Softest Poker Sites in 2024 – Where to Find the Fish
Most of us play poker primarily to try and win ourselves some money. What better way to increase your chances than by using the softest poker sites.
There’s an old saying that if you’re the 10th best player in the world, you’ll still lose if you sit at a table with the 9 best players. This quote is basically a nod to the importance of good game selection.
Softest Poker Sites for US Players
| Site | Bonus Information | Review | Visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bovada Casino | Visit the site for the latest signup offer | Review | Visit |
Softest Poker Sites with the Worst Players
| Site | Bonus Information | Review | Visit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
888 Poker | Visit the site for the latest signup offer | Review | Visit |
For online players, finding the softest poker rooms is one of the most important things to do if you want to maximise your win rate. You could spend all day reviewing hands and studying poker theory to get better, but researching the softest poker sites will probably make you more money in the long run, and give you less of a headache too!
What Makes a Fishy Poker Room?
Most of us know bad play at the tables when we see it. Limping and calling too many raises before the flop, not paying any attention to the importance of position, calling down with weak draws and bluffing in bad spots are all indications that you’re up against a passive and bad player.
Generally, only the very best players in the world can get away with playing more than 30% of their hands at a full Texas Holdem table, so if you’re at a table full of people doing just that, chances are they’re just bad at poker and not the next Phil Ivey.
Characteristics of fishy tournament players include not understanding the importance of stack size; for example, calling raises with a 10 big blind stack when they should be in ‘all-in or fold mode’ and putting in more than half their stack and then folding. A poor understanding of stack size management and implied odds in tournaments is one of the hallmarks of a bad player.
Spotting a Soft Cash Game
It’s one thing to show you how to recognise if a player is fishy or not, but wouldn’t it be nice to know before you sit down at on online cash game whether it is going to be a soft table or not? Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do ensure you’re sitting in the best games.
When you’re browsing the lobby, try to look for games that have an average pot of 20 times the big blind. If you’re playing $0.50/$1 No Limit Holdem and you see a table with an average pot over $20 you should try and jump straight in. Big pots are a sign of loose action and a surefire tip-off that there are some fish at the table.
Another good indicator of a fishy game is the percentage of players who see the flop. If this number is above 30%, you’re sure to be in a good game. This number is calculated as follows: Say at a 6-max cash game in hand 1, there is a raise pre-flop and everyone folds, then in hand 2, two players see the flop and in hand 3, there are 3 players.
This makes a total of 5 people seeing the flop where there was a possibility of 18 over the 3 hands, for a saw flop % of 28. If this number is above 30, its indicative of 2 players seeing the flop virtually every single hand on average, which is a very good game!
Why are Some Sites Softer Than Others?
This is an interesting question. Usually, the sites that are attached to major gambling brands seem to be the softest. If someone goes to PokerStars to sign up, its clear they just want to play poker, and might know a little something about the game.
Players signing up to 888poker.com or Titanpoker.com are more likely to be casino gamblers or sports bettors who are simply looking for a change of pace, or something new to bet on. These players are typically more gamble happy and are not comfortable with the tight style that is necessary to win at poker.
They have a ‘go big or go home’ philosophy, where they want to play lots of hands quickly and try to build up a big chip stack or bust and go do something else. Obviously, this is a terrible strategy and great for the serious players at the table like you!
It’s highly recommended that when choosing a new site you go for one that’s attached to a casino or sportsbook as these invariably have the softest poker rooms.
