Online Poker in Canada
Online poker in Canada is one of the most enjoyable and prosperous games you can play online. If you aren’t familiar, poker is a card game that involves betting and comes in various forms. Players are dealt a series of cards that you place bets on in an effort to best your opponent and win the pot. There are many versions in which they differ in the number of cards dealt, how many are hidden, the amount available to the community, and the betting procedures.
If you’re looking to play online poker in Canada there’s a variety of safe sites that have poker rooms available for play right now. Canadian poker players can play against each other in real time without ever having to be face to face. Be sure to read each of our reviews on our favorite poker sites for Canadians, to know which poker room best fits your playing style and standards.
The Best Online Poker Sites in Canada
History
Before we get into rules, variations and tournaments, we think a little history lesson of online poker is in order. The online poker boom began in the late 1990s. This was due to the fact that players were able to be playing poker for free, but that soon transition to the opportunity for players to play cash games. The first recorded real money online poker game was dealt in 1998. Fast forward to 2010, online poker had spread itself across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after games in the online world. Today, finding online poker rooms is effortless. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there is a site and a table for you.
General Rules
There are some general rules for online poker in Canada, here are a few:
- During each round of bets, you can opt to check, fold or call the bets.
- You are permitted to call, despite the number of chips you have
- You must try to generate the best hand possible out of the cards dealt – this includes community cards
- The strongest or highest ranked hand will always win
- If you fold or lose, you cannot get back the amount you bet.
Now that you’ve got the idea of how poker works, let’s take a look at the different takes on the classic game.
The Different Versions of Online Poker
As we mentioned previously, there are quite a few popular variations on the classic poker game. One thing that they all have in common? They make use of the 52-card deck and use real money wagers. The most favored poker variations are Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud.
Texas Hold’em
This version of poker involves players being dealt two cards that are placed face down on the table. All players then share 5 community cards. These community cards are gradually revealed through three rounds:
- The Flop – Three Cards Revealed
- The Turn – One Card Revealed
- The River – One Card Revealed
The point of Texas Hold’em is for you to predict which cards will appear and how to properly use them. You need to determine:
- How everyone else will try to use the community cards
- The odds of winning with your current hand
Based on cards dealt, you can decide whether to fold or place a bet. All aspects are considered when betting. However, some poker players may not have a strong hand and will attempt to deceived (or bluff) their opponents into thinking otherwise. Bluffing is something that is not seen in many other casino games.
Omaha
Omaha is similar to Texas Hold’em in the betting and layout of the community cards, but the initial deal is different. In Omaha, you are dealt four cards instead of two. You must make the best possible hand with two of the four and three community cards. Just like Texas Hold’em, the flop, the turn and the river are the same. Betting is also the same in each round and after the final bets are placed, the player with the best hand wins.
Stud
When it comes to Stud Poker, before the cards are even dealt, players must place a modest bet known as the ante. (Perhaps the originator of the term “upping the ante”) Every player is dealt two cards, and an additional community card is recognized as “third street”. The player with the smallest ranked third street is liable for the small bet amount or “the bring in”. You can opt to fold, check, or call in each round of betting. Another round of betting follows, and a “fourth street” is dealt. The player with the strongest card begins the next bet. The “fifth street” and sixth street” follow the same process. The seventh round is called the river and is positioned face down. After the last round of betting ends, the player in possession of the strongest hand wins it all.
Top 10 Online Poker Hands
| Rank | Poker Hand | Example | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Five of a Kind |  |
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| 2 | Straight Flush / Royal Flush |  |
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| 3 | Four of a Kind |  |
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| 4 | Full House |  |
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| 5 | Flush |  |
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| 6 | Straight |  |
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| 7 | Three of a Kind |  |
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| 8 | Two Pairs |  |
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| 9 | One Pair |  |
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| 10 | High Card / No Pair |  |
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Online Poker Tournaments in Canada
Thanks to the explosion of online poker sites, the days of having to travel for a live poker tournament are long gone. Players have the opportunity to compete for real money in online poker tournaments all over the country, and even the world. There are tournaments going on daily, weekly, monthly and yearly, all online, all the time.
Beyond a stable internet connection, you will also need to feel confident in your abilities before diving into online poker tournaments and cash games. There are many well-seasoned and even professional players in these tournaments, who are looking to win it all. All of the online poker rooms we recommend give players the opportunity to really hone in on their poker strategy before moving into the tournament arena, so be sure to utilize these sites in every way you can.
Glossary
Use this glossary as a quick resource to learn about poker terms you may not be familiar with.
| Poker Term | Definition |
| Blind or Ante | An enforced bet made by players to remain in the round. |
| Bluff | To bet even though you may not have the best hand. Otherwise known as a “poker face”. |
| Bring In | The minimum bet which the player with the lowest ‘third street’ card must pay. |
| Call | To match the bet. |
| Check | When a player declines to make another bet until an opponent does so. |
| Community Cards | They are available to all players in order make to their final hand. |
| Flop | The term used to describe the first three community cards the dealer places on the table. |
| Fold | To forfeit the round losing any bets made in that round. |
| Hole cards | These are allocated to individual players, face down. Only they can see them. |
| Pot | The total sum of bets made by players during the game; is given to the winner at the end of the game. |
| Pot Limit | A player can bet or raise up to the pot limit. |
| Raise | To increase the betting amount. |
| River | The final community card. |
| Tilt | When a poker player suffers a few bad rounds and begins to make poor/reckless decisions. |
