Best Irish Poker Sites

How Do We Choose the Best Irish Poker Sites?

Our expert review team starts with a list of hundreds and puts each casino through a rigorous filtering process. Of course, any casino that you find here will be fully licensed, feature a jam-packed games collection and plenty of banking methods. However, there are a few poker-specific considerations that come into play too.

Let’s take a look at a few of the features that we search for when putting together our shortlist:

Staking Limits

Whether you’re a high roller or playing on a tight budget, you’ll find a poker table that suits you with our recommended casinos.

We’ve picked out casinos that have it all – from tables with blinds as low as €0.01, to live dealer poker games with maximum bets stretching well into the thousands. Finding the right buy-in is about more than controlling your bankroll, though. It’s also the best way in which players can find their appropriate skill level, joining tables where there’s an even playing field. 

Rewarding Bonuses

We search for sites that offer great rewards for both new and existing customers.

Remember, the biggest bonus isn’t always the best. Our list has something for everyone, whether you’re after a large deposit match or a deal with the friendliest wagering requirements. If you’re new to the best Irish poker sites, making use of a bonus is considered the best way for players to acquaint themselves with one, allowing them to sample its selection of games without committing too much of their own cash.

Poker Tables

We choose casinos that have the capacity to host large volumes of players. Let’s face it – no one wants to wait around for a free seat at their favourite poker table, so we’ve picked out casinos with tables that can host up to ten people.

The poker tables hosted at our casino recommendations are also spread across a wide variety of poker variants, so players can easily chop and change whenever they fancy.

How the Best Online Poker Sites Work

To play at a real money poker site, you’ll first need to sign up and create an account. There will be a welcome bonus to claim when you do this, so make sure your first deposit is sufficient for you to opt-in to this welcome offer. The best online poker sites in Ireland will have a long list of payment methods available, but the casino will need to verify your details before you’re able to start placing wagers at the table. 

Once these identification checks are complete, you’ll have the freedom of the casino. You’ll find that as well as plenty of poker options – which will include freerolls, multi-table and sit and go tournaments at the top sites – games libraries will be packed full of online slots, table games such as blackjack and roulette, live dealer experiences, and more. To find the game that’s right for you, spend some time researching the general rules and what’s on offer with each option.

If you’ve played and won some money, you’ll be able to make a withdrawal – provided that you’ve satisfied all the associated terms and conditions of course. It’s likely that you’ll only be able to do this with the same payment method with which you deposited, but the site’s customer support team will be on hand to field any queries. 

Why Play Poker Online?

The majority of casino games involve little to no skill. Although games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat have generated plenty of playing strategies, they all ultimately rely on the random spin of the wheel, or the unpredictable draw of the cards.

Poker, however, requires not just skill, but patience, nerve, and lots of shrewd betting calls. For these reasons, playing any form of poker can be very rewarding – it’s no wonder that it’s the world’s most popular card game. 

Playing poker online can improve the experience in several ways. For starters, physical casinos can sometimes exude an intimidating atmosphere, particularly for first-time players. Online Irish poker players will be able to find games with the right budgets and at the right tempo, so they can relax and enjoy the game while making the most of the available bonuses, something not offered to guests at a real casino. 

Physical casinos also don’t have the luxury of offering so many games to their customers. At the best online poker sites, players can choose from hundreds of different games, all offering something different to the last. Not only does this provide plenty of variety by game, but also variety by player, with tables made up of online gamblers from all over the world. Particularly when it comes to poker games, online gambling can be a thrilling and highly sociable pastime.

Types of Online Poker Games

The beauty of poker online is that there are so many variations to this classic game. These are primarily formed due to slight changes in the rules and gameplay. However, there are also variations based on the competition format. If you have hours to spare, you may fancy getting involved in an online poker tournament, but if you’re after a quick game, you might prefer a sit and go game.  Here are a few of the most popular variations of this casino classic:

No Limit Hold’em

No limit hold’em is a variant of Texas hold’em, the world’s most popular poker game. Blinds are put forward before all players are dealt two cards. Those who want to play the hand must then put forward the blind in the pot. 

Once this is done, five community cards are dealt face up in three different stages: the first is the flop, consisting of three cards; this is followed by the turn, consisting of one card; and finally the river, which is one more card. 

The aim is to gain the best hand through a combination of your cards and the community cards. At a no limit hold’em game, players are freely able to bet and raise whatever they please, provided other players at the table can match the wager.

Seven-Card Stud

Players at a seven-card stud table are dealt two cards face down, and one face up. The player with the lowest upcard pays the blind, with betting then proceeding clockwise. Once this first round of betting is complete, players are dealt their next upcard, followed by the second round of betting which begins at the player whose upcards make the best poker hand. 

Further betting rounds follow the dealing of a third upcard, a fourth upcard, and finally a fifth downcard. Out of the seven cards dealt to them, players formulate their strongest hand using only five of their cards. 

Omaha Hi-Lo

Omaha poker games are a variation of Texas hold’em, except players are dealt four cards as opposed to two, and must use two of these cards to form a hand. In Omaha hi-lo, there are split pots in play: one for the highest hand, and one for the lowest. 

High hands are determined according to standard hand rankings, but low hands can only consist of cards eight and lower. Aces are the best-valued card in both high and low hands, but cannot be used to form part of both hands in one round. If no players at the table can form a low hand, the player with the highest hand wins the whole pot. 

Pot Limit Omaha

Pot limit Omaha follows the same format as above. The difference here is that betting limits are tied to the size of the pot. For example, if there were €50 in the pot, the maximum betting amount would be €50, and could then increase from there. 

