This article is about one of the most exciting, elaborate, and popular card games ever to have been created. Yes, I’m talking about none other than poker. The game has received so much popularity in the last couple of years and since COVID-19 hit, many of the loyal poker players have shifted their medium of playing to online. In response to the traffic, the companies who run these poker sites have upgraded their software to provide players with the best experience.
Being relatively new in India, online poker India has not yet gained as much popularity in India as it is in other countries, but we are well on our way to reaching there.
The topics we shall be covering in this article are:
- A brief history on poker
- Online Poker India
- Some of the best poker sites in India
1. A Brief History on Poker
Although the exact origin of poker is unknown, there is a rough prediction by scholars that the French game Poque was a source of inspiration for poker. Poker was further made known by the Americans in the 19th century as gambling riverboats in the Mississippi River and around New Orleans helped to popularize the game. Many also say that the history of poker is over 1000 years old and the game dates back to a domino card game played by a 10th-century Chinese emperor.
The game was also played by soldiers in the north and south during the civil war and was introduced to Europe in 1871 when Queen Victoria overheard the U.S Minister to Britain explain the game to members of her court. Over a period of time, many different games in poker were adopted by the general public, including five-card draw, seven-card stud, and Texas Hold’em.
Poker, through its many years, has seen everything from being played on riverboats to being played worldwide by all classes of people. The rich history of the game has only added to the popularity that it holds today.
2. Online Poker India
In the past few years, the online gaming community in India has grown by multi-folds.
Users now can play all the games that they played on the table on their smartphone or pc. Poker, being one of the most famous card games in the world, has also taken the Indian online gaming market by storm. In addition to that, websites have also been providing their loyal players with huge discounts and offers. There are many Rakeback poker sites that refund you a portion of the rake that you paid for games.
Offers such as this keep the players motivated to play and also help popularize the site and the game itself across the country. There have also been safety concerns regarding online poker India. However, to address this issue, the best poker sites in India have guaranteed their authenticity with various certifications like RNG (Random Number Generation) Certificate and KYC Reviews to permit only real, verified players to play the game and filter out the game bots.
The gaming community in the country is not as perfect or large as in other countries but we are well on our way there.
3. Some of the Best Poker Sites in India
Now since we know that the online poker India community is growing, let’s have a look at some of the best poker sites in India where you can game safely and securely, have fun, get discounts, and overall have a great online poker experience.
- Pokerstars
One of the biggest names in the poker industry, and for good reason. Pokerstars is one of the oldest and the largest poker platforms in the world. The average traffic of Pokerstars is equal to if not greater than the other two poker sites combined!
The platform offers a variety of services, like cash games, online live tournaments, live events, and is also one of the best Rakeback poker sites there is. Pokerstars gives its players huge benefits during the holiday seasons along with a sense of belongingness in the community and also has RNG verified software along with SMS verification to only ensure the presence of verified real players on their platform. The game also offers a very functional and yet minimalist software that is easy on the eyes and lets you game for hours without having any sort of discomfort.
- 888Poker
Brought to life in 2002, 888Poker has managed to establish itself in the online gaming community thanks to its cash games and high-quality software. The website gives its players access to the best no deposit bonuses and the website itself is second to only PokerStars. 888Poker also supports browser play unlike many of the other poker platforms which enable players to join any device which has an online browser. This ease of access and the software has contributed hugely to the success of this website. With the availability of a glossary to learn the terms and rules used in poker, 888Poker is friendly not just to the best of players but also to the newbies who decided to give the game a try.
- PartyPoker
Last but not the least, here is a site that has its main focus among recreational players. Being the leading poker site back in the 90s, Partypoker did lose its title to PokerStars. However, having made changes in their software and customer service, PartyPoker is ready to bounce back to being the leader in online poker India. The site offers excellent security, smooth UI, and a great playstyle experience which is guaranteed to leave players wanting for more. If you’re a recreational player who doesn’t want to play competitively and on a site with as much traffic as PokerStars, PartyPoker is the way to go.
Conclusion
The online poker community in India is only in its growing stages. However, having a huge population such as this makes for a great market for the best poker sites in India to demonstrate their ability to give customers a great gaming experience.
We hope that this article was able to update you on the presence of poker in India and also help choose the website that fits you best, whether you’re a newbie or a pro, a competitive player or a recreational one, the Indian online poker market has something for everyone.