Paradise Poker

Paradise Poker - One of the oldest and better known online sites is Paradise Poker. Having been on the scene since 1999, Paradise has survived the bust and boom of the online Poker industry. Since they are one of the biggest and oldest names in the game, I figured it was time I played a few hands to see what they’re all about.

As soon as you open Paradise’s homepage, it’s obvious that there is a lot going on at this site! It is a bit more cluttered than I prefer, but at least the space is used for site promotions and not 3rd party advertising. The menu is quite basic and straightforward, and there is a useful “tour” of the site you can take before downloading the software. Everything is accessible, and there’s also a nice poker tips section, featuring the Paradise Poker models. The banner on the mainpage showing the number of players online is also a cool touch.

Having browsed the mainpages, I initiated the download for Paradise’s software. Everything goes quickly as it should, and before long you’ll be in the lobby ready to play. The registration process is very simple and has you playing almost immediately. The lobby is easy to navigate, and all the games are split up and ordered by stakes, making table choice an easy task. The lobby also features an appealing layout, and keeps nicely with the paradise theme.

Once you sit down and get playing, you’ll find Paradise’s gameplay to be simple but easy to use. While it doesn’t have stunning visuals, it does get the job done. Having said that, it can look a little on the plain side if you just came from a site with really nice graphics. I personally do not like the look of a poker room that just has names sitting around the table, and Paradise has this flaw. To their credit, the gameplay is fairly solid, and includes a feature that allows you to take notes directly on your opponents, which is helpful.

In the promotions department, Paradise seems to have things covered pretty well. They have over half a million committed to WSOP tournaments, and even offer their own major tournament: The Paradise Poker Masters- with $2 million in prizes. There is also the usual run-down of tournaments available, and with Paradise’s solid population, they should have no problem filling them.

Overall, it’s not too difficult to see why Paradise Poker has survived the expansion of the online industry. They have a solid site with plenty to offer, despite having average graphics.