Taking up poker as a hobby can be a daunting experience. The game is tough enough as it is even without considering all the different places to play and the plethora of software add-ons.
Back in 2003, when online poker exploded into a massive industry, all of the sites were similar. For sure, there were small sites and big sites, but for the most part they all had a similar spread of skill levels.
Today, in 2021, the situation is different. Following Black Friday in April 2011 the industry was forced to reinvent itself with each site having their own ideas on how best to proceed. The net result of this was some became unsuitable for beginners for various reasons.
Unibet
Why Play at Unibet?
Unibet is a great place to play poker for anybody, but for beginners is a great choice for a few reasons.
We couldn’t find another poker platform that is as dedicated to giving casual players an enjoyable experience. The management at Unibet clearly set the stall out for their business when they made it known that software assistance, such as databases and heads up displays - HUDs - would not be welcome.
It is no secret that the last 13 years saw a massive increase in the skill level of the average player. For this reason it became much tougher for beginners to compete. Many simply walked away from the game before they ever really got going. The assistance of a HUD only widened the gap even more and this was not a good result for the poker community as a whole.
Beginners can sign up for a Unibet account in the full knowledge that they will be protected from predatory behaviour by sharks using all manner of tools to increase their advantage.
Customer Service
The customer service at Unibet is conducted via a 24/7 live chat facility where any questions will be answered promptly. New players are able to quickly resolve any issues that prevent them from enjoying their poker experience.
Bonuses and Promotions
EU: €200 Bonus + Free €10.
UK: £500 Bonus + Free £20 Playthrough Bonus.
Rakeback is rewarded based on the Unibet VIP Program which differs per game variant.
Software
The Unibet software has a wide range of customisable features that are geared towards recreational players. From background choices to avatars representing the player, it’s all there.
One particularly useful feature for beginners is the option to change your identity up to three times every day. This helps to protect them from the more experienced players who are quick to observe any mistakes and later exploit them.
The visual experience is very pleasing to the eye. Players who already folded are blurred out, helping players to speed up the game flow. The deck can be switched to a four-colour setting to avoid embarrassing errors of misidentification of suits.
Hand strength is clearly highlighted. This is a major help for first-time players who worry about misreading the board under time pressure.
Another helpful setting that beginners might find handy is to be able to view cash game stacks in big blinds rather than monetary amounts.
Game Toughness
Unibet has some of the softest games players will ever experience. The nature of the platform is aimed at pleasing casual players with both general policies and the software. It is definitely not ideal for professionals looking to play more than 20 cash game tables at once while extracting the maximum profit from their opponents.
These points are responsible for keeping the sharks well away.
Summary
TigerGaming
Why Play at TigerGaming?
TigerGaming is 22-years old, so we can safely assume that the company operates with integrity. Coupled with a constantly high player approval rating players can be confident that their funds are safe.
Currently operating on the Chico Network, TigerGaming is currently undergoing a renaissance. Traffic figures have risen considerably during 2020 improving the quality of the games. The network now sits in the top 15 for traffic figures.
As you will see below, the welcome bonus on offer is reason enough on its own to make TigerGaming the best place to play poker as a beginner.
Customer Service
TigerGaming also doesn’t offer telephone support for their customers but that really isn't a reason to consider playing elsewhere, most other things being equal. There is still 24/7 live chat and email support to put the minds of beginners at rest over any issues they might face taking their first steps into online poker.
Bonuses and Promotions
The bonus for TigerGaming is as good as it gets in this industry.
This 100% bonus is released in chunks of $5 as you pay rake through playing hands. Every $50 of rake paid unlocks a chunk.
Win up to $150,000 JACKPOT SIT & GOES
With buy-ins starting from $3, these 3-player Hyper-Turbo Sit & Go's serve up a shot at landing the MAX PRIZE (5,000x your buy-in), OR triggering a progressive Jackpot prize, in which you’ll play for a share of 85% of the Jackpot (15% reseeds the next one).
Jackpot Sit ‘n Go’s! $1 Million Windfall
These are 3-player Hyper-Turbo Sit & Go with buy-ins between $3 and $30 with a random prize pool that can now go to up to 100,000x your buy-in with the new $1M Windfall Jackpot.
$10,000 Survivor Freerolls
Starting January 4th, 2021 the poker tables are at war in Survivor contest rewarding poker players with cash prizes from weekly Freerolls running Sundays at 1:00 pm ET.
Each week there is a daily challenge available to players Monday through Saturday. Players have to survive each day.
Beat the competition and win the top prize in your Sunday Survivor Freeroll. Challenge yourself and play all 4 events with $10,000 in prizes.
- $40,000 in Cash Game Leaderboards
- $20,000 in Sit & Go Leaderboards
Software
TigerGaming recently updated their software client to include full usability on both PC and mobile devices. It is bug free and gameplay tends to be smooth without any interruptions.
The interface is clean and simple to understand and lends itself to multitabling more so than Unibet which some beginners might prefer.
Game Toughness
The games on TigerGaming are comparable to Unibet. If there are softer games out there than these two sites then they are unknown to the community for the most part.
Summary
Our Verdict
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