888poker: Slow &\nSteady<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n888poker was originally launched in 2002 under the\nname Pacific Poker. Only through the later rebranding process, the site came to\nbe known as 888poker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like many others, 888 decided to leave the US market in 2006 when the UIGEA was passed, which is probably part of the reason why PokerStars managed to achieve such a significant advantage in terms of player numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe site kept going, always staying in the top\n10 poker rooms around, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years, 888poker has been picking up\nmore speed and media exposure, mainly thanks to the fact it took over the WSOP\nsponsorship in 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The room has partnered up with other popular\ntours and started to organize high-profile live events to improve its media\npresence. Thanks to this, it\u2019s seen a significant surge in player traffic, and\nthey\u2019ve started to gain a lot of ground on PokerStars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Software: PokerStars vs 888poker \u2013 PS Wins<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWith software, we are looking at both quality and stability. It\u2019s what most people notice first and if this segment isn\u2019t quite right, they\u2019ll likely go looking for another option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s compare the software of the two rooms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PokerStars – Software <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nPokerStars has had one of the best software\nsolutions out there for years now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This title was only ever contested by FullTilt\nPoker, but since the company went under, PS reigns supreme in terms of the\ngaming platform. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, the developers working behind\nthe scenes have created a poker client that meets the needs of even the most\ndemanding players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lobby is divided into several sections,\ndesigned to give you an easy way to get around and find the games you want to\nplay. Main parts featured in the PS lobby include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tournaments<\/li> Sit & Go<\/li> Cash<\/li> Zoom<\/li> Spin & Go<\/li> 6+ Hold\u2019em<\/li> Events<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nOn top of this detailed categorization,\nPokerStars also features a very elaborate filter system that gives you full\nfreedom to isolate the exact type of games you\u2019re interested in playing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These filters include game type, buy-in range, number of players at the table, tournament structure and subtype (KOs, rebuys, etc.), and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe PokerStars software also lets you adjust it\nto your needs and offers a high level of customization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can choose from several different language\noptions, various table themes, select your preferred seat, adjust auto-rebuy\nsettings for cash games and tournaments, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, it can be a drag to figure out these\noptions and set them up just the way you want them, but you can make PokerStars\nyour own in every way. It\u2019s worth doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is especially important for those who\nspend a lot of time playing and makes multi-tabling much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
888poker – Software <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n888 has done a lot of work in recent years to\nmake its software better and more in line with the expectations of modern-day\nplayers. Although there\u2019s still room for improvement, the software is good as\nit is right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main lobby is divided into several sections\nand sub-sections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the \u2018All Games\u2019 heading, you\u2019ll find all the different game types on offer as well as the tournament lobby. SWAP and BLAST games have their own lobbies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n888poker\u2019s game filters aren\u2019t as elaborate or\nas advanced as your options on PokerStars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, you can easily filter out particular\ngames by buy-in ranges and the maximum number of players at the table, so most\nplayers won\u2019t have any problems with this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, for the pros with higher requirements,\nPS does offer more in this particular department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In terms of customization, PokerStars offers\nmore options, but 888poker still offers great options. You won\u2019t find as many\ndifferent table backgrounds, but main settings such as auto-rebuys, are there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Game Variety: PokerStars vs 888poker \u2013 PS Wins<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nNot all players are bothered about having\naccess to a wide variety of games. However, having access to many different\noptions on a single site attracts more players, and this is where PokerStars is\nahead of 888poker – and pretty much anyone else out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PokerStars – Games <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIf you just look at the game filters on\nPokerStars, you\u2019ll see that this room has almost every game variation you\u2019ve\nheard of, and some you might not even know. It really does have it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, the room has done a lot to\nexpand its range of variations to meet different player profiles, building an\nimpressive portfolio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Poker variants you\u2019ll find at PokerStars\ninclude:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Texas Hold\u2019em (No Limit, Limit, and\nPot Limit)<\/li> Omaha (PL, NL, Limit)<\/li> Omaha 8<\/li> Seven Card Stud<\/li> Razz<\/li> 5 Card Omaha<\/li> 2-7 Single \/ Triple Draw<\/li> 5 Card Draw<\/li> Badugi<\/li> 8-Game Mix<\/li> 6+ Hold\u2019em<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nMost of these games are offered in tournament\nformats and cash games alike across various stakes, so PokerStars really has a\nplatform for all types of players. Whether you\u2019re an experienced pro looking\nfor a high stakes 8-Game Mix table or just want to learn Badugi playing micros,\nyou can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cash Games – Pokerstars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe range of stakes on PS cash game tables is\npretty much as wide as it gets. Most games can be played as low as $0.01\/$0.02\nwhile the highest stakes games feature $200\/$400 blinds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are also various other options such as\nCAP and Deep tables, so you have a lot of freedom to choose your games and\nbuild your bankroll at your own pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The only thing missing is the ultra-high stakes\ntables that were available on Full Tilt Poker back in the day. PokerStars chose\nto get rid of them, and it doesn\u2019t look like it\u2019ll be bringing them back any\ntime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tournaments – Pokerstars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIf there\u2019s one room that caters to tournament\nplayers, that\u2019s PokerStars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no other poker site offering such an extensive\ndaily schedule of tournaments for every level. From freerolls and super-small\nbuy-ins to high stakes events, PS provides a wide array of events for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to daily tournaments, PokerStars hosts a ton of weekly staple events, including its legendary Sunday Million. This tournament has been happening for years now, attracting experienced pros and enthusiastic amateurs alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nTo top it all off, Stars has been offering\nnumerous tournament series over the years such as its SCOOP and WCOOP events,\nas well as Micro Millions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Featuring dozens of MTTs with attractive prize\npools spread across a few weeks, these types of events work like magnets for\ntournament grinders and recreational players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PokerStars is also one of the most creative\nrooms when it comes to different tournament structures and formats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From deep stack to hyper-turbo tournaments, it offers\na type of action for every player. To add to the excitement, you\u2019ll find\nregular and progressive knockouts, satellites to big online and live events,\nand so much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Special Formats – Pokerstars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne of the beauties of online poker is that it\noffers a lot of room to try new things and find out what you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PokerStars has done an excellent job here,\nexperimenting with various new game formats and settling with those that caught\nthe most attention from players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We can take Zoom<\/strong> cash tables as an\nexample, which are hugely popular. <\/p>\n\n\n\nYou don\u2019t have to sit around, waiting for the new hand to start. The moment you fold, you\u2019re taken to a new table and dealt a new hand. The pros and the amateurs alike love this format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nFor the pros, Zoom is a great way to put in a\nlot of hands in a short time, which can help improve their hourly rate. For casual\nplayers, this is a great way to actually play some hands instead of spending\nyour entire session without much happening at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, there is the Spin & Go<\/strong> format.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThese lottery-style sit & go games have been hugely popular with players. They offer a chance for the winner to win a random amount of cash, up to the maximum of 10,000x the stake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, you could, in theory, win $10,000 playing a $1 sit and go against just two other players!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, odds against actually hitting that\n10,000x multipliers are huge, and pros weren\u2019t too happy when Stars came out\nwith this idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, recreational players love it for the\nbuzz, and professionals have eventually come around and figured out how to get\nan edge in these games as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
888poker – Games<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n888poker isn\u2019t PokerStars, and it can\u2019t compete\nwhen it comes to the range of different game types on offer. However, as\nmentioned already, most players aren\u2019t exactly looking to play 2-7 Triple Draw,\nso it\u2019s not that big of a deal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When it comes to main game formats, the room\nhas the area pretty well covered, offering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n