If you are looking to play the biggest of online casino games, then in terms of popularity, none come bigger than the card game option of online poker. This guide is here to introduce you to the online poker game and its rules, strategies, top poker casinos and so much more that you are wanting to know.
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Best Casinos to Play Online Poker
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You have now been dealt the best hand of online casinos for real money to experience poker play anywhere in New Zealand and the rest of the world. From the list of casinos that you see here, you will be able to experience all there is surrounding the card gaming feature that is poker - Virtual Poker, Video Poker, Live Poker, Poker Tournaments and Poker Bonuses.
If you are 100% committed to playing poker online, then these award-winning casinos are the only sites that should be on your list for consideration. Join one or more and get your fill of the best poker games online that will help you win real Kiwi dollars.
So, which online poker NZD casinos are the best to join in 2024? There are numerous online poker sites to pick and choose from. But before picking your ideal poker site, you need to be informed of the different types of poker there are when playing real games.
There are two formats that poker comes in and they are virtual games and live dealer games. All the casinos that feature on our site are accessible via any device and this includes mobile which allows you to play online casino poker anytime anywhere!
The virtual poker games are similar to slot machines, so if these are your main focus of interest, a casino offering live dealer games may not be of considered interest when choosing your new online casino.
The same for those opting to focus more on live dealer games, you may wish to only play and pick the platforms that provide the Live Casino platform option.
Here are the top 3 virtual poker machine sites - the top 3 live poker sites and the top 3 casinos that provide both.
Top 3 Virtual Poker Casinos
Raging Bull Casino
- Planet 7 Casino
- Slots of Vegas
Top 3 Live Dealer Poker Casinos
- 888 Casino
- LeoVegas
- Spin Casino
Top 3 Mixed Poker Casinos
- Voodoo Dreams
- Jackpot City Casino
- Gaming Club
Our Poker Guides
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You can improve your chances of winning while playing poker by making use of different poker strategies. This guide will teach you all about the best poker strategies.
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If you are going to start playing online poker then you really have to read this comprehensive guide. It will teach you all you need to know about playing online poker.
...History: Before Online Poker
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The poker we know of today is not the same as when it began. The game is believed to derive from a game called As-Nas which is of Persian origin. This is linked with other ancestor games such as Poca in Ireland, Poque in France and Brag in Great Britain.
Going back to As-Nas, only 20 cards would be used in the deck and consisted of five ranks which would translate the Ace, King, Queen, Soldier and the Dancer.
Now, the Persian game was so far removed from the game we know now, but the link that bridges the qualities of the games was made in the United States of America around the mid-1700s during the time of migration.
The game made its place on the map of card gaming during the gambling houses and saloons of the Mississippi River. Poker did retain it’s 20 card rule and would play as simply as best hand wins with no additional changes as we see in the modern game.
The game would evolve with all 52 cards introduced into the game and this would remain for the next 200 years beyond and now into the digital form.
Poker online started in 1996 within the first online casino. Online casino poker would play with the same poker rules that became incorporated in that 200 year period. Now online poker NZ players can access a huge variety of gaming styles in the category of poker.
Learning the Game of Poker
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There are lots of different poker games that you can play online, so you will not be short of options when it comes to this category. If you are looking to play poker online for the first time, then you should firstly look at our complete guide that assesses the rules of poker. After assessing the rules and knowing how the game works, you can then move onto our online poker strategy.
Online Poker Hands and Terms
The core of poker rules focuses on the value of card hands. Poker provides 10 different hands that can allow you to win during a game of poker.
Here are the hands featured in the poker game that will allow you to win:
- Royal Flush: Your hand will consist of 5 matching suits and your cards will contain the highest order of cards i.e. Ace King, Queen, Jack and 10.
- Straight Flush: Your hand will consist of 5 matching suits and your cards will contain the lower valued cards i.e. 10, 9, 8, 7 and 6.
- Four of a Kind: Your hand will consist of 4 mixed suits and your cards will contain 4 matching high valued cards i.e. Queen Hearts, Queen Spades, Queen Diamond and Queen Clubs.
- Full House: Your hand will consist of 5 mixed suits and your cards will contain three matching high value cards and 2 matching lower values i.e. Ace Hearts, Ace Diamond, Ace Clubs, 7 Club and 7 Hearts.
- Flush: Your hand will consist of 5 matching suits with no order of card value i.e. 3 Spade, 5 Spade, 8 Spade, Jack Spade and King Spade.
- Straight: Your hand will consist of 5 mixed suits and your cards will be in the order of value i.e. 10 Hearts, 9 Diamond, 8 Spade, 7 Clubs and 6 Spade.
