Major Online Poker Rooms in 2022: A Detailed Comparison
The huge boom in online poker might have seen its peak, but the online poker community is still growing and nothing will change in 2022 – there are more than enough poker rooms, giving us the luxury of having plenty to choose from.
The healthy competition means that providers attract players with a variety of promotions, an interesting variety of games and tournaments and regular series with very high prize pools. For the would-be player new to the world of online poker, it’s a tall order knowing where to find the best rakeback deal, where most of the players are (including where to find the most ‘fish’…) and so on. Moreover, it’s far from easy for even the most experienced players to keep up with what’s available, which poker rooms are upping their game with fresh, great value offers and where and at what time we can find this or that game.
Just starting to navigate the online jungle to make some kind of comparison is quite a task so, with this in mind, we have put together a detailed comparison of the leading online poker providers. Our goal at YPD is to do all the work so that you don’t have to, and leave you with the best options based on the type of game you play and what you expect from a provider.
GGNetwork
The GGPoker Network has established itself as the main rival to PokerStars, with many industry experts of the opinion that it is only a matter of time before GG secures its place at the top.
Due to the large number of recreational players who flock to GG from Asia, the field is by far one of the weakest, a factor which clearly contributes to the network’s popularity. You won’t find more fish anywhere!
The GGNetwork offers numerous unique functions, one such being All-In Insurance, with which you can protect your hand from bad beats! Meanwhile, the analysis tool PokerCraft helps you finetune your game, and you can also share your key hands on social networks with Hand Moments. Another cool feature is tournament staking, where you can buy a piece of your favorite player’s action, or even sell a piece of yourself.
With the SnapCam you can share your emotions with your fellow players at the table and even send a short video to everyone.
There is also bubble protection for players who register in good time before the start of an MTT, and get their buy-in back if they are unfortunate enough to be eliminated on the brink of the prizes.
Just one of these features would be a nice touch but, collectively, it’s an impressive collection of nifty extras.
In the GGNetwork you will find 24/7 action at all limits, and in all possible variants of the game. Regardless of whether you prefer standard cash games, the thrills and spills of Fast Fold poker or the very popular super turbo Jackpot Spin & Gold SNGs, you can find everything you want as a poker fan, with an unforgettable gaming experience guaranteed.
The aptly named Fish Buffet is the in-house VIP system/rakeback programme, and it offers players up to 60% cashback. There are also a number of great promotions and daily rake races, which in turn mean extra cash for your bankroll, added fun and welcome extra motivation.
The player pool is very high with all variants, and the action at the tables is non-stop throughout day and night. Whether it’s Texas Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha or any other game, you will find players from around the globe, and at all limits.
GGPoker is a partner of the WSOP, and has hosted numerous WSOP online events. When it comes to their range of tournaments, GG is absolutely world class. Moreover, tournament series with several million in guaranteed prize money are standard.
When you register at GGPoker via YourPokerDream, you not only receive extra rakeback and access to exclusive promotions like our GGPoker Rake Chase, but you also get to take part in our $500 YPD Welcome Freeroll tournament.
Pros
- Fantastic, modern software
- 100% up to $600 Welcome Bonus
- Great Rakeback Deal
- A variety of promotions
- Hand histories can be downloaded
- Fast deposits and withdrawals
- Very soft player pool
- High volume of players in all variants (even at high stakes)
- Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are accepted
Cons
- PVI (applies to professional poker players)
Register at GGPoker with the bonus code YPD to automatically receive our exclusive VIP deal and enjoy our special $500 first-time depositor freeroll!
PartyPoker/Bwin/CoralPoker
PartyPoker and Bwin are two of the leading names in the industry. As a player, you will find everything you need here, with enough cash game traffic from the micro limits up to high stakes. Tournament poker fans are also catered for, with a great range of tournaments every day, and to suit all types of bankroll.
In terms of rakeback, PartyPoker and Bwin belong to the elite, which is of course a great advantage for grinders as a lot of rakeback means a lot of extra cash. In addition, there is also a variety of great extra promotions every month, thus generating even more income.
N.B. If you create a new player account at PartyPoker or Bwin via YourPokerDream you will also get access to our exclusive promotions/tournaments and special rakeback deals.
If you have an old, inactive player account that was not created via YourPokerDream, please contact our support at info@yourpokerdream.net or Skype: vip-yourpokerdream
The software is among the best on the market, easy to use and great for playing multiple tables. Support is multilingual and available 24/7.
Pros
- Large pool of players
- Modern software
- Lots of rakeback
- Fast payouts
- Fast Forward cash games
- Spin & Go jackpot tournaments
- Great range of multi-table tournaments
- Multilingual Customer Support
- Possibility to retag existing inactive accounts to YPD
Unibet
Unibet is undoubtedly one of the big names in the online poker industry, having left the now closed down Microgaming network to become a very successful independent entity.
At a time when casual gamers were alienated by the use of tracking software and HUDs by so-called grinders, Unibet revitalized the online poker scene with a set-up that discouraged such tools by introducing beautiful graphics and other modules.
The software from Unibet reflects this forward-thinking business model very well, and everything runs smoothly and intuitively. Due to the rather soft playing field, the provider is one of the most popular around, and there is plenty of action, whether that’s NLH cash games, tournaments, the popular Sit & Go games or Spin & Go Jackpot Sit & Go format.
Pot Limit Omaha doesn’t enjoy the same level of action as NLH, so don’t expect to find 24/7 games running.
There are also MTTs running constantly, although not on the same scale as some other online poker rooms. having said that, the offerings are very bankroll- and player-friendly.
Pros
- Great modern software
- Few regulars (sharks)
- Good Customer Support
- Fast payouts
- Low rake
- Great promotions
- Large NLH Cash Games player pool
- Lots of players at the Sit & Go/Spins
Cons
- Little action at MTTs
- Almost no Pot Limit Omaha action
- Cannot download hand histories
iPoker network
The iPoker network features a whopping 20 skins! Even if the number of players has decreased somewhat in recent years, iPoker is still one of the market leaders. For example, at the higher limits there are still enough players, and the large player pool for their Sit & Go tournaments is a mainstay of iPoker.
Much has changed in the iPoker network over the years, with 2015, for example, seeing the SBR rake model altered. This resulted in a reduction of the number of players, but also made the player pool softer and therefore more attractive to the more serious, profit-oriented grinders. All in all the switch to SBR has proved to be a positive move.
The iPoker skins are also known for offering a variety of great promotions and, of course, a lot of rakeback.
Very popular are the Twister SNG tournaments, which are a type of Spin & Go Jackpot tournament, and around which are created numerous great value monthly promotions.
Players who register as an affiliate via YourPokerDream receive an exclusive 30-35% flat rakeback deal as well access to our 5k iPoker rake chase.
Pros
- Good rakeback deals
- 200% up to €2,000 Welcome Bonus
- Modern software
- Lots of players
- 24/7 support
- Spin & Go tournaments
- Fast Forward cash games
Cons
- SBR calculation (applies to professional players)
Winning Poker Network (WPN)
The WPN network is the largest that accepts US players, thus giving the player pool a distinctive feel that many European players might consider a happy hunting ground.
There is sufficient cash game traffic at all limits, and the range of tournaments is also impressive.
Numerous promotions are offered every month, and players who value a lot of rakeback will not be disappointed.
Pros
- Many recreational US players
- Numerous promotions
- Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are accepted
- Good Cash Game traffic
- Spin & Go variant
- Fast Poker variant
Cons
- Withdrawals sometimes take 1-2 days longer than other providers
- Skrill/Neteller not accepted – only deposits via EcoPayz or Bitcoin