Looking for a skill-based social game that’s competitive, mobile-friendly, and has real-money rewards? Then look no further than online poker. Around the world, more and more people are discovering what virtual poker has to offer, with millions of players in the US alone. But how to get started?

Poker can seem intimidating for beginners when you play for real money. One way to get into the game is to play online poker with friends. All you need to do is choose a legal platform like BetMGM Poker, select a game type, and get to playing. 

Pick Your Online Poker Platform

An online search will reveal multiple online poker platforms, so how do you choose between them? For security reasons, it’s important to make sure that any real money poker site you choose is licensed, regulated, and trustworthy. They are usually always free to download as well, but keep in mind that not every legal online poker brand operates in every state that offers online poker, and all of them use geolocation software.

Another consideration in choosing a poker site is whether it offers all the options you’re interested in, such as No Limit Omaha games, or Texas Hold’em. 

Then there’s the mobility factor. Are you okay with playing on a desktop, or do you prefer the freedom of mobile poker? BetMGM Poker has both, plus an excellent user experience and easy navigation.

Finally, there are some poker apps that will attempt to force you to make in-app purchases in order to keep your games going. Avoid them, as no legitimate poker site would ever do such a thing.

Choose a Format

Poker games fall into two major types: cash games and tournaments. 

In cash games, you can buy in and leave any time you want. If you run out of chips, you can just add more money to the game and keep playing. 

For example, imagine a $1/$2 No Limit Hold’em cash game with a minimum buy-in of $50 and a maximum buy-in of $200. This means you can buy into the game for $50 to $200 and rebuy as needed. The main reason that cash games often have maximum buy-ins is to level the playing field. As in live poker, online cash games also separate players by stakes.

In tournaments, everyone buys in for the same amount and gets the same value of chips. When you sign up for a tournament, you have to commit to playing for a certain period if you’re going to go all the way. Once you bust, you’re eliminated from the competition. 

Note that there are many poker formats within the tournament realm, such as reentries and rebuys, turbos and deepstacks, and even different kinds of knockout or bounty events. There can be many options when you choose what type of poker to play, so be sure to read the details before taking your seat. 

Finally, while formats and variants are different categorizations in poker, it’s important to note that variants most often include Hold’em and Omaha, but can also include stud and draw, a variety of mixed games, and even numerous versions of each. But the most beginner-friendly poker variants are Hold’em and Omaha, especially when you play poker with friends online.

Cash Games and Tournaments: Pros and Cons

Cash games are perfect for playing online poker with friends (especially if you’re a beginner) because nobody’s ever knocked out; you can always buy in for more money. They’re also a great way to transition from live to online poker. 

When you decide to play online poker games with friends, you can choose the stakes and tone of the games based on your own and your friends’ preferences. The only downside is that if you’re not playing for real money, there’s no incentive to play properly. Players often tend to get silly and make reckless decisions that no serious poker player would ever make. 

The advantage of tournaments is that they bring out the competitive side in everyone, which makes for great fun and potentially good poker. The downside is that it’s not much fun to be the first one to get knocked out, unless players are permitted to rebuy or reenter. 

Also, in online poker tournaments, the blinds keep going up at intervals. You may have to do some homework on how to set up a poker tournament online to make it the most fun. 

Luckily, the best poker sites make things easy with a list of options for buy-ins, stakes, and structures. This helps you choose poker tournaments or cash games for entertainment with friends.

Join Your Friends For an Online Poker Game

So you’ve chosen a platform and figured out what kind of poker setup you and your friends will enjoy. Now, it’s time to set up a game. First, you and your friends will need to download your chosen app or software and register an account. The procedure differs slightly from one platform to another, but it’s largely intuitive.

Then, log on to the client and select what kind of poker game you want to play from the available list of cash games. Be sure to communicate with your friends so that you all enter the room for the same game. That’s it! You’re now technically playing the same game as your friends, just keep in mind others could be in the room as well.

Boost Your Social Vibe While Playing Online Poker With Friends

Online poker with friends should be a memorable experience. To boost the social element and make your poker party pop, you could have everyone join in on a conference video call, so you’re all on-screen. At the same time, you play, creating more of an at-home poker room scenario that brings everyone together online. Just make sure that all of the players enable the same options when setting up a BetMGM poker account.

Play Poker Online at BetMGM

Craving poker action? BetMGM provides an outstanding platform where you can play poker online with ease. Explore our extensive tournaments on offer, and enjoy the flexibility to play poker with real money anytime and from anywhere. And make sure to use the BetMGM online poker welcome bonus for maximum benefits.