So, you're interested in online poker, but you don't want to risk too much money just yet. Where's the best place to play small stakes online poker for real money?
- However, if you decide to learn poker at the micro-stakes tables at online poker sites, you'll save a ton of money. At a $0.01/$0.02 NL Hold'em table, the standard buy-in is only a dollar or two. Most poker sites have a minimum deposit of $10 or $20, so you can use your credit card to make a minimum deposit, then play at the small stakes tables.
- Best Low Stakes Poker Sites. Low stakes poker sites offer the easiest poker games online and to be honest low stakes poker is the easiest limit there is. Unless you count micro stakes as a separate limit, you aren't going to find easier games than the low stakes.
It kind of depends, what you mean by micro stakes. For 2-5 NL cash games I actually think, PokerStars is great, because they rake these games lower than anyone else. 3,5% for 2NL and 4,15% for 5NL. Online resources are the best way to improve your skill set for tough micro stakes games. There are innumerable online sites with strategy guides of varying quality, but the video training sites have taken over in popularity. There are a handful of different poker training sites that offer video tutorials for aspiring players.
Below is a table of what I think are the best sites for low limit online poker.
Best small stakes poker rooms.
Rank | Room | Competition | Cash | SNG | Mac | Bonus | Play |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nitrogen Poker | Weak | $20NL | $10+50c | - | Play Now | ||
Ignition Poker | Weak | $2NL | $1+20c | $1,000 | Play Now | ||
SwC Poker | Weak | $2NL | $1+20c | - | Play Now | ||
Americas Cardroom | Tricky | $2NL | $1+10c | $1,000 | Play Now | ||
888 Poker | Average | $2NL | $0.50+5c | $400 | Play Now | ||
Betsafe Poker | Average | $4NL | $0.10+1c | €2,000 | Play Now |
Note: The SNG column indicates the lowest stakes single-table (STT), non-turbo SNGs on offer.
How I've rated these sites.
These poker rooms have primarily been ranked based on players looking to play no limit Texas Hold'em poker online for small stakes, whether that be in cash games or tournaments (i.e. SNGs and MTTs).
Here are the 4 main factors I took in to account when ranking these sites:
- The lowest stakes games on offer.
- The number of players frequently active at these limits.
- How bad the players at these stakes are.
- The general overall quality of the poker room based on software, traffic and support.
Clearly the level of the absolute lowest stakes cash games and SNGs on offer at a poker room is one of the biggest factors. It's not much use signing up to a poker room that doesn't offer SNG games under $5, or cash games under $10NL if you have a $30 bankroll. Even if you intend on playing at slightly higher limits anyway, it's always good to have the flexibility there to move down if needs be.
I've also taken in to account the quality of the competition. The softer the competition, the more money you will win – it's as simple as that. Therefore, I've included my rating of the 'softness' of the poker sites in the table to help you make the best choice.
Lastly, player traffic and my rating of the poker room overall has been considered. I'm sure I don't need to explain why on those two counts.
Summary of the smallest stakes games on offer.
Here's a quick summary of the most common limits of micro stakes games available at the majority of online poker sites.
- 1c/2c (this is the absolutely lowest level available online)
- 2c/5c
- 5c/10c
- 10c/25c (you can occasionally find 10c/20c games at places like the iPoker network)
- 25c/50c
- $1 + 20c
- $2 + 25c
- $5 + 50c
- $10 + $1
Playing micro limit online poker for the first time?
We've all played low stakes online poker; even the best players had to start somewhere. It all starts with grinding it out in the micro stakes cash games or low level tournaments, building a bankroll and moving up to higher limits when you get the chance.
There are two key things to remember:
- Take your time and play within your limits.
- Keep playing and learning.
1) Take your time and play within your limits.
Good bankroll management is essential. And no, I don't mean that in the 'flossing is essential' or 'remembering your relatives' birthdays is essential' way. I mean it as in 'not turning the gas cooker off before you go to sleep is essential' and 'not starting fights with bears is essential'.