Live Dealer Poker

Online poker sites in Ireland will often have a dedicated live dealer section where games are streamed from real casino settings. Live poker can be played across many different variants, with Evolution Gaming’s selection being the most popular.

Online Poker Game Formats

Poker games aren’t just divided by their variants, but also the format in which they’re played, as explained below. 

Live vs Online

Standard RNG online poker games are a useful place to start for those bringing themselves up to speed. You can play and bet at your own pace, and get used to how the betting rounds work. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more social experience, live poker games are managed by professional dealers who converse with players at the table. 

Tournaments

If you’ve played a hand or two in your time, you might want to test yourself at an online poker tournament. Multi-table and sit and go tournaments – in which play only gets under way once all available spaces are filled – are popular, and can vary greatly in terms of budgets.   

Free v Real Money

There’s no obligation to bet real money at a poker site, with plenty of free-to-play games also available. We always recommend kicking off your poker journey with a free game, so that when it comes to the real thing, you’ll have some useful experience on which to draw. 

Popular Online Poker Game Rules

There are some fundamental rules of the game that poker Ireland sites always follow, and it’s important to familiarise yourself with them.

First of all, you need to understand that the highest card on the board is always the strongest, regardless of the poker online game. This starts with two as the weakest card, and goes all the way up to the Ace, as the strongest card.

You’ll always have the option to raise, call, check, or fold when involved in any poker online game. This is dependent on your position at the table, but essentially, you gauge how strong the cards are in your hand, and then proceed to make your play.

Irish online poker sites usually offer games that consist of anything between 2-10 players. This is a fairly standard rule, and you can be sure that tables won’t consist of more than 10 players.

Finally, if you want to play a hand in poker online games you will have to stake some money. This simply means that you must call or raise if you aren’t one of the ‘blinds players’ (those that have to put cash in as it is their turn on the button).

Each of the different online poker games has its own set of specific rules, and you can usually find these right next to your game of choice on any of the best poker sites.

How to Play Online Poker

The good news for you is that it’s super simple to get started with any of the best poker sites on this page. However, just like any poker Ireland site, you need to create an account, which can be done by following these steps:

1. Choose your online poker site from our recommended list. Follow our link and you’ll arrived at a dedicated registration page;
2. Provide your personal details on the registration page and opt-in to your desired welcome bonus if applicable;
3. Fund your account through a payment method of your choice, and proceed to fulfil the bonus requirements to get a bankroll boost to kick things off;
4. Simply pick out an online poker table with rules, staking limits and features that suit you and place your blinds bet to start playing.

Depositing at an Irish Poker Site

To take part in poker online you do need to fund your account, which is only normal. Here are some of the most common banking options available at online poker sites. Virtually every casino offers instant deposits for the following payment methods, so you’ll be able to start playing right away.

Debit Cards

Deposit speed: Instant

Withdrawal speed: Slow, between 2-5 working days

All Ireland poker sites will accept debit card deposits, and this ubiquity is perhaps this method’s greatest strength. These payments will also always qualify players to pick up any bonuses on offer, so you can head straight to the poker table once you’ve made a deposit. On the downside, this is old banking technology, so withdrawals are among the slowest. 

e-Wallets

Deposit speed: Instant

Withdrawal speed: Instant

By using e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, you open yourself up to the possibility of fast withdrawals. Once all your payment details are verified, you’ll receive your winnings as soon as you request them – a major perk for most online gamblers. 

Trustly

Deposit speed: Instant

Withdrawal speed: Variable, between one and five days

Trustly is a Swedish-based bank transfer service that allows casino players to make direct payments from one bank account to their casino’s. Not all banks support Trustly payments, so if you’re interested, it’s best to check this out first. 

Cryptocurrencies

Deposit speed: Instant

Withdrawal speed: Instant

While they’re still a niche pick, many online casinos in Ireland have started to offer crypto payments. Bitcoin users in particular can take advantage of the instant deposits and withdrawals afforded by this fledgling payment method, although Ethereum and Litecoin users may find their options to be even thinner. You should note, however, that cryptocurrencies are considerably more volatile than fiat currencies, so you may find that the value of your cryptocurrency may rise and dip significantly.

New Poker Sites

You might think the bigger, more established brands are your best bet when it comes to online poker. Of course, there’s a reason why they’ve been so successful. However, that doesn’t mean new sites aren’t worth your consideration. New licensed sites are just as safe, secure and often bring a fresh new look and innovative ideas to the table.

Whether it’s player friendly bonuses, a unique variation of poker or exciting new promotions, the best new poker sites in Ireland are sure to deliver.

Mobile Poker Sites

Virtually every poker site worth your consideration these days has a mobile-friendly website. This means the games are optimised for your device and you’ll have access to all the same features and functionalities, including banking, account registration, claiming a bonus and much more. Ireland’s very best poker sites go a step further and also offer a native app available for free download.

These apps provide faster loading times and slicker user interfaces. What’s more, turning on the push notifications also represents your best chance of keeping abreast of all of the casino’s bonuses and promotions. These might be related to poker tables, or targeted at another of the casino’s many gaming categories. 

Poker Rake Explained

The poker rake refers to the commission taken by the poker site hosting the game. The rake may be set in relation to the tournament’s buy-in, or it could be applied to each individual pot, ranging from 2.5% to 10% in some cases. Another way in which poker sites collect the rake is by setting time limits throughout the game, operating in a similar way to a blind.