Party Poker Review

PartyPoker Review

Having launched in 2001, PartyPoker is one of the biggest online poker sites in the world, and its software is routinely one of the most downloaded.

This review takes an in-depth look at PartyPoker, addressing security, mobile play, bonuses, games, deposits and withdrawals, and customer support. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype!

Safety & Security

PartyPoker is a safe poker site, with lots of systems in place to protect players. It is part of Entain plc, which includes several other industry-leading brands, all of which maintain the same high security standards.

• PartyPoker uses 128-bit SSL encryption to ensure that data remains safe and private.
• It is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and the Government of Gibraltar.
• Games are independently tested to ensure they operate fairly and randomly.
• PartyPoker’s systems perform random security checks to stamp out any players that collude or cheat. It goes to great lengths to eradicate players that make use of bots or prohibited software.
• It has the seal of approval from eCOGRA – an approved testing agency designed to protect players.

Mobile

Players can download the easy-to-use PartyPoker app from both the Google Play store and the iOS App Store. The full site is also accessible via mobile web browser. Access PartyPoker mobile through the following devices:

• iPhone and iPad (via App Store and web browser)
• Android smartphones and tablets (via Google Play Store or web browser)

The PartyPoker app offers:

• Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Short Deck cash games
• Fastforward cash games
• Real money and free play tables
• Multi-table tournaments and Sit & Go’s
• Multi-tabling

Countless brands deliver a star-studded online poker site, only to fall miles short in the mobile play department. Learning lessons from the failings of other sites, PartyPoker has really stepped up to deliver an excellent mobile platform, which has undergone extensive development.

Bonuses & Promotions

PartyPoker offers a respectable welcome bonus with minimal wagering requirements:

• When you first deposit with PartyPoker, you’ll receive a welcome bonus you can use straight away.
• There’s no need to input a bonus code, simply click through to the website and sign up.
• Welcome offers often involve matched deposit bonuses, but also a selection of poker tickets. This proves to be a great way to get started on the site and potentially boost your bankroll.

Aside from welcome bonuses, other lucrative poker bonuses offered by PartyPoker include small no deposit bonuses and physical giveaways. PartyPoker gives away thousands in prizes each week and has a weekly tournament with huge guaranteed prize money. Its promotions page is constantly being updated with new and exciting ways to boost your bankroll.

There’s also a straightforward loyalty programme that offers cashback directly into your account when you receive a set number of points.

Games

From big-time ring games through to intense tournament play, PartyPoker brings players a little bit of everything. You can play:

• Cash Games: real money poker games with no start or end times
• Sit & Go’s: single table tournaments that start once all seats are filled
• Tournaments: multi-table tournaments (MTTs) that play down to a final table and winner

Cash Games

PartyPoker has a fantastic range of cash games available to play, including:

• No Limit Hold’em
• Fixed Limit Hold’em
• Pot Limit Hold’em
• Pot Limit Omaha
• Short Deck
• Fixed Limit 7 Card Stud
• Short Deck (like Texas Hold’em with a reduced deck)
• Fastforward poker (a quick-fire cash game set across multiple tables)

Sit & Go’s (SNG)

PartyPoker has a lot of single table SNGs, with buy-ins catering to every level. With Sit & Go’s, the game starts once all the seats are filled and typically takes less than an hour.

It also has fast-paced, three-handed Sit & Go tournaments called SPINS. The prize pool here is randomly determined, meaning you could pay a small buy-in and end up with the top prize of $1million!

Sit & Gos are great practice for a multi-table tournament. What’s more, their satellites could help you qualify for a much larger tournament.

Tournaments

There are a whole host of tournaments to play at PartyPoker, from traditional tourneys to bounty tournaments, where players earn a cash reward for every opponent they knock out.

There are also tournament series, which run throughout the year and award some enormous prizes. You can qualify for most tournaments via satellites and even some freerolls. Overall, the range of games and tournaments offered by PartyPoker is impressive, and one of the main draws to the site.

History & Background

PartyPoker launched in 2001, making it one of the most experienced online poker brands around. Over time, the brand has not only worked to innovate – see the growth of its mobile platform in recent years – but it’s also changed as a company. In 2011, the brand’s holding company Party Gaming merged with industry powerhouse bwin to form bwin.party Digital Entertainment, the largest publicly listed gaming company in the world.

In 2013 PartyPoker launched its new “social” poker initiative, which involved key changes in the software to make it feel more inclusive. It worked wonders to attract casual players and put PartyPoker on the map. With PartyPoker growing hugely under the bwin.party Digital Entertainment banner, it wasn’t long before another shift in ownership was on the horizon.

In February 2016, GVC Holdings purchased bwin.party Digital Entertainment for a staggering $1 billion. Late 2020 saw GVC rebrand to Entain plc, and since then the company has gone on to acquire numerous betting companies across the USA, Canada, Croatia, the Netherlands and beyond.

Banking – Deposits & Withdrawals

Deposit options at PartyPoker include credit and debit cards, bank transfer, e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller, and prepaid cards. There are no fees for depositing at PartyPoker.

When clearing a deposit bonus you’ll need to meet the minimum wagering requirements as specified in the T&Cs. Remember, there are also deposit limits, which you can alter yourself, to make sure players gamble responsibly.

Withdrawals typically take up to two working days, as they are first reviewed before they are approved. They are usually transferred to the payment method used to make the initial deposit. PartyPoker doesn’t charge any fees for withdrawals, but the payment provider might, so it’s best to check with them directly.

Customer Support

Playing at PartyPoker is largely a breeze, but should trouble strike, it has protocols in place that should have you up and running again in no time. The customer support methods include:

• Live chat
• Email form
• PartyPoker FAQs

Overall, the customer support at PartyPoker is efficient. The customer support team work 24/7 and you can expect a sub 24-hour turnaround for most issues.

Conclusion

We particularly recommend PartyPoker to cash game beginners, experienced players that like playing against beginners, people that like six-handed games, and people that like mega-payouts in tournaments. Sign up today to receive the PartyPoker bonus with no bonus code required. Note that players from the US cannot play at the site – see our page on poker site reviews for poker rooms accepting players from the US.

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