Seriously, treat your bankroll with ultimate respect. Without it, you can't play poker and you can't win money. Don't get careless and fritter your earnings away because you're on tilt.
Here are the basic rules of bankroll management that you should always stick to:
- Cash games - always have at least 20 buy-ins for the stakes you're playing at.
- SNGs - always have at least 40 buy-ins (including fees) for the level you want to play at.
If Chris ferguson can do it, so can you.
2) Keep playing and learning.
The more you play and the more you learn, the better you will get. The better you get, the more money you'll win. It's the cycle that every successful poker player has taken and continues to take.
Read strategy articles, read books, watch strategy videos, join a training site.
The information on how to win money from poker is out there, it's just up to you whether or not you take advantage of it.
How the stakes of online poker are categorized.
Technically, $50NL cash games and lower are referred to as the 'micro stakes' and not 'small stakes'. Seems quite strange considering that I'd hardly call $50 (or even $10 for that matter) a micro amount of money. But that's just how it is.
I decided to go ahead and call this page a guide to the best 'small stakes sites' anyway as I know that's what most people are searching for when they use that phrase.
For the sake of education and being thorough, here's how the different levels/limits of NLHE cash games and SNGs are categorized:
Category | Cash Games | SNGs |
---|---|---|
Micro Stakes | $2NL to $50NL | $1 to $10 |
Small Stakes | $100NL to $200NL | $11 to $50 |
Mid Stakes | $400NL to $1,000NL | $51 to $200 |
High Stakes | $2,000NL+ | $201+ |
Note: I've used shorthand for the cash game levels in the table above. Stakes written like $50NL indicate the standard maximum 100bb buy-in for that level. So for example, $50NL is the same as writing 25c/50c, and $400NL is the same as writing $2/$4.
This is a common way of writing the varying limits in NLHE cash games. The cool thing about this notation is that it saves you having to try and type that pesky forward slash.
You may also notice that the term 'low limit' or 'low stakes' poker hasn't been used here. That term is more commonly used when referring to playing live poker in casinos, with anything up to $3/$5 being considered low limit (crazy I know). It's just another one of those things in poker.
A few extra tips.
- Use good bankroll management. I've told you about this before, but it's so important it's worth mentioning at least one more time.
- Don't get too fancy against micro stakes players. You only need to think one level above a poker player to beat them, and small stakes Texas Hold'em players are thinking on a low level for the most part.
- Avoid paying more than 10% in tournament fees. Paying 20% in fees for SNGs is just going to kill your winrate. 10% fees are standard at most levels, but in the micro levels at some rooms the fees are bumped up. Either avoid these rooms, or play at a slightly higher level where the fees are more friendly.
- Take your time. It's not about doubling your bankroll in each session. Poker is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want quick and easy winnings, play roulette.
After that, it's all about time, effort and persistence. Just make sure you give me a shout out when you win your first WSOP main event.
Useful links.
Go back to the Texas Hold'em rooms.
Welcome to BestPokerSites.org, our online guide to finding the best poker sites. Our website offers over 300 reviews based on a variety of topics. Are you looking for the best US poker site, poker rooms that have the most fish, or poker sites with free cash bonuses? If so, you're guaranteed to find the information you need here.
We offer online poker reviews for the top poker rooms. Each review covers software features including compatibility as well as the game selection, stakes, competition, bonuses and of course regular promotions. All of the reviews are written by poker players and provide an un-biased look at what the rooms have to offer.
We also offer pages for players from specific countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and most of Europe. Each review covers specific criteria related to each individual country, including which poker site accepts which currency, payment methods and more.
If you would like to start playing online poker right away, choose one of the poker sites below and click the poker room's name, or the poker room's website to be lead to the site's homepage so you can get started. Or, if you would like to learn more about the online poker rooms, read on.