- Three of a Kind: Your hand will consist of 5 mixed suits and your cards will contain 3 matching values i.e. King Diamond, King Hearts and King Spade.
- Two Pair: Your hand will consist of 5 mixes suits and your cards will consist of two matching values in pairs i.e. Jack Hearts, Jack Clubs, 8 Spade and 8 Diamonds.
- One Pair: Your hand will consist of 5 matching suits and your cards will consist of one matching values in a single pair i.e. 5 Heart and 5 Clubs
- High Card: Your hand will consist of 5 mixed suits and your cards will only need to contain the highest valued card possible i.e. Ace.
Steps of Gameplay
Now, you have the hands available for players to aim for in order to win, let us now look at how you would actually play poker games online.
- You will first place your initial bet before the cards are dealt.
- You will be dealt 5 cards and the dealer will be dealt 5 cards.
- 4 of the 5 dealer cards will not show their face value.
- From your hand, you can fold or call. To win, your hand needs to be a higher value than what the dealer has.
The format of play is the same for virtual and live poker in its traditional form. But the rules will alter slightly given the types of variants there are associated with the game.
Types of Online Casino Poker
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From Pai Gow poker through to Caribbean Stud Poker, there are plenty of variants that will provide enough poker action to get your through a day, week, month or year.
Before you start playing it might be wise considering these alternative variants to see if you gain more luck from them. One of the most popular variants is indeed Pai Gow poker.
Here’s how to play Pai Gow poker to highlight the variations in rules.
- Both player and dealer are dealt 7 cards in Pai Gow.
- The hand is split with a 5 card hand and a 2 card hand.
- Joker cards can be added to a deck and have the same matching value of an Ace and can only be used in a Straight, Flush or Royal Flush hand.
- You will have placed your bets first and selected your two hands, one of 5 cards and the other of 2 cards.
- The dealer will reveal their own cards and arrange their own hands.
- For a player to win BOTH hands must beat the dealer. If only one succeeds, the game is classed as a draw.
- If all hands are deemed a draw, then the house/dealer always wins.
Totally different, yet still a defined poker game that can be played live and through virtual machines.
Poker Variants
- Texas Hold ‘Em
- Omaha Hi
- 7 Card Stud
- Caribbean Stud Poker
- 5-Card Draw
- Tri-Card Poker
Online Poker vs Real Land-Based Poker
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Online poker unquestionably offers players more choice than what a regular casino can offer. With land-based casinos, there is a better sense of atmosphere when sat at a table of multiplayer poker. No live dealer game in the online platform can match this, but nevertheless, the option to play multiplayer poker online is available.
Advantages of Playing Online
✅ Accessibility
✅ Variety / Gaming Selection
✅ Links to Progressive Jackpots
✅ Both Live and virtual games
✅ Live poker tournaments
✅ Bonuses can provide free games
Disadvantages of Playing Online
❌ You cannot card count to gain advantages
❌ Limited atmosphere
Limit vs No Limits Poker
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Another benefit of playing at online casinos is the accessibility to rare niche games like limits and no limits poker.
Players love no limits poker because you are able to bet with no requirement to meet wagering rules. These are perfect options for what are classed as aggressive poker players.
When it comes to limits poker, you have a restriction on the size of wagers you can make. This suits players that have a lesser bankroll and offer fold options.
Choosing Your Casino
As you discover the best NZ casino games, we encourage you to consider reading our casino guides and reviews such as the $20 deposit bonus casino and high roller bonus casino list in New Zealand that will help you choose the best casino that meets your needs.
FAQ: Answering Top Poker Questions
Is it difficult to learn poker?
As with any card game, it does take a little time to learn the rules and the hands which are able to obtain wins. The basics are simple, beat the house hand and you win. It’s just key to remembering the hands which won’t take too long to memorise.
Is online poker illegal?
No, as long as you are registered to a casino that itself is legally allowed to service players in your country, poker is not illegal online or in any other form if covered by a gambling license.
Is online poker rigged?
There is no rigging involved in online poker or any other online casino game. All casinos recommended on our site have complied with licensing regulators and have been independently tested by game lab testers.
What is the best online poker site?
There are many quality casinos offered by our site that provide their own unique collection of poker games, live and as virtual machines. You can pick the best that suits your gaming needs from our TOP 10 list that are regarded as the best online casinos New Zealand has.
Daniel Chapman is our Editor-in-Chief. A man of many talents, he has been with OCNZ for the past three years. He graduated from the University of Waikato with a Master of Arts degree, so he knows what he is doing when it comes to ensuring that all of the content we publish is epic.