When online poker sites started years ago, there were not many designed to actually work (or work well) with Mac computers. Very few online poker rooms offered any kind of Mac compatible online poker software; everything seemed to be geared only towards Windows based machines. However, given the meteoric rise of Apple over the years since this time, many internet based poker rooms have had a change of heart and 2023 has seen an increase in Mac compatibility.
As a Mac user, you will be very pleased to know that almost all of the top online poker sites do offer options that enable you to enjoy your favorite poker sites. Some of the best sites now even offer in-browser software that can be run on any type of computing machine. Despite how things have changed, Mac users still need to know a few things to help them have the best experience, no matter which poker rooms they choose.
By the time you have finished this online guide to Mac online poker sites, you will understand:
OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR 2023
With new laws all over the world beginning to make it easier once again to play at online poker sites, and the high number of Mac users, it is very important for merging these two groups together. This is the reason why over the past few years there has been a big movement among various online poker rooms and even online poker software creators to some up with new technologies to help foster this advancement.
As a result of this, there have been tons of different poker rooms that made their online clients entirely optimized for Apple computers. Many of these online poker sites now have in-browser (also known as instant play) software that enables users to play no matter what type of computer they use. However, it should also be noted that the best real money and the top real cash online poker sites offer dedicated software specifically designed for Apple computers.
From the perspective of these online poker sites, this almost literally opens up a whole new world of potential online poker players to them. Many people who have used Apple computers in the past had simply given up hope of ever being able to effectively use online poker rooms since their software really only worked for Windows based machines.
Of course, it should also be obvious that while many of these OSX (the Apple and Mac operating system) online poker clients work very well, not all of them have been created equal. In fact, there can be some pretty significant differences among the various online poker rooms. It really pays to do your research, or just take a look at our list of the best online poker sites for Mac users.
From the perspective of the online poker player, having a strong Mac poker room client makes things a lot more convenient. It is easier to get started playing after a quick download and installation. In fact, most of the technical stuff happens automatically, with just the click of a button. Since the software sits unobtrusively on your desktop or mobile device, there is no disruption to other activities, either.
The main advantage of using a Mac to play poker online is that it is amazingly easy and just downright convenient. Almost every popular online poker site today is going to offer some form of Mac compatible software (even if it is browser based). Certainly all of the top and best known real money and real cash online poker websites will offer these options.
When playing at most of these online poker rooms, you will also find the software works quite nicely on even older versions of your Apple computers. This includes MacBook, iBook, iMac, and more. Software used to power these modern poker rooms is not really very resources intensive, although there may be a few minor exceptions among online poker websites. Since the resource usage is low, it will work on a wide range of Apple computers and devices.
You could also run the software for online poker sites by choosing to use a dual boot option. In other words, even with a Windows only poker client. This will work on any Macintosh computer running OSX Leopard 10.5.
Best of all, using the downloaded software provided to Mac users from most online poker rooms actually gives you extra features and options. In most cases, you will have an easier time if you are looking to sit and play at multiple poker rooms or tables at the same time. Plus, you will have access to the entire network of players using that particular online poker site, not just other Mac users.
When approaching poker sites, Mac players do also have the option of instant play. This means choosing not to download any type of poker client or software and playing right away in your browser window.
One of the primary benefits of this is that you can get started right away. There is no need to wait for your poker rooms' software to download, then install, and then go through the registration process after it is brought back up. There is also no need to configure anything or play around with the poker sites' tabling and tiling and other display options, which can also take a bit of time to get right.
You may also find the no download options offered by most online poker sites to be without many distractions. This should make it easier to get down to playing without having graphical banners popping up at you every third second. Also, the graphical element of playing many tables in many online poker rooms offering a no download option is a bit limited anyway.
When choosing to play at Mac online poker sites, you can expect a number of things. First of all, get ready for a very feature rich user experience. This includes lots of different options that can make your online poker gaming more fun, exciting, and even profitable. With many of these poker rooms, you will be able to tile different tables and even play at a number of tables at the same time. Granted, this is probably something best used by very skilled players, but it could be a great way to double or even triple your real cash income.
You will know for certain that your poker sites are really concerned about giving you the tools needed to be successful. A little known fact about Mac online poker rooms is that they may even include additional features not offered to other in-browser or no-download players. The extent of these features can vary greatly, which is why you really need to examine each individual poker client (or just use our list below). Special features might include:
Mac usage is pretty big in some markets and online poker has not ignored this important market segment, with leading online poker sites offering their full range of products on the Apple series.
Finding the best of the best is always a bit tricky but we believe that we have narrowed it down to a science and our users can benefit from our expertise on the subject to get only top poker rooms.
The good news is that 2016 shows that the difference between Mac and PC has all but disappeared when it comes to online poker. However, we remain vigilant and check out the sites ourselves to see that their Mac versions are just as good as advertised.
We do this by looking at online poker rooms and rating them based on the software, the game availability, the promotions, the competition at the tables and other key aspects. It is not enough for a poker site to just run on a Mac device, it has to have a long list of betting ranges, poker variants, S&G's and tournaments.
International poker online has forced the best operators to have their products compatible with different platforms so that a player using Mac can easily bet at a table with players using PC or even mobile devices.