Player reviews of poker sites. Check out detailed independent poker room reviews at PokerLabRat.com. Make informed decisions on where to play poker online
Recommended online poker and card rooms. Independent Internet poker sites tested and reviewed
Last page update: 11 February 2013
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POKER CHAT:


Tells bite your bankroll
How To Stop Accidentally Giving Away Information About Your Poker Hand

Mike Caro's Latest Poker Tip
The key poker word is Expand

Tight Aggressive Poker
Like that "little black dress", tight aggressive poker is always chic

Learning to Multi-Table
Many players find multi-tabling intimidating & frustrating...

Howard Lederer's Tips
Your  actions [in Holdem] need to tell a plausible story

Varying Your Pre-Flop Raise
Examples from a recent $10/$20 No-Limit Hold ’em 6-max ring game

Learn to Play online Poker
Beginner Strategies Tip - Playing the top 10 poker hands

Pro Tips: Rebuy Tournaments
The Rebuy Tournament Game Plan

Paying Tax on Poker Winnings
AArrgggghh! The "T" word!

Phil Gordon's Poker Script
Simplifiying decisions at the poker table. Check out Phil Gordon's tips

Habits to Break in Online Poker
Pro tips for profitable online poker
Read online poker room reviews
WELCOME to the PokerLabRat.com poker room test site.

We aim to help you to find the best and safest online poker room on the Internet for fun, profit and challenge.

As industry professionals we objectively evaluate poker sites (the good, the bad and the ugly high risk ones) against formal test critera.

We publish poker room reviews on only the top 15 poker sites so you don't have to lose your shirt  to dodgy operators or waste your time playing endless mediocre poker.

Check out the latest poker room reviews or visit our top rated poker sites

INDEPENDENT POKER ROOM RATINGS

Wanna build your poker bankroll?
Best poker site to build a bankroll?
Bet365 Poker
top recommended online poker rooms

FEATURED POKER ROOM:

Click to visit the top rated poker room - Bet365 Poker
Bet365 Poker
Click to visit Bet365 Poker now ...
Bet365 poker has customers worldwide. They are especially popular with players from these countries.
Bet365 Poker, also known as Poker365 is part of Bet365 Ltd, one of the UK's leading betting & gaming groups. A top European sports bookmaker, great online poker & top-of-the-line Playtech Casino via one account. A very professional 24X7 operation with a great reputation for fair play and quick payouts. Popular A+.

AROUND SINCE: 1974
LICENCED: Gibraltar
SOFTWARE: Playtech iPoker (a no-hassle download is required) Europe's biggest poker network now over $20 million USD in monthly guarantees and fantastic cash game action 24x7.
COMMENTS: Great 'no lose' tournaments (finish in the money or your buy-in back). Excellent poker school & play guides. Regular  promotions & giveaways. Ultra safe with lots of cash game fish & good bankroll building play due to Sportsbook side of the business.
Satellites to the best in-the-flesh tournaments around the globe
PAYMENT OPTIONS: Debit Cards (Maestro, Electron, Solo, Delta, Laser), Visa, MasterCard, Neteller, Instadebit, Asia365, 1-Pay, Stone-Pay, MoneyTT, Moneybookers, paysafecard, EntroPay, Click2Pay, Ukash, Fast Bank Transfer, Bank Wire, FedEx, IMOS, Mail Deposits and Money Transfers, Cheque.
CURRENCIES: 27 accepted ARS, AUD, BRL, BRL, CAD, RMB, CZK, DKK, EUR, HKD, HUF, ISK, JPY, MYR, MXN, NZD, NOK, PLZ, RON, SEK, SGD, ZAR, CHF, TWD, THB, GBP, USD
JOIN BONUS: up to $1000 as a 200% first deposit match (bonus released at $10 for every 1000 poker merit points earned. You've 60 days to earn the full $1000 bonus. Great player promos.
                                        (Sorry, no US, Dutch or German players)

TOP 3 POKER SITES:

recommended online poker sites
poker rooms are tested against set criteria for an independent rating
Our top recommended online poker rooms**:
The best of the best - online poker sites
All American poker players are welcome at Australian owned Carbon Poker
Bet365 Poker
PLAYTECH iPOKER NETWORK
Carbon Poker
MERGE  GAMING NETWORK
Bovada Poker
BODOG POKER NETWORK
**Where we make the most money & have the most hassle-free fun.
Bovada Poker
Carbon Poker
Bet365 Poker
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POKER ROOM REVIEW DIRECTORY
Independent online poker room reviews
- ADVERTISEMENT -
Bovada Poker is especially for American poker players. It is powered by Bodog but licenced by the Morris Mohawk Group
Playing poker with pros can be like swimming with sharks - chose the best online poker room for your skills and bankroll
Tonight we're fishing at Ladbrokes - join us in a cash game!
There are rogue operators out there that you can not trust to manage your poker account, let alone have access to your credit card and other details!

