Crypto Poker vs. Standard Online Poker: How to Play

Crypto poker and crypto casinos in general are becoming more common. You can find hundreds online now, and even normal standard online casinos are integrating crypto features into their platform.

Crypto poker isn't that different from standard poker. If you haven't played it before, here's a guide comparing crypto poker and standard poker, including tips on how to play.

Crypto Poker Explained

Crypto poker is still online poker. Texas Hold’em, Pot-Limit Omaha, tournaments, cash games, blinds, betting rounds, and hand rankings are the same game concepts and rules whether it's standard or crypto poker.

The main difference is how you deposit, hold, and withdraw your bankroll.

On a crypto poker platform, you usually have to:

• Create an account.
• Deposit cryptocurrency from an exchange or personal wallet.
• Select a cash game or tournament.
• Play poker using an account balance/chips, but with a crypto asset or a dollar-linked stablecoin.
• Withdraw winnings to a compatible crypto wallet.

Most of that is still the same as standard casino games; the difference is the currency you're using.

Stablecoins are becoming more relevant to crypto poker. They reduce issues with changing value, since Bitcoin and Ethereum, for example, are so volatile. Stablecoins, as the name suggests, are more stable.

The only setback is that blockchain transactions are irreversible, so be careful not to enter the wrong wallet address or send funds through an incompatible blockchain network. Reversing a payment is impossible.

Many crypto poker platforms double as full crypto sportsbooks, so if you branch out into sports betting between poker sessions, it's worth getting comfortable with how odds are quoted. Lines can show up as American, decimal, or fractional depending on the site, and knowing how to do odds conversion quickly means you won’t have to wonder what you’re actually being offered.

How Crypto Payments are Different

Other than the fact that it's crypto, not fiat currency, there are a few differences to consider.

For one, transaction costs work differently. Crypto withdrawals can involve blockchain and network fees, and if you've dealt with them before, they can be expensive. Fees depend on the blockchain network you use, but they can range from a few cents to over $20.

Traditional poker sites also use more conventional payment verification. If you have a verified account, you might only need to select your withdrawal method. When you first verify your account, you usually need to give your name, address, and sometimes your ID, like a photo of your passport and driver's license.

Crypto payments are more final. You might still need to verify your account, but you don't really have anyone to go to if you have payment issues because you can't cancel a blockchain transaction after it has gone through.

You should also think about volatility. If you store Bitcoin in your bankroll and it drops 8% in a day, as it has done, you lose 8% of your bankroll. That's why most people will agree stablecoins are better for crypto casinos.

Crypto and Standard Poker Strategies

There's no special way to play crypto poker. You play the same way as you would standard poker.

Position is the absolute basic fundamental. If you act later, you have more information about your opponents' moves. You can play wider ranges and make more calculated bets, bluffs, and folds.

You can also:

• Develop sensible pre-flop ranges
• Play tighter from early positions
• Expand opening ranges closer to the button
• Understand when to call, 3-bet, or fold against raises
• Adjust ranges according to effective stack size and opponent tendencies

Thinking in ranges is another good strategy. You don't think in individual hands and assume your opponent has an 'X' card. You think about all options.

And if you're playing against a stronger opponent, balance your value bets and bluffs. Some of your opponents will also have more obvious traits and tendencies, so you could go down the route of a more exploitative strategy, for example, value betting more frequently against someone who calls too often.

Crypto poker and standard table poker are the same, except for the currency. You still get the same gaming experience; you just need to read the casino platform's rules to learn how to deposit and withdraw money.