Live Casino Poker Sites

Poker is a popular casino card game found at most of the top-ranked online casinos UK. Our MansionCasino guide will compare the differences between the regular casino game and live dealer poker in addition to exploring how to play live poker UK including the rules and useful strategies. The guide also outlines the best live casino poker sites where you are guaranteed a safe and reliable online gambling experience.

UK players are spoiled for choice when it comes to online live poker casinos. However, with such a vast choice it can prove a tad tricky when trying to find the most suitable site to register with. But do not despair as our team here at MansionCasino have selected their top picks to share with you. All are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), and all offer exciting online casino bonuses. 

Poker is not just another casino game based on luck, it also requires a certain amount of skill and judgement. The aim of the game is to make the best 5-card hand according to a list of poker card rankings using the cards you are dealt and a set of community cards laid down on the table. Live poker online is played against the dealer whereas regular casino poker is played against other players.  

How to Play

The rules of live casino poker are fairly simple to understand and the game is played with a standard 52 card deck. Here’s a brief guide to playing the popular Casino Hold’em live poker game: 

1. Register with one of our recommended UK live poker sites 
2. Select a table and take your seat, greet the friendly dealer 
3. Place the required Ante Bet and an optional Bonus Bet 
4. The player receives two cards upturned 
5. The dealer receives two cards face down 
6. Three shared community cards are dealt onto the table (flop) 
7. The dealer places a bet, the player either calls the bet or folds 
8. The remaining two community cards (turn and river) are dealt  
9. The dealer reveals their two cards and payouts are evaluated 
10. The best five-card poker hand wins the pot and payouts are awarded 

The live poker dealer must have at least a pair of fours to participate, if the dealer hand fails to qualify, the call bet is returned to the player. Call bets are paid at 1:1 (even money) whilst ante and bonus bets are paid according to the paytable. Should both the dealer and player have the same hand, all bets are returned. The bonus bet is an optional side bet which is evaluated on the first hand of five cards only. 

Poker Hands 

Before you begin to play live casino poker, it’s best to have an idea of the different poker hands available. This is crucial for you to make informed decisions on whether to call or fold in your predictions for a winning hand. Here’s an overview of the various poker card rankings from high to low:

• Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J and 10 all in the same suit
• Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence, in the same suit, e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 of spades
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of one rank e.g., J, J, J, J
• Full House: Three cards of one rank and two cards of another e.g., 8, 8, 8, 6, 6,
• Flush: Five cards in the same suit but not in sequence e.g., K, 10, 7, 5, 2 of hearts
• Straight: Five cards in sequence, not in the same suit, e.g., 6, 7 of hearts, 8, 9 of clubs, 10 of diamonds
• Three of a Kind: Three cards of one rank, e.g., 4, 4, 4
• Two Pairs: Two cards of one rank and two of another, e.g., 5, 5 and 8, 8
• One Pair: Two cards of the same rank, e.g., Q, Q
• High Card: No hand is made and the highest card decides the winning bet 

Live Poker Terminology 

If you’re new to the game of poker, you may become a little foxed about certain terminology used by players. So, to help you settle comfortably into a dialogue when playing online live poker or casino poker, here are some common terms and their respective meanings:

• Ante Bet: the minimum bet that players must stake before the game begins
• Blank: a community card that provides no value to your hand
• Blinds: mandatory bets needed to begin a round of casino poker, blinds move around the table for each round with the small blind to the left of the dealer and the big blind to the left of the small blind.
• Board: another name given to the community cards on the table
• Boat: another name for a ‘full house’ poker hand
• Call: to match a bet
• Community Cards: the five cards laid on the table that aid your hole cards to make the best poker hand
• Check: to bet nothing and remain in the game
• Fish: a term given to an inexperienced player, may also be referred to as a ‘donk’ or ‘donkey’
• Flop: the first three community cards
• Fold: to discard your hand
• Hole Cards: cards that are dealt to the player/dealer but not revealed until the final showdown
• Kicker: a side card which can determine a winning hand in the event of a tie
• Muck: to fold your hand or hide your hand following a win or loss
• Nuts: the best possible hand given the current cards on the board
• Quads: another term for four-of-a-kind
• River: the final community card to be dealt
• Shark: an experienced player favoured to win
• Showdown: where hands are revealed and wins determined
• Tilt: a psychological state where a player begins to make poor decisions leading to loss
• Trips: another term for three-of-a-kind
• Turn: the fourth community card to be dealt 

In the best live dealer casinos you will find an exciting variety of live poker tables with each one offering a slightly different twist on the traditional game. Here’s a round-up of what you may find:

• Live Casino Hold’em: One of the most popular variants to be found in live poker casino lobbies. The player uses two hole cards and five community cards to make a five-card poker hand that beats the dealer. There is also the opportunity to place a bonus side bet for landing a pair of aces or better from the first five cards only.
• 2 Hand Casino Hold’em: The same as Live Casino Hold’em but with the opportunity to play two hands at the same time.
• Ultimate Texas Hold’em: Bet 3x or 4x the ante, check or fold on the hole cards, bet 2x the ante, check or fold on the flop, bet 1x the ante, check or fold on the turn and/or river. Blinds are in play and an optional side bet called Trips pays out on three-of-a-kind or higher.
• Three Card Poker: Three cards are dealt and you need to bet the ante to see the dealer’s cards. The dealer must have a Queen or better for their hand to qualify. Optional side bets include Pair Plus for hands that have a pair or better (win or lose, it still pays out), 6-Card Bonus to make the best 5-card poker hand from three-of-a-kind or better using the 6 cards dealt to both the player and dealer.
• Caribbean Stud Poker: The player and dealer are dealt five cards each with the player’s cards upturned and just one of the dealer’s cards revealed. Players either bet double the ante or fold, if they bet, the dealer reveals the remainder of their cards. The dealer must have an Aca and King or better for their hand to qualify. 

Software Providers 

Powering the best live casino poker tables are top providers like Evolution Gaming and Playtech. As licensed suppliers, you are guaranteed a smooth and legit gameplay experience. 

There are some distinct differences between Live Poker and Casino Poker, not least the obvious change in opponent from player to live dealer. This eliminates any abusive or negative chat, nobody cares if you’re new at the game, you won’t be faced with aggressive players but nor will you be able to bluff your way out of trouble! 

Many of the top online casinos allow their players to test out the game for free before they play for real money. Practicing in demo mode is the best way to learn the rules and gain a better understanding of the game’s complexities risk-free. However, the only downside is that you can’t win real money by playing for free, so once you’ve tested out the demo, why not head over to the lobby and load up a real money game. 

Now that you’ve practiced for free and are ready to begin playing live poker for real money, take a look at some recommended tips put together by our expert team: 

• Register at one of our highly recommended live poker sites 
• Claim the welcome bonus to give you a head start 
• Play online poker for free prior to real money 
• Learn the rules of your chosen poker variant  
• Start with low stakes and gradually build over time 
• Familiarise yourself with poker card rankings 
• Bluffing is not a strategy that can be used against a live poker dealer 

Live Poker Strategies 

As discussed, poker is a fairly complex and skill-based casino game. When playing live casino poker against a dealer you must depend on probability and luck rather than using psychological tactics such as aggressive betting or bluffs. In a game of Live Casino Hold’em, for example, it is considered that unsuited hole cards below a 9 are pretty useless and should be folded.

New players are best to avoid side bets like 6-Card Bonus in Three Card Poker as these carry a disadvantaged high house edge whereas the Pair Plus bet may be more favourable but can also be rather hit or miss. In Caribbean Stud it is an advised strategy to fold anything less than Ace and a King but bet on a pair. 

The team at MansionCasino will only recommend the best online live poker casinos. To do this we need to ensure that all sites are subject to a consistent vetting process which highlights any flaws or plus points. Here’s an overview of the strict criteria that we insist on:

• Licensed and Regulated: All live casino poker sites must be licensed and regulated by a trusted gaming authority like the UKGC.
• Safety and Security: Top live poker casinos need to offer multiple payment options, SSL encrypted transactions and protection tools for safer gambling online.
• Games and Software: The best live dealer poker sites should offer a wide range of online casino games including live poker tables which are supplied by top providers like Playtech and Evolution.
• Modern Variants: Top ranking poker casino sites should offer a variety of live poker games for example, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Three Card Poker and Caribbean Stud.
• Mobile Compatibility: The best online live poker sites are expected to offer fully optimised platforms for gaming on the go. Some may also offer dedicated mobile apps to download for iOS and Android devices.
• Payment methods: Top live casino poker sites will offer numerous trusted payment options for deposits and withdrawals including Visa, PayPal, Skrill, Paysafecard and Apple Pay.
• Fees and Processing: The best UK live poker casinos typically offer fee-free transactions. Deposits are processed instantly, and withdrawals may take up to 72 hours to approve.
• Customer Support: Top live poker casinos will offer a friendly and responsive customer support team that generally operate 24/7 and can be reached through email, live chat and sometimes, telephone.
• Bonuses and Promotions: At top ranking poker casinos, players are usually greeted by a generous welcome bonus and numerous promotions for regular play.