Easy to Beat Online Poker Rooms in 2024
Online poker sites come in all shapes and sizes, with each having its own positives and negatives attached. If you are new to the online poker world, it is important to understand that not all poker websites offer the same level of competition. Some naturally attract seasoned pros, while others draw in a more recreational player.
Poker sites market themselves in many ways, and offer different poker games and bonuses, and this, in turn, attracts a specific type of player to their virtual tables. Others have a long-standing reputation for offering soft cash games, and that reputation further attracts lesser skilled or experienced players to the virtual felt.
888poker – A Haven For Recreational Poker Players
888poker has always had a reputation for being one of the softest online poker sites. Ever since its launch more than two decades ago, 888poker (formerly known as Pacific Poker) has been a haven for recreational poker players, and somewhere players head for easy-to-best cash games and tournaments.
Most of 888poker's cash game traffic is in micro and low stakes No-Limit Hold'em games, and those games naturally attract weaker, less knowledgeable players. The same can be said for 888poker's multi-table tournament offerings, too. While the site does run high-stakes tournaments, they do not boasts massive guarantees, so professional players tend to avoid them because they have the opportunity to play for bigger money elsewhere.
888poker's player-friendly promotions, lack of high-rates cashback, and the fact it is attached to one of the biggest online casinos in the world, make it the online poker site of choice for newcomers and those players who want to play poker in a relatively stress-free environment.
PartyPoker – The Original OG
PartyPoker was once the world's largest poker site. Indeed, PartyPoker dominated the online poker landscape for many years before it withdrew from the American market following "Black Friday." PartyPoker is still one of the most recognizable online poker brands in the industry, and that alone brings in weaker players in droves.
Like 888poker, most of PartyPoker's cash games traffic is in micro and low-stakes games. It has some excellent tournaments, too, and those tournaments are designed with recreational players in mind.
For example, most PartyPoker MTTs have reduced late registration, limited re-entries, and have blind structures that allow tournaments to finish at a reasonable hour. Those three features appeal to amateurs because they allow them to potentially win an event and still enjoy a good night's rest before going to work the next day, in addition to leveling the playing field by preventing those with larger bankrolls from firing multiple bullets in the same tournament.
Heads-up displays (HUDs) and third-party tracking software is prohibited at PartyPoker, which is superb for new players. The lack of tracking software means nobody can specifically target weaker players to exploit them, and that alone is enough to see scores of easy-to-beat players flock to the site.
Also, PartyPoker is a massive, vibrant casino and a busy sportsbook, and customers from those products often drift across to see what the fuss surrounding poker is all about.
WPT Global – A Rapidly Growing Newcomer
WPT Global is relatively new to the online poker world, but it is growing at a remarkable rate. Initially, the official online poker room of the World Poker Tour, only offered its serves to the Asian market but has since spread around the world. Players from Asian and South American countries make up a significant percentage of the WPT Global player pool.
Being a new site lures in less knowledgeable players who want to see what the site is all about. Top professionals and seasoned grinders prefer playing at online poker sites that are more established.
Having the WPT (World Poker Tour) branding also helps attract players who are wet behind the ears. The WPT is a massive brand shown on television on a global scale. Wannabe poker pros dream of becoming a WPT champion, so WPT Global is a natural choice for them. Often, the players who discover poker from television believe winning at poker is achieved by playing crazy and bluffing like there is no tomorrow because of how televised poker is edited. Take advantage of their craziness, and vacuum up their stacks!
Unibet Poker – Extremely Player Focused
Unibet Poker has been around for ages, and has always been seen as one of the softest online poker room. The site was once part of the now-defunct Microgaming Network, but moved to a standalone platform in early 2014. Moving to its own software allowed Unibet Poker to follow its dreams of becoming the online poker site for the players.
Its cartoony software is not to everyone's liking, but it sure brings in players at the lower end of the ability scale. Being able to change your alias up to three times per day helps protect weak players, and Unibet Poker runs promotions that are specifically for players who have lost during the week, which keeps them in the game longer.
The cash game and tournament traffic at Unibet Poker is less than many rival poker rooms, but the site also has a popular sportsbook and casino that keeps a fresh conveyor belt of weak players in the game.
