Don’t get cheated in online poker

Although reputable online poker rooms have multiple precautions to prevent this from happening it’s not 100% safe. Here are 2 safe and highly regarded sites for online poker players:  

888 Poker – Link to website

Americas Cardroom – US-friendly – Link to website

Cheating refers to any behavior outside the rules that gives unfair advantages to some of the players. One method of cheating is the use of bots. Bots are programs that play instead of a human, they are web robots. They can react faster than humans and play purely based on odds, thus avoiding mistakes based on human emotion.

The second way of cheating in online poker is collusion, which is difficult to spot if is executed well. This way cheaters can be involved in a telephone conversation or instant messaging, they can discuss their cards because nobody can see them. Cheaters can use multiple computers so in this way they can play multiple hands at the same table. They cannot be detected immediately because they have multiple IP addresses.

Multi accounting is another method of cheating – this means that a player registers several accounts to his name.

Datamining is the systematic collection of hand histories, that can be used to profile opponents with the help of specially designed software. Online poker rooms have some methods to combat online cheating: they have complete hand histories, they can see if two or more players show up together always, or move together to other tables, and they can freeze an account.

For your safety avoid brand new poker websites or the ones that you cannot find enough information on. You can check the website you want to enter through different sources, like Google, print media, and gambling websites. If you have any doubts about it, avoid such a site. Do not pass personal information such as bank account data, passwords, usernames, or information about credit cards to third parties.

As a precaution, you should always have up-to-date virus protection and anti-spyware protection running on your computer. If you think someone is cheating you should email or telephone the poker site and also keep a hand history evidence. You can beat colluders if you try to sit to the left of both of the colluders, call raises, play passively, and try to trap them. The poker sites are under constant check by audits.

Auditing firms like Pricewater Coopers and the Kahnawake Gaming Commission regularly examine the security of the poker sites in order to provide players with fair odds. Every time you want to join a new site keep these aspects in mind because they will keep you safe from cheaters.