Many online poker players get introduced to online poker through freerolls since they cost nothing to enter and there are usually cash prizes you can win. This is because online poker sites have promotions designed to attract new customers by allowing players to enjoy free poker tournaments, providing the opportunity to win something from nothing.
That being said, in order to win freeroll poker tournaments, you need to outlast sometimes upwards of a few thousand players, which be tough, even if you are playing solid poker in the tournament. Because of this, so many players migrate to real money poker games once they get a better feel for the software and the games they like to play.
However, when it comes to transitioning from freerolls and other free to play poker games to playing real money poker games, whether it be cash games or real money poker tournaments, players will need to have a full understanding of what the differences between free poker and real money poker games online are, because the differences are noticeable and much greater than differences between online and live poker.
Here are some things that players need to know in order to make the process of transitioning from poker freerolls to playing real money online poker as easy as possible:
Learn To Walk Before You Run
First of all, players who are just getting a taste for real money poker need to understand that even the micro stakes poker games are going to be much tougher than any poker freeroll tournaments you’ve played. When you’re playing poker for real money, you’ll approach the game in a different way since you’ll be taking it much more seriously.
In freerolls and at the play chip online poker tables, there is nothing to lose, and the quality of play reflects that. You’ll see freerollers going all-in with junk hands on a regular basis out of boredom or just for a bit of fun. You’re not going to get that in real money games, since players will be taking the game more seriously in the hopes of winning money.
If you’ve never played real money online poker games before, then it would be suggested to start off by playing in the lowest limit online games, otherwise referred to as micro stakes tables, which start from as little as $0.01/$0.02 at most online poker sites. In these games, you can learn the best winning strategies and gain valuable experience playing in real money poker games without risking a lot of money, which always helps when you’re still learning the complexities of the game.
Don’t think for a second that because most pots being contested are only for a few cents/dollars that players won’t be taking it very seriously and it will play much the same way as the play money games, this is not the case at all. For some players, the money they are playing with is a lot of money, but the great thing about starting out at the micro stakes level, is that most of the player pool is pretty bad, so it shouldn’t be too difficult beating the game.
Learn To Practice Proper Bankroll Management
You can be the best real money poker player in the world, but if you don’t manage a poker bankroll in the right way so that you can properly deal with the upswings and downswings that will inevitably occur, then your performance at the poker table will take a hit as a result, and you will not play your best game. Even worse, you may lose your entire poker bankroll due to poor bankroll management, meaning you won’t even be able to continue playing the game you like. This BRM advice really cannot be understated it’s one of the biggest reasons why new players fail before very long after they begin playing real money poker games.
Finally, enjoy playing real money poker games. Isn’t that the whole point of playing online poker to begin with? If you’re not enjoying it, what’s the point, right? By practicing smart bankroll management as explained in this article, it will enable you to think more about improving your game so that you can win more money. And because you will have started playing for real money, you’ll get to play real poker, instead of silly shove fests where little post flop play takes place, which is totally boring and far less interesting if you ask me. The bad beats and suckouts that you’ll inevitably experience won’t hurt that much because you are properly bankrolled.
All in all, ensuring you make the transition as smoothly as possible and hopefully preventing you from running back to freerolls with your tail between your legs.