Any Site on the iPoker Network – Sports Bettor Galore
The iPoker Network was the original online poker network, and is still going strong today. Where online poker sites such as PokerStars are standalone, the iPoker Network is made up of dozens of "skins" each run as a separate company but that all share the same traffic in cash games and tournaments.
Bet365 Poker, Betfair Poker, and Paddy Power Poker, are three of the biggest and most popular sites on the iPoker Network. If you know the online gaming sphere, you will be more than aware that all three of these companies are major players in the sports betting and casino industries. Those gamblers often frequent the poker tables, leading to loose action and exciting games.
Why Are Some Poker Sites Seemingly Easier to Win at Than Others?
As a general rule, online poker sites that have a large number of users tend to have games that are on the softer side. It makes sense when you think about it. If an online poker room has tens of thousands of customers playing at any one time, the chances that they are all top-tier professionals are slim to none.
The biggest brands also usually have a large percentage of recreational players at their tables. This is because more prominent brands have larger marketing budgets, so they can afford to advertise far and wide. In addition, more established brands often offer bonuses and ongoing promotions that appeal to newcomers or those who simply love playing poker for the love of the game.
Lastly, you will almost always find that the softest games take place at online poker rooms that also offer sports betting or online casino games. Casino players and sports bettors are natural gamblers, and they sometimes head to the poker tables to try their luck or to pass some time between sporting events or for a change of pace from slots, blackjack, or similar. As these players tend to be inexperienced poker players and have a natural love of gambling, they help create soft cash games and tournaments, which is great news for you!
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What Are the Advantages of Playing Poker at an Easy Online Poker Room?
The primary and most important advantage of playing at a so-called easy online poker room is that they are easier to win money at. Lesser-skilled players make more mistakes than someone who is well-versed in the nuances of playing poker. Their knowledge of strategy is much smaller than that of a good player, and this makes it easier to win money.
Playing at poker rooms that are easier is a great confidence booster, too. Although many players like to test themselves against top opposition, it can become frustrating if you are playing what you consider to be your best poker only to end up losing most sessions. There is no point in being the sixth-best poker player in the world if you only ever play against the top five!
Furthermore, although most poker players sit down in tournaments and cash games with the sole purpose of winning money, playing at easy-to-win poker sites allow you to almost forget about the money aspect and play the game for fun. After all, poker should be fun, first and foremost; it is a bonus if you win.
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What Are the Disadvantages of Playing Poker at an Easy Online Poker Room?
The positives of playing at an easy online poker room outweigh the negatives, but there are still some frustrations attached to getting your grind on at a soft online poker site.
First, because rank amateurs frequent these sites, you can often find yourself on the wrong side of some horrible bad beats. Weak players do not like to fold, they chase draws with incorrect pot odds and will show up on the river with some crazy two-pair combos. Playing in soft poker games can cause frustration if you do develop your mental game because being continuously sucked out on by these "donkeys" and "fish" can make you lose the will to live! However, in the long term, you will get your hands on their stacks.
Soft sites are great for building your bankroll at but they can hinder your development as a poker player. There is no substitute for playing when it comes to playing poker, but playing against opponents who do not have a clue what they are doing can cause your development to slow.
This happens because soft games require a different mindset and skills to win. Most high-level strategy is pointless, and ABC poker is the best way to play. Think of American Football as an example. You could put Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs into a college football team, and he would be nothing short of incredible. However, he would not become a better quarterback for it because the defenses he faced would be sub-par compared to the NFL. Eventually, easily winning can become boring because you only have money to focus on and not challenges and mind games reserved for tougher games.
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Which Poker Games Attract Weaker Players?
Players are spoiled for choice in the online poker world, with almost every poker variant and format you can think of being offered somewhere. However, some games and game types are more popular with recreational players than others.
For example, No-Limit Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker game on the planet, so it makes sense that it is here where you will find a higher percentage of lesser skilled opponents. Conversely, games such as 2-7 Triple Draw, 8-Game, and Omaha Hi-Lo tend to be filled with players that are specialists or, at the very least, spending countless hours learning and studying those formats.
You will find that tournaments with turbo blind structures are naturally softer than standard speed events. Recreational players love the thrill of fast-moving blinds, and being able to finish a tournament in a couple of hours. Likewise, Mystery Bounty tournaments are popular with weaker players because the mystery element of those bounties is akin to gambling, so casino players and sports bettors love them. Mystery Bounty events are one of the main reasons for 888poker's popularity.