While poker is a fairly simple game in its most basic form, serving up a superior online poker experience is a complex technical and design challenge that every online poker operator has to tackle head-on. Pennsylvania is the largest poker market in the USA at the moment with around 13 million people and the three biggest US online poker operators — PokerStars, BetMGM and WSOP — are all in the mix trying to outdo one another and serve up the absolute best experience to PA online poker players.
Poker players come to the virtual tables looking for a smooth, seamless online gambling experience and the delivery varies from operator to operator. In general, online poker players look for software that is stable, offers a variety of game modes and formats, is easy to navigate, and includes ways to customize the interface and filter games.
How operators meet these needs depends on the software base they use and the UX (user experience) design of the implementation. While basic software stability is certainly the most important criterion for a positive online poker experience, even the most stable software can be marred by a poor user interface, lags, or a limited choice of game modes.
We evaluated each of PA’s top online poker rooms in a side-by-side showdown to see who has the best poker software in the state. We analyzed and graded each client on the following criteria:
- Stability
- If a poker client crashes all the time, or if action is interrupted with disconnects, lags, or other glitches, players will quickly look for better options. *A stable software base is a minimum requirement for any online poker client.
- Functionality
- Online poker clients need to provide a wide range of game formats and modes. Clients that rely too heavily on one format often lose players who are looking for more variety.
- Design
- Layout and design are other key factors in the success or failure of online poker rooms since even the most stable software with all the games still needs to give players an attractive and legible site that is organized well and easy to navigate.
- Navigation
- It is crucial that online poker players are able to quickly and easily find the games they want to play, so a clear, easy-to-use interface is vital to the success of any poker client.
- Filters
- Many players are looking for effective ways to filter the list of available games and tables to zero in on the exact games they want to play.
- Customization
- Online poker players in PA and elsewhere can have very specific ways they like to play and a truly successful poker client provides easy and detailed customization.
PokerStars PA
PokerStars PA benefits from one of the most well-developed and mature software systems in online poker. Inherited from its parent, the venerable online pioneer delivers one of PA’s best online poker experiences.
- Stability: Very Stable
- PokerStars PA offers one of the most stable software bases in online poker.
- Functionality: Very Good
- PokerStars PA offers all major game types, with many more subtle variations in each.
- Design: Good
- PokerStars PA has an easy-to-use interface that lets users get around easily, though its graphics-heavy format can cause the client to run slowly on lower-end machines.
- Navigation: Easy to Navigate
- Navigation on the PokerStars PA client is very intuitive and primarily handled through different tabs. Quick Seat and Favorites tabs give extra ease for both new and experienced players.
- Filters: Very Good
- The poker room has a very detailed filtering system that allows players to customize the games they see by stakes, type, and table size among others.
- Customization: Good
- While PokerStars PA has a lot of customization options related to the lobby display, table display, graphics and text options, and other general interface options, it can be tricky to navigate the many different variables to customize your experience.
- Play one hand & get $150 in bonus play funds
- Top-quality mobile app
- Best online MTT schedule
WSOP PA
WSOP PA hit the ground running in July with the first implementation of Poker 8, a new software system from partner 888poker. While the system has been used by 888 globally for some time, WSOP in Pennsylvania was the first online poker site in the US to implement the new software base.
- Stability: Very Stable
- With the well-tested Poker 8 software base from 888poker powering WSOP PA, the operator has a very stable client and server.
- Functionality: Good
- While the types of poker offered by WSOP PA are limited to Hold 'em and Omaha, the operator offers a lot of variations on those two popular formats.
- Design: Clean and Modern
- The new user interface in use for WSOP PA gives a clean, modern look to the client.
- Navigation: Easy to Navigate
- Using a left-hand menu, with a large details pane and collapsible filters above makes navigation and game selection in this online poker room very intuitive.
- Filters: Very Good
- All game modes have context-sensitive filter boxes that allow players to quickly find the exact games they are looking for.
- Up to $100 in free play with first deposit*
- Top-quality software
- Compete for WSOP bracelets & rings
BetMGM Poker PA (and Borgata Poker PA)
The BetMGM PA Online Poker client is a classic design based on long-standing software and design ideas that will be familiar to many PA online poker players.
It does fall somewhat short of its competitors in terms of modern features, but it makes up for its lack of flash with its top-tier functionality.
- Stability: Good
- Based on a long-standing software base from partner partypoker, BetMGM Poker provides a stable, if somewhat slow, client for online poker players in PA.
- Functionality: Good
- Game types on BetMGM Poker PA are limited to Hold 'em and Omaha, but the operator has good variation on those types.
- Design: Classic
- The partypoker-based software in use at BetMGM Poker PA isn’t as modern-looking as its competitors, but the interface is familiar and intuitive.
- Navigation: Good
- Response times can be a bit slow navigating through the various game modes and options, but finding one’s way around the client lobby is easy enough.
- Filters: Good
- A familiar expandable filter pane above the main details gives players an easy way to hone in on their games of choice.
- Customization: Good
- BetMGM Poker PA has a good array of customization options, but navigating the interface can be slow and clunky.
- Up to $75 in MTT tickets on top of the bonus
- Frequent MTT series with good guarantees
- Combined player pools in Michigan and New Jersey
The Best Software for Playing Online Poker in PA: The Verdict
The poker software alone is not the only thing that players care about when deciding where to play, but it certainly plays an important role in the final decision and greatly affects the overall online poker experience. From this standpoint, the title of PA’s Best Online Poker Software goes to PokerStars. The new WSOP Poker 8 client has come a long way and comes in solid second place. As for BetMGM/Borgata, it is fair to say the operator still has some catching up to do, although its classic and familiar interface may appeal to some players.
