When it comes to playing poker online, there’s always going to be plenty of choice. There are plenty of well-established sites as well as new places to play springing up regularly. But which one to choose out of the tried and tested selections or the latest and greatest picks? Here are some of the reasons why you might want to pick one or the other.
Older Sites
Familiarity
One of the big reasons why you might want to go to an older site is that you are familiar with it. According to Michael E. W. Varnum at Psychology Today, although people like to try new things, when there is a more binary choice, people prefer to stick to what they know. The same can apply to online poker. If you play in a familiar situation, then there are, at least in theory, fewer things to get distracted by, which means you should be able to play at your best. Also, an old reliable will be somewhere you can trust, which is important.
Regular Opponents
Another thing that serves better-established sites is the fact that you aren’t going to be the only returning customer. One of the key skills in poker is reading your opponent, so if you find yourself coming up against the same people on a semi-regular basis, that can give you an advantage. Of course, it might also give them an advantage, but that just means that you can form a friendly rivalry, which could give you another reason to love poker.
Bigger Prize Pools
Since older poker sites have had more time to build up their fanbase, they are more likely to make more money. In turn, this means that there are going to be richer prize pools. If we look at the richest ever online poker tournament, the 2021 World Series of Poker Online, it had a $20 million prize pool. That event was sponsored by GGPoker, which is, in itself, a well-established brand. Even with smaller events, there’s more of a chance to win a pretty big sum with bigger poker sites.
Newer Sites
Mobile Optimization
That’s not to say that newer sites don’t have their advantages. For example, one of the most popular ways to game online in 2025 is via a mobile phone. There are 3.2 billion mobile gamers worldwide, and a decent chunk of them will be playing poker. Older sites may well have their plus points, but there is always the risk that their mobile optimization may not be as good as more modern sites. In fact, newer poker sites will be more likely to be designed specifically for mobile users. Not only that, but the chances are there will be better graphics and sound options on a newer site.
Generous Bonuses
A new poker site needs to do something to stand out in a crowded market. One thing is to have good, competitive bonuses. For example, a new site might offer a generous sign-up offer or allow people to have a big rakeback bonus. There could even be entry into games and tournaments with no buy-in, or a no-deposit bonus of some kind. These things are much more likely to feature on newer sites that need to attract customers.
New Competitors
Because newer poker sites want to get customers and often offer people some pretty good deals to new sign-ups, there are going to be some fresh faces for you to compete against. Some of these will indeed be newcomers to the world of poker, but there will also be veterans looking for a new challenge. So a new site can open up your poker game to new playing styles and strategies.
Whether you go for an older poker site or a newer one is a matter of personal preference. More experienced players might want to stick with what they know, while a newcomer could go for a site with a less established player base. In truth, though, many online poker players tend to mix and match when it comes to choosing which sites to play on. Whether you are a high roller, a casual player, someone who is looking for new experiences, or a tournament regular, there will be something for you.
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