Published on August 28th, 2019 | by Bibhuranjan

Online Poker Tells You Need To Know

When playing live club poker online, if you’re good enough, you can decipher the strength of a player’s hand, or their level of experience or skill by their Poker tells. However, in the online environment, it’s a lot harder to read players as you aren’t physically playing with them, and therefore can’t read their body language. While that is very true, online Poker tells do exist and if you’re clever enough, reading opponents’ betting patterns, timings and their previous behaviour will help you on your way to cash in. If you wish to gain an advantage, read on to find out the online Poker tells you need to know, before you play live casino.

Timing Tells

The timing of your opponents’ moves says a lot about the kind of hand they have. For example, a long pause before betting or raising indicates a strong hand. Your opponent here is bluffing, by trying to make you believe they have a weak hand by taking a long time to make their decision. When in reality, they know what move they’re about to make, they’re just letting you sweat it out.

An instant raise also signifies that your opponent has a strong hand and it’s a move that frequently occurs in online games. In this case, the player is so confident in their move, they don’t need to think about their actions.

At the other end of the spectrum, instantly checking is a sign that a player has a weak hand. Keep an eye on these players, as they won’t bluff when their hand is weak, making them easy to beat. Should you or another player raise, this kind of player will undoubtedly fold.

Betting Tells

The size of the bet says a lot about the player’s hand. Let’s start off with the amount they are betting. Generally speaking, bets are made in round numbers. Every so often, you’ll get that one player that bets an obscure amount. If someone’s betting £4.82 for example and they have a history of bluffing, you know they can’t be trusted and the chances are their hand is weak. In this case, take them on! If they have made it to showdown before, be wary of them, especially if they had a strong hand then – chances are, it could happen again and if your hand isn’t worthy, don’t risk it.

Small bets after checking are usually the sign of a weak hand, especially if it’s after the flop. It’s the same situation with a small raise, again, the player most likely has a weak hand. However, if it’s a small raise after the flop, your opponent is making you believe their hand is weak, but in reality, it’s strong.

Over-betting can be a sign of an incredibly strong or weak hand. If your hand is average, the chances are, you won’t be going mad on the bankroll for it. Have you seen your opponent do this before and how good was their hand in this instance? Pause for a moment to think about this before making your move.

Chatting Tells

Most experienced players don’t use the chat function, as their sole focus is on the game. But it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the chat box, as it could say a lot about your opponents. For example, if there’s someone complaining about the moves, such as constant raising, they’re likely to be inexperienced and unable to deal with the pressure.

A player constantly bemoaning their luck is either on tilt, or close to tilting. They’re the kind of player that blames everything/everyone but themselves. Tilting is never good, so make sure you don’t let a player like this affect your game – they are likely to get so worked-up, they’ll probably just leave the game.

Tags: betting, casino, gambling, live casino, poker

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.