker Truly Random?

Yes, online poker is random when it comes to dealing cards. The Random Number Generator generates numbers according to lots of algorithms, which are made in such a way that nobody can predict them. In addition, RNGs are regularly tested by independent regulators to ensure fair gambling.

Is Online Poker Profitable?

Online poker can be extremely profitable. There are good reasons why poker tournaments are held, attracting lots of players highly experienced in poker, and struggling with each other for huge prize funds. The winning outcome heavily depends on the player’s skills. You have to study and practice a lot to achieve the best result.

Which Poker Sites to Trust?

Choose a reputable gambling site on our list and enjoy fair poker. You can be sure that none of those selected houses will rig the game as they meet the safety requirements mentioned above.

If you continue losing, it’s time to improve your gambling skills. You should probably find a coach or just take some online training courses.