As many boldly-goers will attest, getting
started is the hardest part, willing yourself to do things with long-term benefits in lieu of
instant satisfaction. Poker is no different. Whether you’re a new player
looking for your dream room or a stalwart looking for a change it’s important
not only to test the market, but to know what mental check boxes to tick when
ascertaining a site’s legitimacy. Here’s some helpful tips to ensure you’re
getting the best from your online poker room and stepping closer towards those
dreams of tournament glory:
The absolutely necessaries
Initially I had this as number three on the
list but who am I kidding, it’s number one. You want to know timeouts will be
acted on promptly. You want to know what procedures are in place for
compromised accounts. If you see the
UKGC have given their legendary green tick, you know this poker room has run
the gauntlet as far as RG and due diligence. After all, you want your money
and private info in the safest hands, otherwise you’d tape your savings to the
inside of a bin lid and call it First Bank of Refuse. Hope for the best, but
prepare for the worst.
Reviews/Verifiable Fanbase
Yes, we live in the Yelpstorm and it can be
hard to discern a vocal majority from a silent majority. Check the reviews, see what people with boots on the ground are saying,
but keep an eye out for both shill and hater reviews. Likewise with
ambassadors, while you shouldn’t believe every word from the mouth of
someone paid to flatter, it’s a good sign when a recognisable face reps a room;
most big pros wouldn’t dare sully their stellar reps shouting-out a lesser
product.
Customer
support
Like a good bra, customer support will offer
you enough support that you don’t have to overthink things, and will even make
you feel great! Issues with your bonus? Don’t understand promo rules? Why beat
yourself up; any room worth its salt should offer a number of options; look out
for Discord, Telegram, Whatsapp Business and livechat. Remember, you can’t spell support without ‘sup’ - say hello and don’t
be afraid to ask questions!
Security
Very much linked to point 1 but worth
reiterating. In our age of Marvel super franchises, we should look more to the
everyday heroes on the frontline of poker security, deep-diving into bot rings,
providing due diligence to ensure you’re playing on a level field. In this day
and age, even the dodgy rooms will have moderate to decent security, but always
strive for more.
The hopefully but OK withouts
Do they
delight you?
Are you delighted? Anyone and their mother can
send a ‘sorry’ email, but a room who wants to keep their community loyal and
ecstatic is not cutting corners in this regard. Be delighted, be Angel Delight;
butterscotch flavour please.
Device
support
You’re a modern go-getter, a jet setter, an
urban explorer (exploring the urban jungle, not breaking into the old Nestle
factory to hunt for ghosts); you need to be permanently accessible. We’re a
nation of cyborgs and we need all our devices accounted for!
Alien
Contact
Just making suRe yOu guyS WEre
paying fuLL attention!
The cherries on top
Payment
service
Poker has gone global. With people chasing
their poker dreams from far afield, it’s important your consumer demands at
catered to. One payment processor serving your region? Sure, but what if it
goes down and you’re stuck in limbo for weeks without a penny. Always ensure
multiple processors are actively serving you. Many rooms will gladly provide a
list of processors upon request.
Great
content
Great content is the ultimate cherry on top.
Sure, nobody needs a daily videos, twitch highlights and weekly blogs, but
these are the strands that weave the capital S into service. Once you’ve been
delighted, what could be nicer than weekly relevant poker content? Not exactly do or die but very much why not
try!
There you have it. Best of luck finding your
new poker room. We’ll see you at the next World Series.
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