A poker avatar is the picture or photo used to represent a player’s online poker account. Every online poker player has one, though many players opt to use the standard poker operator logo. However, there are benefits to choosing one of your own.
A poker avatar is the picture or photo used to represent a player’s online poker account. Every online poker player has one, though many players opt to use the standard poker operator logo. However, there are benefits to choosing one of your own.
Using the Default Poker Avatar
When you start your online poker account, you have the option to choose an avatar. If you don’t, the picture that represents you at the tables will usually be the operator’s logo. For example, at BetMGM Poker, the default is the outline of the BetMGM lion.
Opponents at the poker tables can read this in one of two ways. Firstly, it can appear that you are a new player who has yet to choose an avatar, and that is not a good image. Others will know that you are new to the tables and, perhaps, are a target for aggressive play. It can also mean that you don’t want to portray any image to opponents at all, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
Choosing Poker Avatar Images
There are sample avatars that the operator keeps in a library. The larger the poker site, the more images in the library. No matter how many there are, they are often standard icons used in poker, such as a fish, lion, sunglasses, donkey, whale, butterfly, dolphin, car, monkey, or even the occasional animated poker face or character.
Choosing an avatar from the library is quite common. The vast majority of players choose from the poker avatar pictures available. For instance, a player may choose a fish to indicate that others should see them as a donkey (representing an unskilled player or easy target), whether or not they fit that portrayal. Even the avatar poker faces can be misleading, so most of them don’t give any insight into a player’s true style.
Upload Your Own Poker Avatar Pictures
There is an option to upload your own profile picture. When you open your online account at a site like BetMGM Poker, you have the option to submit an image.
Rarely do poker players ever submit an image of themselves to use as a profile picture or avatar. One of the most popular aspects of online poker is the ability to be anonymous, to portray yourself as anything or anyone. Sites also don’t like to approve real-life poker player avatar images in case that you are impersonating someone else.
Keep in mind that the poker operator will need to approve the image, whether it’s a poker NFT avatar or not. Thus, a picture of a middle finger is not likely to be approved, for example.
Limited Ability To Change Your Poker Player Avatar
It’s important to note the terms of your online poker account as they pertain to images and avatars. A site like BetMGM has a standard policy, used by many other sites, of only one avatar or profile picture change over the lifetime of the poker account. So while there might be an opportunity to change it, it’s best to choose as if it will represent you forever.
Remember that what you think is a funny poker face avatar or cool poker avatar today might not be so great when you are 10 years older or when your friends see it.
Poker avatar pictures are still important, even though many sites are trending toward anonymous players in cash games. This is happening so that pro players and those out to exploit weaker players cannot target certain players. It improves the experience for recreational and beginner poker players and reduces what is called predatory behavior by a few bad actors.
The best players use a witty image or avatar to portray an image, whether serious or funny. Just keep in mind that it needs to be approved and stand the test of time.