All sites on PokerLabRat.com are assessed against specific criteria and come personally recommended.

Members of team LabRat play regularly at all sites we recommend.

>>Check out the criteria we apply to
    determine good, safe poker sites
>>Read more about PokerLabRat.com
>>Visit our Poker blog

... or send us an email - we'd love to hear from you!
Look out for poker traps - there are rogue poker rooms out there - be sure to play at a recommended poker site...
Not all poker rooms online are safe or play fair!
Remember not all online poker sites are "safe"!

FROM THE RAT:

Extra Bankroll from Join Bonuses
Poker Tips from Top Poker Pros.

Poker Books Recommended by Pros
Best poker bonus
tips and advice from top professional poker players
Showdown - cuts to the chase - which is the BEST poker site?
Poker Room Showdown: 
Where we make the most money & have the most hassle-free fun.

POKER TIPS:

Bovada Poker is the newly rebranded US-facing Bodog gambling site from Morris Mohawk Gaming Group (MMGG) . MMGG is based out of and licenced by the Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake, Canada. Bodog no longer offers "for money" services in North America.

AROUND SINCE: As Bovada since Jan 2012, as Bodog since 1994 (They dealt their billionth poker hand late November 2007)
SOFTWARE: Proprietary to Bodog. Quick, safe & easy to download. Not networked, so just Bodog players. Good traffic, especially during peak US times and a wide range of buy-ins and stake ranges. New Mac-ready flash poker client just out
NOTE FOR USA PLAYERS: Bovada Poker does accept US players and has been specifically set up to support you. (This is a USA only poker site)
COMMENTS: Popular. $5 million guaranteed in prizes each month mainly for Texas Holdem tournaments. Fast and easy to play "no frills" poker. Not the prettiest poker software on the net but ultra popular, especially as you can place sports bets and play casino games  - all from one account.

Less action overall than the above 2 poker rooms but we've found the fishing great at Bovada, more competitive at higher stakes tables. Good table stats. Freerolls 10-15 each day - mainly requiring 30-1000 play points. New player freerolls.
PAYMENT OPTIONS: MyPaylinQ, Credit Cards and Rapid Transfer. Any Visa branded credit card, gift card or check/debit card is fine. Bovada pays out winnings and cashes out your account via couriered checks, Rapid Transfer or MyPaylinQ. Contact the support team for details (free phone) for a hassle free payout. Bovada will cover your fees for one payout per calendar month.
CURRENCIES: All play and transactions are in USD. This is a USA only poker room.
JOIN BONUS: Earn a 100% deposit match to $1000. Make a deposit, start playing and earning poker points - every 10 poker points are equal to $1 bonus. When you've earned 100 points you'll get a $10 bonus, keep playing and you'll get more bonuses in $10 increments as you play - even if you make more deposits. 10,000 poker points earns a $1000 bonus. You've got 60 days from your 1st deposit to earn your bonus.                                                        
Bovada Poker
Like the sound of Bodog Poker? Click to visit them now ...
Click to visit Bovada Poker - a very jazzy online gambling venue, formerly Bodog

FEATURED POKER ROOM:

play online poker
latest poker site promotions
Click for Bet365 Poker - our top rated poker room. Best Playtech iPoker site
WANT TO LEARN POKER?
Try Bet365 No Lose Tournaments
- finish in the money or get your buy-in back! Way better than freerolls. Prizes to $500 daily.
Bet365 Beginner Freerolls & Cash Tables - available for 90 days after you join. Learn the easy way!
                                               >>Visit Bet365 Poker

POKER PROMOTIONS:

Carbon Poker
All the classic casino games
Bet365
Great Blackjack, slots & video poker
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Best casino games available at recommended Poker sites
All American poker players are welcome at Australian owned Carbon Poker
Carbon Poker
MERGE  GAMING NETWORK
Bovada Poker
RTG CASINO GAMES
Like to play Blackjack?
Best poker room
SIDE GAMES:
Play blackjack or roulette while playing poker

A BIT ON THE SIDE:

Whether you're a fish or a shark how do you select a poker room?
how to choose a poker room
poker room review and rating update
Want to play poker in Euros against other European poker players?