Rank | Poker Site | Country | Sign Up Bonus | Bonus Code | Play Now! |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 888 Poker | €22 Free + up to €400 | T & C's apply | » www.888.com | |
2 | Intertops Poker | 110% up to €600 | n/a - use links | » www.Intertops.com | |
3 | Party Poker | 100% to €250 | 500BPS | » www.PartyPoker.com | |
4 | PokerStars | 100% to €400 + €20 Free | MIK500 | » www.PokerStars.com | |
5 | Bet365 | See Bet365 for Details | use links | » www.Bet365.com |
You may also notice that the term 'low limit' or 'low stakes' poker hasn't been used here. That term is more commonly used when referring to playing live poker in casinos, with anything up to $3/$5 being considered low limit (crazy I know). It's just another one of those things in poker.
A few extra tips.
- Use good bankroll management. I've told you about this before, but it's so important it's worth mentioning at least one more time.
- Don't get too fancy against micro stakes players. You only need to think one level above a poker player to beat them, and small stakes Texas Hold'em players are thinking on a low level for the most part.
- Avoid paying more than 10% in tournament fees. Paying 20% in fees for SNGs is just going to kill your winrate. 10% fees are standard at most levels, but in the micro levels at some rooms the fees are bumped up. Either avoid these rooms, or play at a slightly higher level where the fees are more friendly.
- Take your time. It's not about doubling your bankroll in each session. Poker is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want quick and easy winnings, play roulette.
After that, it's all about time, effort and persistence. Just make sure you give me a shout out when you win your first WSOP main event.
Useful links.
Go back to the Texas Hold'em rooms.
Welcome to BestPokerSites.org, our online guide to finding the best poker sites. Our website offers over 300 reviews based on a variety of topics. Are you looking for the best US poker site, poker rooms that have the most fish, or poker sites with free cash bonuses? If so, you're guaranteed to find the information you need here.
We offer online poker reviews for the top poker rooms. Each review covers software features including compatibility as well as the game selection, stakes, competition, bonuses and of course regular promotions. All of the reviews are written by poker players and provide an un-biased look at what the rooms have to offer.
We also offer pages for players from specific countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and most of Europe. Each review covers specific criteria related to each individual country, including which poker site accepts which currency, payment methods and more.
If you would like to start playing online poker right away, choose one of the poker sites below and click the poker room's name, or the poker room's website to be lead to the site's homepage so you can get started. Or, if you would like to learn more about the online poker rooms, read on.
Rank | Poker Site | Country | Sign Up Bonus | Bonus Code | Play Now! |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 888 Poker | €22 Free + up to €400 | T & C's apply | » www.888.com | |
2 | Intertops Poker | 110% up to €600 | n/a - use links | » www.Intertops.com | |
3 | Party Poker | 100% to €250 | 500BPS | » www.PartyPoker.com | |
4 | PokerStars | 100% to €400 + €20 Free | MIK500 | » www.PokerStars.com | |
5 | Bet365 | See Bet365 for Details | use links | » www.Bet365.com |
Most Popular Poker Toplists
These toplists are the most popular on our site because they apply to the majority of players. Check out the most popular lists below, or browse all of our general online poker toplists:
Want to make more money playing poker online? Make sure you are playing at one of the easiest to beat poker sites. We have reviewed and ranked all of the softest/fishiest poker sites online.
Check out our toplist of the best online poker sites for American players. Only certain online poker sites accept USA players, so we have ranked and reviewed all of the USA-friendly online poker rooms.
Our list of UK poker sites includes poker rooms where you can deposit and play poker in Euros or GBP. Our toplist includes reviews of each poker room in addition to bonuses available for new players.
Check out our list of the best poker sites for Canadian players. Includes detailed review of each room and exclusive bonuses for new depositing players.
This toplist ranks all of the best poker sites for real money poker. To find the best real money poker sites, we took into account each poker site's deposit/withdrawal options as well as their real money poker traffic.
The easiest way to deposit at the best poker sites is by using your credit card. Credit card poker deposits work the same as normal online credit card purchases - you put in your credit card number, name, and CSV code, and you're done!
