Entering the world of online poker for the first time can be a thrilling adventure, and for new players in regulated U.S. states BetMGM Poker has quickly become one of the top places to learn the ropes and play. The site provides a safe and easy-to-use interface, but like any new software, it may take a small amount of time to find your way around.
This guide has been created to assist new players in navigating the BetMGM Poker software in 2026. We will take you through the process of getting started, from learning about the lobby to finding the right games for your level of play and with a little instruction, you will be seated at the best virtual tables and taking part in the action in no time.
Getting Started: The Software and Main Lobby
The first thing you need to do is download the BetMGM Poker client onto your computer or smartphone and note that the software is available in regions where online poker is legal, such as New Jersey, Michigan and Pennsylvania. After you have downloaded the software and set up your account, you will be presented with the main lobby and this is your home base for everything on the site.
The main lobby is very clean and easy to navigate as you will find a series of tabs or filters that enable you to sift through the various game types that are available. The BetMGM poker lobby makes it very easy to find what you are looking for because you can filter by game type (such as No-Limit Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha), by stakes (from micro to high), and by table size. Take some time to click through the various filters and see how they affect the list of games that are available as this will help you to feel more comfortable navigating the site and finding the action you want.
Finding the Right Game
BetMGM Poker has many different types of games, but as a beginner, the two types of games that are most relevant to you are cash games and tournaments.
Cash games are the easiest type of poker to play as you pay a buy-in amount and the chips in front of you are worth a direct amount of cash. The blinds are fixed and do not go up so you can sit down at a table, play for as long as you like and cash out at any time with the payout you have in front of you. For new players, cash games are a great way to learn the basics of the game without the time constraints of a tournament as you can play for very low stakes to get a feel for the game.
Tournaments are a whole different animal. In a tournament, you pay a buy-in fee and are given a certain number of tournament chips and the objective of the game is to be the last player remaining. As the tournament unfolds, the blinds go up at certain intervals and players are forced to act. The prize money is paid out to the top players, with the biggest prizes going to the last few players remaining and tournaments provide the opportunity for a large return on a small investment and the rush of making a deep run.
Understanding the Different Tournament Types
In the tournament tab, you will see a variety of different types of tournaments. “Sit & Go” (SNG) tournaments are a good place for beginners to start as these are small tournaments that are held at a single table and begin as soon as a certain number of players (usually six or nine) have signed up and they are a good way to get a feel for playing in a tournament.
Further to this, “Multi-Table Tournaments” (MTTs) are the big leagues. These tournaments can have hundreds or thousands of players competing for huge prize pools and as such, BetMGM Poker is famous for its big online tournaments, which have huge guaranteed prize pools.
Features to Look For
The BetMGM Poker software comes with a number of tools that are meant to improve the gaming experience. Use the note-taking tool for starters and if you realize that a player has a certain playing style, you can create a note about that player that will appear the next time you are playing at the same table.
The software also has a hand history tool that enables you to check the hands that you have played. This is a very useful tool that can help you improve your game and you can go back to a hand that you were not sure about and check it without the pressure of being at the table. Lastly, look for the responsible gaming tools. These tools enable you to control your deposits and playing time so that you are always able to enjoy the game in a safe and controlled way.
Hitting the Felt
While playing on a new online poker site may appear to be a little intimidating at first, BetMGM Poker software is player-friendly. By taking a few minutes to get to know the lobby, learning the difference between cash games and tournaments and learning about the useful tools that are available, you will be well on your way to a fun and rewarding experience, so begin with low stakes play, learn the games and most importantly, have fun. Welcome to the exciting world of online poker.
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