The biggest join bonus around at present is at Betsson Poker EURO Tables: Get a 500% Deposit bonus up to €5000
detailed online poker site reviews
POKER REVIEW DIRECTORY
Compare the top 15 online poker sites in  objective and up to date poker room reviews

POKER REVIEWS:

Read the latest Poker Site Reviews - whats hot and not

REVIEWS

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DIRECTORY OF POKER ROOM REVIEWS
Paddy PowerPoker
Ladbrokes Poker
Bet365 Poker
Everyone knows that the Irish punch above their weight when it comes to winning on the world poker scene - and online poker room PaddyPowerPoker.com is no exception!

Paddy Power Poker offers a safe, fun & potentially profitable online poker venue. It's very popular with UK and Ireland-based players. The Playtech software & systems are excellent and as a member of the iPoker Network (Europe's busiest, bringing together players from around the world to compete), Paddy Power Poker features a wide range of cash games, tournaments & satellite entry to major live poker events.

AROUND SINCE: 1988 (the Mother company) Poker: 2005
LICENCED:
 
UK/Aldeney... PaddyPowerPoker.com is operated on behalf of Paddy Power by iPoker Network (Game Park Trading Ltd) who are Antigua licenced and operated.
SOFTWARE: iPoker Network (Playtech Poker)
COMMENTS: This Poker Room has a great track record for 7x24 cash game traffic at all levels and loyal players. Like most Internet poker sites though it's mainly offers Texas Holdem No Limit action with a small amount of Omaha play and even fewer active 7-Card Stud tables. In our view Paddy hosts some of the the best Bounty Tournaments on the net (you can even become the bounty).
PAYMENT OPTIONS: Deposit funds into your Paddy Power account as cash (at a shop), or online with Visa or Mastercard credit cards, Laser, Switch, Delta & Solo debit cards. Deposits from debit cards must be in the currency of issue. Other banking options include: Bank Transfer, Cheques, An Post Billpay, Western Union QuickPay Money Orders, Neteller and Moneybookers (great for hassle-free betting!), PayPal.
Easy, reliable & safe. Just call toll free with any Qs
CURRENCIES: Just GBP and Euro
JOIN BONUS: A 100% deposit match bonus up to $2000 on your initial deposit. Code: PPP2000  You get $10 bonus for every 600 paddy poker points you earn. Your bonus is automatically deposited into your account as extra bankroll over the 1st 90 days after you join. Easy. Regular giveaways too.
Paddy Power
Poker
Like the sound of Irish Poker? Click to visit Paddy Power now ...
Paddy Power Poker is especially popular with players from the UK and Ireland

FEATURED POKER ROOM:

Play poker online
Paddy Power Poker
I POKER NETWORK
Ladbrokes Poker
MICROGAMING POKER NETWORK
Bet365 Poker
iPOKER NETWORK
High Stakes Poker
Best HIGH STAKES poker:
Best High stakes poker games online

HIGH STAKES POKER:

Compare the best online poker rooms for your region
US players are still accepted at these top online poker rooms
Click to visit this page specially for Canadian players
1-page comparison of top UK and European English Poker sites
Compare the top poker rooms for USA residents
Best Sites for Canadian Poker Players
UK & European English Poker Sites

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Warning: While the team at PokerLabRat.com consider poker to be as much a game of skill as gambling, gambling involves risk. By playing online poker at any site featured on this website, you run the risk that you may lose money or suffer psychological injuries. You play at your own risk.
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Sorry, no US Players
iPoker Network member Paddy Power Poker - click to visit for a look around
Lost? Compare the most popular poker rooms for your region
Never Played the Microgaming Poker Network?
Ladbrokes Poker has an excellent online poker school. There has never been a better time to join Ladbrokes Poker! (The new rake scheme favours beginners too...)


American Poker Players
formerly on FullTilt, UB and PartyPoker now play at
Carbon Poker (Merge Network)

NOTE 1 Players from the following US States are not able to join Carbon Poker due to local legislation: New York, Missouri, Louisiana, Maryland & Washington D.C.
European Poker Promotions - learn to play poker
Bet365
PLAYTECH & MICROGAMING CASINO GAMES
Bovada Poker
Fast Blackjack, great video poker
American poker players
Bovada poker is popular with American poker players
Poker Players from the USA only
Choose an online poker room. Play the best Internet poker sites in February 2013. Player reviews and poker room ratings.