Reviews of the Best Online Poker Sites
If you would like to learn more before you start playing, read our online poker room reviews. We have written up complete reviews of the top poker rooms - each review takes a look at the poker site's sign up bonus, software, player competition/traffic, deposit methods, and support options. Click the links below to start learning:
Ignition is our first pick for US poker sites. The poker room has no problems accepting USA players or US deposits. They offer fast software, friendly support and quick payouts. Join today and recieve a $2,000 deposit bonus. This site accepts Bitcoin.
Party Poker is one of the top three poker sites for European and Canadian players. The poker room offerslightning-fast software as well as cool features and a progressive bad beat jackpot.
If you would like to learn about sites other than the three listed above, check out our full collection of online poker site reviews. Or, read on to check out our poker toplists (you may also want to check out our online poker guide).
Poker Country Toplists
Certain countries have specific legislation regarding online poker. Only the best poker sites accept players from every country, and the toplists below will show you which sites accept players from which countries:
Learn which poker sites accept players from Canada. Online poker laws in Canada are a bit hazy, so we have ranked and reviewed all of the Canadian poker sites, and also discussed Canadian online poker law.
Texas holdem poker strategies. We recommend the best poker sites for players from the United Kingdom. The UK actually licenses and regulates certain online poker rooms, so by sticking to those UK poker sites you can guarantee a good poker experience.
Poker Game Toplists
These lists are perfect if you only play one game and want to find the best site for your specific game. Check out all of our poker game toplists, or view the most popular pages below:
Find the best online poker sites for Texas Hold'em games. Although almost every poker site offers Texas Hold'em, certain sites have more player traffic and softer competition at the Texas Hold'em tables.
Check out our toplist of the best poker sites for playing Omaha poker. Omaha is the second most popular poker game online, but some sites offer much better Omaha tables with more traffic and fishier competition. Learn more here.
At the moment we are working on adding more toplists to our site, including rankings of the best USA poker sites, where to play online poker for real money and many more. Make sure to bookmark our site and check back soon to learn more about the best online poker sites. Also, check out our poker currency toplists, poker deposit methods, and poker game type toplists in the mean time. Alternatively, you can view the BestPokerSites.org sitemap to see a list of every page on the site.
Best Online Poker Sites Low Stakes Slots
Finding the Best Online Poker Rooms
Choosing the best poker site is the first step in your online poker journey. It's also an important step because each poker site out there has its own advantages and disadvantages. The term 'best' is relative in this sense because what may be the best poker site for someone else may not be the best poker site for you.
When evaluating poker sites, you want to consider your own playing style and goals first. For example, some poker sites offer bonuses that are perfect for high stakes players but others offer bonuses that are much better for low stakes players. And that's just one example out of many.
No one factor should be the end-all decision maker for your choice in poker sites. When looking for the best poker site, you want to take all factors into consideration and then choose the poker site that best fits your needs. In the grand scheme of things, there isn't a huge difference between one poker site and the next, but it's still worth spending a little time to find a high quality poker site.
Poker Room Reputation
The most important factor of all is reputation. It is absolutely vital that you only play real money poker at poker sites that have positive reputations. Most online poker rooms are safe places to play but there have been isolated examples of poker sites that took forever to process cashouts and give players their bonuses.
You want to play at poker sites that are known for being safe, secure and trustworthy. With online poker, you have to have a lot of trust because you can't see the games right before you like you can in live poker. The entire foundation of internet poker is based on trust and reputation. Fortunately, we know of many poker sites that have earned the trust of players over the past decade. If you want to play online poker, make sure to choose one of the poker rooms on this site, as all of them have been in business for a long time and have spotless records.
Poker Deposit Bonuses
Deposit bonuses are a great way to build your bankroll and earn extra spending money. Every online poker site has some sort of real-money bonus that they give you for signing up and depositing. At all poker sites, these bonuses are given out as match percentages of your first deposit there. For example, a poker site with a 100% bonus will match your first deposit dollar for dollar. Learn more at our poker bonus guide or see our top poker bonuses.
