PokerStars.com
Poker Stars is widely considered to be the leader in online poker, one reason being, PS is the online home of the last 3 WSOP champions: Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, and Joseph Hachem. Established in 2001, they have had a lot of time to fine tune their service and software. Here are some quick facts about PS:
Methods of Deposit – Neteller, E-Checks, Firepay, Visa, Mastercard, Central Coin, Diner’s Club, Maestro, Western Union, Cashiers Check/Money Order. (Minimum deposit is $25 for Neteller, $100 for cashiers check/money order, and $50 for all other methods.)
Number of Players – Roughly 80,000 logged on during peak hours.
Rake – No more than $3 a hand, depending on the number of players at the table.
Bonuses – Typically offers a 1st deposit bonus to new accounts with a percentage of free money based on the amount initially deposited.
Poker Stars is one of the biggest and most reputable sites out there. They have excellent customer service, and cashing out is simple and fast. Between the two largest poker sites, PS is a cut above PartyPoker in terms of competition, with many pros regularly playing on the site. However, there are plenty of novices in the lower limit ring games and low buy-in multi-table tournaments. I would recommend avoiding the guaranteed rebuy tournaments if you are a beginner, as they tend to attract a large veteran field. For hardcore players, PS offers a great VIP rewards system with excellent prizes, but casual players will have a hard time gaining access to them, as they usually require a large time and monetary commitment.
Pros
- Industry-leading customer service
- Excellent reward system for pros
- Easy-to-use interface
- Easily accessible to both novice and advanced players
- Huge Selection of ring and tournament style games
Cons
- Graphics are a little dated
- Reward system neglects casual play
|