PokerStars

Review

Note: This poker room does not allow U.S. real money players.

There's a reason PokerStars is the biggest in the business. Their tournaments are the best, their cash games are equally impressive, and they run huge live tours with great broadcasts and hundreds of ways to get into each tournament.

The loyalty program - peaking at SuperNova status - is fantastic, as is their game selection and software. If you only intend to register on a few sites, make PokerStars your first!

The software is very responsive and reliable, having been perfected over the last several years. It is highly customizable and is famous for allowing huge amounts of tables to be played simultaneously. Tables can be resized as wished, and the lobby offers a clear overview of available games and tournaments. It is available for Windows and Mac OSX users alike.

PokerStars' initial $600 bonus is generous and very easy to clear. Although further reloads are uncommon, they are not unheard of, and PokerStars offer plenty of other promotions to choose from anyway. Their most recent invention, the home game, let's players set up their own online poker clubs and play with friends. The Frequent Player Point system is well conceived with a nifty shop attached to i. Being one of the major international purveyors of regional poker tours, PokerStars also pushes their satellites and live events heavily.

Use the code "STARS600" when signing up through Railbirds to claim your bonus!

This is another area where PokerStars really shine, offering Texas, Omaha, Omaha hi/lo, various stud games, draw, 2-7 triple draw, razz, badugi, HORSE, and various mixed games. All of these games are available as cash games, tournaments and sit & gos. New games are still occasionally added.

Cash games are available on all levels, usually with the most players online in the world at any given time. Difficulty levels do vary, but there sure doesn't seem to be any limit to amount of bad and loose players signing up. With huge amounts of players, tables, and games, PokerStars is the top cash game site in the world at the moment.

PokerStars is, without question, the single best site for online poker tournaments - no doubts about it! Their flagship tournaments are huge: for instance, every Sunday, there is a $1.5 million guaranteed tournament, and they regularly host the World Championships of Online Poker as well as the Spring Championships - each regularly paying out over $30 million dollars.

Lower-limit players get more than their fair share as well, with enormous amounts of tournaments at every level imaginable. Opposition is very weak at the lower levels, and it's quite easy to make a living on these tournaments. And we still haven't mentioned the frequent satellites, available at all levels of income, to all kinds of live tournaments such as EPT and NAPT tournaments. Wow!

Although PokerStars restricts their support options to email only, their email support is good, fast, and friendly.

Deposit options include Moneybookers, NETeller, Visa, Visa Delta, Visa Electron, ClickandBuy, WebMoney, EntroPay, MasterCard, Diners Club International, Solo/Maestro, check / money order / bank draft, local bank transfer, ELV, online bank, paysafecard, and eChecks.

Withdrawal options include credit card, NETeller, Moneybookers, ClickandBuy, Entropay, eChecks, WebMoney, direct bank transfer and wire transfer.

Cashouts are expedited within 72 hours and professionally, with few problems.

There's a reason PokerStars is the biggest in the business. Their tournaments are the best, their cash games are equally impressive, and they run huge live tours with great broadcasts and hundreds of ways to get into each tournament.

The loyalty program - peaking at SuperNova status - is fantastic, as is their game selection and software. If you only intend to register on a few sites, make PokerStars your first!