If you're a medium or high stakes player, you will want to look for the poker site that has the highest maximum bonus amount. Bodog Poker, for example, has a maximum bonus of $1100. If you play lower stakes games, you'll want to find poker bonuses that are easy to release quickly. In that sense, Full Tilt Poker comes to mind because its bonus can be cleared by most players very quickly.
If you are outside of the USA, you have several bonus options available at sites like Mansion Poker and Party Poker. Party's current bonus is a 100% up to $500 match for players with an exclusive Party Poker bonus code.
Player Traffic
When it comes to player traffic, most online poker sites fall into one of two categories:
- High traffic, difficult competition
- Low traffic, easy competition
High traffic poker sites offer players the advantages of lots of game selection, high stakes games and action at all levels. Low traffic poker sites do not have as many games but the players there are much softer. The reason for this is that professional players like to have hundreds of tables to choose from so they can pick and choose and run 12 tables at a time.
When I say 'low traffic,' I don't mean poker sites that only have four players logged in. I'm talking about poker sites that always have several thousand players logged in and playing at the real money tables. At the low and medium stakes levels, you will usually have a dozen or more tables to choose from.
High traffic poker sites have hundreds of tables at each level but there aren't as many fishy players. The good thing about high traffic poker sites is that you can find soft tables if you practice the art of table selection. Finding soft tables is not as easy at high traffic sites but it can be done.
Speed of Software
Best Online Poker Sites Low Stakes Poker
This may sound like an odd criterion in identifying the best poker site but it actually has a major effect on your poker experience. I've noticed that some poker sites have software that takes forever to deal out each card, process each player's actions and then dole out the pot at the end of each hand.
These little pauses and hesitations drastically affect how many hands you can see per hour. If you're a winning player, this translates directly to a lower hourly rate simply because of the poker site software. PokerStars is a great poker site but their software is unbearably slow. If you compare their software to the software at Lock Poker, you'll see a huge difference in how quickly the hands are processed.
Poker Player Incentives
All online poker sites have some sort of loyalty program for their players. These programs are based on frequent player points and those points then determine what types of benefits you get. The more points you earn, the more free cash, free items and free tournament entries you receive.
At the lower levels, poker loyalty programs are pretty much the same across the board. As you move up in stakes and play more often, different programs start to stand out for their incentives. Sportsbook Poker has a great player rewards program that gives straight up cash to loyal players. Some other poker sites pale in comparison.
Making Your Final Decision
Remember – the most important factor of all is picking a safe, trustworthy poker site. Once you have that out of the way, you can use all of the above-mentioned factors to help you choose the best poker site for your action. Deposit bonuses, player traffic, software, loyalty programs and all around quality should all be considered when making choosing the best poker sites.
In the end, these factors are worthy of consideration but no single factor will make or break a poker site. What's most important is that you find a poker site you enjoy and can maybe even make a little money at. The online poker sites mentioned here are the ones we trust the most and that we think you'll enjoy the most. So enjoy your stay while you're here and good luck at the tables when you leave. Stop back any time for more poker site recommendations.
Online Poker News
Another major section of our site is our poker news blog. Our blog is updated every day with new posts which contain poker news, tips, and humour articles:
To help you make the best choice among the hundreds of products available, we have decided to offer you a comparison of the Blackjack Tables in order to find the best quality/price ratio. In this ranking, you will find products listed according to their price, but also their characteristics. Best blackjack tables in oklahoma. 2016 Oklahoma table games fees: $18,442,476 2015 Oklahoma table games fees: $17,663,490. Visit the Oklahoma Gambling Compliance Unit for more information on gambling in Oklahoma. You can view the full annual report here. History of Blackjack in Oklahoma. Legal gambling in Oklahoma started with horse racing in 1982. Table games and slot machines.
Replay Poker Low Stakes
'How To' Poker Articles and Poker Strategy
Another new section of our site is our How To Blog. The posts on our How To Blog all answer reader-sLockmitted online poker-related questions:
Micro Stakes Online Poker
You may also want to take a look at our various poker strategy guides, including our:
Free High Stakes Poker Games
That's about it for now! If you have any questions, feel free to contact the BestPokerSites.org team.