We rate our poker rooms on a 1 to 10 scale for 14 different categories. We then average up the scores, and that is the overall rating that you see on our reviews page. The categories are not given heavier weights according to how important the category is, we just average them up. We’ll examine each category in depth to show you just how we decide on our ratings.
Overall
This is the average rating of every score. We will also point out some of the more interesting features of the poker room, in order to give you a quick impression of what this poker room is like.
Layout
In this category, we rate the general appearance and usability of the poker room. We examine the website to see how easy it is to navigate and find information, as well as comment on the look of the website. We rate the software based on its interface, graphics, and any special options it offers.
Customer Service
Here we rate the poker room based on how good their customer service is. We take a look at the different options available, such as email, phone, live chat, and we test out the service to see how quick the response times are, in case of email, and how friendly and knowledgeable the customer service representatives are.
Competition
Here we give a general rating based upon how skilled the players are at this poker room. The less skilled the players are, the higher the rating. We do this because it is easier to win against less skilled players, so players who want to win will choose weaker competition over strong competition.
Games
Here we state which games the poker room offers and give them a rating based on this. The more games a poker room offers, and the more rare games, the higher the rating.
Real Money Traffic
Here we give you the average number of real money players that are online in both ring games and tournaments during the poker room’s peak hours.
Online Poker Tournaments
Here we show you what kinds of tournaments the poker room offers. We make an effort to mention what unique and interesting tournaments are offered as well.
Freerolls
This category is rated based upon how many freerolls are offered by the poker room, the prize pools of the freerolls, and how easy it is to register for a freeroll.
Stakes
In this category we list the range of stakes that the poker room offers for different poker games and different betting variations. The wider the range of stakes is, the higher this rating becomes.
Private Games
Here we tell our readers whether the poker room offers private games, whether there are private games for ring games, tournaments, or both. If the poker room has private games, we also rate them based upon how easy they are to set up.
Deposit Bonuses
We rate this category according to how large the deposit bonuses are for this site. We tell you what bonuses the poker room offers our readers and how to collect these poker bonuses.
Players Reward System
Here we inform you of the rewards the poker room offers to entice players to join and stay with them. The more attractive the offers are, the higher the rating.
Compatible Operating Systems
We give high ratings in this category if the poker room has software that is compatible with Mac and Linux, as well as with Windows. Having high compatibility allows more players to join up with the poker room.
Deposit and Withdrawal Options
Here we state which deposit and withdrawal options the poker room supports. The more options, the higher the rating. This is because it makes it easier to get your money in and out of the poker room.
Casino Games
This rating is based upon the number of casino games a poker room offers, and whether they are related to any online casinos. We find that a lot of poker players are also interested in casino games, so this category was made to inform them of the casino game options.
Final Words
I hope that this article has helped you to understand just how we rate our online poker rooms. You can also learn about how we rank our online casinos.